I am really fortunate to live in the state that I do. We have beaches, we have mountains, we have all four seasons and none of them are too harsh as well. We have good infrastructure, relative peace, and just a good way of life.
There are some natural things that people enjoy going to and while this one is a bit far away from me I do recall being in awe when I first got to it.
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There's probably a lot of rocks like this in the world but we still feel like this one is special here in NC. You get some pretty awesome views in a panoramic sense once you get up there and you can hike it from the parking lot, which is about 5 miles away, or you can get up there even if you are mobility limited via a service car and a 23 story elevator. I'm still in reasonably good health so I walk it. I try to go on a weekday because otherwise there are just going to be mobs of people here and that is expected.
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There's more to this place than just the one overlook though. There is also one of the largest waterfalls in all of North Carolina and I think that I am with the majority here when I say everyone likes a waterfall. The picnic areas are abundant, the place is impeccably maintained and it just feels so wonderful, quiet, and very clean.
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one thing that I only recently became aware of is that this park was used in the film The Last of the Mohicans and the final fight in the film took place at the base of the falls.
Depending on what time of year you arrive that falls can be a gusher or it can just be barely trickling water down the stones. I could probably look up when the "best" time to come is but if I did that I know that there would just be a million other people there with their phones in the air and I don't want to be a part of that. I'll just take what I get.
none of the hiking here is particularly hardcore and they have really gone out of their way to make it as easy as possibly by placing steps on any tough terrain or places that people could slip and fall.
There are multiple trails to take and I wouldn't say that any of them are really all that difficult. the park officials have gone out of their way to make sure that almost none of this is difficult and that will appeal to the people who aren't really looking for a challenge or who have a disability. For thrill seekers or those looking for an intense workout, this isn't going to be your place. This is more of a super-accessible place to enjoy some of the best natural beauty that North Carolina has to offer.
This definitely isn't close to where I live though as most of the mountainous stuff is on the other side of the state. Like most mountainous beauty in this state it is located near Asheville and that is about 6 hours of driving away from me. Asheville can be a wonderful place but for politcal reasons that I don't really care to get into in a nature post, a lot of it has gone downhill. You can sidestep this by simply staying at a hotel that isn't in the city. There are a lot of them!
It is $17 to get in the park as of November of 2024 and that is really low considering the days we live in now. There's not much reason to presume it will go up and if it does, it won't be by very much.
One of the great benefits is that dogs are allowed, and while I didn't bring mine with me because 6 hours is a bit of a stretch to be bringing dogs along with you, its something that for those that live a bit closer should take advantage of. What a wonderful adventure this would be for our 4-legged friends!
If you ever make it out west, and can tolerate the weirdness of coastal Oregon and Washington, you have to see Beacon Rock and the assorted waterfalls along the Columbia River. Multnomah Falls is impressive. Plus, you can visit Stonehenge, sort of.
Have a lot of the smaller towns gone downhill in the States because you would think they would be the last areas to be affected with cities first on the list. I can recall the scene at the waterfalls and had no idea it was filmed here.