Where is Lake Lure NC?

Lake Lure is located in Western NC, about 30 miles south of Asheville, and east of historic Hendersonville NC.  The lake and town of the same name, are nestled into the valley below the tall surrounding mountains of Hickory Nut Gorge.

What's in Lake Lure NC?

While Lake Lure NC is a quiet and relaxing small town, there are numerous small shops, restaurants, and of course numerous outdoor activities including activities on the lake, and at nearby Chimney Rock State Park.  Whether you want to relax or be active, you're bound to find something to do just for you.

Where to stay in Lake Lure?

Lake Lure and the surrounding areas has a number of lodging options to pick from, including:

• Cabins
• Inns
• Hotels/Motels
• Bed & Breakfasts
• and exclusive resorts.

The original Lake Lure Inn is a great and historic option.  This was the original Inn built when the lake was built, and offers exceptional lake views, and close proximity to the beach and marina.   Regardless of your lodging needs, there are many different options, all at very reasonable prices.

Where to Eat in Lake Lure NC?

Lake Lure offers a number of great dining options, from budget to luxury, and a number of different styles of food.  Some of the more notable restaurants include:

• La Strada
• Point of View
• Medina's (located in Chimney Rock village)
• Legend's at the lake
• The Lakehouse Restaurant

There are also a number of smaller shops for ice cream, shakes, and finger foods.

Top 10 Things to do in Lake Lake NC

As we mentioned, there are lots of things to see and do when visiting Lake Lure NC, here are our top 10 picks!

1- Water activities

As with any lake, Lake Lure offers boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing.   You can bring your own boat and se the ramps at the Marina, or you can rent boats at the Marina as well.  With more than 720 acres of water, you'll have plenty of room to enjoy and explore.

2 - The Beach

Located at the center of town, across from the Lake Lure Inn, is the beach.  This town owned beach is operated and maintained by a private company  The beach is well kept, clean, and groomed.    The beach area includes swimming, and waterslides that plunge you into the lake at the bottom.

Restrooms, changing rooms, picnic tables and a snake bar are also here for visitor use.

The beach is open memorial through Labor Day yearly.  There is a fee for admission, and no pets are allowed on the beach.  For more information, see the Lake Lure Beach webpage.

3 - Take a Guided Boat Lake Tour

Lake Lure Tours offers a number of options for guided Lake Boat Tours.  You can enjoy a relaxing and covered boat tour, while your guide highlights many of the local attractions, and famous landmarks, including various Hollywood film locations.  The most notable being Dirty Dancing.  Reservations and tickets are available online or at the Marina.

We did the sunset tour, which included a gourmet picnic dinner, including Champagne.  The tour, food, and sunset where amazing.

4 - Hiking and Mountain Biking

Lake Lure and the surrounding areas offer a number hiking options, including:

• Lake Lure Town Center Walking Trail - This 2 mile, and easy trail starts at Morse Park, near the Marina and will take you on a beautiful waterside tour of the Lake, offering incredible scenic views of surrounding Hickory Nut Gorge
• Bearwallow Mountain Trail (Photo above)- This 2 mile roundtrip, moderate to strenuous trail takes you up to a huge pasture at the top of Bearwallow Mountain, at an elevation of 4,232 feet.  The summit provides 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains.  The summit is privately owned, and during the summer there are cows here, which are a real treat to see!
• Buffalo Creek Park - This is a park that offers a 3.5 mile loop trail for hiking and biking.  There is also a boulder field for climbers.
• Hike to Little Bearwallow Falls - 2.3 miles roundtrip, this Strenuous trail provides a close-up view of the beautiful Bearwallow Falls.

5 - Visit Chimney Rock State Park

One of the highlights of visiting Lake Lure, is a visit to Chimney Rock State Park, located up on the cliff sides of Hickory Nut Gorge.  This beautiful and unique state park offers hiking trails, and incredible views from its famous rock Chimney and an a number of scenic view points on the way to the Chimney and above it.

You can also hike out to both the top and bottom of the 404 foot Hickory Nut Falls.

See our Chimney Rock State Park Guide for more information, photos, and video.

6 - Go Ziplining at Canopy Ridge Farms

If you want a little more thrill during your visit to Lake Lure, stop by Canopy Ridge Farms where you can zip along through the tree tops and forest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  You'll soar through the treetops at over 35mph, and 100 feet above the ground on their 6 different zip lines.

