the base of Grandfather Mountain. It has two 18-hole golf courses, one championship and one executive, each designed by Ellis Maples. The championship course is consistently ranked as the finest mountain course in the Carolinas. On the road to the summit there are wildlife exhibits and picnic areas. Grandfather has six environmental habitats for black bear, river otters, cougars, bald eagles, and elk. Mildred the Bear came to Grandfather Mountain in 1968 at age 2 from the Atlanta Zoo. She was named by Ralph Smith, a cast member of The Arthur Smith Show, which filmed Mildred for one of their songs. A 2-acre habitat for Mildred was added in 1973. Mildred died in 1993 at age 26. 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. The railroad helped make the mountain a favorite vacation spot for excursionists during the early 20th century. The scene in the 1994 film Forrest Gump where the title character runs on a curvy mountain road was filmed here. Climate Grandfather Mountain has a humid continental climate (Dfb), cooler than most of the rest of North Carolina. Winters are cold and snowy, while summers are mild. The mountain receives abundant precipitation throughout the year, with a slight peak in June and September. The average snow depth peaks in February at 3 inches. The earliest and latest snowfalls of the season have occurred on the dates September 10, 1964 and May 27, 1967 respectively. Photo gallery Nearby state parks and forests The following state parks and state forests are within of Grandfather Mountain State Park: Elk Knob State Park Lake James State Park Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Mount Mitchell State Park New River State Park Rendezvous Mountain State Park Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee Tuttle Educational State Forest The following are about miles from Grandfather Mountain State Park: DuPont State Forest (about ). Brevard (about ). The city of Brevard is near several trailheads in Pisgah National Forest. See also List of mountains in North Carolina References External links Mountains of North Carolina Landmarks in North Carolina Appalachian culture in North Carolina Protected areas of Avery County, North Carolina Protected areas of Caldwell County, North Carolina Protected areas of Watauga County, North Carolina State parks of North Carolina State parks of the Appalachians Protected areas established