Pilot Mountain State Park

About Pilot Mountain State Park

This solitary peak was inaugurated as a National Natural Monument in 1976 and is the centerpiece of Pilot Mountain State Park. Fun, relaxation and serenity are easy to find here and can be seen from all directions, from the main entrance of the park at the foot of the mountain or from any direction you are heading for.

A five-mile forest corridor connects two sections of the park, offering a wealth of outdoor fun.

Most of the facilities are located on the two-crenellation mountain section, but you will be spoiled with a drive through the forest. The river is a challenge for rafts and canoes, and the more primitive part focuses on the lazy, meandering Yadkin River.

Rangers regularly hold group courses, such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking and mountaineering. For more information, contact the park office, group class organizer, or the Rangers office at (704) 662-5555.

The Mountain pilot program introduces students to the geological processes that form and lead mountains away from them. The programme is accompanied by a teacher's booklet and workshops, which are free of charge for teachers. Developed for grades 9 - 12, it is connected with a competence-competence-competence curriculum.

Pilot Mountain is a remnant of the old Sauratown Mountains, clinging to the remnants of its former mountain life. The rugged mountain cliffs survive on a gentle plain that has been eroded by the elements of the surrounding peaks.

The Pilot Mountain is crowned by its two characteristic battlements and its rounded top, covered in vegetation, rises 400 feet from the valley floor to a knob that rises more than 200 feet into the sky at its feet.

The Great Peak is connected to the Small Peaks by a narrow saddle, and visitors have a view that stretches over 1,000 feet across the valley floor and the top of the mountain to the summit.

Pilot Mountain is also known as Jomeokee or the Great Guide Pilot, after its earliest known inhabitants. Indian and early European hunters who led the way from north to south through the area, as well as the early settlers of the region.

Moravia led to further settlement of the area, but Sour was driven south by the Cherokees, who later occupied this area. Population remained thin because of border turmoil caused by an alliance between the Cherokees and the British.

In 1751, the mountain was mapped by the US Geological Survey as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park System.

At the time, the mountain was a commercial tourist attraction, but the pilot committee for the protection of the mountain and the park proposed a plan to protect it and the surrounding area from further commercial development. Working with the U.S. Geological Survey, the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Beasley County Parks and Recreation, the group secured options on the property and raised funds to buy the land through a federal grant. With the passing of the National Park Act of 1964, Pilot Mountain became North Charlotte's 14th national park on July 1, 1964.

To further support the park, the committee acquired additional land to be added to the park in the 1970s, and additional land was acquired to bring more than 1,000 hectares of natural resources and wildlife habitat to the park. Today, Pilot Mountain stands as a symbol of a community committed to preserving North Carolina's natural resources.

Learn about the past of rural life by visiting Horne Creek Farm to see the past, present and future of the farm and the history of Pilot Mountain State Park.

The farm is currently being restored to look like it did in the 1900s, and visitors can experience North Carolina's agricultural past through programs held Saturdays and Sundays from April to October. Special tours and educational programs can be arranged by calling 325 - 2298. Pilot Mountain State Park Agricultural Heritage Center is a federally recognized historic site and educational center dedicated to preserving the rural heritage of North Carolinians.

The family campsite is located under an oak grove, where 49 tents and caravan pitches are scattered between oak trees and stalls. The campsite has a campsite, tables and barbecue, and the campsite is open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There is drinking water at the campsite and two modern washhouses with hot showers are located nearby. Firewood can be obtained from the park staff, but it is not allowed to collect wood from outside the park. All campsites are available for a modest fee on a first-come-first-served basis. The maximum number of plots that a person can occupy on each plot is six, with a maximum of four tents per plot and no more than four caravans per camp.

On the north side of the Yadkin River there is a small campsite with picnic area, picnic tables and a hot tub. Here organised youth groups can enjoy community in the wild and the website is open from 15 March to 30 November.

Get off the canoe and head to the Yadkin Islands to spend the night on the water. There are two wilderness camps for canoeists, the largest of these two islands. Campers should be aware that the two campsites can only be reached by canoe, not by kayak, and campers can also camp on land.

Both locations are open all year round, but water and toilets are not available, and both locations are only open in the summer months (July to September).

The river is followed by 165 km of hiking trails that lead through five reservoirs to the confluence of the Yadkin and Uwharrie rivers. The two-mile Yadkins River that runs through the park is one of the most scenic stretches of the river. In Pilot Mountain State Park you can canoe and kayak down the Yadkin River, where you can hike and cycle.

