Travel NC With Kids: North Carolina State Park

Showing posts with label North Carolina State Park. Show all posts

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Haw River State Park Offers Hiking Trails, Conference Center, and More

Haw River State Park © Katrena

Haw River State Park is a newer North Carolina state park located on 1424 acres in Browns Summit at the edge of Guilford and Rockingham counties. We visited this park in mid March, a great time to hike when you like cooler weather, no mosquitoes, and more solitude.

Haw River State Park Conference Center © Katrena

This park offers a unique feature: the Summit, an educational and conference center with residential cabins nestled among the trees. These buildings offer motel guest rooms, cabins that sleep eight, an outdoor seasonal swimming pool, a gymnasium, and two ampitheaters.

Haw River State Park Residential Cabins © Katrena

We saw several buildings as we hiked but did not tour indoor areas other than the park office inside the main lodge. This park offers accommodations for groups up to about 180 people where reservations may be made for family reunions, retreats, and more.

Welcome Center at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Park Office at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Nice Touches at Haw River State Park in Browns Summit © Katrena

The park office was inviting with a seating area and creative touches throughout the room. The map and pictures on the wall encourage visitors to notice that this park is part of a large network of parks throughout North Carolina. The restrooms were well maintained.

Rhonda at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Rhonda was working at the front desk on the day we visited. She offered information about the trails and showed us a map with the hiking trails. Our state has gotten quite a bit of rain for months, so she mentioned that portions of the trail were muddy and offered tips that were relevant to unique needs. For example, another visitor was pushing a baby stroller, so Rhonda offered tips for navigating trails that would work well for her. Portions of the trails were paved, but the majority of the trails featured dirt and/or gravel for walking surfaces.

Hiking Trail at Haw River State Park © Katrena

The trails began immediately upon exiting the back of the building and were well marked; that was very helpful. We could see glimpses of the lake soon after starting our hike because most of the trees had no leaves on them.

Signage for Piedmont Loop Trail at Haw River State Park Hiking Trail © Katrena

Fun Family Hike in Piedmont Area of NC © Katrena

We hiked portions of the Piedmont Loop Trail and the Lake Loop Trail. Both trails were marked with colored markers and signs that were easy to read.

Photographic Hiking Trails in North Carolina © Katrena

Our state endured two remnants of hurricanes last fall, and we could see that several trees were down, but the trails were maintained and down trees had been cleared from across the trails. We only had to venture off the trail in one place in which a tree had recently fallen across the trail.

Working to Keep Trails Open Despite Multiple Downed Trees © Katrena

A few portions of the trail were a bit muddy, particularly in the areas just before the boardwalk, but we were able to make it through on dry patches on the edge of the trail. It was worth the effort to get to the boardwalk!

Boardwalk at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Swamp Ecosystem Hiking Trail in NC © Katrena

Kudos to the folks who built the boardwalk, as this enables hikers to experience wetlands, a floodplain swamp, and the headwaters area of the Haw River. Several benches were added to widened areas on the boardwalk.

Wetlands Boardwalk at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Winter Hike in NC State Parks © Katrena

The boardwalk ended with a larger seating area where my crew enjoyed a quite picnic lunch, where we of course left nothing but footprints and a nice memory of a peaceful time of quiet contemplation.

Headwaters Area of Haw River © Katrena

Haw River Headwaters Area Hiking Trail © Katrena

NC Hiking Trail with Boardwalk © Katrena

As we relaxed, we could hear the stream singing in rhythm with the frogs. We saw a couple of birds and an occasional squirrel. A few tiny buds hinted at the approaching arrival of spring as the bare trees swayed with the breeze.

Educational Seating Area at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Along the trails, we noticed several seating areas, indicative of places where groups would gather to learn more about the ecosystem surrounding them. The lake loop trail circles the lake and was more flat than the Piedmont loop trail, but neither of the trails was strenuous.

Nature Walks in Guilford and Rockingham Counties © Katrena

This park offers several camps for children and also a "grand camp" for grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy and learn together. They also have an educational program with a low ropes challenge course.

Lake Loop Trail at Haw River State Park © Katrena

Overall, this park offered a restful, peaceful winter hike with a few hills and an interesting boardwalk. The two trails combined featured a little over two miles of hiking in an ecosystem that would be difficult to traverse without a boardwalk.

Mini Library at Haw River State Park © Katrena

This park has a tiny library, so plan to bring a book for exchange!

Interesting Things to do with Kids in NC © Katrena

Visit the Haw River State Park web site for additional information about this North Carolina state park. Check out the North Carolina State Parks web site for information on other parks in the system.

North Carolina State Parks © Katrena

Thanks for visiting my Travel NC with Kids blog. Visit my site map to find more articles and photos featuring additional family friendly activities in the state, such as:

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Stone Mountain Loop Trail at Stone Mountain State Park in NC

Stone Mountain Loop Trail at Stone Mountain State Park in NC © Katrena

The Stone Mountain Loop Trail is located at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina (not to be confused with Stone Mountain in Georgia). My family decided to only hike along the back side of the loop to the waterfall and back because temperatures were in the high 90s on the day we visited.

Stone Mountain Loop Trail © Katrena

We traveled from the Welcome Center to the lower trailhead parking lot where the trail starts. There is a sign for the trail just past the restrooms, so that was helpful, particularly since this was the first time we visited the park. The loop trail is identified by orange circles posted along the way as well.

