Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is located in Chimney Rock Village near Lake Lure in the NC mountains. Just 25 miles southeast of Asheville, NC, the Park is nestled in Hickory Nut Gorge adjacent to the towns of Lake Lure and Bat Cave. The Park welcomes leashed and vaccinated pets.

Privately owned by the Morse family for more than 100 years, Chimney Rock was acquired by the state of North Carolina in 2007 to become part of a larger state park dubbed Chimney Rock State Park. Currently, the 1,000-acre Chimney Rock is the only part of the state park open to the public.

Chimney Rock, the 535-million-year-old monolith for which the Park is named, is considered one of the most iconic sites in North Carolina. From its top, you’ll soak in the 75-mile panoramic views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure. We’ve made the views easily accessible to all with our 26-story elevator built right inside the mountain.

The Park features mountain hiking trails for all ages and abilities.

• Our most popular trail, the Hickory Nut Falls trail, takes you out to our 404-ft. waterfall, one of the highest in the East.
• The Four Seasons trail heads out of the Meadows area through deciduous forest and connects with the Hickory Nut Falls trail.
• Designed just for kids and kids-at-heart, the Great Woodland Adventure features 12 discovery stations with locally-made sculptures that educate guests on some of the animals that call Chimney Rock home.
• The Skyline trail takes you to the highest point in the Park, Exclamation Point, at 2480 ft. Be sure to stop at the Opera Box and Devil’s Head along the way.
• The Outcroppings trail, your alternative to the elevator, is a mix of stairways and boardwalks that leads you to Moonshiner’s Cave, Vista Rock, The Subway and Grotto, The Birdhouse and Pulpit Rock.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can give rock climbing a try with our partners, Fox Mountain Guides. There’s no equipment or experience necessary, just a bit of moxie. For the full experience, book a
2-hour, half-day or full-day clinic at Chimney Rock.

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