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Communities on this page:
Note: telephone area code is 828
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Note: telephone area code is 828
other Lenoir area Recreation Facilities
- Beaches
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Privately owned/operated
facilities:
Lenoir area Recreation
Facilities Directory
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RV Parks:
| Property |
Lenoir
except as noted |
828+except
as noted |
| Beaver Knob Travel Trailer Park |
Rocky Rd |
758-4204 |
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Lenoir area Recreation
Facilities Directory
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other Morganton arrea Recreation Facilities
There are 11 primitive campsites by the Jacob's Fork
River. These are accessible by car. Each site has a table and fire ring. (Wood may be
purchased from the park ranger.) Pit toilets are nearby.
There are 4 primitive campgrounds for back packers (and
mountain bikers): 4 near High Shoals Falls, 4 near Shiny Creek, 3 on the Fox Trail and 3
on the Sawtooth Trail.
About 5 miles from the equestrian loading/unloading area
is an additional primitive campsite. It has fire circles and pit toilets for you and
slip-stalls for your mounts. The only available water would be from the stream.
The official word is that the water in the park is not
drinkable unless you boil and/or use tablets. Call the
park office for more information.
Morganton
area Recreation Facilities Directory
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Privately
owned/operated facilities:
Morganton
area Recreation Facilities Directory
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RV
Parks:
| Property |
Morganton
except as noted |
828+except
as noted |
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Morganton
area Recreation Facilities Directory
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Note: telephone area code is 828
Burke County is considered the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains and, true, the mountains here are all under 3000 feet elevation. But
when you go hiking in South Mountains State Park you will know you are in the mountains.
Rugged as they are beautiful; replete with waterfalls, cascading streams of crystal clear
water (with good trout fishing for waders) and a grid of some 40 miles of trails
criss-crossing the park to allow hikes of almost any length. Campgrounds are designed for
primitive camping - some have motor vehicle access but most are for back packers or
equestrians.
The Jacob's Fork picnic area, the adjacent
parking area (near the park office), the restrooms and Hemlock
Nature Trail (a 1.0 mile self-guided nature trail) are wheelchair friendly. The other
trails, other picnic areas and all campsites and are not.
There are 2 picnic area plus a shelter. Jacob's Fork
picnic area has 12 tables, 9 with grills, and is also accessible by wheelchairs.
There are restrooms with flush-toilets nearby. The Shinny Creek picnic area is 0.4 miles
up the trail from the Jacob's Fork picnic area. It has 4 tables, 3 with grills, and a pit
toilet. The picnic shelter is near the park office. A $75 fee is charged for
reservations. Electricity and running water are provided.
Mailing Address: 3001 South Mountains State Park Ave., Connelly
Springs, NC 28612
Office Phone: 828-433-4772; Fax: 828-433-4778;
e-mail: southmountains@hci.net
To view a 'jpeg' rendition of the park map, Click Here » View Park Map
Directions to park:
From I-40 exit 105 take NC-18 south for about 11 miles to Sugar Loaf Rd (SR-1913). Turn
right on SR 1913 and go another 4.3 miles to Pleasant Grove. Turn left onto Old NC-18
(SR-1924) and go 2.6 miles to SR 1901. Turn right and 1.4 miles to SR-1904 (just over the
bridge). SR-1904 is a gravel road and the entrance to the park.
Morganton
area Recreation Facilities Directory
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Note: telephone area code is 828
There are approximately 50 miles of
foot, cycle and equestrian trails in the park Some trails run outside the park area but
the park is mostly surrounded by private lands and the Morganton Watershed. The Upper CCC Trail/Road connects with SR-1900 which, in
turn, connects with Old Highway 18 (SR-1924). About a dozen of the trails have been
improved and are blazed (foot bridges over the creeks and a few very welcome benches) but
mostly you will be on unmarked primitive trails. This is superb hiking country. The
trails, even the most primitive, are good (because they are well used) and the scenery
will make you want to return again and again. Among the many other improvements, the
rangers have been erecting signs at strategic spots describing the natural features
visible from the signed locations.
