Press Releases

Due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, Grandfather Mountain was closed Sept. 26 through Oct. 22, 2024. The storm left behind unimaginable effects on the communities surrounding Grandfather Mountain. The nature park was extremely fortunate to receive only minor...

Grandfather Mountain has bid farewell to Ajax the bald eagle. Ajax died Wednesday, Feb. 5 following complications from an infection he developed. He was 11 years old. “We will miss his strength and confidence,” Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the...

Ahead of winter’s arrival on the mountain, Grandfather’s animal caretakers are busy planning and preparing for the season. For the park’s black bears, it marks the time of year when they enter into a quasi-hibernation. While black bears, like most...

While Grandfather Mountain’s annual Hawk Watch – a vast citizen-science project during the month of September to count and identify the numerous species of raptors making their journey to warmer climates – was cut short in 2024 due to Hurricane Helene, staff and...

Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has begun work on a new facility for young explorers, making use of and renovating the former Fudge Shop space. The hands-on science and conservation education...

The mountain’s annual speaker series, Grandfather Presents, returns for the summer season with an inspiring slate of Thursday evening presentations. This year, all four of the scheduled presenters have authored books, and Grandfather is launching a reading list to...

Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has added behind-the-scenes habitat cameras and a new kiosk with television screens at its cougar overlook, enhancing visitors’ experience and their chance to...