Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area is a 300-acre passive recreation park created to preserve and protect endangered species of plants and animals, and to give citizens of Alexander County and Western North Carolina new recreational opportunities. During the 1920s and 30s, the site was a rock quarry which was later abandoned, and, for many years, was known mostly for illegal trash dumping and graffiti painted on the exposed rock left from the Quarry. Alexander County partnered with Carolina Land and Lakes Resource and Conservation District, with the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and with the Felburn Foundation to obtain ownership of the site and to develop a master plan for preservation and recreation. Because of the sheer rock face left from quarry activities, the site was an unofficial rock climbing location for locals. Alexander County sought the help of local climbers to identify existing climbing routes to respect climber route naming etiquette. The county enlisted a professional climbing group to remove dangerous rock and to replace existing climbing anchors in the rock face. The site is now a premier climbing location due to a wide range of difficulty from beginner to expert and due to “drive-up” access to the rock face. The park is one of the few county-owned facilities in North Carolina to offer rock climbing on natural surface, and rock climbing classes are offered on a regular basis. The park also offers five-miles of hiking trails, a paved ADA trail, picnic area, and camping area. To date, more than 41,000 visits have been logged at the park. The annual “RockyFest” is a community event at the park and features music, food, trail races, vendors, kids games, and free rock climbing classes. In addition, the site is listed as a North Carolina Natural Heritage Site.