May 29, 2020
Photo by Skip Sickler Few plants signify summer in the mountains quite like the vivid pink Catawba rhododendron. When it comes to rhododendron, the Appalachian Mountains are in the spotlight because this particular bloom tends...
May 8, 2020
Following a two-month closure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Grandfather Mountain will tentatively open in a limited capacity May 15, with all ticket sales moving online. In accordance with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s...
April 30, 2020
At Grandfather Mountain, wonders never cease, and now we’re bringing the mountain to you — and your Zoom meetings, friends, family and kiddos! With much of the nation working from home, Grandfather Mountain is providing...
April 16, 2020
As one of Grandfather Mountain’s most popular river otters, Luna would always make an impression — and a splash — by performing backflips and interacting with her fans. Photos courtesy of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship...
April 13, 2020
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is wrapping up a yearlong partnership project, called Wild Watch. With a generous grant from the High Country Charitable Foundation and invaluable support from Avery County Schools, the Wild Watch...
March 14, 2020
Following a two-month closure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Grandfather Mountain has reopened, with all ticket sales moving online. In accordance with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s three-phased “reopening” of North Carolina, the park...
February 7, 2020
A new decade brings new experiences for guests to enjoy at Grandfather Mountain in 2020. With a mission to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of...
December 4, 2019
With winter on the way, Grandfather Mountain is decking its halls — and hills — for the holidays. Visitors are invited to celebrate the season from a mile high, where they’ll encounter idyllic winter scenery,...
November 14, 2019
Dozens of nature lovers and bird advocates braved the wintry weather Wednesday to hear officials from Audubon North Carolina and Grandfather Mountain talk with N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael S. Regan about the...
November 11, 2019
The turn in the temperature signals a new season on Grandfather Mountain — and the return of a bargain allowing unlimited access to the park for six months. The Secret Season Pass allows holders unlimited,...
October 4, 2019
Grandfather Mountain can bear-ly stand the excitement, because Oct. 26 marks the nonprofit nature park’s annual Beary Scary Halloween celebration. This special day features a wide range of activities, including trick-or-treating, spooky arts and crafts,...
September 26, 2019
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 11, 2019
September 2 is an auspicious date for Grandfather Mountain. Sixty-seven 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...
September 6, 2019
Visitors 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, Sept. 21, at Grandfather Mountain’s...
September 6, 2019
September 14 brings scouts, sashes and badges to Grandfather Mountain. This will be the 49th year that Girl Scout Day is celebrated at the Linville, N.C., nature park. This special event allows for all Girl Scouts...
August 29, 2019
Grandfather Mountain has an elite team of rangers, dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the park’s numerous ecological communities — and the flora and fauna that call them home. But they can’t do it...
August 28, 2019
The discovery of a special type of firefly on Grandfather Mountain has experts aglow with excitement. The nonprofit nature park in Linville, N.C., is officially home to Photinus carolinus, the only species of firefly in...
August 28, 2019
Nature takes flight this September on Grandfather Mountain, as the park celebrates the return of Hawk Watch. Throughout the entire month, visitors can grab a front-row seat to one of nature’s most stunning spectacles —...
July 25, 2019
Grandfather Mountain celebrates its furry and feathered inhabitants this Wednesday, Aug. 7, for the park’s annual Animal Enrichment Day. The special day promises a schedule full of fun and educational activities, all about the residents...
July 12, 2019
[caption id="attachment_64127" align="alignleft" width="300"] Johnny Crain, 27, of ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, N.C., finished first overall in The Bear foot race with a time of 30:58.7 — 40.3 seconds shy of his previous attempt...
July 11, 2019
This August, amateur and professional photographers can visit Grandfather Mountain’s classroom in the clouds to hear presentations from top photojournalists and improve their skills. The annual Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic returns Aug. 17-18, also allowing...
July 4, 2019
[caption id="attachment_64013" align="alignleft" width="600"] Lightning strikes over Lost Cove Cliffs during a recent storm, as seen from Grandfather Mountain. The mountain itself experienced some dramatic weather this past June, when it recorded 15.94 inches of...
July 4, 2019
Scotland returns to Grandfather Mountain July 11-14 for the 64th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Boasting bagpipes, Scottish athletics, Highland melodies, Celtic cuisine, crafts aplenty and tons of tartans, the Games hearken back to the...
July 4, 2019
LINVILLE, N.C. — Grandfather Mountain gives students the chance to take their love of nature to new heights — literally. This fall, the Grandfather Mountain Field Trip Scholarship Fund, in honor of the late Nathan...
June 13, 2019
Hugh Morton Award Best in Show - Ken Barrett The Inaugural Don Nelson Award (for photos not captured during NPW) Skip Sickler Advanced Class To see enlargements of the images, click on...
June 5, 2019
This June, visitors to Grandfather Mountain will be able to meet some true party animals. On Wednesday, June 12, the Linville, N.C., nature park will host its annual Animal Birthday Party, a day of celebration...
June 4, 2019
Wonders never cease at Grandfather Mountain—even after business hours. The Linville, N.C.-based nonprofit nature park is bringing back its Grandfather Presents evening lecture series for 2019. “On the mountain, we like to bridge outdoor fun...
May 30, 2019
The first week of June is a remarkably colorful time at Grandfather Mountain. The Appalachian Mountains are in the spotlight when it comes to the rhododendron, because this particular bloom tends to flourish at higher...
May 10, 2019
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation has named Courtney Lane its new director of development. Lane, whose duties include managing the engagement of donors and supporters of Grandfather Mountain, comes from the Crossnore School & Children’s...
April 18, 2019
Grandfather Mountain is more than a mile high, but plans for a new “Conservation Campus” will take the park’s educational mission above and beyond. In fall 2019, the mountain will break ground on an ambitious...
