My little wanted to go to a museum, so when I found that Morrow Mountain State Park not only had a museum but a scenic overlook, I knew we needed to visit. A very quick drive later, we were at the State Park and enjoying all that it had to offer. I appreciate that the roads within the State Park are paved, as the terrain can be steep at times and with the rains we've had, a gravel road would have washed out. The museum is small, but highly informative. I learned so many new things about Stanly County and the types of rocks and minerals found within the county. After the museum, we drove around the State Park, exploring the many camping sites, seeing the Kron house, and ending up at the scenic overlook. There was one hairpin turn that you have to be careful with when meeting oncoming vehicles, but it was a very serene drive. I thought it was awesome they had a "summit snack bar" that was open, although we didn't wander over. The views are breathtaking! Such a great place to visit on a weekend or during the week when time permits. read more

See all

Gorgeous state park with gorgeous views and trails BUT absolutely NO service. There is WiFi available in the office but they refuse to share the password. Stating it's not for public use. Fine. Whatever. But what if there's an emergency? All the signs just say call the park ranger. Can't do that with no service babe. Otherwise love it read more

I know most folks think of crowders when thinking of nearby hiking spots near Charlotte, but go east instead and you'll happen upon another park with trails and very easy to get to! We got about six and a half miles of hiking from the parking area to the view (3.25 miles). Had our picnic, then headed back. The last half a mile was pretty steep, but the views are worth it. Lots of picnic spots as well as a super clean bathroom at the top. If you don't want to hike to the top, you can get to the visit by car, so super family friendly (multi generational). We only did one trail route, but there are so many loops to keep it interesting. The trail we did was up and down too so a good variety of climbing and downhill. read more

See all

This state park was beautiful. The staff at the office were so helpful with clarifications and suggestions. We did the Morrow Mountain trail, but stopped paying attention and went about a mile on the sugarloaf trail too, without realizing, so our hike was a little longer than intended but that was completely our fault- the trail was wonderfully marked. read more

Wonderful state park! Easy to get to from Charlotte, with signs from the main road. I parked near the office and museum and while the office was closed, the restrooms, water fountains were still accessible. They had maps, passport stamps and more information about upcoming events inside as well. The museum was separate from the office, just across the parking lot and close to the trail entrance. It was a nice spot to learn more about the geology and history of the area. I hiked Morrow Mountain trail and enjoyed the views once I got to the top. Or you could drive to the scenic vista. There are restrooms and picnic areas at the top along with a nice overlook and benches to take in the view. Really enjoyed my day and excited to come back to tackle a different trail! read more

See all

I really enjoy hiking in this state park. We took the Hattaway trail which is about 3 miles. The trail is rated strenuous but they have since changed the route and now I would consider it "moderate". The water fountains aren't turned on yet, they are still turned off claiming Covid precautions. They have a lot of really cool activities for kids to do here like nature hunts and they also have worksheets for crossword puzzles and stuff. You can also drive up to an overlook that was really nice to see and it is handicap accessible. I will be back! read more

See all

This is a great location thats close from Charlotte area. The park itself is huge with options for camping, fishing etc. You can drive through the entrance and make a right to the summit which is perfect for views. They have nice clean restrooms so lets please keep it that way. There is a shelter incase rain abrupt your picnic plus lots of picnic tables with grills for a nice bbq gatherings. On a nice sunny day, you can see many bikers and car enthusiast around here. They also have hiking trails that is well maintained. They don't have a huge options but this is a small package with big surprises kinda deal. So if you around charlotte metro or concord Harrisburg side, go for a picnic with family. The kids will love it. Plus you will enjoy the 360 view if you take a walk on the summit. read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - Sunmit - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

See all

Gorgeous park just about an hour drive from Charlotte! There's a beautiful lake one one end and at the other there's a nice little outlook. These parts are super accessible but they also have plenty of various trails throughout the park. Both times I've been here the park rangers were active and very friendly. There are other state parks that I go to wear I don't see a park ranger unless it's at the visitors center which is not the case here. read more

