[2] On September 29, 2008, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced that the state had agreed to purchase 2,600 acres (11 km2) of the undeveloped portions of Grandfather Mountain from the Morton family for $12 million.

The Morton family established the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation to continue to operate the travel destination as an educational nature park.

[citation needed] On September 18, 2011, the park had a grand opening celebration for its first office area,[5] which is 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Profile Trail-head[6] on NC 105.

The Foundation manages the roughly 720-acre (290 ha) property that includes the Mile High Swinging Bridge, Nature Museum and Animal Habitats.

All proceeds from sales of tickets and souvenirs go toward preserving Grandfather Mountain and sharing its wonders in ways that deepen visitors' appreciation of nature and inspire good stewardship of the Earth.

"[9] The Stewardship Foundation is managed by a seven-member Board of Directors, which in turn employs the leadership and staff of the Grandfather Mountain attraction.

The new instruments may not record the highest wind speeds on the mountain, which extends another 684 feet (208 m) above the current location of the equipment.

Though the forest was largely devastated during the 20th century by the introduction of the non-native balsam wooly adelgid, a remnant of this biome still exists on Grandfather Mountain.

In addition to fir trees, these "mountaintop island" biomes are a valuable and threatened habitat for many other flora and fauna suited to survival at higher elevation.

Hiking and camping are free in the "backcountry" area now designated as a state park; the required permits are available at all trail heads.

The east side trails can be accessed at Boone Fork parking area, at milepost 300 of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Alternatively, a steeper but more scenic option is the Cragway trail, which is narrower and boulder strewn, but offers excellent views of the Boone Fork bowl, or "medicine valley."

In addition to significant steep elevation gain and loss, trail conditions include frequent exposure to very high winds, contiguity to several large cliffs, crossings of cracked boulders, and multiple traverses aided by fixed ladders and cables.

In poor weather, (throughout the winter and much of spring), this trail should only be attempted by experienced, expert hikers, due to significant formation of ice sheets, accumulation of snow, frequent low visibility, and commonly sub-zero wind chill factors.

Significantly, in the early months of 2011, the state park service closed trail access to MacRae peak, something very seldom if ever done under private ownership.

The Grandfather Mountain games have been called "the best" such event in the United States because of the spectacular highland setting (reminiscent of Scotland) and the great percentage of people who attend in kilts and other Scottish regalia.

[10] Grandfather Mountain and its surrounding communities were served by the narrow gauge East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (The ET&WNC, nicknamed "Tweetsie") until the flood of 1940.