From the top of Chimney Rock’s 315-foot freestanding rock spire, the sweeping view of Hickory Nut Gorge is an iconic one. The craggy cliff face of Rumbling Bald Mountain rises in the foreground and the haze of the Blue Ridge hangs on the horizon. The Rocky Broad River threads the valley below. Chimney Rock State Park reopened June 27, 2025, nine months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the region and killed more than 100 people across the s…