Stunning Views at Chimney Rock, North Carolina

I’ve always wanted to visit North Carolina, so I was excited we could fit in a few days of exploring the state during our Smoky Mountains road trip last October. The trip was important to me for a lot of reasons, but the biggest need was to relax after many difficult months before and after my surgery. For that reason, our itinerary was a little less packed than usual: we spent more time driving and stopping at lookouts than climbing rocks and going on strenuous hikes. The day we hiked to Chimney Rock was one of the exceptions to that rule.

We spent the morning and early afternoon driving all over the area exploring waterfalls (post to come!), so by the time we headed to Chimney Rock State Park, we were exhausted. I knew it was the only day we would be able to fit in the hike, so I was determined to make it happen.

Usually, there is an elevator that will take you to the top of Chimney Rock, but we knew it was broken (and it’s still broken to this day), so our only option was to climb over 500 steps to get to the overlook. I’m not going to lie: it wasn’t easy for me. There were a few times I wanted to quit because I just wasn’t sure how far I could push my body in one day. Thankfully, there are several lookouts on the way where you can rest and see plenty of gorgeous views.

The views at the top were worth every single step. Once you reach the rock, you are at 2,280 feet above sea level, so you get incredible panoramic views of Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge. It’s truly breathtaking to see the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance while standing on a 535-million-year-old rock! I honestly could have sat there and enjoyed the view for hours.

Other Smoky Mountains Road Trip Posts:

Quick Thoughts

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