Masks required indoors
Posted on: Monday, August 23, 2021 - 4:34pm |
Trails
Recent black bear activity
Please be aware that black bears have been active in the area within Grandfather Mountain State Park. Please use extra caution while hiking and camping.
Last updated on: Friday, September 10, 2021 Profile Parking Area & Profile Trail Now RE-OPENED
The Profile Parking Area and Profile Trail are now back open following recovery from storm damage. There remains a closure on the lower portion of Profile Trail near the river, so please follow posted detour signage onto the Profile Connector, which leads back onto Profile Trial.
Last updated on: Thursday, August 19, 2021 Passport sticker requests
If you need your Passport stamped and the park office is closed, a Passport sticker can be obtained after park office hours upon request by emailing grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov. Please include the number of stickers needed, your name, and a mailing address.
Last updated on: Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Contact the park
828-963-9522
grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov
Addresses
Park office
9872 N.C. 105 S.
Suite 6
Banner Elk, NC 28604
GPS: 36.1549, -81.7872
Profile Trail parking area
4198 N.C. 105 N.
Banner Elk, NC 28604
GPS: 36.1197, -81.8350
Mailing address
P.O. Box 9
Linville, NC 28646
Other accesses
Boone Fork parking area
Mile marker: 299.9
Blue Ridge Parkway
Banner Elk, NC 28604
GPS: 36.1200, -81.7813
(managed by NPS)
Asutsi Trail parking area
Blowing Rock Highway
(U.S. 221)
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
GPS: 36.1163, -81.7773
(managed by NPS)
Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
2050 Blowing Rock Highway
Linville, NC 28646
GPS: 36.0851, -81.8462
(fee charged)
Hours
►
- To accommodate early hikes, park gates are not closed on a daily basis. However, they may close due to weather conditions.
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to May:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- June to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- Open Monday to Friday:
8:00am to 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.
- Closed Christmas Day
List of trails
Grandfather Mountain State Park offers more than 12 miles of trails lacing 2,456 acres along the mountain's ridgeline and its highest point at Calloway Peak. The trails offer magnificent scenery from rock outcrops and quiet forested coves near the mountain's crest. Permits are required.
Most of these trails are challenging; steep, rocky terrain can make progress slow at times. Hikers must use the trails' ladders and cables in some of the steeper sections. Be aware that hiking to the ridge area and back from the low-elevation trailheads may take a full day. Plan for enough time to get back to your vehicle before dark. And, wear proper clothing and carry adequate equipment.
Grandfather Mountain attraction employees and state park rangers patrol trails on a routine basis to offer help and directions, check for permits and monitor use of the backcountry.
Black Rock Trail
Location: (GPS: 36.095595, -81.828517) Hikers can access the Black Rock Trail from the Black Rock Parking Lot inside the private Grandfather Mountain attraction.
Description:
From the attraction's Black Rock parking lot, the Black Rock Trail slopes out gradually to a wide-angle view of the swinging bridge, MacRae and Attic Window peaks as well as Beacon Heights and Grandmother Mountain to the southwest. To reach these view points at the end of the trail, hikers must climb a ladder and cable up the rock. This trail rambles through northern hardwood and spruce forests. Hikers return to the parking lot via the same trail.
Surface: natural surface, ladders
Length:
1.00 miles
one way
1.00 miles
one way
Difficulty:
moderate hike
moderate hike
Blaze:
Gold Circle
Gold Circle
Cragway Trail
Location: (GPS: 36.118197, -81.790846 at Nuwati Trail) (GPS: 36.111684, -81.794004 at DBS Trail) The Cragway Trail is a connector trail between the Nuwati and Daniel Boone Scout Trails.
Description:
A steep, strenuous hike with grand vistas. Boulders and crags offer elevated views of the Boone Fork area and Calloway Peak. This trail links Nuwati and Daniel Boone Scout trails, making a nice loop hike passing through rhododendron and blueberry thickets. Due to the narrow, steep terrain, this trail is not recommended for dogs.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
1.00 miles
one way
1.00 miles
one way
Difficulty:
strenuous hike
strenuous hike
Blaze:
Orange Circle
Orange Circle
Daniel Boone Scout Trail
Location: (GPS: 36.113793,-81.780963) Hikers can access the Daniel Boone Scout Trail from the Boone Fork Parking Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milemarker 299.9). From the parking lot, follow the Tanawha Trail for 0.6 miles to the Daniel Boone Scout Trailhead.
Description:
Ascending about 2,000 feet over three miles, this hike begins at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Tanawha Trail and climbs to Calloway Peak, at 5,946 feet, the highest point in the Blue Ridge Range. About halfway up, at Flat Rock View, hikers reach the junction of Cragway Trail. The upper half of the Daniel Boone Scout Trail is rough going but spiced with exquisite views, including one of Price Park and one of the Linn Cove Viaduct. Near Calloway Peak, in-place ladders and cables help hikers through steep sections. The upper portion of this trail is not recommended for pets.
Surface: natural surface, ladders
Length:
3.00 miles
one way
3.00 miles
one way
Difficulty:
strenuous hike
strenuous hike
Blaze:
White Diamond
White Diamond
Grandfather Extension Trail
Location: Connects Grandfather Trail and Black Rock Trail (GPS: 36.095498, -81.828862)
Description:
This trail begins in the Black Rock Parking lot and ends at the Grandfather Trail, below a grand view of MacRae Peak. Connecting this trail with the Grandfather and Bridge trails creates a loop. Not recommended for pets.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
0.60 miles
one way
0.60 miles
one way
Difficulty:
moderate hike
moderate hike
Blaze:
Red Diamond
Red Diamond
Grandfather Trail
Location: Ridgeline - running between Calloway Peak and the private Grandfather Mountain Swinging Bridge parking lot.
Description:
(Elevation gain and loss over 2.4 miles is roughly 1,872 feet.) The Grandfather Trail runs the length of the summit ridge from the Grandfather Mountain attraction to Calloway Peak. It offers astonishing variety, running in and out of wind-dwarfed spruce and fir, across or around rock walls and pinnacles and into open spaces with mountain views in every direction. It was along this trail two centuries ago that explorer/botanist Andre Michaux broke into song thinking he had arrived at the high point of North America. The pace is often slow. There are chutes where progress is hand-over-hand and extra steep sections where hikers use in-place cables and ladders. An alternative to taking the ladders up MacRae Peak is to opt for the more sheltered Underwood Trail. Not recommended for children, inexperienced hikers, or pets.
Surface: natural surface, ladders
Length:
2.40 miles
one way
2.40 miles
one way
Difficulty:
advanced hike
advanced hike
Blaze:
Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond
Park Maps and Brochures:
Upcoming Events:
Sunday, September 12, 2021 - 1:30pm