The temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing color, the skies are clear and it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy time in nature.
With its location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Cleveland County has multiple options for getting outdoors and experiencing the fall season. Whether you’re an avid hiker, a casual stroller or somewhere in between, there is a trail for everyone within a short drive of Shelby.
See 6 western NC destinations that are perfect for a long weekend trip
Check out these fall hikes in and around Cleveland County:
- 807 S. Battleground Ave.
- Open daily from dawn until dusk.
- The trail has several tree-lined paved loops perfect for walking, running or biking, a butterfly garden and for the ambitious, the Foote Trail, a four-and-a-half-mile gravel out and back that crosses over I-85 by bridge.
Kings Mountain National Military Park
- 2300 Park Road, Antioch, SC
- Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Admission is free.
- The Military Park is a Revolutionary War site with a visitors’ center, bookstore, events and several trails, some paved, and some gravel, that connect to the Kings Mountain State Park that is located adjacent to it.
- 900 Lake Crawford Road, Blacksburg SC
- Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
- Admission is $3 for adults.
- The park, located next door to the Kings Mountain Military Park, has 20 miles of hiking trails and connects to Crowders Mountain State Park. It also has an 1800s living history farm, camp sites and picnic shelters.
- 3001 S. Mountain Park Ave., Connelly Springs
- Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Admission is free.
- The park has 50 miles of trails, although some are currently closed.
- Headquarters, Shinny, Possum, and High Shoals Falls Loop trails at Jacob Fork access remain closed. Clear Creek access, located 5999 Branstrom Orchard St., Morganton, is closed due to construction.
- 940 W. Grover St., Shelby
- Open dawn until dusk.
- This section of the Carolina Thread Trail is a natural surface 1.5 mile trail which follows the First Broad River in Shelby.
- The river outlook is perfect for wildlife and bird viewing, and a hand-carry boat launch conveniently located near the trailhead parking lot offers easy access for paddling. The trail is ideal for walkers, joggers and cyclists. A short way from the parking lot, a suspension bridge stretches over the First Broad River at the trail head.
- Crowders Mountain State Park has several trailheads. The visitor center is located at the Sparrow Springs Access at 522 Park Office Lane, Kings Mountain. There is also the Linwood Road Access at 4611 Linwood Road, Gastonia and the Boulders Access at 108 Vandyke Road, Kings Mountain
- Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through the end of October and then from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the remainder of the fall and winter season.
- Admission is free.
- Located in Gaston County 32 miles west of Charlotte, Crowders Mountain State Park boasts two mountain peaks that offer magnificent views of the surrounding Piedmont. Trails offer challenging hikes and towering cliffs and the Ridgeline Trail connects to Kings Mountain National Military Park and the Kings Mountain State Park.
- 198 W. Marion St., Shelby
- This former rail trail, which is still under construction and will eventually go all the way to the South Carolina border, has a trailhead across from the Foothills Farmers Market pavilion. The paved path is more than half a mile long and also features a dog park right off the trail.
- 126 Broad River Drive, Boiling Springs
- Open dawn to dusk.
- Cleveland County residents get in free and outside residents pay $10 per car.
- The Broad River Greenway has 15 miles of natural surface trails. It is a popular paddling location as well and has a picnic shelter.
Reporting by Rebecca Sitzes, Shelby Star / The Shelby Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
