This is the best state park near Charlotte, Southern Living says. What makes it special

Mary Ramsey
·2 min read
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Visitors atop Chimney Rock get a view of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure at Chimney Rock State Park.

A “hiker’s paradise” within a short drive of Charlotte is the best state park in North Carolina, Southern Living Magazine says.

Chimney Rock State Park represented the Tar Heel State on the magazine’s 2023 edition of its “Best State Parks In Every Southern State” list.

Southern Living praised the park for its elevator providing “an accessible option to reach the summit of this ancient rock formation.”

“After seeing the 75-mile views to Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge, hikers can set off on one of the many trails around the Rock, including Hickory Nut Falls, where ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ was filmed, and catch a glimpse of the area’s peregrine falcons,” the magazine states.

Here’s what to know about Chimney Rock State Park and other top-ranked state parks in the region:

What to know about Chimney Rock State Park

Located in Rutherford County, the state parks department estimates Chimney Rock State Park is about 25 miles outside of Asheville.

It’s about a two-hour drive from Charlotte, per Google Maps.

The park “offers some of North Carolina’s most dramatic mountain scenery, overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure,” the state advertises.

The free Rumbling Bald and Eagle Rock access lead to trails for hiking, biking and/or rock climbing.

Tickets to Chimney Rock itself are $17 for adults, $8 for kids ages 5 to 15, and free for kids 4 years old or younger. Annual passes are $32 for adults and $14 for kids ages 5 to 15. You can buy tickets online at chimneyrockpark.com/info-and-tickets.

Chimney Rock offers multiple trails, rock climbing experiences and an “Animal Discovery Den” as well as events throughout the year.

Southern Living state park rankings

In addition to North Carolina, Southern Living ranked the best state park in states across the South, including:

  • Gulf State Park in Alabama

  • Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas

  • John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Florida

  • Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia

  • Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Kentucky

  • Fontainebleau State Park in Louisiana

  • Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi

  • Beavers Bend State Park in Oklahoma

  • Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina

  • Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee

  • Big Bend Ranch State Park in Texas

  • Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Virginia

  • Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia