Chimney Rock State Park

 June 7, 2020

We decided to head to the Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area on the last day of our mountain getaway. We drove through Lake Lure and saw a public beach area that was open, but we didn't stop and try to swim. We had tried to go to the Lake James State Park swimming area on Saturday but it was all closed due to Covid. We got to Chimney Rock before it was too crowded and paid the hefty admission price. 

This park was privately owned for a long time and only recently became part of the state park system, so I think in order to maintain their elevator, and maybe because they have always charged, it costs $17 per adult and $8 per child. Once we paid they let us know that we would be parking in the bottom lot and would be offered a shuttle ride to the elevator area. We were nervous about Elliott not wearing a mask so decided to take the Four Seasons Trail from the lower parking lot to Hickory Nut Falls. This is 0.6 miles but you climb 400 feet so it was really hard with tons of stairs. 

It connects to the Hickory Nut Falls Trail, which was less strenuous but still climbed 200 more feet to the waterfall. A certain 8 year old boy was not happy about all this. The falls are stated to be 404 feet tall although this can't be measured super accurately according to Kevin Adams and his waterfall book. It was tall either way and nice and cool in the mist. You don't get a panoramic vista view from here but there was no way we were going to be able to do more stairs up to the actual Chimney Rock and rest of the park. So maybe we will go back some day when we don't have to worry about the parking lot, shuttle, elevator, and Covid and see the views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge area.