Grandfather Mountain

book coverWhite House Christmas features The Year of Perfect Christmas Tree

Ornaments inspired by the Gloria Houston’s The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree are featured on two of the White House Christmas trees this season. And all fans of this story know that the perfect Christmas tree grows high on the cliffs of Grandfather Mountain! Find out more!

TVMulti-Media Program Welcomes Visitors to Grandfather's Gatehouse

To introduce first time visitors to all there is to do in a visit to Grandfather Mountain, a multi-media slide show is now playing at the Entrance Gate.
Find out more!


Blue Ridge Parkway Licence Plates The Most Popular Of All Time

The specialty licence tag issued by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles to generate funds for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the most popular special background tag in North Carolina. Find out more.


well drilling New Well Drilled At Top Shop

With plans under way to build a new visitor center at the Swinging Bridge, crews sunk a new well at the summit hoping to increase the supply of water available to the building. Find out more!

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Is the Swinging Bridge Sagging or is Sea Level Rising?

Surveyors making measurements for a planned 2007 renovation to the Top Shop report that the Mile High Swinging Bridge stands 5,282 feet above sea level.

Great; one mile plus two feet. Only the sign on the front of the bridge says it is 5,305 feet above sea level!

it turns out the USGS benchmark used to determine the elevation of the Bridge back when that plaque was posted was never intended to be used to establish elevations. Surveyors are now searching for another USGS benchmark that IS appropriate for sighting elevation. We'll let you know what the official, 21st century measurement turns out to be.

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