Grandfather Mountain MacRae Peak

One of the great challenging hikes at Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina is the trail to MacRae Peak (5,845 feet). MacRae Peak is one of 3 peaks on what is known as Grandfather Mountain.  The hike to MacRae Peak at Grandfather Mountain is spectacular as it offers stunning views over the North Carolina high country. This is an out and back hike, but can be made into a loop if you want to also see the Mile High Swinging Bridge. For more pictures of this hike at Grandfather Mountain, make sure to check out our Facebook Page.

Directions to Trailhead: The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on US 221, two miles north of Linville, North Carolina, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305. The street address for the entrance is: 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646. The road to the summit is referred to as Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road, Linville, NC. Once inside Grandfather Mountain follow the road to the Grandfather Mountain trails parking area, there is a sign for the parking area just before you reach the Top Shop area at the end of the road. For a map of the location where Grandfather Mountain is click Here. For a map of trails at Grandfather Mountain click Here.

Description of Hike: This is a rugged hike up to one of the tall peaks at Grandfather Mountain. The trail to MacRae Peak is strenuous as it is rocky in portions and utilizes a series of ladders to scale a series of rock faces up to the summit of MacRae Peak at Grandfather Mountain. This hike is best done as a loop with the Mile High Swinging Bridge from the trails parking area. This hike with the loop has roughly 800 feet of elevation gain and is 2.6 miles roundtrip. If you want a shorter hike without going to the Mile High Swinging Bridge take the Grandfather Trail Extension from the Trail parking area and make a right when you intersect with the Grandfather Trail and follow all the way to MacRae Peak. This shortened version of the hike still gains roughly 800 feet of elevation and is approximately 1.8 miles roundtrip. Our hike to MacRae Peak via the Grandfather Trail, did not utilize the Underwood Trail, as the Grandfather Trail is a more direct route to MacRae Peak. The hike to MacRae Peak is a strenuous hike that offers amazing views at the summit. There is a fee per person to enter Grandfather Mountain, for current costs click Here.

Further Thoughts: This was a great hike. The trail is well maintained and the ladders attached to the rocks receive frequent maintenance, which is a good thing! While hiking to the peak, we saw several people out working on some of the ladders, which made us feel safe. MacRae Peak offers amazing views to those who reach its summit. It is also a very windy place, even on most clear days. Bottom-line when doing this hike, make sure you dress appropriately and to pay attention to the weather as it can change quickly. 

MacRae is climbable all year around. But in the winter you would need full on snow and ice gear at times. MacRae Peak is not as high as western mountains but conditions can get very rough. Summer can have bad thunderstorms and lightning strikes are a serious concern. It can get real windy up here too. Use common since when doing this hike. Despite the strenuous nature of this hike and potential weather concerns, this is a must do hike when visiting Grandfather Mountain for those that are looking for a challenging and rewarding hike. For a video of the winds when we did this hike, click Here.

The views on Grandfather Mountain are more than just another pretty picture. As you breathe the crisp air and scan the surrounding hills, you will feel far away from the cars of the world. Perhaps it's because Grandfather Mountain's peaks loom almost 6,000 feet above sea level, revealing unrivaled landscapes that calm any hikers spirit. A pristine haven for diverse wildlife and rugged topography, the mountain will expand your horizons and protect your peace of mind, too. This is a must do hike and we definitely recommend a visit to Grandfather Mountain.

Rating: Elevation Gain: 800 ft. (Strenuous), Distance: 2.6 Miles (Strenuous).

Time to Complete Hike: 2 - 2.5 hours.

FOR MORE TRAIL WRITE-UPS ON GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN

MacRae Peak (This Post)

Mile High Swinging Bridge

Wildlife Habitats

View Grandfather Mountain Mile High Swinging Bridge and MacRae Peak in a larger map

Grandfather Mountain Mile High Swinging Bridge

One of the great hikes at Grandfather Mountain is the trail to the mile high swinging bridge. The hike to the mile high swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain is spectacular as it offers stunning views over the North Carolina high country. The hike is a loop that utilizes the Bridge Trail, the Grandfather Trail and the Grandfather Trail Extension, and is a must do for those that visit Grandfather Mountain. For more pictures make sure to check out our Facebook Page.

