Pilot Mountain is a place with gorgeous views, extensive hiking, and starry skies. Plus, we found a campsite with a view of the mountain!
Where We Stayed
Greystone RV Park is a small, private campground just a 1.1-mile drive from the Pilot Mountain State Park Visitor’s Center. With only 10 sites, it is the smallest campground we’ve been to. The view from the campground is hard to beat. The only downside is the proximity to the road. The campground is only a half-mile from US-52, and the road noise detracts from the scenery a bit.
| Campground Name | Greystone RV Park |
| Location | Pinnacle, NC |
| Dates | October 11-13, 2024 |
| Site Number | Site 8 |
| Site Surface | paved, level |
| Hook-ups | Full hookups + 50-amp electric |
| Cost | $70 per night (with Good Sam discount) |
| Water Pressure | 65-75 psi |
| Voltage | ~115-120 V |
| Verizon Speed Test | 13.5 Mbps down; 5 Mbps up |
| T-Mobile Speed Test | 31 Mbps down; 2 Mbps up |
| Campground WiFi | Forgot to check! |
If you stay here, be sure to read the campground rules. They’re posted on their website and emailed after you make a reservation. They have a few unexpected rules (like where to park your truck, for example) and make it a point to mention them when you check in.
The directions on the campground’s website say to come in a different way than Google Maps recommends. We think it’s because of the turns on the road and the turn onto their driveway. A larger rig might have trouble. When we arrived, we went the way the campground said. Their directions worked well and made for an easy turn into their driveway.
All of the sites are pull-throughs, so getting in was easy. Our site had a picnic table and fire ring. Best of all, we had a perfect view of the Big Pinnacle from our site.
The campground is very open with plenty of space to walk dogs.
Aiken’s First Campfire (and Other Training Opportunities)
We learned this weekend that Aiken is not a huge fan of campfires. He seemed ok at first, but as soon as it crackled for the first time, he kind of slinked away and wouldn’t come back. So, instead of our usual setup with us sitting in our camping chairs and the dogs being on their long lines, we switched Aiken to a long leash and I sat on the ground a little bit back from the fire. He got treats when he came over (and whenever the fire crackled), but had the option to get some distance if he wanted it. He was better on the second night than the first, so we’re hopeful that he’ll be ok with campfire in time.
We also got some practice around other dogs this weekend. The family in the campsite next to us had an adorable mini Dachshund. Aiken is still learning to keep his cool around other dogs, so first we worked on some basic obedience at a distance. We worked on sit, come, and target until I could see his brain engage. Once he was thinking again, we went back to the site and I could reward him every time he looked at the dog and didn’t react.
This Dachshund was so well-behaved. She didn’t seem to care about Aiken at all, so she was the perfect dog for Aiken to practice with. By the time we were packing up to leave on Sunday morning, Aiken wasn’t really interested at all when he saw the dog next door. I’m hopeful that one day we’ll be able to pass other dogs on hikes without a fuss.
What We Did
Pilot Mountain State Park Visitor’s Center
On Friday afternoon we stopped to check out the Visitor’s Center and get our NC State Parks Passport stamped.
Inside, there are several interesting exhibits about Pilot Mountain. There’s also a well-stocked gift shop with everything from earrings to field guides.
Pilot Mountain Hiking Tip
If you plan on doing any hiking at the park, be sure to stop in the Visitor’s Center for a trail map. In addition to the route, the map includes each trail’s name and length, as well as whether it’s easy, moderate, or strenuous. The map includes the location of restrooms, parking, and other points of interest.
From the Visitor’s Center parking lot, we took the Fiddlehead Trail and looped back to the parking lot on part of Grassy Ridge Trail.
Pilot Mountain State Park Trails
On Saturday morning, we drove to the summit parking lot. The park opens at 9:00. We got there around 9:20 and were surprised to find maybe one-third of the spots already taken. From there, we took the Pilot Knob Trail around the base of the Big Pinnacle. The views from this trail were incredible!
