Chimney Rock State Park is open: An 'economic engine' for areas of Western NC

CHIMNEY ROCK - From the top of Chimney Rock's 315-foot freestanding rock spire, the sweeping view of Hickory Nut Gorge is an iconic one. The craggy cliff face of Rumbling Bald Mountain rises in the foreground and the haze of the Blue Ridge hangs on the horizon. The Rocky Broad River threads the valley below.

N.C. State Sen. Julie Mayfield surveyed the view, along with other visitors, reporters and government officials, including Gov. Josh Stein

"It brings tears to your eyes," she said.

Chimney Rock State Park reopened June 27, nine months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the region and killed more than 100 people across the state. For many people, it represents a reopening, too, of Western North Carolina, she said. But while North Carolina's mountain towns are eager for visitors to return, the road to recovery will be a long one, with years still left ahead.

'We had hope'

Silt and dirt cut pale lines along the riverbank, where floodwaters widened channels, uprooted trees and carried debris through the gorge, much of it deposited in 720-acre Lake Lure. For scale, the construction equipment of the crews removing sediment from the water below look like "tonka trucks" on the massive sandbanks, Mayfield said.

The storm destroyed the entrance to the state park — a bridge flanked by two stone gatehouses — along with a third of the businesses in Chimney Rock Village, with all others impacted and left closed. More than 30 homes were destroyed and the main highway devastated.

NC State Sen. Julie Mayfield speaks to the Asheville Citizen Times on top of Chimney Rock State Park folowing the grand reopening ceremony, June 27, 2025 in Chimney Rock.

After the storm, with the bridge gone, staff had to find a way into the park, Chimney Rock State Park Superintendent James Ledgerwood said at the reopening ceremony. They cut a quarter-mile logging road in.

Then the staff asked him one question in the immediate aftermath, he said: "Can we fly the flag?"

The American flag at the top of the spire was raised to half-mast.

“From that day on, we had hope," Ledgerwood said.

"That the mountain was still here. That the park is still here. North Carolinians are still here. Here we are nine months later, and today we went up there and rose that flag again to celebrate that we’re here, this mountain is open and you can come back.”

An American flag flies over Chimney Rock State Park folowing the grand reopening ceremony, June 27, 2025 in Chimney Rock.

'Everybody profits from this being open'

Hickory Nut Gorge is a 20,000-acre, 14-mile-long canyon, home to Gerton, Bat Cave, Chimney Rock Village and state park, Lake Lure and Bill's Creek. It is replete with forests, waterfalls, granite cliffs and trails. The park is in Rutherford County, 25 miles southeast of Asheville.

Reopening the state park is more than symbolic. It is an essential "economic engine" for the area, Gov. Stein told reporters. The park drives much of the region's tourism, with more than 400,000 visitors in 2023.

“(Helene) almost wiped us off the map, and after the storm we looked around in shock. What do we do? Where do we start?" said Chimney Rock Village Mayor Peter O'Leary.

“The village knew one thing that was of utmost importance to our survival: we had to have Chimney Rock State Park open again.”

Chimney Rock Village Mayor Peter O'Leary looks out over Chimney Rock State Park following the grand reopening ceremony, June 27, 2025 in Chimney Rock.

At the reopening, Stein also announced a new tourism initiative, "Rediscover the Unforgettable," intended to bring more visitors back to Western North Carolina, in partnership with Visit N.C.

He and others credited the park's opening to a network of partners, including efforts from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Division of Parks and Recreation, NCDOT, local and state leaders, community members and numerous contractors, like Wright Brothers Construction.

How do you access the state park?

N.C. Department of Transportation announced plans to restore access to the park in April via a temporary bridge, which was installed from U.S. 65/74A, the village's main street, to Chimney Rock Park Road, just east of the original park's gates. It was built from old railcars, said Joey Hopkins, transportation secretary.

A permanent bridge is planned and construction will begin in 2026 after the nearby sections of the highway are reconstructed.

Access through the park is possible only through Lake Lure. All other routes remain closed to non-local traffic, including U.S. 74 from Asheville, U.S. 64 from Hendersonville and Highway 9 from Black Mountain.

Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett told the Citizen Times that everyone profits from the park being open.

“It’s going to make a big difference to the small business owners because a lot of them are living on borrowed time trying to figure out how long they can last here," she said. It gives people a sense of hope.

Views from the top of Chimney Rock State Park during the park's grand reopening ceremony, June 27, 2025 in Chimney Rock.

When will the village reopen?

But a few feet beyond the temporary access to the park, a sign cautions that the road north into the village is closed to all but local traffic. As of July 1, Chimney Rock Village has not yet officially reopened, though some shops have begun to open.

O'Leary, village mayor, said he is hopeful that most of the business district will open later in the month.

From the spire overlooking the river, O'Leary could point to the spaces where businesses and buildings were missing, or likely slated for demolition. Though it is "sobering," the village has a plan in hand.

“The old Chimney Rock is gone, but the new Chimney Rock is going to come back even better," he said.

Visiting the falls

At the base of the 404-foot-Hickory Nut Falls, on the day of the reopening, Ali and Andrew Young, with daughters AJ, 6, and Addy, 4, were watching the shining sheets of water cascading down the rocks.

From York, South Carolina, Ali said they've have been coming to the area for an annual trip for the past several summers. They had it already scheduled when they learned the park would open on their last day of the vacation.

Andrew, who grew up in Morganton making day trips to the gorge, said it was heartbreaking to see the storm's impact.

Ali said they were excited to spend time together in nature and support the area, highly recommending the trip.

“When you come here, have humility," Andrew said. "You have to understand that there are people still dealing with a lot and it’s been traumatic for them."

Some of the places he loved are gone now. But as they drove into town, his daughters, looking out the window, were admiring the beautiful view.

“This is now their future. This is what they’re going to remember," he said.

Views from the top of Chimney Rock State Park during the park's grand reopening ceremony, June 27, 2025 in Chimney Rock.

If you go

North Carolina State Parks contracts with Chimney Rock Management to run the private, fee area of the park, which includes the Chimney Rock attraction.

Maddy Kaniewski, spokesperson with Chimney Rock Management, said hundreds visited the reopening. Capacity is temporarily limited at the park due to ongoing recovery efforts. Online advance reservations are required for park entry.

All park amenities and trails are open, with the exception of the Skyline Trail, which is still closed for repairs, she said. While much of the state park reopened in June, the Rumbling Bald access on the north side of the river, an area popular with rock climbers, reopened earlier.

The Chimney Rock attraction open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., with last entrance at 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email [email protected] or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Chimney Rock State Park is open: An 'economic engine' for areas of Western NC