Lake Norman State Park

My husband and I camped at lake Norman in October with our three dogs and it was absolutely gorgeous! The campsites are really nice and the hiking trails are so pretty. You could see the lake right from the campsite and it was really close to the water. It was extremely peaceful. We felt nice and secluded. We stayed at site 12. Keep in mind that the restrooms are kind of far away from the site. I would recommend this state park in your travels! It is a must see and we hope to be back.

I enjoyed a short walk through the Lake Shore Trail. There was snow still sprawling over much of the shaded areas. I'm glad that the park was open as Rocky Face was closed. The sound of snow crunching as we walked was a welcome departure from the ordinary stroll through.

Great park to visit. We went during fall and got to see pretty fall colours. People also come with their boats and jet skies. The visitor center staff is also super helpful in guiding first timers on what route to take while hiking.

Lake Shore Trail hiking today was GLORIOUS. This is an amazing park that has lake views and access for boats, biking, camping, swimming and activities for youth. Fishing, paddle boats and kayak a small area - great for beginners. Sandy beaches and a swimming beach too.

The family campground is great! I haven’t even been to the lake yet, but the campsites are decent size and so me have perfect space in between. Each fits 2 vehicles, 2 tents, one gravel pad, one picnic table, and one concrete pad firepit. Tons of trees, water supply, dumpsters and a bathhouse.

A wonderful place for a day long trek.. would absolutely suggest for anyone who wants to spend a day with nature and less than 45 mins from the city center.

Lake Norman State Park is a beautiful place to enjoy nature and relax by the water. The trails are well maintained, the lake views are stunning, and it’s a perfect spot for hiking, kayaking, or just spending a peaceful day outdoors. A great escape from the city and definitely worth the visit!

We love Lake Norman State Park, originally we sought this campground out since it's the closest state park to the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville. It's become our go to campground whenever when the area.

This place was absolutely amazing I could bit believe how big it really is. The lake is really nice. It is pricy though. There were plenty of boats on the dock that were cool. The gas on the docks in 2024 is $5.99. I can't wait to come back and fish this area one day

This place is huge! And you can choose from a pretty long list of activities: Camping, hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, boating, etc etc. We only stopped in for a quick hike on the Lakeshore Trail, which I think only scratches the surface of this park. Nicely laid out, with good roads and clean and tidy pullouts with marked trails, but road signs could be a bit clearer. A beautiful spot - or at least what little we saw.

Beautiful park with so many options of things to do. They have a wonderful visitor center, hiking, fishing and many picnic areas with grills available. Being the bikes and explore. The park is educational and easy to navigate. The trails are well marked and relatively easy. The alder loop wraps around the lake and the view is awesome. This is a relaxing park that's well maintained and offers plenty of parking. I loved all the signs with detailed information about the plants, trees, animals and birds.

We were looking for a place to take in some views of the lake that were handicapped accessible. We found a couple spots. We could have used some more shady accessible spots to sit but overall it was a pleasant visit.

We wanted a hike close to Charlotte, so after 8 years of living in Charlotte, we finally checked this park out. I wasn't really expecting much from it. I was expecting to just hike by a bunch of mansions on the lake. I ended up being really impressed. We did the Lakeshore Trail which is 6 miles and mostly flat with a few hills. As the name implies, most of it is along the lake shore with the end cutting through the woods to complete the loop. The trail actually felt pretty secluded. There were parts that viewed the mansions, but a lot of it was near secluded coves. We got there early and the trail didn't have many people on it. If you want to get outside without too far of a drive, this is a great park to check out.

Fantastic place to meet and visit with friends! We parked up by the visitor center then ate a picnic lunch at the table right up front. Enjoyed the rocking chairs in a light thunderstorm on the back patio of the visitor center! Beautiful and clean bathrooms! Lots of parking. There is other picnic areas around the area closer to the lake! Patio has a wonderful view of the lake! Outstanding day!!

Absolutely beautiful.... So peaceful..... you must explore. We're new to the area & were showing our visiting family some spots.... I will definitely return to spend the day!! Love it!!

This park is a bit of a drive away for us but we'll worth the hour trip! First time for us, and we will certainly be back! I love that the kids were able to get a beach day experience without having to drive to the coast! And the swimming area is cordoned off for safety. The scenery from the beach is beautiful, and the kids got excited by seeing boats and people fishing by the pier as well. Lake Norman park is absolutely huge and offers so much more than just the beach, even though I could easily see us bringing the chairs next time and just staying at the beach all day! My daughters didn't want to leave! But Lake Norman also offers several hiking trails (note: not stroller friendly), one of which is 3 miles. We didn't get to do that one this time, but they also have a couple of nice kid friendly trails to hike too! Just gotta watch your step! There's also a trail for dirt bikes, lots of camp grounds, picnic tables, and grills. One thing to note: alcohol is prohibited, and we saw this very much enforced, as a couple was forced by a park ranger to open and dump all of their alcoholic beverages.