Here the river is wide, shallow and with many waves, but the banks are lined with plane trees and huge birch trees protruding from the water. The river is located on an island that can be reached on foot, on horseback or in a canoe, and here the rivers are wider, shallower and without many waves The island is located at the confluence of two rivers, the Yadkin and the Uwharrie, in Pilot Mountain State Park.

The river flows through an ambitious project that included the construction of a three-mile canal to the Bean Rials, but the project was abandoned before completion.

This section of the river is also suitable for rafting, and there are 38 canoe ports along the way.

Accesses and shallows are considered historical walls along the canal path and are access points to the shallows as well as access points from the hiking trail.

Fishermen require a state fishing license and must follow the rules of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. For more information, please contact the park office. Sunfish, cappie and catfish are waiting to be caught, so throw a line to the shore and curl up for dinner.

The picnic area at Pilotberg is near the summit car park and picnic tables and barbecues are surrounded by pine and deciduous forest. Drinking water and toilets are nearby and three picnic spots on Pilot Mountain offer a choice of shady spots.

About 800 meters from the shore there is a picnic area with picnic tables and barbecues overlooking Pilot Mountain and the valley below.

The picnic area on the north bank of the river is located on an open lawn near Horne Creek. A picnic table and barbecue area with picnic tables, barbecues and picnic chairs are available.

A similar facility is located on the south bank of the river and the home will accommodate up to 35 people. A covered picnic hut with picnic table and barbecue area is ideal for group trips.

To ensure that accommodation is available, a reservation is recommended, but the use of picnic baskets is free, while reservations are required. Nearby barbecues are made easy, and a nearby barbecue makes cooking easy for you and your family.

No matter what kind of transportation you choose, Pilot Mountain has miles of hiking trails to explore, whether you're on foot, horseback or canoe.

Riders and hikers alike will enjoy a five-kilometre forest corridor that connects two parts of the park. Cliffs, crevices, ravens and rhododendrons abound, only a small part of this landscape can be discovered. Little Pinnacle Overlook offers hikers spectacular views of Pilot Mountain and its surroundings. Further information on hiking trails can be found on parking maps as well as information on trails and parking spaces.

Visitors with horses must be able to provide a negative test for equine anemia (Coggin) before visiting North Carolina State Parks. Rangers regularly hold group courses for riders and horse owners as well as for the general public. To organize a group class, contact the parking office for more information about the class or a full list of classes.

The Mountain pilot program introduces students to the geological processes that form and lead mountains away from them. The programme is accompanied by a teacher's booklet and workshops, which are free of charge for teachers. Developed for grades 9-12 and combined with a curriculum based on competencies, it is part of the Competence for Excellence curriculum of North Carolina State Parks for grades 4-8.

Climbing and abseiling are popular activities on Pilot Mountain, where the rock faces present a challenge for experienced climbers. Climbing is only allowed in designated areas, climbing or abseiling on the Great Peak is not allowed.

Climbers must register with an activity permit, which is available at the park office. No fees are charged for the permit, but please contact the parking office for further information.

For this activity, you must put a copy of your driving licence in the registration box and hand it over to the parking attendant.

All basic safety equipment and techniques for climbing must be used at all times and all climbers must register with the park staff and present a valid climbing or rappelling permit. All participants will receive additional copies and must have been in their possession before climbing and / or sailing. All participants are responsible for their personal safety, including the safety of themselves, their family and friends and the environment around them.

Fixed anchor routes are not maintained or installed by NC State Parks, and new routes do not allow for the installation or maintenance of new climbing or abseiling equipment, equipment or anchors.

Climbers climb at their own risk and are responsible for proper equipment and training. Accidents or injuries must be reported to park staff. Please note that climbers and rappellers must plan their activities in advance and leave the park at certain closing times.

Pilot Mountain State Park is located in the North River Section of Surry County, which is within 10 miles of the park's mountain range. From US-52, take the Pilot Mountain State Park exit and enter the Park Mountain Area where the parking offices are located and take the exit.

The South River section of Yadkin County is within 20 miles of the park's mountain range. From US-52, take NC-67 to the town of East Bend and take the Pinnacle exit and follow signs to Horne Creek Farm. The entrance to this park is about 0.4 miles from the farm and it is about 1.5 miles north - south.

Turn left onto Main Street and right onto Fairground Road and follow Shoals Road into the park.

Turn right onto Shady Grove Church Road, turn left onto Shoals Road, then right onto Main Street, and turn right onto Shoals Road.