Pilot Mountain State Park

21 October 2009

Pilot Mountain State Park is located between Mount Airy and Winston Salem in North Carolina. It is 1.5 hours drive from Charlotte. It is well known for its distinctive peak “Big Pinnacle”. Pilot Mountain’s original Native American name is Jomeokee. Pilot Mountain has two distinctive pinnacles, named Big and Little Pinnacle. Big Pinnacle is also called “The Knob”. It has 200 feet (61 m) high bare rock walls, and a rounded top covered in vegetation, reaching a height of approximately 1,400 feet (430 m) above the surrounding terrain.

The park is divided into 2 areas:- The Summit and The Yadkin River area. Activities at the park include camping, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, picnicking, hiking, and environmental education. There are different trails in the park which allow access.

There is a paved road with overlooks and offers views of Big Pinnacle.It is handicap accessible.
Another 0.1 mile long trail leads to Little Pinnacle and Little Pinnacle Overlook offers a close-up view of Big Pinnacle and distant views of the valley below..
The Jomeokee Trail is 0.8 miles roundtrip and is moderate. It goes around the base of Big Pinnacle.

There are 2 picnic areas at the Yadkin River section and 1 picnic area at the summit. Ivy Bluff and Yadkin River Trails originate the River Section of the park.

Here are some photos from our trip to Pilot Mountain State Park. You can read more about other North Carolina Parks here.