
Boulder Club
A Legacy Set In Stone: The Boulder Club
More than a century ago, many of the boulders on Grandfather Mountain were given names, like Sphinx Rock and Split Rock. Now you, too, can bestow a boulder with a name that will be remembered for all time. The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation presents an exclusive, elite giving program, the Grandfather Mountain Boulder Club.
Individuals or companies whose total donations reach or exceed a level of $5,000 will be eligible for membership, wherein they can help assign a permanent name to one or more of Grandfather Mountain’s iconic boulders or other natural features. All named boulders will be photographed, described, located by GPS coordinates and featured in a prominent display located in the Wilson Center.
Each “adopted” boulder will be individually recognized on the Foundation’s website, grandfather.com. A lasting benefit of naming a feature on Grandfather Mountain is the knowledge that the boulder will remain unaltered in perpetuity, in a place where your grandchildren and your grandchildren’s grandchildren can pause and ponder.
Grandfather Mountain thanks our Boulder Club members for their generous gifts.
If you are interested in naming a boulder, please contact jesse@grandfather.com.
Boulder Club Members
Barry and Dottie Cook in honor of The Cook Family

Very large boulder located just slightly southwest of Linville Bluffs.
Bob and Betsy Gefaell in memory of Tom and Lindsay Hayes

This boulder is located at the west end of the bridge parking lot at the base of Morton Peak. It is downslope from the Ruggiero Boulder. This area habitats many rare and endangered species, such as Allegheny Sand Myrtle.
Bob and Susan Wilson in memory of Marguerite Barrier Cooper

This boulder is the highest rock at Cliffside Overlook, the original terminus of the road. From here, past visitors would hike up to the higher peaks of Grandfather Mountain. From the top of this boulder, you can enjoy nearly 360 degree views of the surrounding region.
Bob and Susan Wilson in memory of Tuppy Weatherman Barrier

This boulder is one of the largest boulders at Cliffside Overlook, the original terminus of the park road. This area is a great place have a picnic. Views to the east look to Grandmother Mountain and the peaks on the rim of the Linville Gorge, the closest congressionally designated wilderness area to Grandfather Mountain.
Bob and Susan Wilson in memory of Lloyd Grady Barrier

This boulder is nestled in the vegetation at Cliffside Overlook. It has an interesting diversity of plants beside it. Huckleberries, Blue Ridge Goldenrod and Silverling are found alongside this boulder.
Bruce and Mary Rinehart in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Halcourt T. Cosby

Low cluster of boulders located under the nice Red Spruce (the Burton Tree) on the right side of the parking lot at Cliffside.
Danny, Chris and Jackie Herman in memory of Justin Herman

A metasandstone rock that is mostly covered in several species of lichens and mosses. It is located in the spruce-fir forest along the Extension Trail. It is surrounded by many wildflowers in the spring and summer, as well as rosebay rhododendron. Due to the habitat, it is a favorite location for neotropical migrant warblers and many other birds in the spring and summer.
David and Cathy Thompson

Very large boulder at Cliffside Overlook. Located on the left side, looking out onto Linville. This was the original location of the Top Shop.
Dr. and Mrs. James Wood

This is a prominent rock feature in the Woods Walk Picnic Area. The metasandstone rock is nestled in the Northern Hardwood Forest, and the sides are covered with mosses and lichens, with ferns growing in the cracks. The top of the rock has less of this vegetation due to people enjoying climbing and sitting atop this rock for many years while their families have picnics.
Jerry and Janet Enos

Bubba’s Rock is adopted in gratitude for the reminder of nature’s awe-inspiring endurance, located near the iconic Forrest Gump curve.
Jim and Barbara Goodmon in honor of The Goodmon Family

Very large boulder in the Elk Habitat located near the Elk Barn.
Jim Morton in honor of Melinda Romans Bartlett

This unique cluster of boulders, with multiple cracks and fractures is a favorite of visitors. It lies just beneath Linville Peak and provides an incredible vantage point to peaks in the High Country, including Mount Mitchell.
Jim Morton in honor of Bailey Bartlett

