From a press release:
Take a Child Outside (TaCO) Week, September 24-30, is a national program created to encourage adults and children to spend time together in the great outdoors. Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is offering one free youth admission with the purchase of one regular-price adult admission during TaCO to promote active outdoor adventures for families. The Park is offering special activities on Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26, including local children’s authors, family-friendly hikes and a family campout, where families will have the rare opportunity to camp out at Chimney Rock.
“We want kids everywhere to grow up loving the outdoors,” says Emily Walker, Education Manager at Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park. “Take a Child Outside Week provides the perfect opportunity for families to make memories together that will last a lifetime. We’re excited to be able to share the beauty of our Park and to provide fun, family-friendly learning activities. We’re especially excited about our family campout; this is a rare opportunity to enjoy the night life of Chimney Rock!”
All daytime TaCO activities are included with Park admission. Guided hikes will take place at 11am on Friday, Sept. 25 and at 11am and 3pm on Saturday, Sept. 26. From 1-4pm on Saturday, families can participate in interactive programs led by local authors at Writers on the Rock for Kids. Janie DeVos, author of How High Can You Fly, Barthello’s Wing: the Tale of a Very Brave Bug, and other nature-themed children’s books, will lead kids in an exploration of what makes them special. Afterward, kids will get the chance to track and assess a stuffed bear and her cub with Marci Spencer, who has written several books for adults about Pisgah National Forest and recently wrote the children’s book Potluck, Message Delivered: The Great Smoky Mountains are Saved! The authors will be available for autographs and one-on-one chats with young fans. Fountainhead Bookstore from Hendersonville will offer a variety of children’s books with outdoor themes for sale.
The day will conclude with the rare opportunity to camp under the stars of Chimney Rock at a family campout in the Meadows. Park rangers and naturalists will lead nocturnal animal programs and night walks. Kids can enjoy special crafts, and everyone will have fun during campfire storytelling. Families should bring their own tents; fire rings and wood will be provided at designated areas. The campout requires pre-registration by Wednesday, Sept. 23 and is $8 per camper, plus admission. There is no camping charge for annual passholders. Kids under five years of age are free. For a complete schedule and more information on TaCO events, visit chimneyrockpark.com.
About Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is a still-developing international outdoor destination located 25 miles southeast of Asheville on Highway 64/74A in Chimney Rock, N.C. It is recognized as one of the Southeast’s most iconic sites and popular travel destinations. The Park’s 535-million-year-old monolith called Chimney Rock can be accessed via a 499-step Outcroppings trail and offers guests 75-mile panoramic views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure. The Park features one of the highest waterfalls of its kind east of the Mississippi River, Hickory Nut Falls, at 404 feet. Hickory Nut Gorge, one of the state’s most significant centers of biodiversity, is home to 36 rare plant species and 14 rare animal species. The Rumbling Bald section of the greater State Park off of Boys Camp Road in Chimney Rock is the only other area of the Park that is currently open to the public. A destination for travel groups, weddings and special events, the Chimney Rock section of the Park also hosts innovative educational programs for schools, homeschoolers, scouts and summer camps. Visit Chimney Rock’s website at chimneyrockpark.com.
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