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. There's 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

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 Carolina's 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 teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators.

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, doctor's office and infirmary, and greenhouse were reconstructed in the 1960s and appear today much as they did in 1870.

Vacation cabins: Six rustic family vacation cabins offer the opportunity to get away from it all. Located in a wooded section of the park, each cabin has a bathroom, living room, fireplace, kitchen with dining space and two bedrooms. The fully-equipped cabins accommodate up to six people each. One cabin is fully accessible. During the summer months, cabins must be rented by the week; during the spring and fall, weekend rentals are accepted for a minimum of two nights. For reservations and fee information, contact the park office. Pets are not allowed in the cabins. Click here to download the cabin reservation form and additional information as a PDF file. Click here to download a cabin reservation form and additional information as an HTML document.

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.