Winter can be the perfect time to explore the North Carolina State Parks. To beat the crowds get there early! Consider if you can go during the week to avoid the weekend crowds. 

We wanted to offer a rundown of hiking at North Carolina State Parks, so we asked Harrison Grothoff to share his knowledge and amazing photography with us. Harrison has hiked every North Carolina State Park, and more. You can see his complete write-ups, and more of his photography, at HikingWithHarrison.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this article are the property of Harrison, and used with permission.

Most of the parks in this article are free to visit. Before you set out to visit a park, check the website (we provide a link to each) to verify current status. Sometimes certain trails are closed, due to weather conditions. Driving time is from the center of Raleigh, and is an approximation.

Eno River State Park

Eno River State Park
Fews Ford access: 6101 Cole Mill Road Durham, NC 27705
40 minutes from Raleigh

Eno River State Park has several access points spread along the banks of the river featuring over 30 miles of hiking trails. The highlights of Eno River include Bobbitt Hole Trail, accessed from the Cole Mill parking area, ending at one of the deepest parts of the river often used for swimming; The Eno Quarry Trail, accessed from the Cabe Lands Trail at the Cabe Lands parking area, which loops around an old quarried lake; and the Cox Mountain Trail, a 4.1 mile loop which takes you from hilltop to a footbridge crossing across the river.

The Cox Mountain trail starts at the Fews Ford access where the park office is located, and is a good starting point for most hikers as a variety of trails stem from this area.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Falls Lake State Recreation Area
Visitor center: 13304 Creedmoor Road, Wake Forest
28 minutes from the center of Raleigh

Falls Lake State Recreation Area is an undeveloped reservoir to the north of Raleigh. It offers fantastic options for boating, fishing, camping, and swimming. The park has entrance fee from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but there is the option of an annual pass that works at Falls Lake, as well as Jordan Lake State Recreation Area and and Kerr Lake, which is further north. Finding the proper access point is crucial before visiting, as the park offers 7 or more parking areas with different amenities. There are several trails (no more than 2 miles each) that are, for the most part easy, or at most, moderate in difficulty. Some are available only to campers.

In addition the Falls Lake Trail follows the entire south shore of the lake and is a portion of the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea State Trail.  There are also 13 miles of mountain bike trails in the Beaverdam area. 

Pilot Mountain State Park

Pilot Mountain State Park
1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle, NC 27043
1 hour 56 minutes from Raleigh

Pilot Mountain stands out from miles away, and is part of the same mountain range as Hanging Rock. The park offers an extremely easy viewing access of the mountain from the road up the Little Pinnacle, which is adjacent to the Big Pinnacle.

More experienced hikers may choose to take a variety of trails, either from the base of the mountain or the Little Pinnacle to hike around the knob of the Big Pinnacle. You cannot climb to the top of the Big Pinnacle, as this is a wildlife protected area.

Pilot Mountain offers a stunning view from the parking area, and this vantage point is usually well paired as a stop either before or after Hanging Rock, if a longer, more strenuous hike is not desired.

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
625 Virginia Cates Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
40 minutes from Raleigh

Occoneechee Mountain is a hidden gem that offers hiking loops within 5 minutes from 85 and 40. The park features both strolls along the Eno River and a trail to the park’s peak 350 feet above the river. Because there is no park office at this location, be prepared for primitive bathrooms. Fishing is permitted both on the Eno River as well as on the two fishing ponds the park has to offer. The entire park loop is a moderate 2.3 mile hike that gains 387 feet in elevation. The outer mountain loop passes the old quarry located in the park, an interesting stop along the hike.

William B. Umstead State Park

William B. Umstead State Park
8801 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27617
20 minutes from center of Raleigh

Located near the heart of Raleigh, William B. Umstead State Park (named after a former Governor) offers hiking, biking, and fishing year-round. The park also offers boat rentals from April 1- October 31. Despite the lack of mountain peaks, the park’s immense trail system and multiple streams and lakes make for a great getaway from the city and a great place to bring a pet for a walk.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
Visitor center: 280 State Park Road, Apex
32 minutes from the center of Raleigh

Like Falls Lake, Jordan Lake is an undeveloped reservoir, and the focus is more on the lake itself than the trails. It offers great options for boating, fishing, camping and swimming. It has an entrance fee from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but an annual pass is available that will gain you access to Jordan Lake, Falls Lake and Kerr Lake. Finding the proper access point is crucial before visiting, as the park offers several parking areas with different amenities. 

There are 14 miles of hiking trails at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, and all are easy and suitable for all ages. There is even the half-mile long Children’s Nature Trail that includes a long boardwalk, an old farm pond, and old tobacco rows.

