Reviews

Dennis Singletary

Pilot mountain was awesome! Easy lil drive up to the top. No fee to get in. Cool little trail at the top to go to the lookout point up there with 360 degree views! Go see it!

Valerie Mena

Lovely spot to catch a sunset! Three Bears Gulley Pics are from 11/9/25 Several trails with varying levels of difficulty are offered here. Parking can get full on weekends, but there are other satellite lots you can park at and use to hike in. They also offer a free shuttle at various times. The unique mountain 'top' is definitely a cool feature of this Park, but it is also fun to watch the rock climbers on Ledge Spring Trail Today I did an out and back starting at the Pilot Creek trail. There's not as much to see along this section, but it is nice a good way to tack on an extra 6+ miles to your hike and have a little more solitude along the way.

J Franz

We hiked the Grindstone and the Pilot Knob Trails. Both trails are well maintained and marked. While Grindstone is rated strenuous, I would rate it moderately strenuous. Overall it's mostly moderate due to the trail surface itself being well maintained and use of switchbacks to ease the climb. One section above the 1.5 mile marker is more difficult as it's not switchbacked with a steeper pitch up the mountain and a bit rocky. The views from Little Pinnacle Overlook and Pilot Knob Trail are outstanding. The top is a bit like Mount Mitchell since you can also drive to the top. Pick your time to do the hike carefully to avoid the crowds at the top!

Amit and Neelam Mehta

We made a fall trip with bunch of friends to this gem of a place. Views and rock formations were amazing. We did a few short trails. The one called Pilot knob trail is a must, it is 0.8 mile and takes just a little to go around the top. Drive from Charlotte was easy. We didn’t have to use shuttle as there were many parking spots on top of mountain but they do have shuttles from the bottom parking lot if top one is full. State park folks has maintained this park to the top notch. Some parts were closed for rock climbers while in other part we saw many climbers.

Brandon Royals

This is my go to place to hike because it is literally in my backyard. Trails are maintained and marked very well. There are several trails with different levels of difficulty ranging from easy too hard, so there is something for all skill levels. I love seeing people out there with their pets and young ones. It does my heart good to see young people getting away from TVs and video games.

Steven Vaughn

We were in the area checking out things when we said: "hey, let's go check this place out". Glad we did. While we did not hike any, the drive up to the summit is cool and the views from there are awesome. We figure they only improve as Autumn approaches. That will probably be on a list of places for us to visit. If one is a hiker -- this place looks like a great place to do so.

Marlys de Alba

I love the views from Pilot, but the overlook from the parking lot is not what it used to be. Some young trees have grown up, so if you really want to get a look at the stunning valley view you’ll need to do a little hiking or rock climbing. That said, this is a very pretty and serene place. It’s worth the effort. The trails have a lot of boulders for steps and can be challenging. Hiking poles are highly recommended, particularly if you are an active older person looking to get exercise while minimizing your risk of falling. Likewise you might want to avoid hiking up or down Three Bears Gully - which is on the scary side. I’d suggest bug spray to keep ticks at bay and sunscreen as well. Nothing out of the ordinary for warm weather hiking in the south eastern US. Ravens nest on the pinnacle so it can’t be climbed, but there is a trail that loops around the base. Hiking at Pilot can be a really great workout for your quads!

Meghan Wirtner

Camped at Pilot Mt and it was great. Wide sites nestled in the trees that didn't feel too on top of each other. Bathhouse was clean and well maintained with showers. Drinking water available throughout. There's a trail that you can take from the campground up to the top of Pilot Mt. but you can also drive to the top. If just visiting, they close off the top for parking when busy and you have to park at the visitor center and take the shuttle up to the top. Visitor center is small, but cute and interactive with a small gift shop and plenty of restrooms accessible from the exterior in case the center is closed.

Fenrael

We've come here for a couple decades. Great park for hiking and taking in some beautiful scenery. Dog friendly! You can drive up to the summit and see for miles. Trails are clearly blazed and well-maintained. The family campground is nice. Primitive sites with a fire grate, tent pad, and picnic table. There are places nearby if you need to get any provisions. Water spigots are scattered throughout. There are two restroom/shower facilities. They are kept clean. Park rangers circle through the campground regularly and you can purchase bundles of firewood from them.

justin halsey

Beautiful spot. We camped there over the weekend and the campsites are well managed, and the host is active in making sure everyone is settled in nicely. Pilot Mountain summit is also well maintained, and beautiful. You have options for hiking as well. You can drive or hike to the summit, and therer is a hike around the mountain as well. Highly recommend.