Lake Norman State Park - Enjoy the View from the Porch and Beautiful Trails

Lake Norman State Park - Photo by D.W.

Lake Norman State Park, located at 759 State Park Road in Troutman, North Carolina, is actually the closest state park to my home town. It is only 30 minutes from where I grew up, and I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I have ever visited the park. I guess we all might be a bit guilty of taking our own back yard for granted.

View of the Nature Center from Lake Norman © Katrena

I had heard that folks could swim in the lake at Lake Norman State Park, but that was about the extent of my knowledge of the park. Yes, it does have a sandy beach area where swimmers can enjoy swimming for a nominal fee. There were very few swimmers when we visited on a weekday late morning. Entrance into the park and use of the trails is free. Those who wish to camp, boat, or swim can check rates at the link provided near the bottom of this article.

Welcome Center at Lake Norman State Park © Katrena

We visited Lake Norman State Park in July 2016 and decided to check out the Welcome Center first. My kids have gotten involved with the NC State Parks Passport program, so we get a stamp for each state park we visit. This year, 2016, is the centennial celebration of our state park system, so this year's stamps all include a special 100-year insignia.

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The folks at the Welcome Center were very nice and helpful. Although I do a good deal of online research before visiting a state park, there is nothing that can replace the helpful hints offered by someone who works there. Whenever I ask which trails they might suggest, I have always found the advice to be helpful. The state park system is creating some wonderful interactive educational centers in the various parks that highlight something pertinent to the region, so we toured the indoor displays first and then headed outside to the trails.

View of Lake Norman from Back Porch of Welcome Center © Katrena

One of our favorite spots at this park lies on the back porch of the Welcome Center. You will find a huge, welcoming back porch with rocking chairs that overlook the lake. One Facebook friend described it as  "sort of like Cracker Barrel but with a better view." Yep, that about sums it up. My mom said she could easily spend half the day out there in a rocking chair, soaking up the beauty of the scenery and sounds of nature.

Dragonfly Trail Educational Display © Katrena

We decided to try the 0.15 mile Dragonfly Trail first. The trail begins just to the left of the Welcome Center and is handicap accessible. This trail is quite educational with large, colorful interactive displays that encourage visitors to read about the various plants and animals of the area. Many of the displays asked questions and would offer answers after lifting a flap.

Close-up View of the Lake on the Alder Trail © Katrena

The Dragonfly Trail leads to the Alder Trail, which includes 0.8 mile of shaded, scenic lake views. This trail is not paved and has some tree roots and a few stairs along the way. It includes some interactive displays and a deck with stairs leading down close to the water on the left. Seeing the lake from several different directions provided lots of photo opportunities and a nice walk that was level in most areas in addition to the opportunity to see a few animals that were drawn to the water on a day with temperatures in the mid- to high-90s.

Hiking, Biking, and Swimming at Lake Norman State Park © Katrena

This state park is also known for an extensive 30.5-mile bike trail. We saw several people bringing their bikes to enjoy the day here. We didn't have bikes with us, but from what I could see, the bike trail seemed to be cleared and marked well.

Lake-side Alder Trail at Lake Norman State Park © Katrena

We also drove to another area of the park on Shortleaf Drive and found shaded picnic tables and a picnic shelter. We had our picnic lunch in this area, but I don't think it offered as good a view as the area near the Nature Center. The next time we visit Lake Norman State Park, we'll probably plan to have our picnic in that first area and will likely hang out in those rocking chairs on the back porch for a while!

Learn About Nature and Enjoy Lake Norman State Park © Katrena

Visit the Lake Norman State Park official web site for directions, swimming fees, trail maps, and more.

Hiking Trail at Lake Norman State Park © Katrena

Additional articles by Katrena

• South Mountains State Park - Great Hike, Beautiful Scenery, and More
• Dunn's Mountain Park in Rowan County NC - Beautiful View
• Statesville's Carolina BalloonFest - A Feast for the Eyes!

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Thanks for visiting Travel NC With Kids! I hope you find my articles and pictures to be helpful if you are planning a family outing. Have you visited Lake Norman State Park? If so, what was your favorite memory of your visit?