Travelers heading east on I-26 in North Carolina have surely shaken their heads a bit after passing exit 49. In fact, it might inspire a flashback to a classic TV show about a dynamic duo. The exit, like it says, leads to Bat Cave, but people hoping to catch a glimpse of Batman might instead have to settle for the community’s dynamic setting with “super” views.
The community situated in the Hickory Nut Gorge is named after a nearby cave. According to the Nature Conservancy’s website, Bat Cave is the largest known granite fissure cave in North America. It is not open to the public and tours are not offered due to its protected status with the Conservancy as well as concerns over White Nose Syndrome, a disease that can be deadly to bats.
The most famous landmark in the Hickory Nut Gorge is Chimney Rock. This 315-foot granite formation juts out from the mountain at an elevation of more than 2,200 feet above sea level. From the valley floor it’s hard to miss the rock and the large American flag flying high above it. Chimney Rock has been the center of tourism in the gorge since the early 1900s when it was purchased by Dr. Lucius Morse and his brothers. It remained in private hands until 2006 when it became part of the North Carolina State Park system.
At the entrance to the park, stone walls on each side of the road perfectly frame Chimney Rock and the mountain rising behind it. The road winds up the mountain for a few miles before ending at a parking lot at the base of the monolith.
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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