Grandfather Mountain

As I mentioned in my last post, we have been in North Carolina visiting Roberts mother Joanne.  While there we took a day trip to Grandfather Mountain.  It is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and located in Linville, NC, approximately 1.5 hours from Robert's hometown of Lincolnton, NC.   When you arrive at the park you are given a CD that corresponds to the different areas of the park so while you are driving through you get to hear the history and background.

On the way up the mountain there are 3-4 stops where you can get out and snap some pictures.  The park also has a few nature exhibits with bears, dear, pumas, and otters.

As well as some beautiful gardens and scenery...

And plenty of huge boulders to take pictures in front of...

 

 After a few scarey hair-pin curves on the way to the top you get to the "mile high" swinging bridge...

From the Grandfather Mountain website, "The Mile High Swinging Bridge was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather Mountain’s Linville Peak.  The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation. Surveys show that the journey to the other side is always considered the highlight of a trip to Grandfather Mountain."

I don't know if I would call it a "swinging" bridge, it was more of a bouncing bridge.  The bridge felt very safe and secure which is not what I expected, even with the bounce. 

And of course the views were amazing...

 Robert's mom waiting for us at the bottom...

As we climbed drove further up the mountain the temperature dropped and dropped, when we left Lincolnton it was 95 degrees and only 75 degrees when we got to the swinging bridge.  This Florida girls was LOVING those temps (and secretly looking for a jacket)!!

Grandfather Mountain has 11 trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. It is in the back country of Grandfather Mountain State Park that you come up against the more challenging hikes. We didn't have time, shoes or the lung capacity to do any hiking this trip but you better bet we will be back...more than once.