“Filmmakers — like travelers and vacationers — have discovered the unmatched geographic diversity and climate that have made North Carolina the No. 3 film-making state in the country.” – NC Division of Sports, Film and Tourism Development.
The rugged beauty of the Park has long attracted celebrities and dignitaries, writers and photographers from near and far. The Park’s spectacular scenery caught Hollywood’s eye, too. Scenes from a number of movies have been filmed in the Park, including The Last of the Mohicans, Firestarter, and A Breed Apart.
The Last of the Mohicans, the 1992 epic romantic adventure starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe, features some of the Park’s best assets. During your visit to the Park, you will be able to walk along the trails and see sites that became the incredible scenic backdrop for the film. The last 17 minutes of the movie were filmed along the Cliff Trail, including the climactic fight scene at the top of Hickory Nut Falls. Be sure to ask the folks at the Ticket Plaza for a written guide to where scenes were filmed in the Park.
Firestarter, the 1984 thriller starring Drew Barrymore and George C. Scott, was based on the book written by Stephen King about a young girl’s ability to start fires with telekinetic powers. The Park’s front entrance gate and bridge were featured in the film.
A Breed Apart, the 1984 drama starring Kathleen Turner, Rutger Hauer, and Powers Boothe, tells the story of a mysterious recluse who is dedicated to saving a pair of nesting eagles believed to be the last of a dying breed. The Park’s wooded areas and trails were the perfect setting for the outdoor scenes of the movie. Exclamation Point was the site of the eagle’s eyrie.
Just a mile down the road from the Park at Lake Lure, Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) had the time of their lives while filming the 1987 romantic blockbuster Dirty Dancing.
Page Tools
Print Page
E-mail Page