See all

So, I finally made it! After 30+ years of life in North Carolina I've practically driven past this park a hundred times. I've heard all about it too. And while it's not a "mountain" per se, at just over 900 feet it's about the tallest and most prominent point in this part of the state. There's a significant history both geologically and archaeologically in this specific area that's fascinating. The Pee Dee and Yadkin rivers snake through these large hills (Morrow Mtn. is clustered with a few others over 400 feet tall all within the park) to feed Lake Tillery. I remember vividly multiple trips to camp on Lake Tillery as a child but I can't, for the life of me, remember a trip to the state park. On my trip this past weekend I decided to hike the eponymous Morrow Mountain Trail. Actually, the trails were a bit confusing and hard to follow. Many ran in together and split again later. Signage attempted to be helpful but ended up confusing me more at many junctions. It didn't help that recent storms and rain knocked down several large trees and cut streams through the trails to make for a somewhat muddy hike. Toward the end of the trail you start to gain some serious and immediate elevation. It did become quite strenuous, though I had run an 8k just the day before. The view was seriously worth it though. The park info lady in the office said you could see Charlotte from the top, though I forgot to really look... Maybe because it's the off-season or because of the recent weather, but the park was not crowded at all. This excursion made for a proper rounding-out of a pleasant weekend. I got my NC state park passport book stamped and really had a peaceful time here. read more

See all

Perfect get away for tent or cabin camping. Trails, pool, lake, fishing, boat rentals etc. campground host is friendly. Love this place. read more

See all

Came here yesterday for a couple of nice morning hikes! Morrow Mountain has two easy hikes which are both 0.8 mile loops. This is perfect if you have kids or people who can't do long distance hiking. First, we started off by parking at the Morrow Mountain Scenic View parking lot, the Mountain Loop trail has a trail head at the top end and the trail eventually ends back to the parking lot near the bottom of the lot. Take a moment near the circle at the top and enjoy the amazing view. Next, we drove to the boathouse parking lot. From here, we did the Three Rivers Nature trail which was more like a relaxing nature walk. Note: beware of poop on the trail! We spotted many along the way. For lunch, you can either have a picnic near the boathouse parking lot, at the big picnic lot by the campgrounds, or at the Morrow Mountain scenic view parking lot. There is a nice picnic table right next the gorgeous view at the scenic view lot. Another thing is that this state park has some clean bathrooms, especially at the park ranger station. read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - View from the Morrow Mountain Scenic View parking lot - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

See all

This is a very nice place for hiking, enjoy the whole day or so, and relax. Just 30 minutes from Charlotte. This beautiful place is full of magic and history. Explore the area and you'll find amazing stories from American natives. Lake Tillery is on the east, with a picnic area, campground, kayak, and canoes rentals. The view of the top is breathtaking. Amazing! Great thing is that is not as crowded as other closed spots. Be aware that cellphone coverage won't be the best, and there are not enough restrooms. I used to come often so I'm never bored because there are a lot of different trails. Don't forget your water, and enjoy this amazing gem. read more

See all

Pretty state park with trails, camping, and a lake. Passed by a swimming pool that's currently closed for the season. Clean bathrooms in the visitor center. Take the drive up to the scenic overlook, worth the curvy road and time. Benches on the deck there offer another chance to relax. Picnic tables available there, too. read more

See all

A beautiful place to just get away from it for a day or so and relax. This is one those hidden Gems of the Piedmont. Most folks in Charlotte, when they think of going to the Mountains think going west. They do not think about the small chain of Mountains to the East called the Uwharrie Mountains. Morrow Mountain is part of that chain and is just a couple miles Northeast of Albemarle on the West Bank of Lake Tillery. Hard to believe but millions of years ago, the Uwharrie Mountains were a series of Volcanoes just off the Coast of Africa that got pushed West into the North American Plate. Before you think this is a new find, think again. This was a very important Native American Center dating back over 8000 years ago. The Native American living here had everything the needed. Rivers teaming with abundant Fish, Fertile Land for farming corn and squash and other products and plenty of game. More importantly they had a trading commodity. From the Volcanoes, at the top of Mount Morrow is an ancient quarry that produced a specific volcanic rock called Rhyolite. Rhyolite is the perfect stone to produce an arrowhead or spear point or scrapper, all vital tools in early Native American Life. These tools made from stones from this site have been found throughout Eastern North America indicating a vibrate trading center. Another interesting point is the home of Dr. Francis Korn, the first Doctor in this area. A native Prussian who studied in Philadelphia and later taught at the University of North Carolina, his home office and greenhouses are hear. I would suggest taking a few minutes and visit the visitor center. Quick education on the flora and fauna of the area along with the history. Remember that the first gold find in what is now the United States was just a couple of miles west of here. The scenery is great. You have Lake Tillery on the East with Picnicking and Kyack and Canoe Rentals available. View from the top of Morrow Mountain is spectacular. We were here in early Sept and the trees were just beginning to get some color. Will be beautiful in early October. Cell phone coverage is not great but come to think about it, that's not that all bad. Great place to get away and relax and only a short drive from all three of the major metro areas in NC. It's an overlooked Gem so it will not be as crowded as other spots. Highly recommend. I would have given it a five except a large number of the instructional videos in the Visitor Center were not functional. read more

