Lake Norman State Park is located in Iredell County. The lake is the largest man-made lake in the state, and hosts nearly a million visitors a year. This spot is home to beautiful sunsets, great hiking and biking trails, and peaceful paddling.
Lake Norman grew out of a Duke Power Company power project on the Catawba River begun in 1959 and completed in 1964; the parked formed in 1962, while the lake was still filling. Among the recreational benefits resulting from the new Lake Norman was the opportunity to take a long lakeshore hike. Actually, only about half of the Lake Shore trail subscribes to its name, and technically the water it buddies up to is Hicks Creek before it becomes part of the lake. While most trails aren’t ideal for summer hikes, this one is, passing near the park’s swimming area.
The largest man-made lake in the state at 32,510 acres (with a main channel 34 miles long), Lake Norman attracts a goodly number of motorboats. But because of that size and because of the vast number of watery fingers snaking off the main channel, there are opportunities for peaceful paddling. Plus, 33-acre Park Lake, which is exclusive to the park, offers speedboat-free passage. Add to that 6 miles of hiking-exclusive trail and 13 miles of mountain bike trail (also open to hiking) and you have a weekend full of recreational escape. Lake Norman is a must-see in the Piedmont.
More info here.
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