Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock SP https://www.ncparks.gov/chimney-rock-state-park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimney_Rock_State_Park Chimney Rock State Park is located in Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, North Carolina., 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Asheville. The park has hiking trails for all skill levels, views of the Devil's Head balancing rock and a 404-foot (123 m) waterfall, Hickory Nut Falls. Its most notable feature is a 315-foot (96 m) rock formation, a granite monolith, Chimney Rock, accessible by elevator and providing views of the park and surrounding countryside.

Chimney Rock State Park PO Box 220 Chimney Rock, NC 28720 828-625-1823 828-625-9945 chimney.rock@ncparks.gov GPS: 35.432799, -82.250260 Activities Location Park rangers offer regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs at the park. Contact the park office to arrange a presentation about the park at your location. Each April the park holds its annual Earth Day event where park rangers, biologists, and other environmental educators demonstrate the great work being done to protect the park and planet. Educational materials about Chimney Rock State Park are being developed and correlated to North Carolina’s curriculum. The program introduces students to the geology and cliffside ecology of Hickory Nut Gorge and focuses on plant and animal life, geologic forces, and stewardship. Trails: Chimney Rock State Park offers six trails for hikers to explore. Five of these trails are located within the fee-based Chimney Rock access; a free trail is located in the Rumbling Bald Climbing Area. The trails vary from moderate to strenuous hikes, and offer scenes of hardwood forest and dramatic views of the towering cliffs. The Outcroppings Trail offers a series of staircases to the top of Chimney Rock itself. A child-friendly 0.3 mile interpretive trail, the Great Woodland Adventure teaches hikers about the animal residents of Chimney Rock State Park through interactive sculptures and displays. See map for more information. Picnicking: Scattered along Chimney Rock Park Road are tables and grills for picnicking. Groups of tables are located in the Meadows area and at the top of the access road. Drinking water and restrooms are located near the group areas. Use of the tables requires no extra fee and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Fishing: Ply your line along the Rocky Broad River, so named after several floods deposited rocks and boulders mid-stream and along the banks. The river, regulated as hatchery-supported general trout waters, can be accessed from the River Walk Trail in Chimney Rock Village. For season dates and regulations for each type of trout water, contact the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC). A valid North Carolina fishing license and trout license are required for all streams, and regulations of the WRC are enforced throughout the park. Climbing is permitted in designated areas on the southern cliffs of Rumbling Bald Mountain. Because of the dangers of bouldering, rock climbing and rappelling, these activities are not recommended for beginners unless they are accompanied by an experienced climber. A registration and permit system is used for the Rumbling Bald Climbing Access. There is no fee for the permits, which are found at the trail head of the Rumbling Bald Trail. Participants are responsible for their own personal safety, including securing proper training and equipment, and adhering to safe practices. Chimney Rock State Park is located primarily in Rutherford County, 25 miles southeast of Asheville. From I-40, travel 20 miles southeast on US 74A to Chimney Rock Village. For the Chimney Rock attraction, turn right at the entrance in the village. For the Rumbling Bald Access, continue one mile on US 74A. Turn left on Boys Camp Road. Travel two miles and turn left at the climbing area entrance. Park Hours North Carolina State Parks are open every day, with the exception of Christmas Day. Park hours vary with the seasons. Please visit the North Carolina State Park website or contact the park office for the most current information about seasonal hours, activities, alerts, camping fees, programs rules and weather. www.ncparks.gov The park has a classroom, amphitheater, and picnic shelter available to rent. Contact the park office for more information. 

Pettigrew State Park South Mountains State Park – 2018 Park of the Year Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 234,000 acres of iconic landscape across our state in our parks, recreation areas and natural areas with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomed more than 19 million visitors in 2017. Discover More with a Ranger Across North Carolina, state park rangers are proud of our parks and eager to welcome you and your family. Come to our parks to marvel at our state’s most beautiful natural resources, enjoy your favorite outdoor activities and learn about the rich science, culture and history that make our parks great. Fun facts about North Carolina State Parks ■■ There are 41 places to visit, including 34 parks, four recreation areas and three staffed state natural areas. ■■ The Division manages four state rivers, seven state lakes and six state trails. ■■ There are about 581 miles of trail to explore in our parks. ■■ The first state park created was Mount Mitchell State Park on March 3, 1915. Fort Macon State Park was the second. ■■ The Division celebrated 100 years of being Naturally Wonderful in 2016. ■■ Parks that welcome over 1 million visitors annually include: Jockey’s Ridge, Fort Macon and William B. Umstead state parks and Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state recreation areas. ■■ The Division employs over 1,000 people across the state. ■■ Some www.ncparks.gov M N P Q Roy Cooper Governor unique activities you can do in our parks include: wind surfing and hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, cross country skiing and snow shoeing at Elk Knob State Park, driving on the four-wheel-drive beach at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and rock climbing at Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain and Stone Mountain state parks. Susi H. Hamilton Secretary 75,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $10,707.92 or $0.14 each. 03/18 Did you know that many plants atop Mount Mitchell are rare in North Carolina but common in Quebec? That the giant sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge are constantly moving? Do you know how to safely hold a crayfish? From fishing lessons to astronomy programs and tree identification hikes to guided paddles, parks offer programs for all ages. Visit our website for a list of upcoming programs at each park. Junior Rangers The Junior Ranger program offers educational and skill-based activities to encourage children to explore the outdoors. Children can complete activity guides, geared for ages 6-12, and attend ranger programs to earn a junior ranger patch unique to each park. Ask about the program at a park office or download the guide at: www.ncparks.gov/junior-rangers. Environmental Education Learning Experiences Parks have their own curriculum guides that are correlated to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Competency goals in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts are available. Each program includes pre-visit, on-site and post-visit student activities that have measurable objectives, background information, vocabulary, references and step-bystep activity instructions. Passport Program How many state parks can you visit? Use your passport as a guide and collect stamps, earn prizes and make “Naturally Wonderful” memories! Pick up your passport at a state park near you. North Carolina State Parks 100-Mile Challenge Can you hike, bike or paddle 100 miles in a year? Join the N.C. State Parks’ 100-Mile Challenge and log your miles online to earn digital badges and redeem prizes as you reach various milestones! This is a great way to get outside, get moving and keep track of your activity. Visit www.nc100miles.org to sign up. ■■ Several parks have educational trails, called TRACK trails, that include activities for children to complete along the way. William B. Umstead State Park Jockey’s Ridge State Park Friends Of State Parks Join the Friends of State Parks to help support, promote and advocate for the parks system as a whole, or join the friends group of your favorite park. The group helps provide funding for Junior Ranger and Youth in Parks – Environmental Education programs, as well as grants for state parks projects. You can also make a donation to help keep our parks around for future generations. Learn more at www.ncfsp.org or www.ncparks.gov/support-your-parks. Merchandise Want to show your N.C. State Parks pride? Visit the online webstore and purchase products such as coffee mugs, prints, t-shirts, pins, patches and Christmas ornaments. This exclusive merchandise makes a great gift for special state parks fans, including yourself. www.ncparkstore.com N.C. State Parks License Plate Show your support for state parks every time you drive your vehicle! Purchase an N.C. State Parks license plate through the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicl