North Carolina state park lovers will always rave about Stone Mountain State Park. For me, this was a recent discovery. With the park being in the northwestern part of North Carolina, the drive for me wasn’t too bad. I live around Lake Norman and just have to make an hour-long trip up I-77. So, hiking Stone Mountain State Park was a no-brainer for me.
If you are in my shoes when I first came here, wondering where to hike, I have the perfect hiking trail for you. The Stone Mountain Loop Trail is the ultimate mix of views and unique scenery for a western North Carolina hike. This trail has you climbing up Stone Mountain, coming down, following a beautiful waterfall, and finishing with a picture-perfect look at the entirety of Stone Mountain from the base.
Want to see the entire hike? Watch below!
Beyond hiking at Stone Mountain State Park, there is a variety of other activities to do. One of my favorites is fly fishing for trout. The East Fork Roaring River is consistently stocked with numerous trout species. This work done by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission helps to preserve the sport and wildlife for generations. Because of stocking, however, the main river is a delayed harvest river. Meaning there is a delay after stocking of the fish to give them time to grow and acclimate to the water. The park still features many wild trout streams that do not get stocked.
Stone Mountain State Park also offers various camping options. I’m interested in trying out some of the backcountry camping within the park boundaries. The primitive campsites follow along the Mountain-to-Sea Trail. This hiking trail follows across the entire state of North Carolina. As the name implies, it goes from the mountains to the sea! Definitely a bucket list item!
Now go out there and enjoy the day at Stone Mountain State Park!
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