Directions to Trailhead: The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on US 221, two miles north of Linville, North Carolina, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305. The street address for the entrance is: 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646. The road to the summit is referred to as Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road, Linville, NC. Once inside Grandfather Mountain follow the road to the Grandfather Mountain trails parking area, there is a sign for the parking area just before you reach the Top Shop at the end of the road. For a map of the location where Grandfather Mountain is click Here. For a map of trails at Grandfather Mountain click Here.

Description of Hike: The hike to the mile high swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain is a loop that utilizes several trails. The trail is well maintained however much of the trail contains uneven rocks and roots from nearby trees. From the parking area take the Bridge Trail 0.4 miles to the Top Shop area. It is at this point that you cross the mile high swinging bridge (Actually it is more than a mile high), to Linville Peak which is 5,303 feet in elevation and provides great views of Grandfather Mountain and the surrounding North Carolina Mountains. Return back across the bridge and cross the parking area and take the Grandfather Trail to proceed back down to the parking area. In just under 0.4 miles from the Top Shop area at the mile high swinging bridge you will intersect with the Grandfather Trail Extension which will take you back to the the Trails Parking area at Grandfather Mountain. From the trail intersection to the Parking area is 0.6 miles for a total hike of approximately 1.6 miles roundtrip and approximately 350 feet of elevation gain. We would classify this as a moderate hike due to the intensity of the terrain. There is a fee per person to enter Grandfather Mountain, for current costs click Here. If you want a longer hike you can hike to MacRae Peak which is located at an elevation of 5,845 feet. This will add an additional 1.2 miles roundtrip and an additional 400 feet in elevation gain for a total hike of 2.8 miles and 800 feet of elevation gain, which we classify as strenuous. For more information click on our MacRae Peak hike below, additionally the trail designated in Yellow on the Google Map below is the trail to MacRae Peak. There is a fee per person to enter Grandfather Mountain, for current costs click Here.

Further Thoughts: The hike to Grandfather Mountain's mile high swinging bridge is a must do when you visit Grandfather Mountain. The terrain the hike goes through is unparalleled and the views continue to get better the higher up the mountain you go, with the best views being found on Linville Peak. We found the trails at Grandfather Mountain were well marked and were well maintained by park staff. Additionally, since this is a popular hiking trail at Grandfather Mountain, you will likely see other visitors out enjoying the trails. If you are here on a windy day, one of the cool things is listening to the bridge hum as the wind hits the bridge. For a video of the winds when we did this hike, click Here

The mile high swinging bridge was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak. The 228-foot suspension bridgespans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation. Surveys by the staff at Grandfather Mountain have shown that the journey to the other side of the mile high swinging bridge is always considered the highlight of a trip to Grandfather Mountain.

The  mile high swinging bridge was originally constructed in 1952 and was rebuilt in 1999 using the original towers. The cables, floor boards and side rails were all replaced using galvanized steel. One of the main advantages of the modern building materials is that they do not have to be painted. Now Grandfather Mountain employees will not have to hang out over the gorge to paint the span. The 228-foot steel structure is America's highest suspension footbridge.

This is a must do hike for those that visit Grandfather Mountain.

Rating: Elevation Gain: 350 ft. (Moderate), Distance: 1.6 Miles (Moderate).

Time to Complete Hike: 1 - 1.5 hours.

FOR MORE TRAIL WRITE-UPS ON GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN

MacRae Peak

Mile High Swinging Bridge (This Post)

Wildlife Habitats

View Grandfather Mountain Mile High Swinging Bridge and MacRae Peak in a larger map

Grandfather Mountain Wildlife Habitats

One of the places we have had the opportunity to visit on our adventures in North Carolina was Grandfather Mountain. Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina has great hiking trails and offers amazing scenic vistas. Grandfather Mountain also offers a great chance to see North Carolina Wildlife in its natural habitat (Zoo). Grandfather Mountain has seven environmental habitats for black bears, river otters, cougars, bald eagles, golden eagles, and white-tailed deer. The Museum and Wildlife habitats are a great place to visit when you come to Grandfather Mountain.

