Greetings from your friends at Chimney Rock Park!

Fall is magical at Chimney Rock Park. When color blankets our mountains, you see it from every conceivable angle. High atop the Chimney or Exclamation Point, you see the canopy of colors as it spreads down Hickory Nut Gorge. While out on the Hickory Nut Falls Trail, you’re embraced by reds, oranges and yellows. If you’re looking for that perfect “leaf watching” getaway, look no further.

Check our website for weekly fall color updates from Park Naturalist Ron Lance. Ron has been touted as the fall color expert by VisitNC.com, the state’s official tourism website, and the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

More Fall Fun

Don’t miss these great ways to enjoy autumn’s beauty at Chimney Rock Park.

• Saturday, October 6, 10am-4pm – Autumn in the Mountains, A British Car Gathering - More than 100 British cars will be on display in the Meadows from Jaguar XKE Roadsters to Austin Healeys, Morgans and Triumphs to modern-day MINIs. Chat with car owners while enjoying the magnificent display of British craftsmanship. No additional cost with Park admission.
• Sunday, October 14, 9am-noon – Fall Migration “Simon Says” Guided Bird Walk - Hickory Nut Gorge is the annual stop-over for many winged visitors making their way south. Join Ornithologist Simon Thompson and see mixed flocks of tanagers, warblers and vireos moving through the Gorge on their journey south. $19 includes Park admission, $3 for Annual Passholders, $8 for ages 6-15, free for Grady's Kids Club Members. Advance reservations required. Call 800-277-9611. Add a hiker’s lunch for $8.95. Check out the reports from Simon’s previous hikes to see what birds have been spotted in the Park.
• Saturday, October 20, 9-11am – Color Me Curious “Off the Beaten Path” Guided Hike - How and why do leaves change color? What colors are particular to what tree? These and other fall color questions are explored in this woodland walk with Park Naturalist Ron Lance. Don’t forget your comfortable walking shoes! $20, $5 for Annual Passholders, $10 for ages 6-15, $3 for Grady’s Kids Club Members. Advance reservations required. Call 800-277-9611.

Climb to Color

Another great way to see fall’s brilliant colors? Rock climbing! You’ll see the expanse of dappled hues from a whole new vantage point – hanging from the side of Vista Rock!

Our rock climbing clinics are perfect for beginners as well as all ages. So whether you’re six or 76, it’s time to follow Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice and “do one thing that scares you everyday.”

Park Trailwalker Completes Appalachian Trail

Chimney Rock Park Trailwalker Ben Finsel recently completed the ultimate trail walk – thru-hiking the 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail. And, he did it solo. Ben set off from Springer Mountain in Georgia on April 1 and hiked his way through 14 states, completing the trek by summiting Mt. Katahdin in Maine on August 29. He walked an average of about 15 miles each day for five months.

“This was my first big backpacking trip,” Ben said, adding that until the AT he hadn’t been on a hiking trip of more than a week. When asked why he wanted to tackle the challenge of the Appalachian Trail, Ben replied, “It just sounded like fun getting out and away from everything for five months.”

Get Away This Fall

Planning a getaway to enjoy the fall color? Book a fall girlfriend getaway, a romantic weekend, a quick family vacation or jam-packed family getaway to take in the kid-friendly area attractions. No matter which your choose, enjoy the cool weather and fall color along the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding NC mountains and be sure to check out the color forecasts from our Park Naturalist Ron Lance and other foliage hunters, or just explore on your own and find the mountains’ best-kept secrets.

CRP & State of NC Celebrate Land Acquisition

Last month, Chimney Rock Park celebrated, along with the NC Division of State Parks and various conservation groups, the acquisition of the Park into the state parks system. During the festivities, several advocates for land conservancy were honored, including Senator William Dalton, Mike Leonard of The Conservation Fund, Town of Lake Lure Mayor Jim Proctor and wife Robin, Chimney Rock Village Mayor Barbara Meliski, and Rutherford County’s Recreational, Cultural and Heritage Planner Jerry Stensland.

Park President Todd Morse and State Parks Director Lewis Ledford announced that Chimney Rock Park is now officially Chimney Rock State Park and declared that it’s destined to be the one of the greatest state parks in the Southeast.

Read all the details of the celebration and awards.

You Gotta Be in It to Win It!

Our fall photo contest is underway and the theme is “Kids & Color.” Capture kids of any age having fun at the Park, or show us the ways you enjoy fall color, and you could win the BIG prize.

What Does Fall at Chimney Rock Park Mean to You?

Tell us how you celebrate fall at Chimney Rock Park and you could win a fun fall prize. Is there a secret spot in the Park where you like to enjoy autumn’s splendor? Maybe your family has a special way of getting to the Park, a drive that takes you through a dazzling display of color. However you enjoy fall’s perennial show, we want to hear about it. Send your moments to prandevents@chimneyrockpark.com and you’ll be entered in our drawing.

'Til next month, live it up!