Ascending the summit of this 2,280ft-high granite monolith can be a rigorous hike or a short elevator trip up the equivalent of 26 stories. At the top, sweeping views overlook the terrain that provided the backdrop for the film The Last of the Mohicans (1992). Millions of years ago, rock and mountain were one. Over the eons, water-filled fractures formed within the mountain, eventually isolating Chimney Rock.