Road Leading to Homestead for Those with Mobility Issues © Katrena

According to the Stone Mountain State Park web site, the entire loop is 4.5 miles. The trail has a natural surface and is considered strenuous. There are quite a few steps near the waterfall going around to the front. If you are hiking the whole loop, it might be easier to hike around the front and come down the steps to the waterfall.

Trail Just Past Homestead at Stone Mountain State Park © Katrena

We wanted to walk by the Hutchinson Homestead, and it looks like there is more than one way to get there. We ended up walking along a road for part of the way. I noticed there was a parking area right by the homestead, so people who have mobility issues can drive very near that area and park, but the parking over there is very limited. It looked like there might be room for about two or three cars.

Stone Mountain in North Carolina © Katrena

Just past the homestead is a beautiful view of Stone Mountain. When we visited, some people were climbing the stone face. Apparently, this park is known for their opportunities for rock climbing. Those who wish to do that must register with the park. Stone Mountain is a registered national landmark, and you can see the plaque in my photo above.

Loop Trail at Stone Mountain State Park © Katrena

The trail is shaded and there are quite a few scenic areas where a stream meanders across the trail. Water levels were really low, so my kids enjoyed walking across the water on rocks, but there were bridges over the water too.

Fence at Homestead at Stone Mountain State Park © Katrena

The trail is maintained well. I think many people who travel to state parks are careful not to litter, but I also realize that keeping the trails clean and free of trash and limbs, etc. is quite a job, and I appreciate all the extra efforts the staff members take to maintain such long trails.

Stone Mountain Loop Trail at NC State Park © Katrena

The trail is wide and a person with some mobility issues may be able to navigate the trail, but there are a few steps along that back portion of the loop to get to the waterfall. I enjoyed listening to the sound of the water as we hiked. It was quite peaceful. We also saw butterflies almost everywhere we looked. Those who enjoy nature photography will definitely want to bring a camera.

Beautiful Hiking Trail in NC - This is looking back from the bridle trail © Katrena

At one point, the loop trail splits. If you go to the right, you'll see Middle Falls and Lower Falls. We weren't sure what we were looking for, so we hiked and hiked down that way. After crossing one section of the stream, we realized we were on a bridle trail, so we had a picnic lunch, watched the butterflies dance, and then headed back to the split.

Steps at Stone Mountain Loop Trail on Back Side © Katrena

If you particularly want to see the big waterfall and don't have much extra time, stay to the left where the trail splits. Before long, you'll reach several sections of stairs. My kids weren't too excited about the hiking trip with such hot temperatures, but we persevered and made it to the waterfall. The trail was shaded for almost the entire way on the back part of the loop, which really helped in such hot temperatures.

Stone Mountain Falls in NC © Katrena

The waterfall is tall. Water levels were low when we visited, but it was still beautiful, and my kids decided the hike was worth it to see the waterfall. Of course, a couple of people had dogs on leashes in that area; dogs tend to bring out the happy in my kids!

I am hoping to return to Stone Mountain State Park and enjoy the entire loop in cooler weather. There are quite a few trails at the park, including one waterfall very close to a parking area that we didn't have the opportunity to see.

I have tried to include a variety of pictures showcasing how the trail looks, but my pictures don't do the trail justice. To enjoy the fresh air, smell the motley collection of wildflowers, and hear the meandering water of the stream add a depth to the view that I cannot capture with the lens of a camera!

Additional articles by Katrena

Thanks so much for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog. Visit the official Stone Mountain State Park web site for hours, camping information, information about their bridle trails and fishing, and much more.

Have you hiked this trail at Stone Mountain State Park? If so, what were your favorite parts?

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Stone Mountain State Park in NC Offers Nostalgic Exhibits in Welcome Center

My family has visited quite a few state parks throughout North Carolina. Each one has a unique, special feel when you walk into the room. We typically visit the Welcome Center first when going to a state park for the first time.

The Welcome Center at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina (not to be confused with the one in Georgia) offered quite a few interesting displays. Visitors get a glimpse of life in simpler times, a time when people were quite innovative by creating things they needed and wanted to make life easier.

A big black bear greeted us front and center as soon as we entered the front door. There are a lot of steps to enter through the front, but the building does have a ramp so folks can enter through the back without navigating all of those steps! If you have ever wondered what a moonshine still looks like, you'll find one in the lobby. Each of the exhibits offers educational information about the items.

I come from a musical family, so I found the musical instruments on display to be particularly interesting. I bet quite a few fun times were enjoyed by families years ago as they made their own music together. I would have loved to have heard my grandma play that banjo!

A large loom and hanging quilt made the side room look rustic and homey. My kids particularly liked the stages of moths and butterflies display. When we went hiking, it was even better to see the beautiful insects fluttering around the trail and near the creek!

There is a beautiful painting of Stone Mountain in the Welcome Center. It gives visitors an idea of the spectacular view that awaits those who wish to hike the trail. There is handicap parking near the area where you can see the large stone, so even those with mobility issues may wish to walk to see the old homestead and amazing mountain view. Folks can catch a glimpse of the stone from the window of the Welcome Center.

I recognized quite a few of the items on display because my grandparents lived on a farm in southwestern Virginia. Many of those items brought back memories of visiting them.

We had the opportunity to speak with several people who work at the park; they gave tips for which trails would be best for our hiking abilities and time we had for the visit. The Welcome Center also had restrooms.

Thanks so much for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog! Have you been to Stone Mountain in North Carolina? If so, what are some of your favorite spots?

For more information, maps, hours, etc., visit the Stone Mountain State Park official web page.

Additional articles by Katrena