Grandfather Mountain, known for its beautiful hiking trails, its annual Highland Games and its well known mile-high bridge, will become North Carolina's newest state park.
A bill allowing the mountain to become part of the state parks system got final approval today by the North Carolina General Assembly.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of North Carolina to add to the state parks system a piece of property that is a treasure both for North Carolina and for the nation," said state Rep. Cullie Tarleton, D-Watauga.
The state is purchasing 2,456 acres of land, consisting mostly of the higher elevations and backcountry areas of Grandfather in Avery, Caldwell and Watauga counties.
The state is paying $12 million, but no budget appropriations were necessary, because the money is coming from two trust funds: the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund.
The agreement also contains a conservation easement on 749 acres of land that includes the mountain's main tourist attractions, such as the nature museum and the mile-high swinging bridge. That part of the property will remain owned by the family of the late Hugh Morton.
Grandfather Mountain will be North Carolina's 34th state park.
It was announced last year by former Gov. Mike Easley and it was approved by the Council of State, a panel of top executive-branch officials.
The final step was approval by the General Assembly. The N.C. House passed the bill unanimously today, two and a half weeks after the N.C. Senate approved it.
The bill will now go to Gov. Bev Perdue, who is expected to sign it.
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