|
Morrow Mountain State Park
|
|
|
|
State Park Overview |
|
Enjoy the gifts of nature surrounded by the remnants of a once mighty range of peaks. Upon first encounter, the Uwharrie Mountains may seem like a mountainous mirage. These steep, rugged hills?unusual topography for the area?form a stark contrast with the rolling countryside of the piedmont plateau.
Recreation is plentiful in and around the waters of Lake Tillery and the Pee Dee River. Fishing, boating and swimming are popular pastimes. Nature lovers can pick from miles of trails to travel on foot or horseback. And for those who want to stay and take it all in, cabins and camping are available. Theres really only one word to describe Morrow Mountain State Park variety. Use the family car or RV, horseback or canoe, put on a pair of hiking boots or dip bare feet in the river, or bait your favorite fishing pole?a visit to Morrow Mountain lets you choose your kind of adventure.
Park hours
November-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Park office hours
8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays
Closed state holidays |
Nature of the Area |
|
Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Morrow Mountain State Park.
To arrange a special exploration of Morrow Mountain State Park for your group or class, contact the park office.
Educational materials about Morrow Mountain State Park have been developed for grades 5-7 and are correlated to North Carolinas competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Morrow Mountain program introduces students to the basic geologic processes of the Uwharrie Mountains. Accompanying the program is a teachers booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. |
Camping |
|
Family camping Choose from 106 campsites for tents and RVs. Each site in the family campground is equipped with a picnic table and grill. Drinking water and modern restrooms with showers are conveniently located. There are no hookups for RVs, but a dump station is provided. Camp Loop C offers six accessible campsites and a fully accessible shower house. Campsites are available on a first-come basis and a modest fee is charged for each site. A maximum of six people are allowed to stay on each campsite. An amphitheater, where interpretive programs are often held, is located near the campground.
Primitive camping Backpack into the woods for camping in a wilderness setting. The primitive campground is a two-mile hike from the park office. A pit toilet is provided in the camping area, but drinking water and all other supplies must be carried to the site. Fires are not permitted. A backpack camping permit is required and may be obtained from park staff. All trash must be packed out. Click here to learn more about backpack camping regulations and to download a backpack camping application.
Group camping The group tent camping area is located near the river and can be reached by a gravel loop road. Six sites, each with picnic tables and a fire circle and grill, provide a wilderness camping experience for organized groups. Drinking water and an accessible shower house are centrally located. Campsite #4 is fully accessible. Reservations are required for use of the area and a modest fee is charged. Click here for more information about group camping and for the campsite rules. Click here for the group camping reservation form.
|
Picnicking |
|
Have lunch on the summit of Morrow Mountain where one of the parks two picnic areas is located. A small, four-table shelter with a wonderful panoramic view of Lake Tillery and the Uwharrie Mountains is available, and restrooms are nearby.
Swimmers and larger groups may choose to use the picnic area near the pool. This area offers a six-table shelter built by the Works Progress Administration. The stone that makes this shelter was taken from a nearby quarry. The area also offers a fully accessible, ten-table shelter that has wheelchair access to the restrooms.
Single tables and multiple tables, along with grills, are available in both picnic areas. Picnic shelters may be reserved for a fee on a daily basis. Shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis when they are not reserved. Contact the park office for more information or to request a reservation form. |
Boating |
|
A boat ramp at the end of the park road will put you on the water. A small area is available for trailer parking.
For those without boats, a paved parking lot to the left of the launch by the boathouse provides a base from which to enjoy the surrounding facilities. Rowboats and canoes may be rented at the boathouse located at the end of the parking area. Available daily from June through Labor Day and weekends in April, May, September and October, small vessels are the perfect mode of transportation on the tranquil waters of the Pee Dee River and Lake Tillery. |
Swimming |
| |
Fishing and Hunting |
| |
History of the Area |
|
The discovery of artifacts in the area attests to the presence of Native Americans 10,000 years before European settlement. European colonization began along the banks of the Pee Dee River in the 1700s. In 1780, John Kirk, a Scotch-Irish settler, established a public ferry, linking the area to a major roadway. Local legends recount the passage of noted people, including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Jefferson Davis.
Development of the park began in the 1930s through the efforts of a local committee interested in establishing a state park in the area. By 1937, more than 3,000 acres of land had been acquired, much of it donated by the citizens of Stanly County. The park was opened to the public in the summer of 1939.
Early development of park property was a cooperative effort between state and federal governments. Work crews of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Projects Administration constructed many of the facilities from 1937 to 1942. Additional facilities were added with state funds in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, the park covers 4,742 acres.
The 1800s are still alive at Morrow Mountain. History buffs will enjoy a visit to the homestead of Dr. Francis Kron, which is located at the foot of Fall Mountain. Dr. Kron, who was born in Prussia and emigrated to America in 1823, is recognized as the first medical doctor to settle and practice medicine in the southern piedmont of North Carolina. Dr. Kron traveled long distances to care for those in the area, practicing medicine until after the age of 80. A noted horticulturist, he was also actively involved in education. His home, doctors office and infirmary, and greenhouse were reconstructed in the 1960s and appear today much as they did in 1870. |
| |
| | |
More Info | |
The official website for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation provides information about and services of the state parks system and related division programs. Morrow Mountain State Park. | |
Itinerary Morrow Mountain State Park, NC 67 December 1997 Boy Scout Troop 9. This is the description of an overnight, weekend trip to Morrow Mountain State Park. The weekend will include a... | |
browse-usa.com Throughout this site click on the small photos to enlarge. Lets go SHOPPING !!! Morrow Mountain State Park, NC. Send mail to admin@browse-usa.com with questions or comments about... |
Area Attractions |
|
Exhibit hall and historical site
Explore the history of Morrow Mountain. The park offers an exhibit hall and a historical site. The exhibit hall is located in a building near the park office and is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. The hall includes exhibits about Native Americans, plant and animal communities, early explorers, and rocks and minerals.
Visit the homestead of a 19th-century doctor, Dr. Francis Kron, the first physician in the area. His home, doctors office and infirmary, and greenhouse were reconstructed in the 1960s and appear today much as they did in 1870. The grounds are open during park hours and are a short drive from the park office. |
|
|
Morrow Mountain State Park is located in Stanly County, six miles east of Albemarle, and is accessible from NC highways 24/27, 73 and 740.
From I-40 in Greensboro, take US 220 South (I-73/I-74). Turn right on NC 24, traveling west toward Albemarle. About six miles from Albemarle, turn right on Valley Drive and travel approximately three miles. Turn right on Morrow Mountain Road, which leads into the park.
From US 74 in Rockingham, take US 220 North (I-73/I-74. Turn left on NC 24, traveling west toward Albemarle. About six miles from Albemarle, turn right on Valley Drive and travel approximately three miles. Turn right on Morrow Mountain Road, which leads into the park.
From I-85 near High Point, take NC 109 south, veering right on NC 109/NC24/NC 27 in Troy. Take NC 24 west toward Albemarle. About six miles from Albemarle, turn right on Valley Drive and travel approximately three miles. Turn right on Morrow Mountain Road, which leads into the park.
From Charlotte, take NC 24 east and veer right on NC 740. After about six miles, turn right on Morrow Mountain Road, which leads into the park. |
|
| | | |
|
|
Morrow Mountain State Park
|
| |
| |
|
