Top 5 (plus 1 to grow on) Kid-Friendly Hikes within 1 hour of Catawba County, NC

Located in Conover, NC, my beloved hometown, is River Bend Park, a local favorite for our crew, and in my opinion, the jewel in the crown of Catawba County’s Park System (although some may argue with me!). There’s stiff competition around here –did you know we rank 1st out of 100 North Carolina counties for number of square miles of green space per capita? Get outside and enjoy them! This park spans 690 acres, including just shy of 20 miles of hiking trails. Our crew loves the Red Line which runs parallel to the Catawba River shoreline for over a mile. Keep your eyes peeled for animal tracks – we spotted racoon, deer & heron during our last visit. We typically combine the Red Line with another overlapping trail to put in around 4 miles, which is just enough for the littlest in our pack. Stop by the Ranger Station when you arrive and grab a map or download it ahead of time to plan your route. Plan your visit to River Bend Park

The Green Knob Trail starts from the Sims Pond Overlook (Blue Ridge Parkway Mile Marker 295), which is located in Julian Price Memorial Park only about 5 minutes outside of downtown Blowing Rock, NC. This is a moderate 2.3 mile loop perfect for the little hikers. It seemed as if there were adventures around every turn & twist which made our imaginations wander free – multiple creek crossings, rhododendron tunnels, a pass under the Blue Ridge Parkway, cattle gate pass throughs, a distant view of Grandfather’s sleepy profile and meadow meanderings, to name some of our favorites. Don’t travel so hastily that you miss the magical sights and the sounds all throughout this journey. The blankets of moss covering the forest floor, the trickle of clear mountain streams, giant trees towering overhead, twisted vines, purple mountain thistle and the butterflies frolicking across the meadow. Read more about the Green Knob Trail Loop.

Located just 30 miles from downtown Hickory in Hiddenite, NC, this hidden gem (pun intended — Hiddenite, NC is famous for it’s gemstone mines) is one of the Greater Hickory Metro areas best kept secrets. Rock Climbers from miles around flock to this park to scale & rappel the rock face of the quarry area. We could have sat there for hours basking in the sun, while watching these hobbyist do their thing. This park in sum is 318 acres in size with 6 miles of hiking trails leading up to the mountain summit of 1,800 feet above sea level. We did about 4.2 miles with a stop at the top for a snack & some near 360 views of the beautiful NC foothills. Best part — we planned out our trip to enjoy a grand finale at the amazing playground with a zip line & huge slide! You can get to the playground from the parking lot, but then you’d miss the amazing views from the tail loops. Highly recommend for families or those itchin’ for some fresh air and adventure. Some day, I hope to return (without kiddos) and take on the Vertical Mile Challenge.

Do you like “rock music’? When hiking the Boone Fork Trail, there’s not a moment when you don’t hear the majestic ensemble of rushing water dancing over boulders, babbling streams, trickling creeks and drips through mountain nooks and crannies. I highly recommend this super scenic, moderately difficult 5-mile loop for your little hikers that are at least 6 years or older (unless you have a strong back). The trail departs from the Julian Price Park Picnic Area, which is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 296.5) only about 5 miles outside of Blowing Rock, NC. This trail takes you along and across cascading creeks, through open pastures sprinkled with wildflowers, between large rock boulders and underneath tunnels of rhododendron. Take a pit stop to cool off by the mist from several small waterfalls including Hebron Falls. Read more about the Boone Fork Trail here.

Baker’s Mountain Park is another local favorite. This park, spread across 189 acres of land with 6 miles of hiking trails, is located in the Mountain View area of Hickory, NC, less than 15 miles from the downtown district. Even on a cold and rainy day, this was a fun adventure! We scaled the red trail up to the highest point in the Catawba Valley at 1,780 feet in elevation and spotted some salamanders along the way. The topography is quite steep and can most certainly be a challenge for both big & little hikers alike so you may want to pace yourself and pack enough water. Unfortunately due to the weather conditions, we didn’t have much of a view at the observation platform. Take a pit stop in the gazebo at the summit for a snack before heading back down. Apart from hiking, Bakers Mountain Park features multiple picnic spots, has an all-abilities paved walking trail and is a hot spot for bird spotting enthusiasts. Plan your visit to Bakers Mountain Park.

South Mountains State Park, located in Burke County just outside of Morganton, NC, is an adventurer’s playground, spanning nearly 21,000 acres with more than 40 miles of trails for hikers. We took the Hemlock Nature Trail through the Hidden Cove Trail to the High Shoals Falls Loop, which in sum was just over 5 miles ranging from easy to moderate and also strenuous. This was a true test of endurance for our littles (who am I kidding – it was for me too!) – we scrambled over boulders and scaled flights upon flights of steps. The promise of a 80-foot waterfall did the trick to help us persevere to the top….and boy was it worth it! The trail crosses the Jacob Fork River and reaches the High Shoals Waterfall. After you get your Instagram-worthy family pic, continue up the steep steps and cross the river again above the waterfall There’s a great spot at the top to celebrate your accomplishment and rest your tired legs before looping back down the mountain. Read more about South Mountain State Park.