Grandfather Mountain Offers Safe Summer Fun

Grandfather Mountain features access to more than 12 miles of pristine hiking trails, from easy strolls to rigorous alpine treks. Photo courtesy of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

Grandfather Mountain offers visitors the chance to get close to nature — and away from everything else.

Towering 5,946 feet above sea level — over a mile high — the nonprofit nature park (not to be confused with the neighboring Grandfather Mountain State Park) strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through a variety of outdoor activities that are safe and fun for the whole family, even during COVID-19.

Grandfather Mountain is home to environmental wildlife habitats, featuring black bears, cougars, bald eagles, river otters and elk, all of whom were either orphaned or injured in the wild or born into captivity before arriving at Grandfather, therefore unable to be released back into the wild. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

This includes the park’s most popular attraction: the world-famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. Measuring at a mile in elevation, and suspended over an 80-foot chasm, the bridge provides 360-degree views, cool temperatures—sometimes 20 degrees cooler than the surrounding areas—high winds and one-of-a-kind adventure in the clouds. On a clear day, guests can even see the Charlotte skyline some 80 miles away.

Grandfather Mountain is also home to environmental wildlife habitats, where visitors can see the park’s resident black bears, cougars, river otters, bald eagles and elk, all of whom were either rescued or orphaned in the wild or born into captivity before arriving at Grandfather, therefore unfit to be released back into the wild.

The park features access to over 12 miles of pristine hiking trails varying in difficulty from a leisurely walk to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks, making it an ideal outdoor destination for natural social distancing.

Grandfather Mountain’s most popular attraction is the Mile High Swinging Bridge, offering panoramic views of the entire Western North Carolina High Country — and, on a clear day, the Charlotte skyline, some 80 miles away. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

And that’s only the tip of the mountain. To learn more about things to do at Grandfather Mountain, please visit www.grandfather.com.

With safety in mind, Grandfather Mountain has enacted numerous procedures to help prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19, including:

  • Online admission only to limit the number of guests in the park at one time
  • One-way pedestrian traffic in popular areas, such as the Mile High Swinging Bridge and animal habitats
  • Social-distancing markers
  • Protective barriers at the entrance gate, gift shops and restaurant
  • Restaurant tables spaced at least 6 feet apart
  • Increased sanitization stations throughout the park
  • Required face coverings indoors and outdoors when safe social distancing cannot be maintained

To learn more about Grandfather Mountain’s COVID-19 operating procedures, please visit www.grandfather.com/covid-19-update/.

The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or visit www.grandfather.com to book your visit.