Howard's Knob is the prominent rocky outcrop visible directly above downtown Boone. At 4,400 feet it rises about a thousand feet above the town, and a small county park at the summit gives you the easiest panoramic view of the area. The drive up the access road is short and steep; from the parking lot a five-minute walk reaches the overlook.
The view takes in the town centre, the App State campus, and a long sweep of the surrounding ridges. Sunset is a fine time, though you should not linger long after dark — the road down is narrow.