The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge: A Small Town Gem
Add the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge to your next North Carolina mountains trip!
This free experience is located on one of the town’s historic bridges, and it is a lovely place to walk through or have a picnic in.
With inventive flower arrangements, native plant displays, and creative planters, this small botanical garden is sure to delight all visitors.
The paved brick pathway is great for families with strollers, too, so make time to experience the Flowering Bridge while you’re in Lake Lure, North Carolina.
Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.
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What is the Flowering Bridge of Lake Lure?
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When I was planning my trip to Rutherford County, North Carolina, I kept hearing about the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.
It seemed that everyone we met told me that it was something I had to do. Based on different descriptions from people I'd met along the way, I couldn't get a grasp on what this unique garden looked like.
Was it just a bridge with a few flower arrangements on it?
Was it a bridge that was somehow completely constructed out of plants?
And most importantly: was it worth all of the hype, or were the good people of the Western North Carolina mountain pulling my leg about this so-called Lake Lure Flowering Bridge?
On the last morning of our Lake Lure trip, rainclouds were threatening to spoil my trip to this mysterious bridge.
I knew we had to hurry to beat the rain, so I bundled up my preschooler and headed across the street from where we were staying at the Geneva Riverside to explore.
What awaited me was certainly a beautiful botanical project and one of the best things to do in Lake Lure, North Carolina!
Quick Facts:
Phone: (828) 919-9229
Address: 3070 Memorial Highway Lake Lure, North Carolina 28746
Admission:free
Hours: always open
The Flowering Bridge of Lake Lure with the new bridge in the background
The History of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
The bridge in question has served to ferry visitors across the Rocky Broad River to nearby Chimney Rock since the 1920s.
During the middle of the 20th century, Lake Lure began to grow as a family friendly vacation destination, and rental cabins began to pop up along the shoreline.
Then, in 1986, Hollywood came to town to film a little movie you might have heard of: "Dirty Dancing." When it was released in August of 1987, moviegoers were fascinated with the quaint mountain town where Baby and Johnny fall in love, and wanted to learn more.
Although filming was split between Lake Lure, North Carolina, and Mountain Lake, Virginia, the town of Lake Lure quickly became known as the "Dirty Dancing" place, thanks to the prominence of the cabins and the interior dancing scenes which were shot in and around the historic Lake Lure Inn.
This added interest in the area brought even more visitors to this quaint corner of the North Carolina mountains, and traffic became an issue.
When, in 2011, it became apparent to those who run the community that a larger, more modern bridge was required, the residents were reluctant to tear down the original one.
After much discussion, the original bridge opened on 2013 as a pedestrian foot bridge where the public could sit and read on one of the many benches, enjoy the view of nearby Chimney Rock, or simply admire the beauty of the plants and trees on the path.
You can now add all of this to your bank of fun facts about North Carolina, and share at your next cocktail party.
You can thank me later.
My daughter and I on the Flowering Bridge. To the left is the newer bridge and in the background is Chimney Rock.
What to Expect at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
I love finding unusual, homegrown sites like this: you can tell that the community has put an incredible amount of work into the project, and it really is unlike anything I've seen before.
Mixed among the expected wildflower sprays and pruned trees are whimsical displays featuring vintage furniture, garden gnomes, recycled plastic toys, and stained glass.
It all comes together in a unique garden that defies explanation, but somehow works.
If you were a gardener, you'd probably spend hours here.
But even as someone who can barely tell a rose from a daisy, I found the bridge awe-inspiring and delightful.
I appreciated how many of the flowering displays included information on the species of plant that was placed there.
That allowed me to look up more details on any plant that caught my eye.
The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is free and is run by the Friends of the Flowering Bridge, a local organization.
Visitors are welcome to walk the bridge, sit by the lake, and take pictures.
Make sure to sign the guest book!
Where is the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge?
There's a reason that the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge often shows up on lists of things to do near Asheville, NC, as it makes for a fantastic day trip from that hip, up-and-coming city.
Within an hour of leaving downtown Asheville, you'll be in Lake Lure, where you can stroll along the Flowering Bridge, grab a bite at one of the many local restaurants (there aren't any chains here, which is one of the reasons I love it so much!), and hike up nearby Chimney Rock.
Once you're in Lake Lure, you'll want to head past the lake on the left side, towards Chimney Rock.[See the Lake Lure map, below.
After you pass the Welcome Center, you won't be able to miss the new bridge over the Broad River: as you drive over it, you'll see the Flowering Bridge slightly lower and to your right.
There's parking on both ends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, so find a spot.
It's usually not crowded, which makes for some excellent photo opportunities.
If you’re staying at the Geneva Riverside, you can walk here, which I recommend doing if the weather is nice.
Although Lake Lure is small, it ranks at the top of my favorite North Carolina points of interest: the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, friendly community, beautiful lake, and nearby state parks make this a place that you could easily stay for a week.
It’s easy to see why Lake Lure made my list of the best mountain towns in North Carolina!
If you visit soon, let me know what you think!
Have you visited Lake Lure, North Carolina, before? Would you like to see the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge?
