Elk River Falls is an open recreation area. As such it is not developed and the path is not…read moremaintained. Nevertheless the road into the parking lot is safe and easily passable by typical cars SUVs cans or trucks with either two or four wheel drive. There are no rest rooms or food so you must bring your own food and water. The path is firm and slopes upward gently becoming rocky with prominent tree roots. The 65 foot high big falls is spectacular. It is not a straight fall down. Many deaths have occurred as visitors attempt to dive from the top of the falls. Elk falls ranks in the top 3 waterfall related deaths. The rocks surrounding the first pool are beautiful but have a slippery surface. This park recently reopened after extensive restoration following Hurricane Helene. On the first day it opened there was a fatality of a falls jumper. Despite these challenges this park is a great example of the outdoors in nearly natural and breathtaking state.

The falls are closed as of late April 2026. Road is blocked about 2 miles out from town.read more

You can't pay for views like this, and good news is... you don't have to!…read more Rough Ridge Overlook is a local *and* tourist hot spot for some of the best views in the state! I went there with some GFs for nature and the views, and it didn't dissapoint. Definiteluy put this spot on your map when planning a trip to Grandfather Mountain.

Not Too Bad Of A Hike. Very Rewarding Views At The End! Slippery When Wet. Wear The Proper Shoes!read more

On our way to the top for leaf peeping, we stopped here for a bit and enjoyed the scenery. Located…read moreat milepost 297 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the part encompasses over 4200 acres of rolling mountainous terrain that include campgrounds, hiking trails, picnic sites and Price Lake. The highlight is the Tanawha Trail that runs 13.5 miles and includes Grandfather Mountain. There are canoes available for rental and the lake is stocked with fish. This time of year with the leaves turning, it was a beautiful spot and we enjoyed our time here. Five stars. [Review 15917 overall - 3132 in North Carolina - 1422 of 2021.]

The trail around Price Lake is an easy walk, ducking in and out of the tickets along the shore…read more If it's rained or snowed recently, make sure to bring footwear that can tolerate a little mud. While trail improvements have eliminated some of the messier areas, the reality is that well worn walking trails also make for welcoming drainage paths. Parking is readily available in a lot adjacent to the dam, or in a larger lot just down from the amputheater (near the boat rentals).

My adult kids and I had an enjoyable hike at Catawba Falls. Only a couple miles long, we were able…read moreto walk on safe, scenic and maintained trails. Bathrooms were available at the beginning of trail and plenty of parking. We plan to return in a couple days before we end our trip. Recommend

Beautiful! Stopped here on our drive to Asheville…read more It's a nice walk to the waterfall, and next time I'd love to plan to spend a little more time at the falls.

We did the portion of this trail that goes to Rough Ridge Overlook. This hike is very crowded, but…read morethe views are definitely worth it. I recommend waking up early and getting there for sunrise. We got there around 7:45am and the parking lot was already full. We were able to park on the side of the road though. It got way more crowded later in the day. It's only about a 2.5 mile hike round trip from the parking area. We tried to hike further on the trail, but ended up taking a wrong turn that brought us back to where we started. It was recommended to start at Linn Cove Visitor Center and hike the back way there for less crowds. We wanted to do this, but the parking lot was closed so we couldn't. This is a great hike in the fall for gorgeous fall colors. It's hard to beat the views.

My sister and I were researching a new hike in the area that would be easy to medium difficulty and…read morehad a nice view. We wanted something under 3 miles round-trip due to the coming thunderstorms. This trail was easy to spot off the road with a very nice visitors center with lots of fun items and some cute dogs to pet but that's where to good stuff ends. The trailhead marker behind the center took us the wrong direction on the trail that we wanted to head. There was not sufficient signage to indicate which way it was leading. After hiking over 1 mile we realized our mistake and turned back. There was some interesting things to see but not enough for me to ever return. The rain was holding off so we took the trail the correct way which is located on the opposite end of the parking lot from the visitor center. While this part of the trail was more interesting the view point under the bridge was very underwhelming and we would not do it again.