Directions to Trailhead: The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on US 221, two miles north of Linville, North Carolina, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305. The street address for the entrance is: 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646. The road to the summit is referred to as Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road, Linville, NC. Once inside Grandfather Mountain follow the road to the Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum and Wildlife Habitat. For a map of the location where Grandfather Mountain is click Here. For a map of trails at Grandfather Mountain click Here.

Description of Hike: The Grandfather Mountain environmental habitats are large enclosures that allow visitors to see animals in natural settings. Unlike the exhibits found in city zoos which bring in plants and boulders to recreate an appropriate setting, these enclosures were built around the animals' actual native habitat. Viewing areas give visitors an up-close perspective of the animals as they live in the wild. Separated from the animals by moats or elevated above the habitats on large retaining walls, these viewing areas allow you to stand only a few feet away from animals you probably won't see in your everyday life. A special aquarium-like viewing area allows you to enjoy watching the playful otters above or below the water. There is a fee per person to enter Grandfather Mountain, for current costs click Here.

The pathways at the Grandfather Mountain Wildlife Habitats are well maintain with minimal elevation gain. The entire loop is less than half a mile walk. There are informative exhibits around the Grandfather Mountain Wildlife Habitat explaining about the animals. This is a fun hike in Grandfather Mountain that is enjoyable for the whole family.

Further Thoughts: We really enjoyed our visit to the Grandfather Mountain Wildlife Habitats. It was neat to see all the animals in a natural setting. The bear exhibit was probably our favorite, but a close second was when we got to see the Mountain Lions at Grandfather Mountain. We found the staff at Grandfather Mountain helpful and very friendly. For those that are interest you can also get a behind the scenes tour of the habitats, for more information click Here. There is also a foundation that supports Grandfather Mountain, for more information about the foundation click Here.

Rating: Elevation Gain: Minimal (Very Easy), Distance: 0.5 Miles (Easy).

Time to Complete Hike: 30 minutes.

FOR MORE TRAIL WRITE-UPS ON GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN

MacRae Peak

Mile High Swinging Bridge

Wildlife Habitats (This Post)


View Grandfather Mountain Wildlife Habitat (Zoo) in a larger map

The Blowing Rock (Blowing Rock North Carolina)

One of the places we had the chance to visit on a recent trip was The Blowing Rock which is just outside of the town of Blowing Rock North Carolina. This is a fun little adventure that allows you to stop and see some of the beauty of the North Carolina Mountains as well as learn about the local folklore surrounding the legend of the Blowing Rock.

Directions to Trailhead: The Blowing Rock is located just outside of the Town of Blowing Rock North Carolina. From the Town of Blowing Rock North Carolina take the 321 South (Blowing Rock Boulevard) toward The Blowing Rock. The turn off will be on your righthand side in roughly 1.5 - 2 miles. Click Here for a map to The Blowing Rock.

Description of Hike: This is an out and back hike on a well maintained short trail system. The trail system at The Blowing Rock is mostly paved with minimal elevation gain. The entire trail system is approximately 1,200 feet long and thus is very family friendly. Business hours vary by season and weather conditions, click Here for a list of business hours and prices for admission to the Blowing Rock. To download a copy of the trail map for The Blowing Rock click Here.

Further Thoughts: This was a fun short hike that offered great views of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. Although the trails are short and some would call this a tourist trap, in our opinion The Blowing Rock is worth a visit due to the spectacular views and scenery it provides visitors. The price for admission when we visited was $6 per adult which was reasonable. We enjoyed learning about the legend surrounding The Blowing Rock and took in the tremendous views the trails offered.

It is said that a Chickasaw chieftan, fearful of a white man’s admiration for his lovely daughter, journeyed far from the plains to bring her to The Blowing Rock and the care of a squaw mother. One day the maiden, daydreaming on the craggy cliff, spied a Cherokee brave wandering in the wilderness far below and playfully shot an arrow in his direction. The flirtation worked because soon he appeared before her wigwam, courted her with songs of his land and they became lovers, wandering the pathless woodlands and along the crystal streams.

