Activities
Located in the foothills of North Carolina, at the crossroads of the mountains
and the piedmont, the South Mountains are a transition zone between
the Appalachian Mountains and the Foothills. This rugged terrain boasts
elevations of up to 3,000 feet at its highest peak, Buzzard’s Roost. With
rich examples of forest communities such as pure conifer, mixed conifer,
hardwood and climax hardwood forests, an abundance of wildlife thrives
within its boundaries. Visitors can experience 49 miles of these unique
communities.
Experience the Park!
South Mountains State Park
3001 South Mountain Park Ave.
Connelly Springs, NC 28612
828-433-4772
south.mountains@ncparks.gov
GPS: 35.5963, -81.600
Fun Facts
■■ The park was established in 1975
■■ South Mountains is the largest N.C. state park at
20,871 acres
49 miles of
hiking, biking and
bridle trails
South Mountains
has many historic
graveyards, including
sites from the Civil War
■■ The park offers over 400 educational programs
and hikes annually
■■ The park is composed of two main access areas,
Jacob Fork Access, the main area of the park and
the Clear Creek Access, an independent day-use
area for fishing, hiking and horseback riding
■■ The South Mountains are a belt of
metamorphosed granite, called gneiss, carved
away by erosion and formed when rocks
undergo heat, pressure and chemical changes
■■ The area acted as a buffer zone between the
Cherokee and Catawba native Americans when
the Catawba Valley was a major travel route
Offers equestrian camping
with a 33-stall barn
• Jack-in-the-pulpit
• Lady slipper
• Foam flower
• Mountain laurel
• Rhododendron
■■ Most streams are considered “wild trout waters”
and about 2 miles are delayed harvest streams,
making it the perfect place to cast a line
■■ In the 1930’s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
Civilian Conservation Corps began establishing
trails, cleaning stream beds and constructing an
observation tower
• Gray-cheeked salamander
• Eastern fence lizard
• Rose-breasted grosbeak
• Ruffed grouse
• Eastern towhee
• Red-eyed vireo
• White-tailed deer
• Chipmunk
• Black bear
ncparks.gov
MNQP
In 1828 to the
20th century,
the mountains
experienced a
small gold rush
