Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton, North Carolina is a great place to explore the great outdoors. From scenic trails to must-visit attractions, there are plenty of top outdoor adventures to enjoy. Popular attractions in and near the area include Catawba Meadows Park, Quaker Meadows Park, and Table Rock State Park. Catawba Meadows Park offers a variety of trails for hiking, biking, and running, while Quaker Meadows Park is perfect for a leisurely stroll or a picnic. Table Rock State Park offers a variety of outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, and kayaking. With such an array of activities and breathtaking landscapes, Morganton, North Carolina is a great place to explore and get mesmerized by the wonders of nature.
Top Spots in and near Morganton
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Connelly Springs, North Carolina
High Shoals Falls
4.52.47 mi / 617 ft gainFrom the Jacob Fork parking area in South Mountains State Park, it is a short 1 mile walk over the Jacob River to the High Shoals Waterfall (80'). If you choose to continue past the observation deck, High Shoals Falls Trail (blue circle) climbs up above the waterfall, crossing the river. Keep rig...Read more -
Connelly Springs, North Carolina
High Shoals Waterfall and H.Q. Loop Trail
4.83 mi / 1043 ft gainHigh Shoals Waterfall and H.Q. Loop Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Connelly Springs, North Carolina.Read more -
Connelly Springs, North Carolina
Backpack to Sawtooth Campground in South Mountains SP
5.08.5 mi / 1500 ft gainThis 8.5-mile total trip will take you through the highlights of South Mountains State Park with an overnight stay in one of the drier campsites. You'll start with a 2.7 mile loop that you can do sans packs before picking up with a 3-mile each way out-and-back. Begin by parking at the large par...Read more -
Connelly Springs, North Carolina
Hiking the South Mountains' Jacob Fork
4.0The journey begins at the Cicero Branch Parking Area along South Mountain Road, following Jacob Fork River Trail. The trail runs along the Fork before ascending Chestnut Knob. After completing the trail, you will find yourself on the highest peak of the South Mountain chain, where there are breat...Read more -
Nebo, North Carolina
Explore Lake James State Park
The park has about 15 miles of trails with different levels of difficulties . Hiked the Lake Channel Trail along the lake with good views of the lake and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hiked the Mill's creek trail which is nicely shaded and offers good views of the lake and the Linville Gorge area. ...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Camp on Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge
5.0The Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, also known as the Grand Canyon of the East, is one of the wildest, most rugged gorges in the eastern United States. It's also an outdoor paradise for hikers and backpackers. Camping here is always a treat and you are sure to enjoy your time spent in the gorge.D...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Hike to Hawksbill Mountain
5.02.1 mi / 660 ft gainStarting at the Hawksbill Mountain Trailhead, which is clearly marked start hiking up! The trail starts out with some easy uphill switchbacks and leads you to the first lookout point. Enjoy sometime at the lookout point, but you'll want to keep going for a more incredible view. Keep hiking uphill...Read more -
Linville, North Carolina
Shortoff Mountain Summit
4.84.64 mi / 1178 ft gainStart your hike from the Shortoff Mountain Trail off of Wolf Pit Road at the base of Lake James. From the summit there is a small grassy area off a side trail that provided awesome cliff side views of the Gorge and Linville River! You can setup after making the hour and a half trek (maybe just in...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Camp at the Chimneys in the Linville Wilderness
5.01 mi / 138 ft gainThe Chimneys area is a lesser-known camping destination within the Linville Wilderness. The Chimneys are a series of rock formations that rise above Linville Gorge and provide unobstructed panoramic views of the gorge and surrounding mountains. These rocks sit adjacent to Table Rock which hosts w...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Hike to the Summit of Table Rock Mountain
4.62.2 mi / 572 ft gainOff of Highway 181, the trailhead is very clearly marked with a large parking lot. Although the trail is fairly short, make sure you have your footing, because the trail does switch back and forth in addition to gaining elevation -- it's pretty steep in some places! It's all worth it when you get...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Little Table Rock Trail
5.02.73 mi / 1148 ft gainLittle Table Rock Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Morganton, North Carolina.Read more -
Marion, North Carolina
Camp in the Linville Gorge via the Pinch In Trail
1.5 miWe are pretty notorious for passing up a good campsite but we are learning our lessons. We got a late but interesting start on Pinch-In trail. We climbed down a steep 600+ feet after passing this ledge only to climb right back to it a third of a mile in. If we come up to an awesome spot, we somet...Read more -
Marion, North Carolina
Hike the Rock Jock Trail
6 mi / 700 ft gainOne of the first things I noticed when researching this hike was the conflicting information regarding finding the trail head, length of the hike, and the hike's correct route. Hopefully, as of September 2017, this report will contain the most up-to-date information currently available. To find t...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Hawksbill Mountain Trail
4.91.87 mi / 633 ft gainHidden far above the beautiful Linville Gorge stands Hawksbill Mountain, among many other fantastic hikes. The roughly 1.7 mile hike from the dusty gravel parking lot is steep but worth every step. It took me about an hour to conquer with a few water bottle-guzzling stops. At the top, you are al...Read more -
Morganton, North Carolina
Photograph Hawksbill Mountain at Sunrise or Sunset
5.01.5 mi / 860 ft gainThe trail to the summit of Hawksbill begins on an unpaved road for the Pigsah National Forest. In about a half a mile the trail turns left just before reaching the Jonas Ridge Trail. This turn is an clearly marked turn with a sign for "Hawksbill Summit". The trail then becomes steeper and rocki...Read more -
Newland, North Carolina
Hike the Conley Cove Trail into Linville Gorge
5.02.6 mi / 1200 ft gainFollow the gravel old 105 to the parking lot at the Rock Jock Trailhead. Follow this trail a short distance until it splits to the left for Conley Cove. The Conley Cove trail descends over 1,200 ft. into the Linville Gorge, providing a glimpse into the dense and wild Pisgah National Forest. Shor...Read more
Top Activities
Camping and Lodging in Morganton
Newland, North Carolina
Linville Falls Campground
Overview
Located in a dense pine canopy, within hiking distance of Linville Gorge and along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville Falls...
Blue Ridge Parkway
Julian Price Campground
Overview
Located along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in the lush green expanses of North Carolina, the Julian Price Campground is a top d...
Old Fort, North Carolina
Curtis Creek Campground (Nc)
Overview
Curtis Creek Campground is nestled in the mountains at the base of the Blue Ridge just minutes from the quaint town of Old Fort ...
Burnsville, North Carolina
Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area
Overview
Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area sits in the scenic mountains of Pisgah National Forest. This is a great place for small to med...
Burnsville, North Carolina
Briar Bottom Group Campground
Overview
Briar Bottom Group Campground is the perfect getaway for visitors to enjoy mountain scenery and easy access to hiking trails. Th...
Burnsville, North Carolina
Black Mountain Campground
Overview
Black Mountain Campground sits in the shadow of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern U.S. and borders the South Toe Riv...
