Chimney Rock Park, east of Asheville, is an astonishing place to visit. My wife and I stopped off there during a free afternoon at a conference held at the famous Grove Park Inn, several years ago.
The Grove Park Inn is itself a local landmark, built of local granite atop a mountain just north of Asheville, nearly a hundred years ago. There are pictures in its lobby of the folks leading mules hauling the huge granite blocks up the mountain, that would eventually be used in the building of that hotel. An astounding achievement, considering the primitive tools available at that time. More on that later.
Chimney Rock is a tall narrow column of granite, left over from some major event, eons ago, that affords a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside from the top. That has made it a very popular attraction, over many years. Its height makes it resemble a chimney, hence the name.
One unique feature to it is a sliver of a crack in the column, near the ground level, barely wide enough for a slender human to pass through, sideways, on the winding trail that leads from the parking lot at the base to the observation deck at the top.
This was presumably caused, thousands of years ago, by a hard freeze – probably over repeated years – that forced water in the rock to expand and break in the weakest joints. This is what happened to the rocks above the fall line on Pike’s Peak, in Colorado, as mentioned in a previous column.
Extreme heat, followed by extreme cold, can also cause this. I was quite surprised to see a huge oblong granite boulder, at Shaking Rock Park in Lexington, GA, abut 18 miles east of Athens, that was cracked right down the middle, as if sliced by a hot knife through butter! Extreme heat and successive cold was likely the only way that could have happened. It is amazing what Mother Nature can do. The Chimney Rock State Park website describes it thusly: “The centerpiece of the Park is the 535-millionyear- old monolith, which is often referred to as “the Chimney” or “the Rock”. This natural monument showcases some of the best views in western North Carolina.
“The top of the rock can be reached by either an elevator inside The elevator has been operating and servicing the public since 1949 and ascends 26 stories in just over 32 seconds. For the “Stairmaster” enthusiasts or pet walkers, the Outcroppings Trail features numerous points of interest along the way, like Gneiss Cave, Pulpit Rock, and the “Subway.”
“More than 100 years ago, Dr. Lucius B. Morse fell in love with Chimney Rock while visiting the area. After being diagnosed with tuberculosis, he was seeking a more “healthful climate” to ease his condition. In 1902, with the financial backing of his brothers, he purchased 64 acres of the Chimney Rock mountain for $5,000. Over the years, several more small parcel purchases were added to the Park, expanding it over 1000 acres.
“Needing easy access into the park, the Morse family recruited a local man, Guilford Nanney, to blaze its first set of trails. This was the beginning of the modern improvements, vantage points, and trail systems that exist in the Park today.
“As time passed, not all visitors were willing or able to walk the hundreds of stairs on the trail from the parking area to the summit of the Chimney. In 1946, plans were drawn up for an elevator to transport people to the top. Blasted out of the solid granite cliff, a 198-foot tunnel led into the mountain to the 258-foot elevator shaft. This was a massive construction project, that took eight tons of dynamite and 18 months to complete. The elevator was opened to the public in 1949, the same year the entrance parking lot, upper parking lot, and three-mile approach road were paved.
“In the early 2000’s, the Morse Family and newly formed Hickory Nut Gorge Partnership worked with state leaders to help preserve the Park for generations to come. In 2007, the state of North Carolina purchased Chimney Rock and formally changed its name to Chimney Rock State Park. Over the last decade, the state has continued to add additional protected land areas and trails to the park, such as Rumbling Bald, Eagle Rock, and World’s Edge. The state continues to manage and protect these lands as well as maintain the Park experience for its visitors.”
What an amazing place to visit and see for oneself! Pictures alone do not begin to do it justice. We are so lucky to have so many interesting places to experience so close to where we live. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to see this one for myself.
Rafe Semmes is a proud graduate of (“the original”) Savannah High School and the University of Georgia. He and his wife, both long-time Rotarians, live in eastern Liberty County with their passel of rescue cats. He writes on a variety of topics, and may be reached at rafe_ semmes@ yahoo.com.