December 26, 2025 Boone, NC – December 26, 2025 -Although the program includes at-risk kids suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions, the program also seeks to assist any special kids who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges.
December 8, 2025 Boone, NC – December 8, 2025 – It is important to plan ahead to make the most of your winter visit to the park – whether you choose to adventure through the brisk temperatures or would rather spend time connecting with the natural world from the comfort of Grandfather’s indoor spaces.
November 17, 2025 Boone, NC – November 17, 2025 -The hour-long event begins at 11 a.m. and is included with park admission. The tree, which will be harvested on Wednesday, Nov. 19, is from Mountain Top Fraser Fir farm in Newland, N.C. Owner Larry Smith has previously supplied trees to the White House, North Carolina State Capitol and other prominent government buildings and residences.
September 30, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, played host to the “Grandfather Summit” on Sept. 23, in partnership with the British Consulate General Atlanta and NC Forever. The day-long event included a tour of the N.C. nature park, panel discussions, presentations and “A Taste of Scotland” reception.
September 24, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is set to begin its annual Fall Color Ramble, marking one of the most beautiful times of the year. This series of guided nature walks allows guests to experience the season’s signature colors like never before. The Fall Color Rambles will be offered daily, weather permitting, from Saturday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 12. The short excursions begin at 1 p.m. outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, and they typically last for 30 minutes.
August 6, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will once again host its Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight event this fall. The after-hours program allows guests to embrace their nocturnal side and enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.
The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is open to 50 participants. This event is for individuals eight years of age and older. Tickets are $40 for general admission or $34 for Bridge Club members and are available for online purchase now.
July 22, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Junior Naturalist Day on Saturday, Aug. 9. Activities, included with admission, will be provided specifically for children ages 5 to 12 — though all ages are welcome — to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather has to offer. Programming takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature birding with a naturalist, nature journaling, looking for lichen and more.
July 16, 2025 Kendra Danzer finished first in four of the seven women’s heavy athletic events during the 2025 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, thereby claiming the top spot overall for the competition. This is Danzer’s first time competing at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
The 41-year-old clinical social worker for suicide prevention who resides in Fayetteville, N.C., has been competing in heavy athletics for nearly six years. She has competed in multiple states including Virginia, South Carolina, Florida and California.
July 16, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – At the 69th-annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in 2025, two track and field athletes secured the Outstanding Men’s Athlete and Outstanding Women’s Athlete honors. Nick Goard from Aberdeen, N.C., and Veronica Cheechov from West End, N.C., earned the respective titles. Both athletes run for Sandhills Classical Christian School’s track and cross country teams, and they hope to return next year.
July 15, 2025 Eric Frasure placed first in four of the seven men’s heavy athletic events and tied in two others during the 2025 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, thereby claiming the top spot overall for the competition. Frasure has been attending the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games since 1998 and has competed since he was eligible, sans a retirement from 2016 to May 2025.
July 15, 2025 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Animal Enrichment Day on Wednesday, July 30. Visitors are invited to watch enrichment demonstrations, talk directly with keepers and participate in family-oriented interactive games. Included with park admission, the celebration will feature games, contests, crafts and surprises.
July 1, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that tickets for the final presentation of the Grandfather Presents 2025 speaker series are on sale now. “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent Conor Knighton will close out the 2025 series on Oct. 2, 2025. The Wilson Center for Nature Discovery’s Classroom in the Clouds will host the event. Guests will experience a “night at the museum” atmosphere, the speaker presentation and a book-signing/ “meet-and-greet” with Knighton.
June 20, 2025 The long and storied tradition that is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows on Thursday, July 10, continuing through Sunday, July 13. This marks the 69th year for the beloved and historic celebration of Scottish ancestry and heritage, with the popular festival once again bringing a “wee bit o’ Scotland” to the High Country of North Carolina. “This year’s games are a great reason for folks to travel to the North Carolina High Country,” said Stephen Quillin, president of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
June 19, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is looking forward to the summer months on the mountain filled with daily programs, special experiences and an array of events. “The summer months are such a special time on the mountain,” said Jesse Pope, president and CEO of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Our programming offers guests unique opportunities to experience the mountain, and we are especially excited to welcome visitors back to the mountain after Hurricane Helene. The N.C. High Country is open for business and we eagerly anticipate a busy summer season.”