The main parking lot (by the picnic
area) serves as the main trailhead. Most trails are accessed via other trails so mileages,
below, do not indicate the full distance of your hike. The primary trails are:
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Hiking Biking and Equestrian Trails
(Note: All trails are moderate to strenuous in difficulty.)
Chestnut
Knob Trail (2.0 mi.)
Trailhead is at the main parking lot. The Chestnut Knob Trail, as the name implies, takes
you to the top of Chestnut Knob (2291 feet). About half-way up is a splendid view of the
Jacob's Fork River Gorge. The Chestnut Knob Trail continues down the other side of the
Knob and becomes the Sawtooth Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Dogwood
Trail (2.5 mi.)
Dogwood splits off Raven Rock Trail. From the main parking area follow the trail to the
other picnic area. Two of the improved trails take off from here. The one on the left is High Shoals Loop Trail. You'll cross Jacob's Fork a
couple times on the new foot bridges. After about a half mile you'll see High Shoals Falls. Here it meets Upper Falls Trail (this is an equestrian trail). Turn left
here (a sign directs you to the High Shoals Falls campground). Continue past the
campground, for about ¾ of a mile, to the junction with Raven Rock Trail (also a
equestrian trail). Go right and you will be on Dogwood Trail. If you turn left you
can follow Raven Rock Trail to Short trail (which comes in from your left), a distance of
a little over 2½ miles which, if followed, takes you back to your starting point (another
half mile). (see Raven Rock Trail for an alternate return)
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Cut-Off
Trail 0.75 mi.
There were no trail name signs when we explored the park but we concluded that the Cut-Off
Trail (according to the park map we had) is the trail which goes south from Shinny Creek
Campground, up the mountain, to the Upper Falls Trail.
Turn left onto Upper Falls Trail and you descend to High Shoals Falls and the High Shoals Falls Loop Trail which takes you back to
the picnic area where Shinny Creek meets Jacob's Fork.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Dogwood
Trail 2.5 mi.
Dogwood is part of the perimeter biker/equestrian trail system. It is a continuation of Raven Rock Trail and follows the park boundary, clockwise,
from Short Trail near the eastern corner to Benn Knob at the
southern corner of the park. Here you encounter a split, the left branch leaving the park
property, the right following an old CCC road. The trail is now, appropriately, named Lower CCC Road/Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Fox Trail
(4.2 MI.)
Fox Trail is an equestrian/cycle trail which runs along the crest between Jacob's Fork
(creek) and Murray Branch (creek) from Lower CCC
Road/Trail at the western boundary of the park to Dogwood
Trail at the southeastern boundary. At about the midway point, before the descent, the
Jacob's Trail (hikers only) breaks off to connect with Headquarters Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Headquarters
Trail (4.4 mi.)
Headquarters Trail runs from Shinny Creek campground along the ridge to the Lower CCC Road/Trail at the western boundary of the park.
About a mile west of Lower CCC Road/Trail is the split-off of the Shinny Creek Trail (hikers only) which follows another
ridge down to Shinny Creek.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
HEMLOCK
NATURE TRAIL (1.0 mi.)
The park personnel have put a lot of effort into this self-guiding, wheelchair friendly
nature trail. It is easily accessed from the main parking lot. Questions? The resident
ranger is happy to fill you in on the many wonders of nature to be seen here.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
High
Shoals Falls Loop (3.5 mi.)
If you follow the main trail (from the trailhead across the road from the parking area) to
the picnic area (about a half-mile) where Shinny Creek and Jacob's Fork come together,
then take the left trail you will be (we think) on the High Shoals Falls Loop. A few feet
in there is a split off to the right. If you go right then you will be hiking
counter-clockwise eventually merging with Upper Falls Trail.
Go left and you will be at the High Shoals Falls.
Continue on, following the creek, back to the picnic area.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Horseridge
Trail (3.5 mi.)
Horseridge Trail is another link of the perimeter biker/equestrian trail system. It
follows the ridge (northeasterly) from its junction with the Lower CCC Trail/Road to the northeastern boundary of the
park. A little over a mile from the Lower CCC Trail/Road it meets the northern end of Possum Trail. Another half mile and it meets the northern end of Sawtooth Trail. Then it's over the hump to the Upper CCC Trail/Road which you follow if you are taking
the perimeter loop around the park.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Jacob's
Trail (0.7 mi.)
