Video: Fire brings new life to South Mountains State Park
UNC School of Media and Journalism produced a segment for UNC-TV looking at plant growth at South Mountains State Park, two years after the Chestnut Knob fire at the park.
COVID-19 information for parks under Modified Stay at Home Order
Posted on: Thursday, January 14, 2021 - 11:54am |
Park News
January 2021 race events and parking
Organized foot races hosted by the park (organized and managed by a special event permit holder) will be held Sunday, Jan 10th and Saturday Jan 30th. Expect busier than usual parking areas and trails on these dates. Runners will be encountered on most trails those days. Rangers may control parking during peak visitation times. Carpool if possible, and expect busy trails and delayed entry to the Jacob Fork parking area between 9am-3pm.
Last updated on: Saturday, January 9, 2021 Clear Creek Reservoir and Lakeview Trail
The water level at Clear Creek Reservoir has been lowered to perform maintenance. Fishing and boating access may be affected by the low water levels as the current shoreline is muddy and rocky.
Lakeview Trail includes at least one creek crossing that is difficult or impossible to cross safely without getting your feet wet during or immediately following heavy rain. Please plan ahead.
Last updated on: Saturday, January 9, 2021 Current status of park facilities
The park is open daily from 7:00am to 7:00pm.
The visitor center is open. A properly worn mask or face covering, covering both the nose and the mouth, is required to enter.
Picnic areas are open with tables spread out for social distancing and grills are open. Picnic shelters and the amphitheater are not available to reserve.
The family campground, equestrian campground, and backcountry campsites are open but may be FULL. There is no group camping permitted at South Mountains. Only six people or less per site.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL CAMPSITES. All campers, including backpackers, must make a reservation through the system online or by phone (1-877-722-6762). There are no walk-ins. Campers can make same-day reservations up until 9:00pm on the day of your arrival. You must make a reservation before setting up camp on a campsite. You cannot place your personal belongings on a site to "reserve" the site for you. When you arrive for your reservation, use the free Wi-Fi near the visitor center to self-check-in using the Reserve America Camping App. FALL is very busy, and most campsites are already reserved in advance.
Weekend delays: Visitors should expect park entrance delays from 10:00am to 2:00pm on weekends. You may encounter a 30-minute to 1-hour wait time to get into Jacob Fork access. Visitors will be directed to other parking areas once the High Shoals Falls trailhead parking is full. Traffic into the park will be controlled by park rangers for visitor safety and for emergency access. Plan ahead and limit the number of vehicles you take to the park. Maps are available at the visitor center and trailhead kiosks.
Please note that this alert is updated only when something changes. Generally, state parks are following the phased reopening statewide. As of October 3, we are following modified Phase 3.
Last updated on: Saturday, January 9, 2021
Bridle trails:
OPEN TODAY
Bike trails:OPEN TODAY
3001 South Mountain Park Ave.
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
828-433-4772
south.mountains@ncparks.gov
GPS: 35.5963, -81.600
Open Daily (except Christmas Day) 7am
Closing Hours
December, January and February 7pm
November 8pm
March, April and October 9pm
May - September 10pm
Closed Christmas Day
Park Office
8am - 5pm weekdays and weekends
Closed Christmas Day
News archive
Each of North Carolina’s state parks has special events during the year and news about facilities, trails, staff and park supporters. And, visitors are frequently finding new ways to explore a park’s unique cultural and natural resources. Check these pages to keep abreast of the news at your favorite parks.
Park Maps and Brochures:
