BANNER ELK, NC (May 21, 2018)…The trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park sustained extensive damage from the recent heavy rains of 11” in four days. The Nuwati and Cragway trails are closed indefinitely until repairs can be made. This closure includes the four campsites on the Nuwati trail: Streamside, The Hermitage, Storyteller’s Rock, and The Refuge. In addition to safety concerns, foot traffic on these trails would cause further damage and erosion.
The trails that remain open at Grandfather are also severely eroded and some have sections of steps washed out. There is standing and running water on the trails and the tread is slick. More rain is in the near forecast. Hikers should take these factors into consideration when planning their trip.