7 - Visit the small shops in Chimney Rock Village

Chimney Rock Village is a quaint little town located almost right next to Lake Lure.  The town not only provides great views of Chimney Rock State Park, but also many restaurants and small and unique shopping venues.

Be sure to park on the main street, and walk around and browse the many different privately owned shops, many of been here for years.

8 - Golf

One of the first things built when the town of Lake Lure was established was the Golf course.  This 9-hole public gold course offers the surrounding beauty of Hickory Nut Gorge, and also a challenging game of golf.   The course has a clubhouse, driving range, and putting greens.  

This nine-hole public course offers a challenging golf game amidst the beautiful scenery of Hickory Nut Gorge. The course is open year round and has a clubhouse, driving range and two putting greens.

The course originally opened in 1927 and was designed by Donald Ross, the famous course designer.  The course was originally 18-holes, but was made into a 9-hole course after the financial struggles of the Great Depression.

9 - Visit the Town Center Walkway and the Magical Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

We mentioned the Town Center Walkway under hiking, and the walkway is a great way to get some exercise and tour the lake.   What we didn't yet mention is the magical and whimsical Lake Lure Flowering Bridge that is part of the walkway.  This is an attraction you will not want to miss.

The old bridge from Lake Lure to Chimney has been turned into a beautiful flower garden full of small details, fountains, whimsical displays, and of course beautiful flowers.   You'll want to block some time off to spend some time here, it's just wonderful

You can learn more about the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in our guide, which includes photos a full video of our visit.

10 - Morse Park and Greenway

Morse Park and Greenway is located near the main city, and next to the marina.   The park features beautiful mountain views of Hickory Nut Gorge and is a popular place with visitors for a picnic, or just relaxing by the lake.

The park is 23-acres and open to the public year-round and is conveniently located next to the Municipal Center.

Morse Park consists of four distinct areas, the meadow, the gardens, the wetlands, and the riverside.

Park facilities include: 

• A field for festival events and other recreational use
• Two lighted tennis courts
• A basketball court
• Children's play area including, slides, swings, and climbing apparatus
• Covered picnic tables with grills
• A visitor center for information on area attractions
• A network of over a mile of walking/jogging paths with benches along the way
• A large covered gazebo for events Two wooden wharfs
• Landscaped gardens
• Fishing areas along Rocky Broad River side as it empties into Lake Lure
• Wooded wetland areas and large pond for wildlife viewing and birding
• Restrooms
• Approximately 225 parking spaces
• Pet friendly (please keep dogs on a leash)

The park is a great place to visit, and just relax and is great for families as well!

The old bridge and surrounding areas where the old road used to go across it, have been almost magically turned into a beautiful flower garden.  Volunteers in the Lake Lure, Chimney Rock Village and surrounding areas called "Friends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge" came together to create the gardens on the 155 feet of the bridge and along a pathway at both ends of the three-arch span itself.  

The garden has a focus on native plants and the Friends mission is to create a “Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful” for the enjoyment of the public.  

They certainly uphold their mission!

The 155 foot long old concrete bridge is full of different types of flowers, plants, trees and shrubs.  The plants overflow off the bridge and cover land on both sides as well.

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is full of creative and often somewhat hidden gems, making it even more interesting.  While visiting, you'll be thrilled with the creative and often whimsical displays, unique planters, sculptures, and furniture.

The Flowering Bridge is free, and parking is available on both sides of the bridge.   There are donation boxes set-up, if you would like to help out.  There are no public bathrooms near the bridge, but there are porta-potties set-up.

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Video

Here is our video giving you a full tour of the Lake Lure Flowing Bridge!

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge History

The old concrete three-arch span bridge was built in 1925 across the Rocky Broad River for US 74A from Lake Lure into Chimney Rock Village.  The new bridge opened in 2011, and the old bridge was saved.  Some very creative people turned the historic bridge into the magical flower garden it is today.  The Flowering Bridge is truly a unique place to visit and see, and we highly recommend visiting it if you're in the area.

Directions

From Asheville, take Highway 40 east. Take Exit 53A to Highway 74, and follow 74 to Chimney Rock Village. Continue past the entrance to Chimney Rock State Park, and you'll see the Flowering Bridge on your left before you reach Lake Lure.