Events and Programs

A hiker enjoys the view at Grandfather Mountain State Park

Park Maps and Brochures:

Cragway and Nuwati Trails remain closed due to damage from the heavy rains in May. This includes the four campsites along the Nuwati Trail: Streamside, The Hermitage, Storyteller's Rock and The Refuge. The Daniel Boone Scout Trail is open; however, the Boone Fork Parking Area is closed until further notice. To access the Daniel Boone Scout Trail, hikers will need to park at the Boulder Field Parking Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mile markers 302 and 303. This will add a 2.8-mile hike on the Tanawha Trail before arriving at the Daniel Boone Scout Trailhead.

Posted on: Monday, July 16, 2018

SAFETY ALERT: BLACK BEAR ACTIVITY

There has been recent bear activity near Raven's Roost campsite.
Visitors are advised to be on the look-out for bears and educate themselves about proper bear safety.
For more tips, visit http://go.usa.gov/czWbW
or go to www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc and click on "Learn about Bear Safety."

Posted on: Thursday, June 14, 2018

Events and Programs

Grandfather Mountain State Park offers a variety of learning opportunities for all ages. Typically led by park rangers, these interpretive programs allow the public to gain perspective into what makes North Carolina state parks naturally wonderful.

Most of the events are free, though some require pre-registration. All give park visitors deeper insight into the natural world. Call the park office for more information.

GO Grandfather Day!

You are cordially invited to join the staff and volunteers of Grandfather Mountain State Park for our annual event Get Outdoors on Grandfather Mountain, or GO Grandfather Day! This is a family-focused day of fun and learning with a variety of activities to suit all ages and ability levels. Activities will include ranger-led hikes, a fishermen knot-tying workshop, and discussions about mountain stream ecology, all geared towards this year’s interpretive theme for NC State Parks, fish.

Come to the Junior Ranger table to participate in special projects and earn your Junior Ranger Badge! This year, the Stewardship portion witll be done in collaboration with the North Carolina Arboretum. They will be recruiting ecoEXPLORERS, children ages 5-12 years old who help scientists study wildlife. Come learn about how you can earn prizes and badges by taking photos of plants and animals and help park rangers learn more about who lives at Grandfather Mountain State Park!

Participants are encouraged to wear hiking boots and come dressed for the weather. This is an outdoor event and those in attendance should come prepared for a fun day outside! Leashed pets are welcome at the event, but may not come on the guided hikes.

Date of Event:

Wed, 08/15/2018 - 10:00am to 2:00pm

Start Location:

Profile Parking Area and Facility (4198 N. Highway 105)

Volunteer Trail Work Day

The mountain needs your help!

Recent heavy rains took a toll on many of the trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park. In order to improve trail conditions for visitors, and prevent further erosion and damage to the delicate ecosystems we protect, we will be hosting several Volunteer Trail Work Days throughout the summer. There is a lot of work to do, so grab your hiking boots and a buddy and come on down!

No tools or experience necessary! Just arrive by 9:00am ready to begin work. The workday will consist of repairing areas of the trail tread, brushing in erosion concern areas, repairing stream crossings, and similar work. Tools will be provided but if you have a specific tool you want to bring you may, just please check with the staff that morning to see if it can be used for work being done that day. For your safety, you must wear closed toed shoes. Please bring any snacks and water you feel you will need for the day, and dress appropriately for the weather conditions.

Suitable for ages 13 and up. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. No pets please.

Please RSVP to the Facebook Event or call the office at 828-963-9522.

Because having an accurate head count is extremely important in planning the activities for the day to maximize benefits to the park and participants, the exact location information will be sent to those have RSVP'ed on the Monday prior to the event (August 13th).

Date of Event:

Sat, 08/18/2018 - 9:00am to 2:00pm

Start Location:

TBD

Fall Colors

Be the first to tell your fiends what kind of trees they are seeing when the trees change colors in preparation for the winter. Come Hike with Ranger Sicard and learn how to identify deciduous trees based on the specific colors and chemicals in them at the time they change. This program will be approximately an hour long hike along the new section of the Profile Trail. Please come dressed appropriately for the weather and include any water or snacks you will need during the hike. The program is suitable for ages 8 and older (participants younger than 16 must have a parent/guardian present). No pets will be allowed during this hike.

Date of Event:

Mon, 10/08/2018 - 10:00am to 11:00am

Start Location:

Profile Trail Parking Area (4198 Hwy 105 South)

Contact:

Grandfather Mountain State Park

9872 Hwy 105 S (Suite #6)

Banner Elk, NC 28604

Phone828-963-9522

grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov

Latitude: 36.111200

Longitude: -81.811140

November - February: 8am - 6pm
March, April, May, September, October: 8am - 8pm
June, July, August: 8am - 9pm

To accommodate early hikes, park gates are not closed on a daily basis; however, they may close due to weather conditions.

OFFICE HOURS: The state park office is open Monday through Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. You may contact our office during business hours or after hours; leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 9
Linville, NC 28646

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Grandfather Mountain State Park