See all

There is lots of family fun and a lake. They also have festivals near bye. There were quite a few people camping with campers, and some had fires. Some had grills. The place didn't have that feel like you were in nature. This was because the next set of people were literally 20 feet from you, and there were hundreds of people. It was more like a large party of strangers getting together and ignoring each other. Maybe you like that. It seemed uncomfortable for me. I stayed for only a short time and left. The good news is there is tons to do around the area from lake fun such as boating and fishing to seeing live gatherings. At the time they were having an American Indian gathering with dancing and drums! There were tepees and everyone seemed to be having a great time! read more

See all

Complete waste of gas! We drove about an hour to to this poor excuse of a "state park". They should seriously consider shutting it down permanently! There's absolutely nothing to see and they had several areas closed including the peak of the so called mountain (due to some trees). Unacceptable! We did buy a couple of hiking stick pins, and they were friendly, but the park itself SUCKS! I could have just walked in my backyard and seen a better view. read more

I can't believe I just found out about this place!!!! It's way better than Crowders Mountain, and it feels like your up in the mountains. So many different trails, from super strenuous, to kid friendly trails. Also if you don't want to hike to the top, you can just take your car and enjoy the views without having to hike. Also at the bottom of the mountain the have boat access, you also can rent kayaks and canoes. This place is amazing read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - Mountain View's - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

See all

This is a beautiful destination for a motorcycle ride. Excellent views. Ample parking. Immaculate bathrooms. Even better, admission is free!! Check this gem out! read more

Perfect place if you need a quick get away, trails ranging from easy to moderate with great views and lots of privacy if you have a hard time keeping your hands off your date. Wildlife is abundant but the squirrels are massive and will scare you if they jump out in your path. Variety of spots for a picnic/snacks. 10/10 great kept secret of NC. One of those "if you know you know" places or whatever the kids are saying these days. read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

This state park is an easy drive from Charlotte and features some great hikes and scenic vistas (as well as fishing, if you are interested in that). The Fall Mountain Trail hike is a great intermediate hike for those who have a family or who are not experienced hikers. This trail is a loop of four miles and winds up to the peak of the mountain. The only disappointment was the view from the summit, which was gorgeous but largely obscured by trees. If you find the right spot you can get some good photos but it wasn't an entirely satisfying payoff to the hike. There is a scenic vista nearby that you can hike or drive to which features more spacious views. It's a great park if you are looking to get out of the Charlotte area and into the mountains. Just bring water! read more

See all

10/10 recommend. The drive from Charlotte was very pleasant, no traffic, just a straight shot. The drive up the mountain was fine, just be careful on the outer lane. There are numerous places where you can catch a good view (without even hiking). There's a vast amount of trails with different levels of difficulty. I had a health emergency & had to call for help. And y'all!!! The park rangers, other staff & Stanly county EMT teams were so AMAZING!! They were so responsive & delightful. I really hope they know how much I appreciated them. Until next time read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

See all

Good day hike! We live in Stallings and it takes about 45 minutes to get there. Not a bad drive. I would recommend stopping by the office to get a map and ask her where the peaks are on the map. If you want an "easier" hike go to Fall Mountain Trail. We started by the river and then walked around that way. Pretty hike-but not a lot of view. Was easier for both of my parents. It's a big loop. At the lake you can rent a canoe for $5/hour in season. They also have some snacks and drinks when they have the canoe rentals open. Morrow Mountain trail was a good difficulty. Lots of variation in the elevation. Much better views! Side note you can drive to this peak. There were bathrooms and picnic tables up here. Also some water fountains. Pretty good State Park for day hikes! Also pick up a passport while you're there. You can get stamps and get prize packs for visiting the different parks in the area. read more

