#ncstateparks

Living in Charlotte is perfect for the outdoors enthusiast because less than a few hours away in every direction, you’ll find yourself in a completely different landscape. There are about a million easy day trips worth making that leave you feeling like you’ve just been on vacation somewhere far away. Being a local North Carolinian, one of my favorite day trips to make is the two hour drive over to Asheville. A much smaller city than Charlotte, it somehow has twice as much to do, and you can do all of it while being surrounded by the incredible beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Since I’ve been fiending for a good mountain hike, my boyfriend (Josh) and I decided to pass up local Crowders mountain and pay a visit to some good ol’ Asheville trails. But then I found out that he had never been to Chimney Rock State Park, which I took upon myself to change.

(Above Photo From Chimney Rock Website)

Chimney Rock is exactly what it sounds like: a giant chimney-shaped rock stemming out from the mountainside way (about 300 feet) above the little town of the same name. People can walk out onto the outcropping rock and experience an amazing view and acute acrophobia. It’s about 30 minutes closer to charlotte than Asheville but there is a $15 entry fee to make up for the gas you saved. It’s a well-know North Carolina landmark, though, and I’ve taken it upon myself to educate Josh’s Arizona-born self (and anyone who will listen) on all things local Carolinians/southerners were raised knowing, so my mission was clear.

Feel free to just live vicariously through me, but If you live near Charlotte or have been thinking about visiting Chimney Rock State Park, I came up with eight tips from my visit to help make your trip easier:

1. Go early in the day before it gets hot and crowded. Carolina mornings are cool and dewey and hiking is a lot easier before the midday sun. Chimney Rock is also a popular spot and by late morning there will be a crowd and traffic to contend with. 

2. Roll your car windows down for the ride up the mountain. North Carolina mountains smell amazing and there’s nothing better than a cool Blue Ridge breeze to wake you up. When you get off the highway, you’re on a windy road that curves around Lake Lure (a beautiful place to visit in its own right.) But in order to get up to the chimney itself, you have to drive up a narrow (barely wide enough for two cars) road full of soft shoulders and hairpin turns for about three miles. So turn up your music, roll down the windows, and go slow.

3. If you have trouble climbing stairs, please call ahead to make sure the elevator is working. We were told at the ticket booth that there was a discount because the elevator was out of order due to the recent wildfire. A $13 ticket is better than a $15 ticket, but the climb up to the top of the chimney from the parking lot (without an elevator) is a ridiculously long staircase. There are 500 steep, wooden steps that seem to go on forever. I actually caught two people who lost their balance on the stairs (an older man and a toddler). That climb is no joke. Luckily, there’s a few overlooks along the climb where you can stop to take in the view, and catch your breath (which we did a lot).

(Above Photo From Chimney Rock Website)

4. Don’t be in a rush, take the time to enjoy the amazing views. We (barely) reached the top of Chimney Rock within an hour. The view was clear and perfect and beautiful and the lake stretched out below us. Josh and I sat there for a good twenty minutes resting, rehydrating, and admiring the scenery. I didn’t want to admit it after all that stair climbing, but the view was definitely worth it.

5. Don’t bother going to Exclamation Point. From the top of the Chimney, you can choose to take even more stairs up the “Skyline Trail,” (which is not really a trail, just more crazy stairs) that will take you even higher up the mountain to a place called Exclamation Point. Josh (bless his heart) really wanted to see what it was all about, so I mustered up some willpower and we climbed our way up again. When we reached the top (eventually) I realized that Exclamation Point is basically the same experience you get from the top of the chimney, just with more leg pain and less oxygen. I definitely would say that climbing that much farther was not worth it. No offense, Exclamation Point.

6. Bring your own food and water. While we were rested there at Exclamation Point for a while, we realized the park had a lot of great places for picnicking! We did not bring food with us, but I will definitely be sure to pack a lunch if I visit Chimney Rock again and I recommend doing the same! And don’t forget to bring your own water if you can. There are sporadic water fountains stationed throughout the park but they have a nice rusty taste that you can avoid with your own personal Dasani.

7. Even if you’re tired after climbing up to the Chimney, take time to walk the Hickory Nut Falls Trail. We had come here mainly to hike but so far we had just climbed a bunch of stairs. Tired, we sought out the closest trail, Hickory Nut Falls Trail, past the bottom of the 500 stairs and below the parking lot. It’s a gravel trail that slopes gently up for about a mile and ends at a tall and slender waterfall. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and the waterfall was beautiful! Definitely make Hickory Nut Falls Trail a part of your visit.

8. Bop around the town of Chimney Rock before you leave. As the sun started to fade, we drove down into the small town of Chimney Rock with its touristy mountain stores and its country diners nestled along the French Broad river. I got a few souvenirs and we got our feet wet climbing on the rocks in the river. Barefoot, tired, and happy, we loaded into the car and made it back to Charlotte in time for dinner!

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