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Chimney Rock Park, located just north of Lake Lure, NC, in the stunningly beautiful Chimney Rock Gorge, is an ideal place to explore some of North Carolina’s most scenic mountain tracts – yet all within easy reach of the comforts of restaurants, cozy inns, and easy chairs. Chimney Rock Park has several outdoors activities in February and March that encourage visitors to get outside, breathe the fresh air, and stretch their legs.
A terrific family camping opportunity is the park’s "Explore the Night" Camp Out on Saturday, March 12, with programs from 8-11 PM, then camping overnight. Chimney Rock Park is spectacular during the day, but, as campers explore the night with a park naturalist during a night hike, they will listen and look for owls, star gaze, and roast marshmallows around the campfire. All programs are guided and safe for all family members. The fee ($23.50 for adults, $17 for kids ages 6-12; annual passholders $19.50 adults, $14 kids 6-12 years, or a combination one adult/one child admission for $33.50) includes park admission for one weekend day. Sunday, March 20, is the date for the “Departing Winter Birds” Guided Bird Walk. The walk will be held from 9 AM – noon, and is a great outdoor activity for all ages. It is time for winter birds to start moving along, and participants are invited to join park ornithologist Simon Thompson to see Hermit Thrushes and Brown Creepers as they make their exit. With some luck, some of the early birds, such as the Black-throated Green Warblers and the Louisiana Waterthrush might already be in the area. Fee for the walk is park admission plus $5; free for annual passholders. For more information about Chimney Rock Park and any of their programs, please visit their web site, www.chimneyrockpark.com. (Image provided by Chimney Rock Park.)
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The park is hosting an “Old Growth Forest” guided hike on Saturday, February 26, from 10 AM – 1:30 PM. Park nursery curator Ron Lance will lead hikers off the trails to remote areas of the park to learn about the ecology of an old-growth oak forest. He will also talk about definitions of old growth, characteristics of old forests, forest and tree biology, and even a bit of tree identification. Winter is the best time to observe the features of these trees, many of which are more than 200 years old. Participants should wear comfortable hiking boots for the moderate-to-strenuous two-mile hike, and bring a daypack with water. Lunch is included in the $27 fee ($23 for annual passholders). The hike is appropriate for ages 12 and up.