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South Mountains State Park

South Mountains State Park is the largest state park in North Carolina. It covers almost 25,000 acres of the South Mountains, an off-shoot of the Appalachian Mountain's Blue Ridge. The South Mountains are located in southern Burke County, northern Cleveland, and eastern Rutherford County of NC, approximately 15 miles south of Morganton, NC.

The centerpiece of the park is the Jacob's Fork River and 80 feet tall High Shoals Falls. There is also a beautiful set of cascades on Shinny Creek upstream of it's confluence with the Jacob's Fork River. The Jacob's Fork River is the southern branch of the South Fork River, a tributary of the Catawba River.

Most of the park is undeveloped and there is plenty of uncrowded backcounty to explore. Most of this property has been owned in the past by timber or investment companies. Logging was conducted in the area as recently as the late 60's, early 70's. The honeycomb of old logging roads circle the mountain tops and make excellent hiking, biking, horse riding trails.

The South Mountains are home to more than 200 rare and exotic plant species. It's a beautiful place any time of year!

High Shoals Falls on the Jacob Fork River in SMSP Quiet pools for fishing Huge Hemlock on Shinny Creek Cascades on Shinny Creek Big potato on Shinny Creek A place in the sun Along Shinny Creek Upper Falls Looking downstream below the falls

South Mountains State Park Website

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