Lake Lure Celebrates Morse Park Overlook!

Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett cuts the ribbon to open the new Lake Lure Overlook Walkway.
Town and County officials gathered with Lake Lure residents to celebrate the improvements to Morse Park.

On Thursday, July 28th, Mayor Carol Pritchett from the Town of Lake Lure cut the ribbon to officially celebrate the grand opening of the newly renovated overlook and walkway at Morse Park. Rutherford County residents, along with Town and County officials gathered in the Park gazebo to hear more about the improvements made in the park and walk along the newly-upgraded pathway along the shoreline of Lake Lure.

Visitors to Morse Park are offered a sweeping views of Lake Lure and the dramatic landscapes of Hickory Nut Gorge. The new Overlook Walkway provides the perfect spot to stop and take in the scenery or snap a few photos to commemorate their visit. The open grassy fields and recreation facilities of Morse Park are a popular community gathering spot, drawing visitors and town residents alike. With a large paved parking lot, restrooms, airy gazebo, and plenty of level ground, Morse Park is an ideal location for athletic events, festivals, and other outdoor recreation activities.

Bird's eye view of Morse Park and the new seawall.

The Town has installed a new seawall along the shoreline of the lake, with an improved viewing area and new hand railings to ensure visitor safety. In place of the original walkway, new pavers have been installed around the gazebo to provide a safe and level walking surface for all visitors. This project was completed as part of the Rutherford Bound initiative, with the Rutherford County TDA granting 143,750 towards the project, which was matched by the Town of Lake Lure.

"One of the most beautiful things about the TDA and Rutherford Bound is that it has made Rutherford County collectively one entity. Everyone is of the mindset now that what we do in one of our cities enhances the lives of everybody in all of the other cities." -Mayor Carol Pritchett, Town of Lake Lure

The Town of Lake Lure and neighboring Chimney Rock Village have worked collaboratively on many projects to their mutual benefit. Chimney Rock Village Mayor Peter O'Leary offered his sincere appreciation for the park improvements and congratulations on a job well done.

"Chimney Rock Village congratulates Lake Lure on all the great improvements they have made and continue to make through the Rutherford Bound program. We support Lake Lure, the TDA, and everyone involved in Rutherford Bound as the program continues to make Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and all of Rutherford County the best we can be for our residents and the thousands of visitors we get daily." -Mayor Peter O'Leary, Chimney Rock Village

Don Cason, Executive Director of the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority, spoke about the importance of the Rutherford Bound initiative.

"When you build a better place to live, work, and play; you build a place people want to visit." -Don Cason, Rutherford County TDA

Rutherford Bound is a county-wide tourism development plan to revitalize and enhance quality- of- life infrastructure across all of Rutherford County through streetscape enhancements, improved parks, and a system of greenways, trails, and river access points.

Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett cuts the ribbon to open the new Lake Lure Overlook Walkway.
Town and County officials gathered with Lake Lure residents to celebrate the improvements to Morse Park.

On Thursday, July 28th, Mayor Carol Pritchett from the Town of Lake Lure cut the ribbon to officially celebrate the grand opening of the newly renovated overlook and walkway at Morse Park. Rutherford County residents, along with Town and County officials gathered in the Park gazebo to hear more about the improvements made in the park and walk along the newly-upgraded pathway along the shoreline of Lake Lure.

Visitors to Morse Park are offered a sweeping views of Lake Lure and the dramatic landscapes of Hickory Nut Gorge. The new Overlook Walkway provides the perfect spot to stop and take in the scenery or snap a few photos to commemorate their visit. The open grassy fields and recreation facilities of Morse Park are a popular community gathering spot, drawing visitors and town residents alike. With a large paved parking lot, restrooms, airy gazebo, and plenty of level ground, Morse Park is an ideal location for athletic events, festivals, and other outdoor recreation activities.

Bird's eye view of Morse Park and the new seawall.

The Town has installed a new seawall along the shoreline of the lake, with an improved viewing area and new hand railings to ensure visitor safety. In place of the original walkway, new pavers have been installed around the gazebo to provide a safe and level walking surface for all visitors. This project was completed as part of the Rutherford Bound initiative, with the Rutherford County TDA granting 143,750 towards the project, which was matched by the Town of Lake Lure.

"One of the most beautiful things about the TDA and Rutherford Bound is that it has made Rutherford County collectively one entity. Everyone is of the mindset now that what we do in one of our cities enhances the lives of everybody in all of the other cities." -Mayor Carol Pritchett, Town of Lake Lure

The Town of Lake Lure and neighboring Chimney Rock Village have worked collaboratively on many projects to their mutual benefit. Chimney Rock Village Mayor Peter O'Leary offered his sincere appreciation for the park improvements and congratulations on a job well done.

"Chimney Rock Village congratulates Lake Lure on all the great improvements they have made and continue to make through the Rutherford Bound program. We support Lake Lure, the TDA, and everyone involved in Rutherford Bound as the program continues to make Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and all of Rutherford County the best we can be for our residents and the thousands of visitors we get daily." -Mayor Peter O'Leary, Chimney Rock Village

Don Cason, Executive Director of the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority, spoke about the importance of the Rutherford Bound initiative.

"When you build a better place to live, work, and play; you build a place people want to visit." -Don Cason, Rutherford County TDA

Rutherford Bound is a county-wide tourism development plan to revitalize and enhance quality- of- life infrastructure across all of Rutherford County through streetscape enhancements, improved parks, and a system of greenways, trails, and river access points.


The Town of Lake Lure is seeing some exciting new projects come to life, all focused on creating additional access and improving the user experience in some of the Town’s most beloved outdoor spaces. 

Morse Park Overlook

Already completed is the Morse Park Overlook Project. The new overlook is directly adjacent to the gazebo and provides park users the perfect location to take pictures, as it directly overlooks scenic Lake Lure.

Visit Morse Park!

Lake Lure Town Center Walkway

The Lake Lure Town Center Walkway offers a scenic walk through the Town of Lake Lure. The new and improved walkway connects the Flowering Bridge down to the beach (and beyond!) and pavers have been laid in place of the original brick sidewalk. The project should be completed soon, just in time for visitors and residents to enjoy the sights and sounds of Spring in Lake Lure.

Visit the Lake Lure Town Center Walkway!

Dana Bradley, the Parks, Recreation, and Trails Coordinator for the Town of lake Lure, is excited to move forward with these projects.

“We have so many visitors come to Lake Lure each year and we want to offer them the best experience possible. Residents and visitors alike will benefit from these beautiful new additions to the town."

Buffalo Creek Park Trailhead

Finally, the Buffalo Creek Park Trailhead is growing from a small, six-space parking lot into generous space for 54 parked vehicles. This project has been funded through the Rutherford County TDA, as well as contributions from Rumbling Bald Resort, the Town of Lake Lure, and proceeds from the Carolina Climbers Coalition’s annual “Rumble” bouldering competition. Currently, hikers visiting Buffalo Creek Park are forced to park on the side of the road when the lot fills. If all goes according to plans, this project should be completed by early summer 2022.

Visit Buffalo Creek Park!

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