South Mountains State Park

Went on a perfect day! The weather was not too hot and nice and windy. The park is kept so clean, really impressed with that.

Absolutely one of my favorite places to hike!! It's not that far out of Charlotte, it's scenic and serene and you get a good sweat!At the end of the trail there's a rest/picnic area too!I go several times from Spring through Fall!

My wife and I came to hike the High Shoals Falls Loop, and it was pretty intense. The inclines going up to the falls (clockwise on the park map) were steep and included many high steps. The view of the falls was nice, but be prepared for some steps! It also seemed like a pretty popular hike, so we had to stop frequently along the way up because some parts of the trail are pretty narrow.The Big Bear Trail also ended at a small waterfall which was nice and calm enough to stick our feet in the water - a good way to cool off after some intense hiking.

What a great visit!! I really enjoyed the trails!!, Water and water falls, I enjoy our states parks here in Nc, I especially Loved this one Because the trails reminded me of the area near my home place in West Virginia!, I recommend the trails and just to get away for the day or evening, You won't regret coming to the most rugged state park here in North Carolina - Trails Covered - HEMLOCK NATURE TRAILHIGH SHOALS FALLS LOOPBIG BEAR FALLS

This is a bit off the beaten path, not particularly close to Asheville or Charlotte or any other real city. Cell service isn't great, but I actually managed to find an okay signal halfway up a mountain to do an online meeting. The rest of my visit, though, was blissfully free of interruptions. There are numerous trails, varied topography, and plenty of water features. I didn't quite make it up to the peak at Chestnut Knob as I had limited time, but even the view of the intervening valley was worth a hike. There were ample signs about bears and this was the sort of place I imagine they would be a real possibility, but I did not see any large wildlife. Just the breeze in the trees.There were also horse trails and ample picnic areas, so one's experience could range from a fairly challenging hike to a more family-oriented experience.

Awesome park! For a Friday morning at 9am it was not crowded at all. The hike was semi-strenuous as others have mentioned and it's important to take your time on the rocks, fallen trees, steep steps, debris etc especially the day after it has rained. Such a relaxing, beautiful waterfall view. Enjoy!Random notes: -Free maps at the visitor center. Masks required. -Bathrooms at the visitor center are super clean and hand sanitizer is available. -Two or three trash bins on trail but no dog waste bags so bring your own. -Parking is free and the lot is a decent size.- no cell service once you enter the park.( Verizon and T-Mobile).

We loved hiking at Stone Mountain. They have several trails that are fairly wide, and moderate difficulty. Best part you can bring the dogs and you get amazing views.

South Mountains State Park is the largest North Carolina State Park, and is only about an hour away from Charlotte. If you're looking for a beautiful outdoor escape, this is the place.The park has miles and miles of trails, but I'd highly recommend the High Shoals Falls Loop. It's a 2.5 mile loop that brings you up the stream and crosses right in front of a tall waterfall. There's some rock scrambles and a good number of steps, but is not too bad otherwise in terms of difficulty.There's a decent amount of parking as well as convenient restrooms at both the visitor center and the trail head. This was the perfect day trip during COVID. There were hardly any crowds, and plenty of space to spread out!

My partner and I visited this park on a late Saturday morning-- and we were thoroughly impressed. It is obvious that consideration of customers is taken into consideration by the landscaping done-- it's really a beautiful place. There are also several trails that appear to be wheelchair accessible which is wonderful. We did the upper falls trail loop and will absolutely return for several of the others. There was so much education along the trails about rocks, trees, and wildlife-- which I thought was so nice for inquiring minds.I encourage you to take a hike there when able!

One of the closer parks to the Charlotte area, this is a great alternative to the ever-crowded Crowder's Mountain State Park. There are lots of streams to view and listen to on your visit, not to mention a huge waterfall a short hike from the parking area and accessible for most visitors without much hiking experience. I have come here in spring when the water was raging and in winter to see High Shoals Falls completely frozen up. Make sure you access the park from the Jacob Fork Access area.There are at least 40 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding. Drive up campsites, back country campsites and sites for horseback riders to camp with their horses all can be found here. Fishing is apparently very popular in the plentiful streams. This park really has it all as far as NC State Parks go. I consider it a sort of hidden gem because many urbanites overlook it despite all it has to offer. As with most of the state parks in NC, there is no entry fee. However, in order to camp you will need to pay. It's worth it to visit in the off-season for less people, nicer temperatures and cheaper camping fees.