The prevailing wind blows through the gorge toward Blowing Rock. There, at the end of the gorge, the wind's path of least resistance is up the steep slopes surmounted by the outcropping, resulting in a nearly vertical wind, typically quite strong, accounting for "Blowing" as part of the spot's name. The view from Blowing Rock down the largely undisturbed forest of the gorge is unobstructed, long, and striking.
Access to the outcropping is privately held, and is granted to tourists for a fee payable at the adjacent souvenir shop.