Chimney Rock -- June 1, 2026: Visitors planning an early June trip to Western North Carolina’s most iconic monolith will need to adjust their itineraries. Park officials announced that the main Chimney Rock section of Chimney Rock State Park is closed starting today, Monday, June 1, through Friday, June 5, 2026.
The temporary five-day closure comes after a localized storm system dropped intense, steady rainfall across the region, triggering a small landslide that damaged a portion of the park's main access road. While park crews successfully cleared an initial minor slide on the roadway late last week, subsequent heavy rains have prompted state engineers to implement a full closure to complete critical, long-term structural repairs and ensure slope stability.
State park officials and engineering crews are using this five-day window to safely clear debris, assess slope stability, and complete critical structural repairs to the roadway.
What is Open and What is Closed
The closure is strictly limited to the main attraction area. Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can still access other portions of the state park property.
Closed: The main Chimney Rock Access, including the temporary entrance bridge, the Rock itself, the Outcroppings Trail, the elevator, and the Hickory Nut Falls Trail.
Open: The Rumbling Bald Access area remains fully open to the public during normal summer hours (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.) for bouldering, climbing, and loop trail hiking.
Reopening and Visitor Planning
The park is on track to reopen to the public on Saturday, June 6, 2026, just in time for the weekend and scheduled National Trails Day activities.
For those holding active park annual passes, officials confirmed that pass expirations will automatically be extended to make up for the days missed during seasonal recovery closures.
Once the gates reopen on Saturday, standard post-recovery protocols will resume. Visitors are reminded of the following travel requirements:
Timed-Entry Required: Advance reservations must be made online via the Chimney Rock Management website to secure a timed-entry ticket before arriving at the gate.
Restricted Routing: NC Highway 9 through Lake Lure remains the only authorized public access route to the park. Surrounding backways, including US-74A from Asheville and US-64 from Hendersonville, continue to have travel restrictions in place for non-local traffic.