September 15, 2021
As the Blue Ridge Mountains begin to burst with fall color, Grandfather Mountain invites leaf-lookers to see the brilliant change from one of the best leaf-looking destinations in the South. Grandfather Mountain is home to...
September 15, 2021
The call of the wild has been loud and clear during the pandemic with many people looking for a way to escape, get outdoors and connect more with their loved ones and nature. That trend...
September 3, 2021
People are familiar with Grandfather Mountain’s resident animals, including black bears, bald eagles, cougars, river otters and elk. But what do they do after dark? Guests can find out Saturday, Oct. 2, at Grandfather Mountain’s...
September 1, 2021
Data recorded at the official National Weather Service reporting station at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge indicated a rainy August at the Linville, N.C., nature park. The warmest day recorded in August 2021 was...
August 13, 2021
Being a mile high has its advantages. From atop Grandfather Mountain, visitors can grab a front-row seat to one of nature’s most stunning spectacles — thousands of raptors migrating over the mountains and heading south...
August 10, 2021
Officials from the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently confirmed the successful nesting of two peregrine falcons — the first on Grandfather Mountain since 2008. Photo by Clifton Avery | N.C....
August 2, 2021
From left, Landis Taylor, assistant vice president of marketing and communications; Lesley Platek, vice president; Jesse Pope, president and executive director; and Tommy Oakley, operations manager, comprise the new leadership team of the Grandfather Mountain...
August 2, 2021
Data recorded at the official National Weather Service reporting station at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge indicated average July weather at the Linville, N.C., nature park. The warmest day recorded in July 2021 was...
July 14, 2021
The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans took place July 8-11 at MacRae Meadows at the base of Grandfather Mountain in Linville, N.C. The four-day weekend was brimming with bagpipes, astounding athletics,...
July 13, 2021
Data recorded at the official National Weather Service reporting station at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge indicated average June weather at the Linville, N.C., nature park. The lowest temperature observed in June 2021 was...
July 13, 2021
John Van Deusen claimed first overall during the professional men’s heavy athletics division at the 2021 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Photos by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games has...
July 13, 2021
Competitors in the elite women’s heavy athletics division stand in the winner’s circle after competing in the 2021 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. From left, Hannah Linzay claimed second place, Elissa Van Vleck won first overall...
July 12, 2021
Appalachian State University senior Casey Meinert pole vaults into the title of Outstanding Athlete in Track and Field at the 2021 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation Two...
July 11, 2021
Maggie Fortney and Caleb Masland make their victory lap at MacRae Meadows, site of the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, after completing the 53rd Grandfather Mountain Marathon Saturday, July 10. Masland finished first with a...
July 9, 2021
The 26th annual running of The Bear, a five-mile uphill foot-race to the top of Grandfather Mountain, saw 653 runners reach the finish line near the mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge. Photo by Jim Magruder...
July 7, 2021
Orchard Oriole singing, gouache on Bristol Board, © David Sibley Grandfather Mountain is for the birds — literally. As home to nearly 200 different bird species, the nonprofit nature park in Linville, N.C., is a...
June 30, 2021
Sunset on Grandfather Mountain offers a cascade of colors to delight photographers of all skill levels. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation Visitors are invited to take their photography skills to the...
June 29, 2021
During summer, Grandfather Mountain is known for its lush greenery and the kaleidoscope colors of myriad blooms. During July, however, guests can add an entirely different palette to that mix — plaid. And lots of...
June 29, 2021
Grandfather Mountain mourns the loss of Winston Church, pictured here with Mildred the Bear. Photos by Hugh Morton | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation There are men, and there are mountains. With the late Winston Church,...
June 15, 2021
Luther H. Hodges and Hugh Morton fished together at Grandfather Lake, and their families shared many happy days on the mountain. They also shared a common commitment to the state of North Carolina, with Hodges...
June 11, 2021
Grandfather Mountain as seen from the Beacon Heights pull-off on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 14.1 million visitors...
June 2, 2021
Data recorded at the official National Weather Service reporting station at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge indicated average May weather at the Linville, N.C., nature park. The lowest temperature observed in April 2021 was...
May 24, 2021
Photos by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation During the first week of June, parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains tend to look a little more pink and purple — especially on Grandfather Mountain....
May 22, 2021
By Emily Webb, Lees-McRae College Two broad-winged hawks took to the skies over Grandfather Mountain's MacRae Meadows after a successful release by the Lees-McRae College's May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center staff on Friday, May 21. A few Grandfather Mountain staff members...
May 14, 2021
Following a two-month closure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Grandfather Mountain reopened in May 2020, with ticket sales moving online. Effective Sept. 16, 2021, in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease...
May 1, 2021
As observed at the National Weather Service recording station near the Mile High Swinging Bridge, Grandfather Mountain recorded average weather for the month of April 2021. Photo by Monty Combs | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation...
April 16, 2021
Tracy SwartoutPhoto courtesy of the National Park Service ATLANTA — Today, National Park Service (NPS) South Atlantic-Gulf Regional Director Stan Austin announced the selection of Tracy Swartout as the new superintendent of Blue Ridge Parkway, effective May 23. "We...
April 1, 2021
Data recorded at the official National Weather Service reporting station at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge indicated average March weather at the Linville, N.C., nature park. The lowest temperature observed was 17° Fahrenheit on...
April 1, 2021
September 2 is an auspicious date for Grandfather Mountain. Sixty-eight years ago, it marked the opening of the world-famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. In 2019, it saw the nonprofit nature park break ground on its...
March 24, 2021
Grandfather Mountain will open its gates to High Country residents, employees and their guests for only $3 each April 1-23, as the park’s “Dollar Days” promotion returns in time for spring. The promotion allows anyone...
