LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is looking forward to welcoming guests throughout 2026 with many new events and experiences, including the opening of Yonni’s Clubhouse, a conservation education center for children ages 5 to 12, in April.
“This year will be an exceptionally exciting one at Grandfather Mountain,” said Jesse Pope, president and CEO of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “The addition of Yonni’s Clubhouse will add value, learning and memorable experiences to a family visit and we have a lot of other fun new additions and surprises planned for this year. If folks haven’t been to Grandfather in a while, 2026 is a great time to return to see the mountain’s expanding Conservation Campus and other new highlights.”
The Linville, N.C., nature park and preserve will remain accessible throughout the Blue Ridge Parkway’s upcoming roadwork in the area. Access to Grandfather Mountain via the Parkway will remain open from at least one direction thanks to the careful planning of National Park Service staff. The closures are slated to begin in mid-March. In addition, access to important Grandfather Mountain State Park trailheads will remain open from at least one direction after an initial full closure at Boone Fork Parking Area (Milepost 299.9) that is expected to last for three to four weeks in early spring.
As stated in a March 5 NPS press release:
A signed detour route, along with a system of signs on secondary roads will direct visitors from the main detour route to attractions along this corridor, including Cone Memorial Park, Price Lake, popular Grandfather Mountain trailheads and Linn Cove trailhead parking. As construction progresses, closure locations will alternate. At all times, the contractor will maintain uninterrupted access from either the north or the south to these visitor facilities and recreation areas. This full road rehabilitation is expected to be complete in fall 2026.
Guests wanting to plan a visit to the High Country that includes the Blue Ridge Parkway should check the park’s website in advance. The Parkway website and road status page will provide daily road status information with links to project information or current detour maps.
Guests traveling by vehicle to Grandfather Mountain via the west side of the mountain (N.C. Hwy 105) and via U.S. 221 will not be impacted by the roadwork on the Parkway.
This is the final phase of work on a $100M+ project, providing vital repaving and rehabilitation. Funding for this project comes from the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund. Last fall, the work was delayed in order to keep the Blue Ridge Parkway open in the High Country, maintaining a vital leaf-looking thoroughfare and an economic driver for local communities and businesses who were still recovering a year after Helene.
“We thank our friends and partners at the Blue Ridge Parkway for delaying the roadwork last fall,” said Pope. “And we appreciate their efforts to keep important landmarks and points of interest accessible as the work begins this spring and closures take place. We know that one third of our visitors also take the time to drive and sightsee along the Parkway while they are in the region, and we know that this famed section between us and Blowing Rock, in particular, needs major improvements.”
Due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, Grandfather Mountain State Park, a separate parcel of backcountry land that is managed by the State of North Carolina, currently has limited access points with the continued closure of the Profile Trail on the west side of the mountain. The main non-fee-based hiking access to the state park is from the Boone Fork Parking Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 299.9. This trailhead gives hikers access to trails such as Daniel Boone Scout Trail, Nuwati Trail and Cragway Trail. Registered campers should park at the Boone Fork Parking Area (when open) or Asutsi trailhead on U.S. Hwy 221 to access backcountry campsites.
The Grandfather Mountain attraction offers access to the state park, but the attraction’s entry fee must be paid, and no overnight parking is allowed. In addition, the attraction enforces different trail hours than the state park.
Parkway officials have shared that access to Boone Fork Parking Area will be accessible in at least one direction, after an initial full closure in early spring that is expected to last three to four weeks.
To see the Blue Ridge Parkway’s March 5 announcement about the upcoming roadwork and closures, visit www.nps.gov/blri/learn/news/final-phase-of-historic-investment-road-project-begins-on-the-blue-ridge-parkway.htm.
To see the Blue Ridge Parkway’s updates on current road status and closures, visit www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
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