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| Pilot Mountain State Park Big Pinnacle as seen from Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail © Katrena |
My family has been hiking trails in North Carolina State Parks for years. Some trails are much harder and longer than others. Most of the best views are enjoyed by those hikers willing to go the extra effort to hike a longer distance with more challenging terrain.
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| Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail is very easy and short walk with a great view © Katrena |
Pilot Mountain State Park is one of the exceptions where visitors can enjoy a short, easy hike that reaps great benefits. The pinnacle of Pilot Mountain is the iconic shape that looms near Hwy 52 north of Winston-Salem. This beautiful, majestic landmark is impossible to miss when traveling on Highway 52. On a clear day, I have seen the unique shape of Pilot Mountain from Interstate 77 near the North Carolina/Virginia border. Pilot Mountain is definitely distinct.
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| View of the Piedmont from the parking lot at Pilot Mountain State Park © Katrena |
A few months ago, I decided our family would visit Pilot Mountain. Many of the state parks in North Carolina require a fair amount of driving off the main road; however, I was surprised to see that the park entrance is very close to Hwy 52. Visitors can drive up to a parking lot that delivers visitors up close and personal to a gorgeous view without hiking at all. This would be a great park for those with mobility challenges!
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| Hiking Trail to see great view at Pilot Mountain State Park in NC © Katrena |
I have seen loads of pictures of Pilot Mountain's Big Pinnacle that appear quite close up. I had assumed the hike might be a bit challenging to get to that photo spot. I was wrong! The Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail offers an easy 0.1 mile hike to a lookout deck that begs for pictures. I did not zoom on any of my photos posted in this article, and all of the photos I featured in this article are sites that can be seen from the parking lot or the Little Pinnacle Overlook trail.
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| Great view from Pilot Mountain State Park © Katrena |
When we visited, one man mentioned that the park gets quite full when the leaves peak, and there may be a long line of cars waiting to get a parking space. The parking lot at the top is small, so you might want to plan for less crowded times of the year if you want to simply drive to the top without a wait like we did. The trails we hiked were well-maintained when we visited.
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| Learn about nature and more at Pilot Mountain State Park © Katrena |
This state park offers quite a few other trails, a campground, picnic areas, educational programs, rock climbing and rappelling with a permit, and more. Restroom facilities were near the parking lot. We hiked a few other trails, but I wanted to feature the Little Pinnacle Overlook with this article.
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| Beautiful View from a Mountaintop - No Hiking Required! © Katrena |
Pilot Mountain State Park offers a beautiful view with very little effort of those who visit the park. People who are looking for more challenging trails won't be disappointed either. Feel free to visit the official
Pilot Mountain web site for hours, maps, and more.
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| Enjoy Natural Beauty with the family at Pilot Mountain State Park © Katrena |
More of my articles
Thanks so much for visiting my
Travel NC With Kids blog. I hope you find my articles to be helpful as you plan your own family outings in North Carolina. Have you visited Pilot Mountain State Park? Feel free to post comments in the comment section below.
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