Frieda and Garnet Carter developed Rock City in 1932. They advertised by having a sign-painter paint "See Rock City" on barns and any other large structures that could be seen from the highway.
The Rock City trail leads under a 1,000-ton rock that appears delicately balanced, over a stone bridge, through a narrow crevice called "Fat Man's Squeeze," and past rocks shaped like mushrooms and turtle shells. Lover's Leap, an observation point made of rock, rises 1,700 feet in the air and gives a view of seven states on a clear day.
The Carters carved holes in the rocks and added statues of gnomes and fairy-tale characters. Rock City also features a Birds of Prey show in an outdoor stadium.
Rock City has many special events throughout the year, such as a Fairytale Festival every June and a Christmas-themed special attraction from mid-November to early January. Look at the schedule before deciding when to visit (see Resources).
Visitors with vertigo or fear of heights should drive to the top of the mountain rather than ride the train--it's the steepest passenger train in the world. Some large-sized visitors may have trouble walking through the rock crevices along the trail.
More than half a million people visit Rock Mountain every year. Some famous visitors included Walt Disney, The Monkees, Pat Boone and several astronauts.
