Hiking With Kids: Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina

We were gifted admission to Chimney Rock State Park from Explore Asheville, but all opinions are my own.

This past summer, we were hoping to get a bit more hiking with kids in – and hiking we did! One of our favorite days on the trails was exploring Chimney Rock State Park just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. This state park is stunning and has plenty of hikes and adventures for novice hikers to experienced trail hikers, alike. My girls and I did a short hike to the Hickory Nut Waterfall and also spent the day exploring tons of the kid-friendly features of this incredible state park in North Carolina. Here are the 5 things we loved about Chimney Rock State Park:

1. The Elevator

The Chimney Rock Formation viewpoint can be accessed from the parking lot on the Outcroppings Trail or by an elevator built inside the mountain!  We were completely intrigued and had to take the elevator to experience this unique feature because while hiking with kids is fun, riding the elevator through a mountain with kids is incredible! Plus, you get to walk through a cave inside the mountain to get to the elevator where there are signs all about the history of the rock, the elevator and the formations inside the cave. And if you’re lucky, the elevator operator will share several fun facts about the state park like famous people who have visited! We did have to wait in line for about 10 minutes but there was plenty to ready and explore while we waited.

2. Chimney Rock Formation View Point

After exiting the elevator, you walk through a charming gift shop and restaurant (where we later grabbed lunch). An outside pathway leads to the Chimney Rock View Point. This 535-million-year-old rock for which the Park is named, is considered one of the most iconic sites in North Carolina. From the top, soak in amazing panoramic views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure, interact with visitors from all over the world and learn a bit more about the local area. With an elevation of 2,280 feet above sea level, this mountain top view took my breath away. 

3. Hickory Nut Falls Trail

Hiking with kids can be tough sometimes, but the short (1.4 mile round trip) Hickory Nut Falls trail which leads to the bottom of the waterfall was perfect for my crew. These falls are featured in the film, “The Last of the Mohicans.” The path is fairly even with some moderate uphill spots and stairs once you get to the Falls. We spent over an hour at the base of the Falls exploring and playing before following the path back to the trailhead. I recommend water shoes for exploring the falls and plenty of water to hydrate especially on a hot summer day.

4. Great Woodland Adventure Trail

At the base of Chimney Rock State Park is the Great Woodland Adventure, where woodland creatures are highlighted at 12 Discovery Stations along a .6-mile winding trail. Grady the Groundhog, the Park’s Animal Educator, illustrates how his forest friends live at each stop, including chipmunks, frogs, owls and butterflies. Larger-than-life wood and metal sculptures by local crafters and artists are an added bonus on the trail. 

5. Animal Discovery Den

At the trailhead of the Great Woodland Adventure Trail is the Animal Discovery Den where the girls explored the wildlife that live in the Park. Lots of critters and fun facts are located inside and out back is the resident opossum and groundhog to view. The groundhog was sleeping when we arrived, but even a sleeping groundhog is pretty adorable.  There’s also a butterfly garden outside to explore with native plants and flowers meant to support pollinators.

There are plenty of clean restrooms throughout the park, places to grab a snack or treat and guides to help determine which hikes are best for you group.

This turned out to be one of our favorite days around Asheville. On the drive back to our hotel, we stopped for ice cream at the Chimney Rock Village and learned some stories of the Sasquach (or Big Foot) in the area and also that Lake Lure is where the beloved classic “Dirty Dancing” was filmed! One day we hope to return for the Dirty Dancing Festival in September!

Another favorite kid-friendly hike in the area is Max Patch in the Pisgah Forest.