Grandfather Mountain State Park

The other Grandfather Mountain

If you have heard of Grandfather Mountain, you have probably heard of the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. That side of the mountain is real, well worth doing, and it is the experience we describe in our Grandfather Mountain trails writeup. It is run by a nonprofit, the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, and you pay admission.

This page is about the other side. Grandfather Mountain State Park was established in 2009, when North Carolina purchased about 2,600 acres of the undeveloped backcountry from the Morton family for $12 million. It is the 34th state park in the North Carolina system. The trailheads are on NC-105, on the west and south sides of the mountain, and they are free.

Locals call them the paid side and the free side. If you want the bridge, the museum, and the easy paved access to the top, that is the paid side. If you want trails, big climbs, real wilderness, and no fee at the gate, that is the state park.

Most serious hikers in the area only ever go to the state park side.

What you can hike

The state park has about 13 miles of trails, ranging from forest walks to mountaineering. The two everyone has heard of:

The Profile Trail

The Profile Trail is the classic state-park hike. It climbs from the Profile Trail trailhead on NC-105 up to Calloway Peak, the 5,964-foot summit of Grandfather Mountain. Wikipedia gives the climb as 3.1 miles one way, so 6.2 miles round trip, with roughly 2,000 feet of elevation gain.

Strenuous. The first mile and a half is a steady grade through hardwood forest with the Watauga River drainage on your right. The upper half is rockier, steeper, and exposed in places. There are spots where the trail uses natural rock as steps and a couple of points where the route is genuinely up. You earn the summit.

The name comes from Grandfather Profile, the famous rock formation on this side of the mountain that, viewed from the right angle on NC-105, looks like a human face in repose — the “grandfather” the mountain is named for.

Important: as of the most recent ncparks.gov update, the Profile Trail and Profile Connector are closed due to unsafe conditions. This has happened before and the trail reopens after repairs. Check the official park page before you drive over.

The Grandfather Trail

The 2.4-mile ridgeline traverse between Calloway Peak and Linville Peak, on the upper ridge of the mountain. This is the hike with the fixed ladders and cables. Per Wikipedia, the route is technical with significant exposure. Not safe in rain, ice, or wind. Not appropriate for kids without serious mountain experience, and not appropriate for adults whose hiking experience is mostly groomed trails.

When it is dry and clear, it is one of the most memorable hikes in the eastern US. It is also genuinely a hike where people get hurt. Take it seriously.

Other trails

When Profile Trail is closed, the state-park-side access shifts to:

• Boone Fork Parking Area off the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 299.9 — connects you into the trail network from the east
• Asutsi Trail Parking Area — a quieter access point

Trails from those parking areas range from easy connectors to harder routes up onto the ridge. Check the current trail status with the ranger station before planning a specific route.

Logistics

• Cost. Free. No admission to the state park, no parking fee at the state-park trailheads.
• Parking. Lots at the trailheads on NC-105. The Profile Trail lot fills early on summer and fall weekends; arrive before 9 AM if you want a spot.
• Permits. None for day hiking. Backpacking requires a free permit, filled out at the trailhead.
• Hours. Trails are open dawn to dusk. The park office is open Monday-Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
• Phone. (828) 963-9522.
• Restrooms. Vault toilets at the major trailheads; no flush facilities on the state-park side.
• Dogs. Welcome on a six-foot leash.
• Cell signal. Spotty to nonexistent on most of the trails. Plan accordingly.

How not to confuse the two operations

This is worth saying again, because it catches people:

• Grandfather Mountain (the attraction). Run by a nonprofit. Pay admission at the gate. Drive up a paved road to the top. Walk across the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. Visit the nature museum and the wildlife habitats. Covered in our Grandfather Mountain trails writeup.
• Grandfather Mountain State Park. Run by North Carolina State Parks. Free. Trailheads on NC-105. Backcountry hiking, including the Profile Trail and the Grandfather Trail. This page.

Both are worth doing. They are different experiences. If you have one day, the state park is the move for hikers, and the attraction is the move for families who want the bridge and the easier views. If you have two days, do both, ideally on different days because they are physically taxing in different ways.

What to expect

• The Profile Trail closure. Trails on Grandfather Mountain have been closed and reopened multiple times over the past few years for safety repairs after storm damage and erosion. Always check before you go.
• Weather. The summit is roughly 2,500 to 3,000 feet higher than the lake. It is colder, windier, and wetter up there than it is at the townhouse. Bring more layers than you think you need. Storms can roll in fast.
• Not a beginner mountain. If your hiking party includes someone new to mountain hiking, save Grandfather for a future trip and do Round Bald on Roan Mountain instead.
• The drive over from Butler is beautiful. About 50 to 55 minutes. The road climbs through Banner Elk and Linville. Take a camera.

How to fit it into a stay at the lake

For experienced hikers staying at the townhouse:

• Plan a single full hiking day. Leave at 7 AM, drive to the Profile Trail trailhead, hike up to Calloway Peak, come back down. Plan on five to seven hours on trail. Eat in Banner Elk or Boone on the way back. You’re at the townhouse in time for sunset on the deck.

For mixed parties:

• Split the group. One car to Grandfather Mountain State Park for the serious hike. Other car to the private attraction side for the bridge and the easier views. Meet for dinner in Banner Elk on the way back.

For an off day:

• If the weather is sketchy or your legs are tired, skip Grandfather entirely and substitute Round Bald on Roan Mountain — closer, easier, equally beautiful, much more forgiving.

Related

• Grandfather Mountain (the attraction) — the private, paid side with the swinging bridge
• Round Bald, Roan Mountain — the easier high-elevation hike, closer to home
• Roan Mountain State Park — the family-friendly state park, 30 minutes away
• The Property — about 50 to 55 minutes from the trailheads

Related on the lake

• The private attraction side
• Linn Cove Viaduct nearby
• Pair with a Boone day