Jacob's Trail (hikers only) breaks off at about the mid point of Fox
Trail, down the side of the mountain to Jacob's Fork (creek), then climbs up the other
side to Headquarters Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Little
River Falls Trail 0.7 mi.
Little River Falls Trail is another link of the perimeter biker/equestrian trail system.
It begins at the eastern end of Short Trail, heads north past Little River Falls to where you eventually cross Little
River. Then it actually leaves the park property and ends at its junction with the Upper CCC Trail/Road (which eventually meets Horseridge Trail).
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Lower
CCC Trail/Road (5.6 mi.)
Lower CCC Road/Trail (an old CCC road) is part of the perimeter biker/equestrian trail
system. It is a continuation of Dogwood Trail and follows the
park boundary, clockwise, from Benn Knob at the southern corner of the park to the
northeastern corner where the trail leaves the old CCC road and becomes Horseridge Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Possum Trail
(2.2 mi.)
Possum Trail (hikers only) runs in a northeasterly direction from the Shinny Creek
Campground climbing the ridge between Shinny and Kathy Creeks and terminates in a junction
with Horseridge Trail. This is a handy trail if you want
to hike the ridges from the trailhead (starting out on Chestnut
Knob Trail, connecting with Sawtooth Trail, then
Horseridge Trail to Possum Trail. Then coming down the ridge on Possum Trail to the Shinny
Campground; then following Jacob's Fork back to the trailhead.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Raven
Rock Trail (2.75 mi.)
Raven Rock Trail is part of the biker/equestrian park perimeter loop. It starts at the
southern terminus of the Little River Falls Trail
(at the junction of Short Trail), crosses the park entry road
(SR-1904), then crosses Shinny Creek, climbs over the ridge and meets the eastern terminus
of Upper Falls Trail. This is the end of the portion of
the perimeter trail named Raven Rock Trail; it continues under the name Dogwood Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Sawtooth
Trail (1.7 mi.)
Sawtooth Trail is a connector for bikers/equestrians from the Horseridge
Trail to Chestnut Knob Trail, then bends east and
follows the ridge down to the Little River; then across to its terminus with the Upper CCC Trail/Road. Where Sawtooth meets the Chestnut
Knob Trail and bends east, another branch (to the left) is a short spur to the Sawtooth
Campground.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Shinny
Creek Trail (2.6 mi.)
Shinny Creek Trail (hikers only) takes you from Headquarters
Trail on the ridge down to Possum Trail near Shinny Creek
Campground. After the quick, rocky descent, it follows Shinny Creek to the neat little
hollow where it is joined by Kathy Creek and another creek (we couldn't find out the
name). By the way, this is a very nice place to camp.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Short Trail
(0.5 mi.)
As the name implies, this is a (hikers only) short connector between the primary trailhead
and Little River Falls Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Upper
CCC Trail/Road (2.6 mi.)
This, like the Lower CCC Trail/Road, is an old
CCC-built road now used as a biker/equestrian trail. It is a continuation of Little River Falls Trail and runs north, outside the
park, to Horseridge Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Upper
Falls Trail (1.9 mi.)
Upper Falls Trail is the eastward continuation of the biker/equestrian portion of Headquarters Trail. At the top of the mountain,
Headquarters Trail turns north and descends to the Shinny Creek Campground. This portion
is for hikers only. Upper Falls Trail, however, continues the northward progress started
by Headquarters Trail and finally descends to the base of High Shoals Falls eventually
meeting Raven Rock Trail.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
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Note: telephone area code is 828
High
Shoals Falls
From the main parking area follow
the trail (west, across the road) to the other picnic area. Two of the improved trails
take off from here. The one on the left is High Shoals
Loop Trail. Follow it, stay to the left (there is a branch to the right a few feet in)
and you'll cross Jacob's Fork a couple times on the new foot bridges. After about a half
mile you'll see High Shoals Falls.
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
Little River Falls
From the main parking area take the Short Trail east to its end. The trail to the left is Little River Falls Trail. It is about a mile to the
falls (half-mile on each trail).
Morganton
area Recreational Facilities Directory
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