WHAT A TRUE ADVENTURE!! This is no average tour company! Highly recommend! John was our tour guide…read more(other half owner) and words can not explain how amazing this 3 mile hiking, climbing, sliding adventure through a mostly untraveled cave was! Note: we were EXHAUSTED after! John took plenty of breaks and informed us about the cave thoroughly throughout. You can see his love for the cave that he has been showing for 22 years!! This is the most authentic experience you will have! I can't say enough!

Appalachian Underground never fails to deliver a great trip. I've been caving for more than 20…read moreyears and Mel is the best guide I've ever had. She is knowledgeable, passionate about caving and all around fun! She was generous with her time, company and supplies, providing fanny packs full of snacks and bottled water for all and gloves and knee pads to make the experience easier on our bodies. My group of 4 (3 first timers) had a fabulous time exploring Worley's Cave with her. Beginners can feel confident and at ease with how well she obviously knows the cave. Folks with caving experience looking for a little extra challenge will also get lots of opportunities for "side missions" to shimmy and crawl through small spaces, although there is no pressure to participate in those if someone would rather not be in tight spaces. All the stars! I can't wait to book another trip!

Worth It 10 Times Over $30.42…read more Grandfather Mountain was the highlight of my trip to the North Carolina mountains and worth every penny. The experience starts the moment you arrive. The staff is organized, friendly, and efficient. They provide a map and a self-guided audio tour that plugs right into your car, making it easy to learn about the mountain as you drive from stop to stop. My advice: arrive before 11 a.m. and check Blue Ridge Parkway closures before you leave. There are still detours and road closures that can add significant time to your drive, and you don't want to miss your entry time. I headed straight to the top for the Mile High Swinging Bridge. The weather was classic mountain weather--cool temperatures in the 50s and 60s with fog drifting across the peaks. Even with the clouds rolling through, the views were absolutely stunning. If stairs are a concern, there's an elevator that takes visitors up to the bridge level. Afterward, I worked my way down the mountain, stopping at Split Rock before exploring the Wildlife Habitats. This area exceeded my expectations. I saw black bears, elk, a cougar, bald eagles, river otters, and plenty of butterflies. The botanical gardens were beautiful and everything was clearly marked and easy to navigate. The entire property is exceptionally well maintained. Clean restrooms at both the summit and wildlife center were an added bonus. I arrived around 10:30 a.m. and left shortly after noon, which gave me plenty of time to see everything at a comfortable pace. You could easily spend longer if you enjoy hiking or lingering at the exhibits. As someone escaping the summer heat in Charlotte, the cool mountain air alone was worth the drive. If you're visiting western North Carolina, put Grandfather Mountain on your bucket list. The scenery, wildlife, organization, and educational experience make it one of the best attractions in the region. There's a big world out there to explore. This is one place that's absolutely worth the trip.

Nice park and mountain, but $37 PER PERSON? With NO…read moresignage/pricing posted anywhere ... yikes I could understand for something like Yosemite or Yellowstone, but just a state park ...tough pill to swallow especially when it's not posted anywhere. I was planning to hike with some friends and we were going to start at one of the other lots but the roads were closed leaving us no choice but to enter the park. I really just wish the pricing/fees were posted somewhere-anywhere- because they weren't online or on the park signs out front. Had to pull up to the gate/window and even then the park ranger seemed to want to withhold that information as long as possible. The actual park is beautiful and well maintained- and you do get an audio guide plus map upon entry. But the lack of transparency here is a hard no for me. @azfitfoodfun

Beautiful Serene Calming and if you pick the right time of day or year quiet too. A local said it…read morecan get quite crowded in peak season. You have several routes to choose from we did the shortest which was just a loop around the pond!

Gorgeous views! Wonderful hiking…read more We fished at Trout Lake and enjoyed the 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot to the dam. Next time we'll go all the way around. About 1 mile total.