Chimney Rock State Park will soon open 7 days a week after Helene closure
ASHEVILLE - Chimney Rock State Park will open seven days a week beginning July 28.
The popular park in Hickory Nut Gorge — about 25 miles southeast of Asheville — reopened June 27, nine months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the region, swelling the Rocky Broad River with with deadly flooding.
The storm destroyed the entrance to the state park — a bridge flanked by two stone gatehouses — along with a third of the businesses in Chimney Rock Village, with all others impacted and left closed. More than 30 homes were destroyed and the main highway devastated.
More than 100 people were killed by Helene, which caused nearly $60 billion in damage.
When Chimney Rock State Park first reopened, hours were limited, only open Fridays through Mondays. At the end of July, it will be open all week, with reservations from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The park closes at 7 p.m.
Access to the park in Rutherford County is possible only through Lake Lure, which lies east of Chimney Rock. All other routes remain closed to non-local traffic, including U.S. 74 from Asheville, U.S. 64 from Hendersonville and N.C. 9 from Black Mountain.
The cost for a single day ticket is $17 per adult and $8 per youth, ages 5 to 15. Children under 5 are free.
While much of the state park reopened in June, including its namesake feature, the Rumbling Bald access on the north side of the river, an area popular with rock climbers, reopened earlier.
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the Paste BN Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.