State Parks In The North Carolina Mountains

The mountains of North Carolina are blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, wide open vistas, and recreational opportunities. Some of the best of these can be found in the areas State Parks. Located in the swath of counties that comprise this mountain region are ten State Parks. In the Piedmont just off the Blue Ridge can be found three more “Mountain” State Parks. The people of North Carolina have managed to set aside some of the best of their outdoor treasures for the pleasure of visitors to their mountains.

In the past few years new parks have been acquired that have been loved by generations of visitors as destinations in private hands. Chimney Rock State Park and Grandfather Mountain State Park will protect two of the most famous destinations in the North Carolina Mountains. Both Parks make welcome additions to the string of Mountain State Parks Running from the Virginia border in the north  to the southern state line.

Here is a list of the State Parks located in this region with links to their web pages:

Northern Mountains:

• New River State Park – Avery County
  

  Rugged hillsides, pastoral meadows and farmlands surround what is believed to be one of the oldest rivers in North America — the New River. Its waters are slow and placid. Its banks are fertile and covered with wildflowers. Dedicated as a National Scenic River in 1976, this gentle river is the centerpiece of New River State Park.

  The New River area still maintains an old-fashioned charm. Mountain roads are narrow and winding, dotted with small farms, churches and country stores. The river itself is tranquil, offering good bass fishing, trout streams, excellent birding and inspiring mountain scenery. But perhaps the best way to absorb and appreciate the river’s peacefulness is from the seat of a canoe as it glides across the slow-moving waters. Four areas with access to this waterway make up more than 2,200 acres of New River State Park and provide spots for camping, canoeing, picnicking and fishing.

• Mount Jefferson State Park – Avery County
  

  Mount Jefferson rises abruptly to more than 1,600 feet above the surrounding landscape, serving as a landmark for area motorists. Acquaint yourself with this mighty peak by viewing it first from the Mount Jefferson Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rising as a long, forested prominence, its dark color is conspicuous among neighboring peaks on the Ashe plateau.

• Stone Mountain State Park – Alleghany & Wilkes Counties
  

  Stone Mountain is not immediately visible upon entering the park that bears its name, but this magnificent 600-foot granite dome is well worth the wait. Sunlight and shadows dance across a broad tapestry of stone. White-tailed deer emerge from the security of the forest to graze on meadow grasses at the mountain’s base. The scenery is only one attraction of the park.

• Elk Knob State Park – Watauga County
  

  Elk Knob State Park is one of the newest additions to the North Carolina state parks system. Currently, it is in an interim development stage with a park office/contact station, picnic area, parking areas, and trail to the summit of Elk Knob, with plans to add a maintenance facility and road improvements. At this time, visitors can hike to the summit by following a steep, rocky road.

• Grandfather Mountain State Park – Avery & Caldwell Counties
  

  In 2008, agreement was reached for the state parks system to acquire 2,456 acres along the crest of Grandfather Mountain to become North Carolina’s newest state park. The property is commonly known as the “backcountry” of the famous travel destination.

  The purchase completes a long-held vision of Grandfather Mountain Inc. and the Morton family (the heirs of company founder Hugh Morton) to guarantee the mountain’s continued preservation. The acquisition was arranged with the help of The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy, which holds conservation easements on the mountain covering nearly 4,000 acres. The acquisition was financed by the Parks and Recreation and Natural Heritage trust funds.

• Mount Mitchell State Park – Mitchell County
  

  There are a few places in the world that still stand apart from the ordinary. Rising more than a mile high, surrounded by the gentle mist of low-hanging clouds, Mount Mitchell State Park is one of these extraordinary places.

  In the crest of the timeworn Black Mountains lies the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. For those who ascend this mighty peak, what looms in the horizon is a feast for the eyes—breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling ridges and fertile valleys. Forested and forever misty, 1,946-acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil moments you’ll ever experience.

• South Mountains State Park – Burke County
  

  Nestled deep in the woods, South Mountains State Park is the perfect place to enjoy nature. Here you can see a majestic mountain range peeking out from the gently rolling landscape of the piedmont.

  The park includes elevations up to 3,000 feet, a waterfall dropping 80 feet and more than 40 miles of trails. From equestrian camping to trout fishing, mountain biking to picnicking, a number of activities are available at South Mountains State Park.

Central Mountains:

• Lake James State Park – McDowell County
  

  Tucked away in rolling hills at the base of Linville Gorge is Lake James, a 6,510-acre lake with more than 150 miles of shoreline. This impressive waterway is the centerpiece of Lake James State Park. Here, nature offers scenic vistas of the Appalachian Mountains and beckons to those with an appetite for recreation.

• Chimney Rock State Park – Rutherford County
  

  In 2005, the N.C. General Assembly authorized a new state park in the scenic Hickory Nut Gorge area of western Rutherford and the surrounding counties of Polk, Henderson and Buncombe. The unit was designated as Chimney Rock State Park shortly after the state had acquired Chimney Rock Park, a private nature park surrounding the striking 315-foot spire on the gorge’s southern side.

• Gorges State Park – Transylvania County
  

  Plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls and one of the greatest concentrations of rare and unique species in the eastern United States are found within Gorges State Park. An elevation that rises 2,000 feet in only four miles, combined with rainfall in excess of 80 inches per year, creates a temperate rain forest and supports a collection of waterfalls.

Piedmont:

• Pilot Mountain State Park – Surrey County
  

  Approach from any direction and see Pilot Mountain rising more than 1,400 feet above the rolling countryside of the upper Piedmont plateau. Dedicated as a National Natural Landmark in 1976, this solitary peak is the centerpiece of Pilot Mountain State Park.

• Hanging Rock State Park – Stokes County
  

  Not far from the cities of the Triad area, off the four-lane highways there’s another North Carolina to be discovered—sheer cliffs and peaks of bare rock, quiet forests and cascading waterfalls, views of the piedmont plateau that stretch for miles.

• Crowders Mountain State Park – Cleveland & Gaston Counties
  

  Raptors soar gracefully in the wind; vegetation reaches to the sky; sheer vertical cliffs drop 150 feet. Enjoy the spectacle from a front-row seat. High atop Crowders Mountain, the second highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 25 miles.

In the months to come I will be spending time learning more about each of these State Parks and sharing what I learn here…

You might be interested in these posts:

1. Camping in Stone Mountain State Park, North Carolina
2. The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina
3. Backroads and Byways – Balsam Mountain Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park | National Parks Traveler
4. Winter: A “Secret Season” in the South’s Loftiest National Parks | National Parks Traveler
5. Rehabilitating Forney Ridge Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Forever | National Parks Traveler