See all

Having lived near this state park has made me a bit short sighted at just how much it actually has to offer. During a most recent trip I was reminded how the overlook areas and the picnic locations as well as the miles of trails really give you a feeling of what the blue ridge mountain areas have but with half or even less drive time. The Krohn House is one of my favorite places to check out. If you go, be sure to walk behind it, back into the woods to see the family burial site. Unfortunately vandals have destroyed some of the headstones but it's still a pretty cool thing to behold. The hiking trails are pretty easy to navigate and will guide you in and around the wooded areas but also will always lead you back to a paved road at some point for when you are ready to head back if need be. The public pool is also a nice break and although I haven't been there during the summer in quite some time, it appeared during my last visit that it was well kept. Lastly, there is plenty of camping areas around and you can even rent a cabin. Lastly, don't forget to drive to the top of the mountain and take a look at the overlook. It's breath taking. read more

Another NC State Park crossed off my list! So thankful that our beautiful outdoor resources are reopening during this phase 1 of COVID 19 reopening. Picnic areas, campgrounds, boat rentals and pool still closed (05/10/20). Looking at the positives: the park is open! Tailgate picnicking allowed, restrooms open, and most hiking and bridle trails open. Thanks to our front line personnel from rangers to janitorial staff!!! While social distancing on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (also Mother's Day) was difficult on the few trails still accessible, I know our family (beagle dog included) was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit a beautiful state park. Trails need some major maintenance work--perhaps deferred from COVID 19. Only hiked the 4 mile loop of Fall Mountain Trail, but probably at least four areas where the trail was blocked by recently downed trees (uprooted or snapped off at the trunk). Tornadoes or sheer winds must have passed thru in Spring 2020 (among everything else) and a (prescribed?) burn. Would love to have the visitors center open to ask all these questions, but until then, I deeply appreciate the work of our park staff to open the gates and keep us safe and recreating! I look forward to learning more about this park which opened in 1939 and owes much of its charm and character to the CCC and Works Progress Administration. I want to come back and swim in the pool! read more

We very much enjoyed our first trip to MMSP. This was our first time "glamping" in our camper van and we weren't sure how prepared we were - spoiler alert- not very! Oops! Luckily, being in the campground here we not only felt safe but we were happy with the water, trash, firewood and bathrooms available to make our otherwise slightly uncomfortable first attempt so much easier. The views from the top of the mountain didn't hurt, either! read more

See all

Morrow Mountain makes for a good excursion or a weekend camping trip. The trip from Charlotte is one hour on a peaceful country highway (Hwy 27 to Albemarle), whose landscape in itself is worth a trip. Camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, its all here. The park consists of three "mountains" and Lake Lure. The mountains are not as high as Crowder's or the Blue Ridge Parkway and the view is not quite as awe-inspiring, but the hike is not as strenuous as Crowder's either. The trail to Mt. Morrow takes about 1 1/2 hours to complete a normal pace. Even in hot weather, you are covered by a canopy of trees. The teaser of the hike is that Lake Tillery is not visible until you reach the peak. Whatta view! The only drawback to Mount Morrow is that the top of the mountain has a paved road and bikers tend to gather at the top. The roar of motorcycles spoils the ambiance, so don't get your hopes up about having a Zen moment. However, the rest of park is pretty relaxing, so it makes a nice weekend escape from Charlotte. read more

Morrow Mountain State Park - Swimming Pools Near Me - Albemarle, North Carolina

See all

We visited Morrow Mountain for a weekend camping trip over Memorial Day weekend. The park is a reasonable distance from the Triangle, Triad, or Charlotte and is easy to find. Conveniently located about 15 minutes from Walmart, for all of those things you forgot to bring with you. Be sure to make your reservations early on a holiday weekend, so you can have your pick of campsites. Our campsite had a driveway, picnic table, fire pit, and electrical hookup. It was about a 5-minute walk to restrooms and showers. Ahh, the modern conveniences. Nothing says nature like a electric fan in your tent and a shower. The swimming pool is open, starting on Memorial Day weekend and costs $5.00 per person per day. A welcome relief from the heat! There are lots of hiking trails. If you're especially adventurous, you can even hike to the top of the mountain. Our unadventurous selves decided to drive to the top of the mountains (along with every motorcyclist in the county). The view was beautiful! They host a simple worship service every Sunday at the amphitheater. Most important advice- Apply bug spray liberally and often!!! read more

We stayed here back in October for a couple of nights and I fell in love with the area. The park is incredible with its gorgeous views and lake shore. During our visit, we stayed on site in one of the cabins. Our lodgings were clean and stocked with the bare necessities in the kitchen. The beds weren't all that comfortable, but we're talking about small cabins in the woods. Anyone who enjoys camping won't be unhappy or surprised by the lodgings. While in the park we enjoyed light hiking, stargazing, visiting the museum, and loved being surrounded by all the wildlife. It was a wonderful weekend getaway and I look forward to doing it again! read more