Jordan Lake is notable for its bald eagle and osprey sightings. You can learn about the lake’s ecology in the visitor center.

Raven Rock State Park

Raven Rock State Park
3009 Raven Rock Rd, Lillington, NC 275461
1 hour from Raleigh

South of Raleigh, Raven Rock State Park offers overlooks of the Cape Fear River as well as peaceful hikes alongside it.

Like Occoneechee Mountain, Raven Rock offers some varying terrain as a change from the flatter parks more central to Raleigh/Durham.

The 150-foot-tall Raven Rock was known as a landmark along the river for boats, and upon visiting the park it is apparent why. The park offers stairs down to the underside of the rock by the river as well as a trail to the top with views of the river.

Hanging Rock State Park

Hanging Rock State Park
1790 Hanging Rock Park Rd, Danbury, NC 27016
2 hours 15 minutes from Raleigh

Hanging Rock is part of the Sauratown Mountains, separated from the Blue Ridge Mountains and with a greater contrast to the surrounding terrain. Hanging Rock offers a wide assortment of activities and places to visit including waterfalls, mountain peaks, lakes, streams, rock climbing and mountain biking.

The trails vary from easy to strenuous, with an easily accessible lake trail, easy to moderate waterfall trails, and strenuous climbs to the peaks of hanging rock.

Weymouth-Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve

Weymouth-Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
1024 Fort Bragg Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387
1 hour 13 minutes from Raleigh

Roughly an hour south of the Triangle area, near Pinehurst, Weymouth Woods offers adventures through North Carolina’s central pine forests and swampy marshlands. The nature preserves features a wide variety of wildlife, with over 500 plant species and 160 bird species present in the park.

The Pine Barrens trail from the visitors center offers a 1 mile loop through the pine forest, while the Gum Swamp trail off of the Pine Barrens trail dives into deeper forests, bringing you closer to the boardwalks across the swamplands. The trails are all relatively flat and great for all ages. The variety of trails allows the hiker to choose among a number of trail distances.

Morrow Mountain State Park

Morrow Mountain State Park
49104 Morrow Mountain Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001
2 hours 6 minutes from Raleigh

The Uwharrie Mountain range where Morrow Mountain is located is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the Eastern U.S. The park’s peak rises 400 feet above the surrounding countryside featuring panoramic views directly from the parking lot. Hikers can go further and circle the top of the mountain on foot, capturing even more of the surrounding beauty on an easy .8 mile trail.

Various other trails in the park offer easy to strenuous hikes of different distances, but none offer similar vistas.

One may be interested in the 1.3 mile Rocks Trail that concludes at a 35 foot high rock overlooking the Pee Dee River. Boating is available on Lake Tillery (with boat rentals from late April-October) and swimming is available seasonally at the park’s outdoor pool.

Crowders Mountain State Park

Crowders Mountain State Park
522 Park Office Lane, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
3 hours from Raleigh

The most popular hike at the park is the Pinnacle trail, a strenuous 2 mile hike that climbs 767 feet. While you can (and many do) hike this trail with your dog, the last portion of the trail will require you to climb a small boulder to the overlook. The view is phenomenal, and you can continue to hike along the ridge line to the point where you feel like you’re completely on top of the mountain.

The hike to the namesake of the park, Crowders Mountain, is longer and has over 300 steps to the very top. The pinnacle trail will offer the same great views at a shorter, less strenuous distance.

South Mountains State Park

South Mountains State Park
3001 S Mountain Park, Connelly Springs, NC 28612
3 hours 10 minutes from Raleigh

South Mountains State Park is far from pretty much anything, tucked back in the South Mountain portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park features both high peaks along the Chestnut Knob trail and large waterfalls such as High Shoal falls.

Chestnut Knob is accessed via a moderate 2.1 mile hike, climbing 1000 feet in elevation. Along the hike, views of the falls are accessible from afar. The rock outcropping at the end of the trail offers a beautiful view of the surrounding gorge.

High Shoal Falls is a 80 foot waterfall with a series of cascades leading to it that can be found about 1 mile from parking. The hiker can stop here or continue roughly 2 more miles past the top of the waterfall, down through the thick forests of South Mountains.

Lake Norman State Park

Lake Norman State Park
759 State Park Rd, Troutman, NC 28166
2 hours 30 minutes from Raleigh

Lake Norman State Park offers 7 miles of designated hiking trails and 30 miles of hiking/biking trails. Swimming is available year round, with a cost only when lifeguards are on duty Memorial Day-Labor Day.

The Lake Shore trail has varying lengths up to 6 miles depending on desired hike length. Fishing is accessible from multiple locations along the trail, and many types of plants and wildlife can be spotted along the walk.

Subscribe to Triangle on the Cheap