After packing the car and checking out around 9:30 we drove to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to buy shirts for Eric and Curt. We continued on to Asheville and Earth Fare for lunch and soy cheese (for sandwiches for dinner). From Asheville we made a forty minute drive to Chimney Rock Park. Rain had washed out our plans to visit Chimney Rock the previous Sunday but now the weather was glorious.

It was nearly 2:00 when we crossed over Rocky River to start the drive up Chimney Rock mountain. About halfway up the mountain we came to a the end of a line of cars waiting to enter the park. We had about a twenty minute wait in line then paid $25 for the three of us to enter the park. We figured this was way overpriced but we were wrong. The hikes and views were precious. A bus escorted us and dozens of other visitors from the lower to the upper parking lot at the base of Chimney Rock. From there we had a choice, wait twenty minutes then take an elevator 26 stories up inside the mountain to a level nearly at the height of Chimney Rock, or take a twenty minute hike up Chimney Rock. We chose the latter. The Cliff Trail walk is mostly wooden stairs and platforms with several places to stop and admire the scenery above and below you. It starts at a moonshiner's cave and passes by the outcroppings of Vista Rock and Pulpit Rock on its way to the much larger and higher Chimney Rock. Atop Chimney Rock one stands 1200 feet above the forest floor. Fall foliage was not expected to peak for the surrounding trees for another few weeks so the splendid view was mostly greenery.

Chimney Rock from the lower parking lot. There is a higher mound that sits behind it from this angle. Spot the flag to see Chimney Rock.	Chimney Rock from above. This photo was taken from the Opera Box.

In our excitement to start the hike, we had left our supplies in our car far below us. We bought some drinks and a miner's helmet in the gift shop at this level (the helmet was not for use on this hike; though Curt wore it rather than carry it and got plenty of strange looks, grins, and probably "what a dork" thoughts).

We proceeded up the mountain along the Skyline Trail stopping at the Opera Box, Devil's Head, Exclamation Point, and Peregrine Rest (where a visitor asked Eric to pose for a photo with him) before coming to the 404' high Hickory Nut Falls. The view of the falls from the trail is always at least partly obscured by trees.

The long ribbon of water in the center of this photo is Hickory Nut Falls

One is not permitted close enough to the edge of the falls to see it from its top. The only view of the entire falls is from its bottom which can be reached by the Forest Trail (which we would not hike this visit). A tiny stream provides the water for the falls. The area just above Hickory Nut Falls through which this stream passes is perhaps the most attractive of the entire park. An arched wooden bridge spans the stream which bounces down a series of rock ledges and along huge rock faces before pausing in a calm pool. From the pool, the water makes several more small drops then takes a ten foot fall--providing travelers with a shower on hot days--before finally making the big jump.

On our hike down the mountain we passed Inspiration Point and Groundhog Slide (the wooden walkway cuts across the middle of a 200 foot granite rockface--one would hate to be the groundhog they named that after). As we got halfway down the mountain, Curt realized his wallet was missing. He last had it out at when buying the miner's helmet. Install of continuing down to the parking lot, we walked back up to the souvenir store near Chimney Rock. Fortunately, a clerk had picked up and held Curt's wallet for him. We took the elevator inside the mountain back down to the upper parking lot and bussed back to our car.

On the edge of the field serving as the lower parking lot, a wedding reception was being held. The musicians in the band were generally better dressed than the wedding guests. The informal, outdoor setting of the wedding celebration facilitated a casual dress (and we suspect less expensive and more personalized wedding). We noted the informal altar nearby, it was constructed out of bales of hay.

The wooden bridge hangs over a myriad of cascades just before the long drop of Hickory Nut Falls.	Eric dwarfed by the granite rocks near Groundhog Slide.

We picked up a basket of apples on our way out of town and Curt drove while Missy and Eric played Pokémon most of the way home. As we reached Raleigh, we were welcomed back by a fireworks display appearing directly before us over Interstate 40. What a thoughtful gesture from the city! (Though it could have been the evening fireworks at the state fair.)

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