Chimney Rock State Park

Chimney Rock State Park in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, is named for a free-standing gneiss rock tower: Chimney Rock is 315 feet (96 m) high and overlooks Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure; according to Atlas Obscura the view reaches up to 75 miles (about 120 km). The park lies in Rutherford County, about 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Asheville, at an elevation of roughly 690 m (2,280 feet). Hickory Nut Falls drops 404 feet (123 m) and served as the backdrop for several scenes of “The Last of the Mohicans.”

Dr. Lucius B. Morse bought the land in 1902, and his family ran it as a private park until 2007, when it became a state park. From the upper parking lot you reach the summit by elevator or by about 500 steps. The Skyline Trail leads along the top to the edge of Hickory Nut Falls, while the shorter Hickory Nut Falls Trail goes to its base.

Hurricane Helene destroyed the access bridge in September 2024, and the park reopened on June 27, 2025, at first via a temporary bridge. According to the park, the Skyline Trail, the Hickory Nut Falls Trail and the elevator are running again; reservations are recommended for weekends, holidays and October through early November (as of April 2026). Some other areas of the state park, such as the Eagle Rock Access, were most recently closed, so check the current status beforehand. There is no camping in the park; the nearest state park with a campground is Lake James.