One day a strange reddening of the sky brought the brave and the maiden to The Blowing Rock. To him it was a sign of trouble commanding his return to his tribe in the plains. With the maiden’s entreaties not to leave her, the brave, torn by conflict of duty and heart, leaped from The Rock into the wilderness far below. The grief-stricken maiden prayed daily to the Great Spirit until one evening with a reddening sky, a gust of wind blew her lover back onto The Rock and into her arms. From that day a perpetual wind has blown up onto The Rock from the valley below. For people of other days, at least, this was explanation enough for The Blowing Rock’s mysterious winds causing even the snow to fall upside down.

Overall our visit and hike at The Blowing Rock was fun and we would recommend it to others. There is a very tranquil feel to the air in the North Carolina Mountains and we look forward to visiting again soon.

Rating: Elevation Gain: Minimal (Very Easy), Distance: 0.25 Miles (Very Easy).

Time to Complete Hike: 20 minutes.

View The Blowing Rock in a larger map

Blue Ridge Parkway

One of the places that we have had the opportunity to visit/drive on while in North Carolina was the Blue Ridge Parkway. Obviously, we did not drive the whole Blue Ridge Parkway as it runs for 469 miles, but the section we drove (50 miles) clearly demonstrated why this drive is noted for its scenic beauty and is a must do for everyone. If you have not had the chance to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you should schedule a road trip very soon!

History and Description of the Blue Ridge Parkway:  Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway begun during the administration of U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt, the project was originally called the Appalachian Scenic Highway. Most construction was carried out by private contractors under federal contracts under an authorization by Harold L. Ickes in his role as federal public works administrator. Work began on September 11, 1935, near Cumberland Knob in North Carolina; construction in Virginia began the following February. On June 30, 1936, Congress formally authorized the project as the Blue Ridge Parkway and placed it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some work was carried out by various New Deal public works agencies. The Works Progress Administration did some roadway construction. Crews from the Emergency Relief Administration carried out landscape work and development of parkway recreation areas. Personnel from four Civilian Conservation Corps camps worked on roadside cleanup, roadside plantings, grading slopes, and improving adjacent fields and forest lands. During World War II, the CCC crews were replaced by conscientious objectors in the Civilian Public Service program.

Construction of the parkway took over 52 years to complete, with the last stretch (near the Linn Cove Viaduct) being laid around Grandfather Mountain in 1987. The Blue Ridge Parkway tunnels were constructed through the rock—one in Virginia and twenty-five in North Carolina. Sections of the parkway near the tunnels are often closed in winter. (Due to dripping groundwater from above, freezing temperatures, and the lack of sunlight, ice often accumulates inside these areas even when the surrounding areas are above freezing.) The highest point on the parkway (south of Waynesville, near Mount Pisgah in North Carolina) is 6053 feet on Richland Balsam Mountain at Milepost 431, and is often closed from November to April due to inclement weather such as snow, fog, and even freezing fog from low clouds. The parkway is carried across streams, railway ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts.

The parkway runs from the southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive in Virginia at Rockfish Gap to U.S. Route 441 at Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. There is no fee for using the parkway, however commercial vehicles are prohibited without approval from the Park Service Headquarters, near Asheville, North Carolina. The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections which pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and therefore closed from late fall through early spring. Weather is extremely variable in the mountains, so conditions and closures often change rapidly. The speed limit is never higher than 45 mph (70 km/h) and lower in some sections.

Further Thoughts: The Blue Ridge Parkway is truly an inspirational drive. We visited both Grandfather Mountain and The Blowing Rock which are close to the blue ridge parkway. We are no experts concerning the ins and outs of the road, however it does not take one to say that at some point in your life you need to experience a ride along the Blue Ride Parkway which is one of the most scenic drives in North Carolina we have ever done. You want to be on the lookout for wildlife while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway as we did see a number of deer close to the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway in a number of sections.

Also make sure to take your time while driving on the parkway as there are many stopping points along the way that offer scenic vistas as well places to stop, hike, shop, and look around. If you are looking for more information about places to visit along the Blue Ridge Parkway click Here for another good site or Here for the National Park Service Website.

Rating: Elevation Gain: Varies depending on how much you get out of your car (Easy), Distance: Varies depending on how much you get out of your car (Easy).

Time to Complete Hike: It really depends on how long you stop, your speed, and a number of other factors. The main thing when driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway is to take your time and enjoy the stops along the way.

Overview

Northern Virginia

Southern Virginia

Northern NC

Middle NC

Southern NC