The Trails of Chimney Rock Park

Four Seasons

The Four Seasons trail winds from the Upper Meadows up to the Hickory Nut Falls trail. It gains 400' in elevation along the way. It travels through hardwood trees, past thickets of Carolina Rhododendron and mountain laurel and alongside abundant wildflowers and indigenous plants, some species not found along the Park's other trails. You may even spot deer and wild turkeys. Wooded; great for birding and shows off changes in plant and animal life throughout seasons.

Great Woodland Adventure

Woodland creatures take the spotlight at 12 discovery stations along this easy winding trail at the Meadows. Grady the Groundhog, the Park’s mascot, illustrates how his forest friends live, including chipmunks, frogs, owls and butterflies, spiders, turtles and birds of prey. Larger-than-life wood and metal sculptures bring the trail to life.

Hickory Nut Falls

Following an old jeep road, this trail leads through a mixed hardwood forest to the base of 404-foot Hickory Nut Falls. Some sections are rocky, but the hills are generally mild and children should be able to reach the falls. This trail was formerly known as the Forest Stroll until the more appropriate, current name was applied.

Outcroppings

Note: the old all-wood staircases have been removed and replaced with sturdy state-park style steel and wood structures. The Needle's Eye spiral staircase has been removed. This "trail" provides walking access to the Chimney in lieu of the elevator, and it's a climb of its own right. This is actually a series of impressive structures which take you up through a huge jumble of rock outcroppings and boulders near the base of the Chimney.

Skyline

The Skyline trail is open to Exclamation Point. This 20-minute, moderate-to-strenuous trail finds you looking down over Chimney Rock and Lake Lure as you start your ascent of the mountain. The trek courses through lush woodland on natural cliffs, up stairs and along switchbacks to such geologic spectacles as the Devil’s Head, the remarkable overhang and panoramic vistas at the Opera Box, and to the highest peak in the Park - 2,480 ft. Exclamation Point, which overlooks the Gorge and valley floor more than 1,300 feet below. The dramatic beauty of Hickory Nut Gorge with its breathtaking sheer cliffs makes the effort needed to reach Exclamation Point well worth the effort.

Note: the trail beyond Exclamation Point to the top of Hickory Nut Falls is temporarily closed, and will be re-routed further up the mountain into the forested summit according to the park's master plan.