Incredible Vistas on the Skyline Trail

This 20-minute, moderate-to-strenuous hike 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 menacing Devil’s Head, the remarkable overhang and panoramic vistas at the Opera Box, to the highest point in the Park: 2,480-ft. Exclamation Point.

The dramatic beauty of Hickory Nut Gorge with its breathtaking sheer cliffs makes the jaunt to Exclamation Point well worth the effort. The name of this lookout speaks for itself! It’s no wonder that 20th Century Fox chose these views as the backdrop for several scenes in their 1992 release of the movie The Last of the Mohicans.

You'll enjoy awe-inspiring vistas of distant horizons, delight in the acrobatic displays of the Peregrine Falcons and marvel at the wealth of spring, summer and fall wildflowers. Shooting Star, Dwarf Crested Iris, False Goat's Beard and Joe Pye-weed are favorites that keep the meadows and mountainsides bathed in color throughout the growing season.