Grandfather Mountain State Park Trails
This is your guide to individual trails within the Grandfather Mountain State Park trailhead area.Black Rock
Blaze Color: Yellow
Descends gradually from the Attraction area to a view of the Swinging Bridge, MacRae and Attic Window peaks, and Beacon Heights and Grandmother Mountain to the southwest. Rambling through northern hardwood and spruce forests, this is a self-guided nature trail.
Cragway
Blaze Color: Orange
A steep, strenuous trail with great views. Passes by boulders and "crags" - rocky outcroppings that give the trail its name, and also rhododendron and blueberry thickets. Can be used to make a loop hike (one of the few on Grandfather Mountain) by combining the Nuwati and Daniel Boone Scout Trails.
Daniel Boone Scout
Blaze Color: White
Ascends 2000 feet from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Calloway Peak - 5964' in elevation. The upper half is rough, but has great views, including one of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A few in-place ladders and cables help hikers up the peak near the top.
Grandfather
Blaze Color: Blue
Follows the length of Grandfather Mountain's summit ridge from the Attraction area near the Swinging Bridge to the summit of Calloway Peak. Travels through a spruce-fir forest, around rock walls and pinnacles, and through open meadows. There are steep, hand-over-hand sections and some rock outcroppings must be negotiated with in-place ladders.
Grandfather Extension
Blaze Color: Red
Extends the Grandfather trail down to the attraction area's trails parking and can be used to make a loop within the attraction. Great view of MacRae Peak.
Nuwati
Blaze Color: Blue
Follows an old logging road. Easy but rocky; ends at Storyteller Rock and a spectacular view of the area around Boone, NC. Stream crossings, a stand of big-tooth aspens, and logging artifacts can be found along the trail.
Profile
Blaze Color: Red with hiker symbol
Probably the best way to "summit" Grandfather Mountain is via this fantastic trail, and I believe it's one of the finest trails in the state. The trail first winds through lush mid-altitude cove hardwood forests, with a few stream crossings and scenic cascades. It climbs moderately at first and more steeply higher up, with many switchbacks. Sections created by master trailbuilders are laid from massive, flat stones arranged in stair-step fashion. The trail passes several views (both up and down), including one of the old man's "profile" which gave rise to the mountain's name. There are lots of big trees, rock features, and good water at Shanty Spring. Beyond that point it shoots straight up the mountain, gets very steep and rocky and transitions into the spruce-fir forest zone closer to the summit. The trail is generally well signed and blazed.