This petite boulder has a unique feature. This hole likely started as a weathering pit; these pits are formed from the erosive power of wind and water swirling sediments around an area to form a circular indention in the rock.
Jim Morton in honor of Annie McGowan

This large round boulder is located near the top of the Bridge Trail below the Swinging Bridge. It serves as a great resting stop and reflection point for park visitors. The Mile High Swinging Bridge was originally placed across the gorge below in 1952.
Jim Morton in honor of Kelly McGowan

This boulder is located near the top of the Bridge Trail under the Mile High Swinging Bridge. American Mountain Ash, a common tree of the high elevations of Grandfather Mountain, is found nearby this boulder. The tree produces an abundance of red berries for wildlife in the fall.
Jim Morton in honor of Diane Volkers

This elongated boulder near the summit of Linville Peak is a great vantage point to areas on the eastern side of Grandfather Mountain. Points of interest here include the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Pisgah National Forest and on the clearest days, the skyline of Charlotte, NC.
John and Susan Holbrook in memory of John A. Holbrook III, founder

This boulder is the gateway boulder to the Mildred the Bear Environmental Habitats. School groups often visit the animal habitats to learn about the park’s native wildlife.
John Harris in honor of John Harris

On July 13, 1974, John Harris became the first man to fly a hang glider off Grandfather Mountain. The 1500-foot flight was described in The State magazine this way: For a few glorious moments, Harris soared free of the earth, sailing effortlessly over the valley, with nothing but the mountain winds and a single wing to keep him aloft.
Jon Barrett in honor of Jon and Lisa Barrett

This large block-shaped boulder, presumably was once connected to Morton Peak. It is currently resting on the western slope and prominently visible from the Mile High Swinging Bridge.
Julia Morton in honor of The Morton Family

Morton Peak was formerly known as Second Peak is located north of Linville Peak. It is roughly twenty feet higher than Linville Peak. It is named in honor of the Morton family, the founders of the park. This family has worked tirelessly to create the nature park and preserve the unique plants and animals found on the mountain.
Kelly and Meredith Graves in honor of Kelly Graves' Family

This boulder, located in the lower bear habitat, was once a popular location for Mr. Morton, who photographed bears with park visitors. As a park policy, we no longer enter the bear habitats.
Lory Lockwood and Andrew Watts, Ray Lockwood in honor of The Lockwood Family

Collection of 4 boulders at Cliffside Overlook. Located on the right of the parking lot, directly behind and up the hill from waste container, on the right, prior to the picnic table.
Richard and Mary Hill

A metasandstone rock that is partially covered in lichens, mosses, and ferns that are growing in the crevices. It is located in the Woods Walk Picnic Area within a Northern Hardwood Forest shaded by red maples, northern red oaks, and American beech trees.
Sebastian Ruggiero in memory of Lillian Darlington Singletary

This massive boulder is located just off of the Mile High Swinging Bridge parking area. High elevation rocky outcroppings provide habitat for rare and endangered plants and animals, including Blue Ridge Goldenrod.
Sebastian Ruggiero in honor of the Sebastian Ruggiero family

This rectangular boulder is located on the west end of the Mile High Swinging Bridge parking lot. Some of the highest winds in the state funnel through this parking lot, especially in the winter.
Tica Walley in honor of Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt

Writer’s Block is located at the foot of the famous Anvil Rock cabin. The cabin was a month-long residence for the late author Charles Kuralt. Kuralt used this location to write Charles Kuralt’s America. This historic cabin has been a retreat for special guests to Grandfather Mountain. The western wall of the building is the Anvil Rock boulder.
Tica Walley in memory of Dennis H. Walley

This boulder is located just above the North American River Otter Habitat. A park amphitheater which hosted bear programs was once situated at the base of this rock. Today it forms a boundary to the River Otter habitat area.
Tucker and Karen Mann in memory of Tucker Rives Mann

This Peaceful Place is surrounded by Red Spruce, Eastern Hemlock, Mountain Ash, Yellow Birch and Rosebay Rhododendron.