June 16, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that tickets for the Aug. 7 event, “Grandfather Presents: Jeff Corwin,” are on sale now. The event will be hosted in the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, where guests will experience a “night at the museum” atmosphere, the speaker presentation and book-signing/“meet-and-greet” opportunities.
June 11, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is gearing up for an exciting reprise of its Grandfather Presents speaker series in 2025. This season’s Grandfather Presents roster has an emphasis on those who make it their life’s mission to highlight the challenges, opportunities and good work happening around exploration, nature and conservation. The lineup includes:
June 4, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will throw its annual birthday bash for all resident animals on Wednesday, June 11 — and you’re invited! Included with park admission, the celebration will feature games, contests, crafts and surprises. The park’s habitat staff is preparing a fun-filled afternoon for guests with programs to celebrate its furry and feathered inhabitants as they mark another trip around the sun. Millie the Bear, the mountain’s mascot, will also make special appearances throughout the day.
May 30, 2025 April 2025 saw fairly standard conditions for the month on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for April 2025 was 55.01 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 41.79 degrees and a mean of 48.4 degrees. The weather station on the Mile High Swinging Bridge noted six days in April with a wind gust higher than 60 mph. There were 3.92 inches of precipitation observed at the top in April.
May 22, 2025. We’re pleased to share positive news for residents and visitors alike: the Blue Ridge Parkway will remain open to traffic in the High Country throughout the summer and fall seasons. This update follows a productive and informative meeting held today with leadership from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the National Park Service, along with staff from our congressional delegation, local elected officials, local business leaders and partnering agencies. Ongoing infrastructure improvements funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (2020) continue and some sections of the Parkway previously impacted by Hurricane Helene will also be opening further throughout the year in Watauga and Avery Counties.
May 20, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that tickets for the first presentation of the Grandfather Presents 2025 speaker series are on sale now. T. Edward Nickens, an award-winning author and journalist, kicks off this year’s Thursday night presentations on July 24. The event will be hosted in the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, where guests will experience a “night at the museum” atmosphere, the speaker presentation and book-signing/“meet-and-greet” opportunities.
May 14, 2025. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will celebrate the beauty of the spring season this year with its Rhododendron Rambles, a series of guided strolls that showcase the park’s blossoming rhododendron and other native species. The easygoing rambles take place at 1 p.m. daily May 24 through June 1. These short walks are led by the park’s naturalists and are included with the price of admission. If the rhododendrons continue to bloom beyond early June, Grandfather Mountain naturalists may extend the event dates. Interested attendees should meet outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. The rambles are wheelchair and stroller accessible.
May 14, 2025. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is once again offering its adult field courses for 2025, allowing participants the chance to explore Grandfather Mountain like never before and take a deep dive into a variety of topics. The series runs from May through October, with topics including landscape design, geology, habitat identification, hummingbirds, fungi and astronomy. Each field course is limited to 20 or fewer participants, so they fill up quickly.
May 5, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is set to debut its new Mindfulness and Well-being Series in July and August 2025. “The response from individual mindfulness events we’ve held in the past was outstanding,” said John Caveny, director of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “It was clear to us that folks got a lot out of the workshops, so we wanted to create more opportunities through a series.”
April 28, 2025 March 2025 saw drier-than-normal conditions for the month on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for March 2025 was 47.47 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 31.65 degrees and a mean of 39.56 degrees. The warmest temperature recorded last month was 62.1 degrees on March 12, almost 10 degrees shy of the mountain’s record March high of 72 degrees, observed March 30, 1985.
April 25, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced the initial details related to this year’s Grandfather Glows firefly viewing events. Research on Grandfather Mountain has confirmed the presence of 10 species of fireflies or illumining insects, including synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus), blue ghost fireflies (Phausis reticulata) and glowworms (Orfelia fultoni). Synchronous fireflies are habitat specialists and thrive in northern hardwood forests, such as those found at Grandfather Mountain. These glowing wonders only appear for a few weeks each year