As everyone knows, The Town of Lake Lure and the Village of Chimney Rock were hit hard by Hurricane Helene. In order to remove sediment from Hurricane Helene’s flood and make necessary repairs and/or replacement of the town’s sewer system, the lake may remain lowered for more than a year, maybe two. The bridge to Chimney Rock State Park was washed away. The economic impact of losing our two most important tourist draws is immense.

Replacing the bridge to Chimney Rock State Park will take a year and a half to two years. The State Park owns a two-lane paved road behind the Lake Lure Inn. The distance from this road to the entrance road to Chimney Rock Park is less than a quarter mile. This road extension could be built in less than six months. This road extension is already on the park’s master plan because it has always been evident that only one means of ingress and egress is a huge safety issue. Because of the need for more than one way to get to the park, we are not asking for this extension to be done instead of a new bridge. We need both. Our town and local businesspeople are urgently asking for the road extension to be built as soon as possible so the park can reopen.

It seems like the decision makers in Raleigh don’t see the urgency in building the road extension. We need your help to persuade NC State Parks, NC Department of Transportation, Rutherford County Tourist Development Authority and philanthropic organizations to join together and build the extension of the road. It would be a huge help in rebuilding our local economy and an equally huge boost for our local morale.

Please contact the officials listed below and include the above information.

Thank you

Contact information for elected and appointed officials

Governor Josh Stein:
https://governor.nc.gov/contact/contact-governor-stein 

Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt:
Contact: Zachary.Godwin@nc.gov
Mailing Address: 20401 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-0401

NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshal
Post Office Box 29622
Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0622

NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Secretary Pamela Brewington Cashwell
https://www.dncr.nc.gov/general-contact-form
4601 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4600

Brian Strong, Director of North Carolina State Parks
https://www.ncparks.gov/about-us/list-contact-information
state.parks@ncparks.gov
Nature Research Center, 2nd floor
121 W. Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27601 

Joey Hopkins, NC Transportation Secretary
jhopkins@ncdot.gov
919-707-2800

Marilyn McHilse, Interim Secretary to the Board of Transportation
mmchilse@ncdot.gov
919-624-3308
1578 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1501      

NC Representative Jake Johnson (Rutherford, Henderson, McDowell and Polk Counties)           
Jake.Johnson@ncleg.gov
(919) 715-4466           
300 N. Salisbury Street, Rm. 529
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

State Senator Tim Moffitt
Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.gov
(919) 733-5745
16 West Jones Street, Rm. 2111
Raleigh, NC 27601 

Representative Eric Ager (Buncombe County)
Eric.Ager@ncleg.gov
919-715-2013
300 N. Salisbury Street, Rm. 504
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 

Representative Jennifer Balkcom (Henderson County)
Jennifer.Balkcom@ncleg.gov
919-733-5956
16 West Jones Street, Rm. 2215
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096

US Senator Thom Tillis
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/email-me

US Senator Ted Budd
https://www.budd.senate.gov/contact/

US Congressman Chuck Edwards - 11th District
https://edwards.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact

US Congressman Tim Moore - 14th District
https://timmoore.house.gov/contact

For folks with other congressmen go to - Find Your Representative | house.gov

Don Cason, Executive Director, Tourism Development Authority
don.cason@rutherfordcountync.gov
(828)-287-6121
146 Main Street
Rutherfordton, NC 28139

Suggested letter for the Governor (but can be customized for ANY elected official):

The Honorable Josh Stein
NC Office of the Governor
North Carolina State Capitol

20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Subject: Urgent Request for Support to Restore Access to Chimney Rock State Park

Dear Governor Stein,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing on behalf of the residents and business community of Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, urgently seeking your assistance to address a critical issue impacting our area—the loss of access to Chimney Rock State Park due to the destruction of the park's bridge during Hurricane Helene.

Chimney Rock State Park is one of North Carolina’s most important tourist attractions, drawing visitors from across the country and significantly contributing to the local economy. The economic impact of losing access to this park, compounded by other recent challenges, is devastating to our community and the many small businesses that depend on tourism.

While plans to replace the washed-away bridge are underway, we understand this project will take 18 months to two years to complete. In the interim, we propose an immediate, pragmatic solution: extending the existing two-lane paved road behind the Lake Lure Inn to connect with the park’s entrance road. This extension spans less than a quarter mile, aligns with the State Park's master plan, and could be completed within six months.

This road extension not only offers a timely solution to restore access to the park but also addresses a long-standing safety concern. As the master plan acknowledges, having only one point of ingress and egress to the park poses significant risks. For this reason, we are not requesting this road extension in lieu of the new bridge but as an essential addition that supports both immediate recovery and long-term safety.

Governor Stein, we urge you to prioritize this road extension project and provide the necessary support to expedite its approval and construction. Reopening Chimney Rock State Park as soon as possible is vital to the economic stability of our region, the preservation of local jobs, and the well-being of our community.

We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter further and explore how the state can assist in making this critical project a reality. Please do not hesitate to contact me at [your phone number] or [your email address].

Thank you for your attention and support during this challenging time. We are confident that, with your leadership, we can restore access to this beloved landmark and ensure the continued prosperity of our region.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Title/Organization, if applicable]
[Your Contact Information]