Pilot Mountain State Park » Ecology
ALL PARK BRIDLE TRAILS WILL BE CLOSED SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5TH DUE TO RAIN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bridle Trail users and MST Hikers: The privately owned portion of the Sauratown Trail is closed between Pilot Mountain State Park and Coon Rd due to landowner wishes.
... details ±The privately owned and maintained portion of the Sauratown Trail is closed between Pilot Mountain State Park and Coon Rd due to landowner wishes.
For more information see the following link:
http://www.sauratowntrails.org/
The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will conduct a prescribed burn at Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County between mid-December and mid-January.
The burn will be conducted in upper elevations of the park’s mountain section. The public will not be allowed to enter this mountain section during the burn event, although the river section and corridor trail will remain open.
In order to minimize smoke the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end on the same day, though smoke may be visible at high elevations in the evening.
On the day when the fire is to begin, safety signs will be posted on area roadways to alert motorists and an alert will be posted on the Pilot Mountain State Park page of the division’s website, www.ncparks.gov. For further information, call the park office at (336) 325-2355.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 21 mile Sauratown Trail Section connecting Pilot Mtn. State Park to Hanging Rock State park is closed to all use for hunting season. This trail is 90% on private property.Please abide by this seasonal closure to ensure this trail remains available for the public to enjoy.
ATTENTION HORSEBACK RIDERS -ALL BRIDLE TRAILS WILL BE CLOSED AFTER RAIN/ICE/SNOW
To preserve park bridle trails for your continued use and enjoyment, all trails are closed to use by horses after rain. Riding on wet trails creates hazardous areas and erodes the trail. Riding trails when wet will cause their closure for maintenance and/or their closure to bridle use. If it has rained, wait to ride another day. If you want to know the weather for Pilot Mountain State Park you may check it at this address:
http://tinyurl.com/PilotMtnWeather
Trails will be closed after .5" or more of rain. Trail conditions will be checked daily by park staff during a closure and will reopen after the trail surface has dried.
------------------------------------------------------------
Attention Rock Climbers
Climbing route closures: "Unnamed/P.Break" climbing route in the amphitheater has been permanently closed due to visitor use conflicts. The "Big Gully" is closed to all use (CLIMBING, HIKING, RAPPELLING, ETC.) for natural resource protection. This closure does not affect adjacent routes.
Climbers and Hikers are reminded that this area can become congested. Do not block the Ledge Springs trail with your gear, rope, dogs, or group. Pets must be attended (not tied off on a tree and left alone) and leashed while in the climbing area.
Updated: 2012-01-10 15:31:47
The vegetation in the park is similar to that found in mountain habitats such as those in the Blue Ridge
Mountains. More than 70 families of vascular plants grow on and around Pilot Mountain. In late spring, the
Big Pinnacle is ringed with the bright pink blooms of Catawba rhododendron. Also abundant is mountain
laurel, distinguished by its leathery evergreen leaves and showy clusters of white flowers. Typical trees
include the chestnut oak, table mountain pine and pitch pine. Wild blueberry, huckleberry and grape can be
spotted along the trails.
Listen as American toads, chorus frogs and spring peepers call from nearby pools. Numerous songbirds
including the eastern bluebird, Carolina wren, brown thrasher and various warblers supply the woods with
music. Watch for ravens soaring above Big Pinnacle. The raven and the pileated woodpecker are two of the
rarer birds of Pilot Mountain. Other wildlife in the park includes red and gray fox, white-tailed deer,
woodchuck, opossum, gray squirrel, raccoon, and several species of reptiles and amphibians.