Featured park for August 2018
Grandfather Mountain State Park is our featured park for August!
Park News
Park Maps and Brochures:
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, August 18, 2018 - 9:00am
Thursday, August 23, 2018 - 9:00am
Thursday, August 30, 2018 - 9:00am
Trail and Campsite Closures Until Further Notice
Cragway and Nuwati Trails remain closed due to damage from the heavy rains. 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: Thursday, August 9, 2018 BLACK BEAR ACTIVITY
Bear activity has been reported on most of the trails in this region, including within the state park. Heavy rains have delayed native berry production so bears are actively looking for new food sources. Keep a clean lunch spot (or campsite): pack out all trash and food scraps to keep people and bears safe. For more information on bear safety, see the following website: https://www.fs.fed.us/visit/know-before-you-go/bears
Park News
Each of North Carolina’s state parks has special events during the year and news about facilities, trails, staff and park supporters. And, visitors are frequently finding new ways to explore a park’s unique cultural and natural resources. Check these pages to keep abreast of the news at your favorite parks.
Bear Activity
When visiting Grandfather Mountain State Park, it is important to remember that you are in Bear Country!
Bears, including mamas with cubs, are active and have recently been seen in the state park, on adjacent trails and in the general surrounding areas.
To avoid bear encounters, experts recommend the following:
Update: Park Closures and Access
Grandfather Mountain State Park experienced heavy, prolonged rains during the last two weeks of May. State park trails were damaged and eroded extensively, making many areas impassable or dangerous. Repairs to the trails will take time. The Cragway and Nuwati Trails will remain closed until repairs are complete. This closure includes the four campsites along the Nuwati Trail: Streamside, The Hermitage, Storyteller's Rock and The Refuge.
Trail and Campsite Closures due to Heavy Rain
The trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park sustained extensive damage from the recent heavy rains of 11” in four days. The Nuwati and Cragway trails are closed indefinitely until repairs can be completed. This closure includes the four campsites accessed via the Nuwati trail: Streamside, The Hermitage, Storyteller's Rock, and The Refuge. In addition to safety concerns, foot traffic on these trails would cause further damage and erosion.
Grand-further Mountain Run
The Grand-further Mountain Run will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018. The race begins at 8:00am from the Lowe’s parking lot and all race participants are required to be off the mountain by 2:00pm. The race follows the Profile Trail up to the Grandfather Trail, goes up and over Calloway Peak, down the Daniel Boone Scout Trail, follows the Tanawha Trail to Nuwati to Cragway, back up Daniel Boone Scout and over Calloway Peak, out Grandfather Trail and down Profile. All 150 participants are instructed to practice good trail etiquette.
Contact:
Grandfather Mountain State Park
9872 Hwy 105 S (Suite #6)
Banner Elk, NC 28604Phone828-963-9522
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
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