Last Updated on October 23, 2025 9:33 am
LINVILLE, N.C. – Halloween isn’t just fun at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation – it’s also “beary” scary!
On Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the park is inviting families to celebrate Halloween during the mountain’s annual Beary Scary Halloween event (included with admission).
Throughout the day, guests will be treated to a spooky amount of fun, including trick-or-treating at locations across the park, nature programs about “creepy and crawly” animals, activities inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and watching resident animals receive some special Halloween-inspired enrichments.
Kids who come dressed up in costume will receive half-priced admission, and they will have the opportunity to showcase their Halloween spirit in a costume contest at the Wilson Center.
Grandfather’s habitat staff will also mark the occasion by dressing up as some of their favorite animals.
“Beary Scary is an event we eagerly anticipate every year,” said Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Not only is it Halloween fun for the whole family, but our staff and animals get to celebrate the holiday, too.”
In addition to the Halloween happenings going on around the mountain, the Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds will be full of games and activities throughout the day, including cornhole, pin-the-tail-on-the-animal, crafts and interpretive programs.
The habitat staff will also bring out their “creepy critter” tables, featuring snakes, tarantulas, frogs and a variety of other terrarium-inhabiting creatures.
An exciting educational contest will be available for kids to take part in, with prizes awarded to those who can best answer questions about the creatures that call the mountain home (including rare behind-the-scenes access to the Mildred the Bear Environmental Habitats).
This year’s event offers a special new opportunity to contribute to a larger conservation effort. During the celebration, there will be a table selling animal paintings for half price. Animal paintings are unique prints created by the mountain’s resident animals. Paintings feature bear paws, otter paws, patterns from our scaley friends on the mountain and other designs that the animals paint. Habitat staff assist the animals in creating their one-of-a-kind designs.
All proceeds from the animal painting sales at the Conservation through Colors table will go to the American Association of Zoo Keepers, who will donate to red wolf conservation efforts — important to the state of N.C. in preserving the critically endangered species. When guests purchase an animal painting, they may spin a prize wheel for a chance to win mountain-themed gifts.
“After a successful debut at Animal Enrichment Day, we are excited to bring back the Conservation Through Colors table,” said John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Preserving endangered species and contributing to larger conservation efforts are goals of ours on the mountain, which is part of what makes this table so special.”
Later in the afternoon, the resident habitat animals get a treat of their own. Guests are invited to watch as the habitat keepers provide special enrichments for the bears, otters, elk and cougars.
The full schedule is below.
2025 Beary Scary Schedule:
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | “Test Your Animal Knowledge” Contest / Contest drawing at 2:15 p.m. (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Games and craft table! Come play animal-themed games and make a fun craft. (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Trick-or-treating at the Animal Habitats (The outdoor locations are weather dependent)
- 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Trick-or-treating at the Gate House, the Wilson Center (Classroom in the Clouds, Gift Shop) and the Top Shop
- 12 – 2 p.m. | Conservation Through Colors Table! Support the American Association of Zoo Keepers and red wolf conservation by purchasing animal paintings, with a chance to win extra fun prizes! (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 12:30 – 1 p.m. | Beary Scary educational program (Outside the Wilson Center under the covered walkway)
- 1 – 2:15 p.m. | Creepy Critter Corner! Come see some of the mountain’s “creepier” animals. (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 1 – 1:30 p.m. | Animal Encounter! Come meet a few of Grandfather’s resident animals, including snakes and an opossum. (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 1:30 – 2 p.m. | Costume Contest (Classroom in the Clouds)
- 2:15 p.m. | “Test Your Animal Knowledge” Contest Drawing! Winners will be announced at the Classroom in the Clouds. Contest winners get the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes to visit the animal they were most knowledgeable about! Winners are allowed to take family members with them. Participants must be present to win.
- 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. | Enrichment parade throughout the habitats, starting at the elk habitat. Animals will receive special Halloween enrichments.
Beary Scary is included with park admission. Since this event takes place on a busy fall Saturday, it is strongly recommended that visitors book tickets for adults in their party online in advance at www.grandfather.com/tickets. Any children in costume will then be admitted at half-price at the Entrance Gate.
To learn more about Beary Scary Halloween at Grandfather Mountain, visit www.grandfather.com/event/beary-scary-halloween.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