We picked up the Ledge Spring Trail and walked past the climbing area. I should have counted, because there were way more climbers than I expected. They were spread out along the trail, but I think we passed at least two dozen people. I was very impressed. It’s not something you see at every state park, so it was neat to watch.
The Ledge Spring Trail is listed as strenuous on the map, and now we understand why. Along the trail, you’ll find roots, rocks, and rock stairs. So. Many. Stairs. However, if you don’t mind the workout, the views are incredible.
We didn’t intend to hike the entire Ledge Spring Trail. The plan was to loop back to the parking lot via a short connector trail that would put us on the Grindstone Trail. However, the connector trail was actually less trail and more steep stone staircase. Look for the sign for Three Bears Gulley if you try this yourself. It’s basically a break in the cliffs that allows you to get from the base of the cliffs to the top without having to use rock climbing gear.
We missed the connector and went almost to the end of the Ledge Spring Trail before we figured it out. We turned back, but in hindsight, we probably should have just kept going and picked up the Grindstone from the end of the Ledge Spring Trail. We made it up Three Bears Gully with the dogs, but I would not recommend trying it with elderly humans or dogs, young kids, or small dogs.
We were there for about two hours. When we left, the Visitor’s Center parking lot was packed. I imagine it’s not uncommon for the parking lots to fill up on weekends.
Tory’s Den and Falls (Hanging Rock State Park)
Tory’s Den Trail is actually in Hanging Rock State Park, but at only 22 minutes from the campground, we decided it was worth a look. At about 1:30 on a Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was full. We got lucky and got a space from someone who happend to be leaving as we pulled in.
A short walk from the parking lot takes you to a decision point: left for Tory’s Falls or right for Tory’s Den.
I don’t consider the falls to be really kid-friendly, because there is quite a drop from the rocks where you view the falls. You’d need to keep little ones close.
There are stairs, but overall, it’s a short, easy hike. I think Tory’s Den definitely counts as a kid-friendly hike in North Carolina. What kid doesn’t love a good cave?
There are other trails and hiking opportunities from this same parking lot, so this could still work if you’re looking for a longer hike.
Ivy Bluffs Trail
The last place we went was Ivy Bluffs Trail. After a 28-minute drive from the campground, we found ourselves in a large, mostly empty parking lot in East Bend, NC.
The parking lot has a pit toilet and trash cans.
The trail is basically all downhill, but it isn’t too steep. You get glimpses of the Yadkin River through the trees on the way down. In the winter, without all the leaves, the view would probably be pretty impressive.
At the bottom of the slope, the trees open up into a small clearing with a wooden fence. If you keep straight, there’s a gap in the fence that leads to Pilot Mountain State Park’s canoe-in campsites. If you go to the left, you’ll find a little sandy beach.
Our goal here wasn’t to do a long hike. We really just wanted to give the dogs a chance to splash around in some water, and this turned out to be just right. The water at the small sandy spot stayed shallow long enough for Corona and Aiken to do some wading before we turned around and headed back to the parking lot.
Where We Ate
Dairi-O
If you read our last blog post, then you know we discovered Dairi-O in Asheboro, NC. We enjoyed it so much that, when we learned we would be 7.5 miles from another location on this trip, we decided we had to go again.
Once again, the food was delicious. We accidentally ordered the epic burger, which is a burger with three patties. Even though the patties are on the thin side, that’s a lot. We removed one and brought it home as a treat for Aiken and Corona. They also approve of Dairi-O.
This location has a good bit of outdoor seating. In addition to a few tables by the entrance, there are some covered tables further away.
The Tilted Ladder
The Tilted Ladder is in downtown Pilot Mountain, only an eight-minute drive from the campground.
The burgers were cooked just as we requested (one medium, one medium well), and the sidewinder fries were delicious.
The outdoor seating was completely shaded by the building at that hour, so we sat outside. The atmosphere was much nicer than inside the restaurant.
Food aside, Pilot Mountain has a cute downtown area. Most stores had already closed, but it’s probably worth the trip to walk around, even if you don’t eat here. Next time I hope we remember to go earlier so we can go inside some of the shops.
Additional Photos
Happy travels!