Checked out Morrow Mountain on a hot sunny summer day. The park is set up pretty well with information available and some facilities. Strangely it seemed that their parking capacity was way out of line with actual visitor numbers. I'm not sure when the peak season is, but if you go on a weekday you'll only see a few other people around at that time. Was too hot and late in the day for hiking, which, albeit disappointing, was OK since the main attractions are accessible by road. I'm personally disappointed whenever I go to a mountain that is accessible by road since that takes some of the excitement of hiking to the top, but the peak of Morrow Mtn. still offers a nice view nonetheless. A visit to the Kron house is recommended as the historic (reconstructed I think) buildings are pretty cool. The area along the river/lake has a boat launch and a pretty cool boardwalk through the wooded area. Just be careful of bees/wasps that are very active all over the park, but probably won't bother anyone. A tick also tried to make me it's victim when walking over a large mowed portion of some lawn so be aware even if it's not the typical tick-risky area. It's a small mountain, but when you live in Charlotte you'll take what you can get. read more

Beautiful park to take the family. You can hike, rent a paddle boat or just drive to the top And enjoy the view. We always have a blast

Love to come here for a peaceful day canoeing Tillery or enjoying a picnic lunch on top of the mountain!

Nice picture spot. Large parking area. If you have kids running around keep them close as traffic can be heavy. read more

See all

The hubs and I packed a picnic and headed out to Morrow Mountain State Park on a beautiful summer Sunday morning. This area is convenient to Charlotte, and we enjoyed our peaceful hike in the Uwharries on the 4.1 mile Fall Mountain Trail. Lots of ryolite rock is buried in the mountain, making the hiking interesting (wear appropriate shoes!). The forest is mostly deciduous, but offers a good shade cover on nearly the whole trail. There's a canoe rental shack and parking lot right at the trail head with good restrooms. The first part of the trail is along the river, very pretty. We really enjoyed this, then had a picnic at a nearby park spot and overlook. This is a great little half-day activity! read more

Had my engagement pictures taken here yesterday. Beautiful! The drive to Morrow Mountain is beautiful within itself but the park is beautiful as well. Once I entered the park I was greeted by a deer crossing the road. I was being too cautious to capture. It's about another 3 miles from park entrance to lake tillery and Kron's House. But it's worth the drive We mainly stayed near Kron's House for the pictures and it's beautiful. I will update this post once I get the pictures back. read more

Another great place to go camping in North Carolina. The facilities are very clean and well-kept. Those of you who need to shower daily while camping, there is a public bathroom with showers in the middle of each campsite loops. This place is very similar to the set up to Stone Mountain State Park. This place also has primitive camping available, which is a 2 mile hike to the designated camping site. read more

Great state park with campsites and views. We enjoyed 3 days in the C loop. We shall return. read more

See all

First time visiting a State Park in North Carolina and Morrow Mountain was great. I'm looking forward to visiting more parks in the future after visiting this one. We camped from the Friday to Sunday. Camping area has a fire pit and picnic table. Also within a decent walking distance to showers/restrooms. On Saturday we walked a number of the hiking trails before making our way onto the Morrow Mountain trail. Fantastic views at the top. We enjoyed our lunch up there too. Restrooms, water refills and picnic tables available also. Hope to return in the future. read more

Friendly staff, beautiful park and really nice campground. Impressed by how clean the bathrooms are for a campground!

This is a great place to camp year round. Lots of wildlife and very friendly rangers and hosts. If you can, go eat at Jays. It is a seafood and turf buffet along with a menu you can order from. This place has really great food and it is cheap! Getting back to the campground, be careful as you go to the dump station. It has low outstreching limbs. I have a few permenent scrapes on my camper. Hope the they cut these before our next visit. read more

Loved it. Morrow Mountain is the BEST. There is so much to do there! The campsites have everything you need and they have clean bathrooms that are not crazy infested with bugs, the showers had hot water and were clean. They had canoeing and boating along with ice cream for sale. You could also fish! Vacation cabins were available along with a usable Pay Phone for emergencies and standard calls plus toll free for no cost. There is a pool but it was closed when we were there since it was seasonal. Plenty of good hiking trails are open but Sugar Loaf trail we tried to hike on and due to weather conditions there were fallen trees and we had to turn back. Albemarle is a bit of a drive from where I live but it is closer than Stone Mountain which is in Roaring Gap. read more