The Ghost Town Above Chimney Rock: The Forgotten History of Silver City
The surprising history of the land where Silver City Campground sits today
Hidden in the mountains of western North Carolina is a place filled with cliffs, waterfalls, movie locations, and forgotten stories. The land surrounding Silver City Campground sits inside the dramatic canyon known as Hickory Nut Gorge, one of the most unique landscapes in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
For generations, this gorge has been home to Cherokee legends, early mountain settlements, lost towns, ghost stories, and even a Wild West theme park built high on the cliffs above Chimney Rock.
Today the area is peaceful and scenic — but the land has a fascinating history.
The Ancient Landscape of Hickory Nut Gorge
Silver City Campground sits in Hickory Nut Gorge, a deep canyon carved through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The gorge stretches roughly 14 miles from the Eastern Continental Divide near Gerton to Lake Lure, dropping nearly 1,800 feet in elevation along the Rocky Broad River.
Massive granite cliffs tower above the valley while the river winds through the gorge below.
Because of this dramatic geography, the area has long been a natural corridor through the mountains. Early travel routes followed the gorge, and the modern highway still traces the same path today.
Cherokee Legends of the “Little People”
Long before European settlers arrived, the gorge was part of Cherokee territory.
Cherokee stories tell of mysterious beings known as the Yunwi Tsunsdi, often translated as the “Little People.”
These small mountain spirits were believed to live in caves and rock shelters throughout the gorge and were said to watch over the land.
According to legend, they helped protect the mountains and sometimes assisted people in times of danger.
Even today, the cliffs and caves of Hickory Nut Gorge give the place an atmosphere that easily inspires stories.
Early Settlements and Forgotten Communities
In the 1800s, settlers began moving into the gorge.
Small farming communities developed along the river valleys. One of the most notable early settlements was a place known as Buffalo, a self-sufficient community that existed in what is now the Lake Lure area.
Today, many place names in the region still reference this forgotten settlement:
Buffalo Creek
Buffalo Shoals
Buffalo Creek Road
Buffalo Creek Park
These names are reminders of the small communities that once existed in the gorge before tourism transformed the area.
The Creation of Lake Lure
In the early 1900s, developers saw the potential of the gorge as a resort destination.
The Rocky Broad River was dammed, creating Lake Lure, which became one of North Carolina’s most beautiful mountain lakes.
The surrounding area soon developed into a vacation destination known for:
mountain scenery
boating and fishing
luxury mountain homes
tourism around Chimney Rock
Visitors began arriving from across the Southeast.
Silver City/Carson City Ghost town attraction in Chimney Rock (at the site of Silver City Campground)
Carson City/Silver City
The Wild West Ghost Town of Silver City
During the tourism boom of the 1960s and 1970s, one of the most unusual attractions in the area was created.
High on the mountainside above Chimney Rock Village, developers built a Wild West theme park known as Silver City.
The attraction recreated a frontier town with:
saloons
jails
wooden storefronts
cowboy stunt shows
staged shootouts
Visitors could watch western performances and explore the buildings of the recreated town.
Getting there was part of the adventure.
A chairlift carried tourists up the mountainside from Chimney Rock Village to the ghost town attraction, offering spectacular views of Hickory Nut Gorge.
For families visiting Lake Lure in the 1970s, Silver City was a memorable stop.
The Rise of Rock Climbing in “Ghost Town”
After the Silver City attraction closed in the late 1970s, the site slowly faded into the forest.
But the cliffs above the former town soon attracted another kind of adventurer.
Rock climbers began exploring the towering granite walls above the old attraction.
The area became known simply as Ghost Town among climbers.
The cliffs here feature:
300–400 foot rock faces
steep overhangs
massive granite walls
Today, Ghost Town is still considered one of the most challenging climbing areas in North Carolina.
Last of the Mohicans filmed on site in Chimney Rock at the Silver City Campground
Hollywood Comes to Hickory Nut Gorge
The gorge’s dramatic landscape has also appeared in movies.
One of the most famous films shot here is The Last of the Mohicans.
The climactic scenes of the movie were filmed near Hickory Nut Falls, a 404-foot waterfall located inside Chimney Rock State Park.
Visitors hiking in the park today can still see the same waterfall that appeared in the film.
Legends of Gold in Chimney Rock
The Hickory Nut Gorge area has also produced many colorful stories.
One long-told local legend claims that gold deposits once existed in the Chimney Rock area, leading to stories of hidden gold and buried treasure.
While no major gold discoveries were ever confirmed here, the legends have been passed down through generations of mountain residents.
For many locals, these stories are simply part of the folklore that makes the gorge such a fascinating place.
A Land Full of Stories
The history of Hickory Nut Gorge is a mixture of real events and mountain legends.
The area has been home to:
Cherokee stories of the Little People
early frontier settlements
forgotten mountain communities
Wild West theme parks
rock climbing exploration
Hollywood movie filming
Few places in North Carolina combine natural beauty and colorful history quite like Hickory Nut Gorge.
Silver City Campground Today
While the Wild West ghost town is gone, the spirit of adventure that brought visitors here decades ago remains.
Silver City Campground now offers a peaceful way to experience the beauty of Hickory Nut Gorge.
Visitors can explore nearby:
Lake Lure
Chimney Rock Village
Chimney Rock State Park
waterfalls, hiking trails, and scenic overlooks
And when the sun sets over the cliffs, it’s easy to imagine the generations of people who have stood here before — from Cherokee travelers to frontier settlers to tourists visiting the ghost town of Silver City.
Visit Silver City Campground
Silver City Campground sits in the heart of one of the most fascinating landscapes in North Carolina.
Come explore the waterfalls, cliffs, and hidden history of Hickory Nut Gorge — and discover the stories that make this place unforgettable.