Welcome to the Mountain Lake Hotel, which is the self-proclaimed “Top of the World” and home to a few beloved filming locations from 1987’s global smash Dirty Dancing. The area is very remote and roughly a 30 minute drive from Blacksburg, Virginia. Filming commenced here for two solid weeks in 1986 and then relocated to Lake Lure, North Carolina for interiors and the rest of the exterior scenes. With alot of clever editing the film continuously bounces back and forth between Virginia and North Carolina. The Inn proudly displays and marks many of the famous locations, and here’s how they look today in 2011.
Obviously the most recognizable building is the Hotel itself, which is a beautiful structure that overlooks the grounds and what used to be the lake. The lake has disappeared due to weather trends, but everything else is pretty much the same. There were a few interior scenes filmed in the dining room, kitchen, and patio however I am not so sure if any other interiors were filmed in the area. My research leads me to doubt it.
The gazebo still stands today and it is augmented with a memorial stone dedicated to the wonderful Patrick Swayze. Also, I was really excited to learn that Baby’s Cabin is still standing as well. I believe all the other cabins were filmed in North Carolina and have long since been demolished, so I was glad to see this was still with us! I have a thing for cabins.
Just down the path from the gazebo is where Patrick and Jennifer Grey filmed the famous lift practice scene in the lake. The lake has disappeared (blame global warming), but we can only hope that one day it will be back. A few people (including the Dirty Dancing Festival and a commenter below) claim that the lift scenes were filmed in Lake Lure. This is simply not true and I believe the photographic comparison below is irrefutable evidence that the lift scene was filmed here at the Mountain Lake Hotel, and that’s a fact, Jack.
The only interior shots apparently filmed within the Inn were the dining room (below) and the kitchen, which I wasn’t able to photograph for obvious reasons. Also below, another location used was the lawn where the vacationers did the “bunny hop” and played volleyball.
For better or worse, it appears that the rest of filming took place in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Unfortunately for us crazed fans, I believe nearly every building used for exteriors AND interiors there have either been demolished or burned down. Apparently the bridge where Baby danced was torn down by rabid fans in the 80′s (that’s what i’m talkin’ about!!) but the stone steps on the hill are still there. The famous log scene was filmed in North Carolina, but no one knows for sure where, and all the staff cabins were demolished in the 80′s. Bummer.
If anyone out there has been to Lake Lure recently, I would love to hear what is still left to be seen!
I hope you enjoyed this trip back in time, one of these days I’ll get to Lake Lure and cover the rest (of whatever is left) for you fine people.
For more 80′s filming locations, go ahead and check out my extended coverage of Blue Velvet, set in lovely Wilmington, North Carolina!
Really like your blog with photo comparisons, past and present, but I believe the correct name is Mountain Lake Hotel. Hope to get there myself one day. ‘Dirty Dancing’….my favorite all-time movie! I lived that era…………..and, now I live it again through the movie! Thanks!
d’oh! thanks Helen-I changed it to the right name! That’s what I get for not taking a picture of the main sign
thanks for checking out the site!
Great blog! I was hoping when I got to the comment section someone would have told us that some of the other elements near Lake Lure were infact still there or recognizable… I hope to travel here someday. Thanks for making me smile.
I was just at Lake Lure last month. (I live about 45 minutes away). The lift scenes were actually filmed there – I’ve been on a boat tour twice that pointed out the area. I climbed the steps where Baby carried the watermelon and practiced dancing!! The bridge is gone, and the first time I visited the dilapidated railing was still on the stairs, but has since been replaced by a new one. Unfortunately, it’s on private property now, and has a gate and No Trespassing signs leading up to it. I still drove by and got a couple of pictures last month, though. I’ll see if I can post links to them. But yes, all the cabins are long gone.
I went to lake lure this weekend, just got home. It is beautiful, I went inside the hotel and the clerk of the hotel said the movie staff took all of patrick things and other stuff away, The clerk also said when people rent out patrick’s room he sits on the bed with them at night, and people always change rooms after that. His ghost scares the hell out of them. He showed us a cabin, that said johnny’s cabin, but it is not the one in the movie. He said someone burnt all of the cabins down because they were jealous. They never found out who. All of this came from the clerk of the hotel. He did say if anyone wanted to stay in patrick’s room, well he would like them to stay all night and be afraid of patrick swayze. I told him i would be back to try it. It is so beautiful, it took me 1 hour and a half to get there, because i live in lenoir, nc. But it was well worth it. Also chimmeny rock is beautiful and the water fall where they shot last of the mochians will take your breath away. But be sure to wear tennis shoes and not flip flops for chimmeny rock.
The entire Boys Camp is now a luxury housing development called Fire Fly Cove. The only thing left from the movie is the stairway and it is looking pretty rough.
http://www.fourmilephotography.com/Travel/North-Carolina-Trip-2011/17605651_d7qQLp/1341508306_SHgFrNN#!i=1341508306&k=SHgFrNN
This is what the Lake Lure location looks like now. The road that would have led to the cabins is there but like mentioned before it is now private property! So you can’t go out there now:( @ Paula which hotel are you referring to? That would be awesome to visit as well!
Wow I just rencently tunned into this all when I was reading about WV celebrating 150 years I have so much exciment in me & new awaking I can’t wait to see all that is left in all area’s & yes what hotel ? was being talked about is a great question. This story was a awsome find. Can’t wait for my adventure. Im am sadding people ruin things that belong to history. Thank you all.
Love this, Movie always..one of my favorite.
I just visited the Lake Lure website, and according to that, the only thing left of the Dirty Dancing movie buildings, are just the foundations! But sorry to say, I can’t vouch for that myself! If that’s true, then it’s a real shame! And they seem to rely heavily on their association with the movie, so you would think they would of taken steps to preserve more!! Their BAD, in my opinion!! I also just wanted to say, I really enjoyed your work! Thank you!
Went to Lake Lure yesterday. I stopped in to city hall and asked what remained in the area of the movie “Dirty Dancing.” I received almost a blank stare then the comment that there is nothing remaining. I could not find any buildings even though I heard the mian dancing was done in a hall that is now a school? The beach and lake are still there. Barry
My husband & I are on our honeymoon, right now, in Lake Lure. I have yet to see anything that remotely looks familiar to the movie. I do want to say that it is definitely a remote locale & seems to be a respite for us. It would be nice if there were pieces that resembled the originals, built here to replicate a good touristy attraction while you’re here. Even if you’re not a tourist, it would still bring back movie memories. It’s promoted as where some of the movie was filmed, so why not make it like that? From reading, it seems like we may only see a tree or maybe a rock from the filming. We did get to have a severe thunderstorm yesterday, similar to what’s throughout the movie.
I did read something, earlier today, that said we could play pickle ball. I’m still trying to figure that one out.