After a Saturday spent eating and drinking ourselves into oblivion we needed to reconnect with nature a bit so on Sunday we loaded up the kids and headed to Lake Norman. What an amazing park! The beach area is perfect. Enclosed in a little lagoon kind of area, there was plenty of space to set up camp and relax on the sand. My kids loved wading in and out of the water which was shockingly warm for so early in the season. We attempted the lake shore trail and while I really love it and would happily do it minus the toddler it was too rooty and uneven for her. They do have a child geared walking trail as well it by the time we tried to head over there the little one had fallen asleep anyway! The park rangers are on top of things which you may or may not appreciate. They have tons of signs about no alcohol and we witnessed a young couple get caught with some and made to dispose of all of it, so they are watching! Be mindful of that and don't wave your can of beer about whilst singing 99 bottles of beer on the beach wall! Another amazing nature space in NC not to be missed.

Stayed the weekend tent camping with friends, and had a great time May 18, 19, 2018. Very nice tent campground and already planning a longer stay with the same friends some time in late October 2018. Campgound sites are clean and the bath-house was cleaned every morning at 6:45am. Hot water for a shower which is nice. Paved roads throughout and it was nice and quit (no generators past 10pm i think). Camp ground hostess was very friendly and helpful and kept a good eye out for "squatters". $5 a bundle for oak firewood. Get it from the camp hostess thou as the bundles from the visitors center are more like kindling. Can't wait!

Cool little spot to take a dip in the heat of summer. The beach is small and the swimming area is also small. Wish they had the ropes go out a little further but for safety purposes I guess that's why they are not.

Located just about 45 min from Charlotte is a beautiful state park Lake Norman, this was my first experience being here or camping. . . We took our pups for their first camping trip and camped out in the family section which was very nice and quiet, plenty of trails and close to bathrooms. Campsite itself was huge with plenty of space and a fire pit, picnic table and large space for setting up tent. . . For the most part it was all very nice and clean, my only complaint would be a few items of under garments were left behind but other than that it was a great experience.

Pros: less than hour from Charlotte, shady throughout, 5 mile and 3 mile loop options, plenty of parking Cons: noise from boats and road, litter on the banks Overall, this is a decent trail. However, I didn't feel surrounded by nature because of the ruckus from the lake itself. I would rather drive a bit further to the Uwharries for a more scenic hike.

I've been visiting here so often and for so long it's a shame I haven't yet reviewed the place. Now's a good time to start. This is a very beautiful park that is wholly representative of this part of North Carolina. Entry to the park works like every other state park entry. A nice brown painted, wooden sign with the park's name mounted between stone pillars. The usual advisories about alcohol, closing times, etc. Follow the main road slowly because there are plenty of deer in the park. Not to mention mountain bike trails where the bike riders may come flying across the road. The visitor center is nice and seems relatively new. Or at least updated regularly and kept clean. Out front are several EV reserved parking spaces and a few charging stations with long cables - very progressive! Inside there's a 3D topographical map of the Catawba River watershed. Makes sense because Lake Norman is the largest lake on the river and in the state. Staff is very friendly and helpful. There are a few historical installments and some gifts. Out back several rocking chairs overlooking part of the lake where you can take out paddle boats or other small boat rentals. The Itusi trail is supposed to be the best for mountain biking. Coworkers of mine would meet to ride it on a nearly daily basis. For hiking and running, I've put down many miles on the Lake Shore trail. I recommend it most of all. But don't underestimate it - it makes several loop backs and approaches by the shore before turning back up hill. Lots of exposed tree roots and hard, sudden climbs so watch your step. Bring water and be prepared to take a break. A fast paced hike will bring you around the full 5 mile loop in about 2 hours or so. Being close to Troutman, once you've exhausted yourself, I recommend a trip into town for my favorite BBQ. Look for Randy's right as you hit the light in town. Makes this park even more worth it. And without all the crowds that can be found at other (admittedly, more beautiful) parks in the state, you can find some pleasant downtime listening to the waves crash onshore and watching the sun set here.

We go to the state park weekly! We love to bring our dogs walking, we go fishing and love camping there! Just minutes from the interstate, and so much parking.

Camped here for two nights. Super hard to get into during the warm months but lucked upon a cancellation. Bath house clean. Water was not working and there is no electric offered for tent camping. The site behind us was so close I could throw a rock and hit the people. Man snored all night long and could hear it clearly. We had a group of girls who were up until 3am or so laughing and screeching beyond comprehension and nothing was done. Kids running through our sites and the parents half paying attention. Not sure why there is a camp host if they do nothing about any of the obvious things going on. We might be back but not excited to return.

Great NC state park about an hour's drive from Charlotte! Lake Norman itself is HUGE! But, some great hiking trails are accessible from and near the visitor center. The visitor center is very nice with clean restrooms, helpful guides, park maps, and great rocking chairs on the balcony over looking the boathouse/pier. You can rent kayaks, peddle boats, SUPs, and canoes from the VC. The Lakeshore Trail was recommended to us for a nice brisk hike. The trail is 3mi total if you do the full loop. Due to time restraints, we had to double back, but the mile or so we walked along the shoreline was insanely gorgeous! Made me regret not bringing my swimsuit! The water was so clear and inviting! Definitely dog friendly trails as almost everyone we passed had a dog. The trails are clearly marked as well and the walk through the shaded woods along the shoreline was a welcome respite from the unrelenting sun and heat. Will be back for peddleboating/kayaking, swimming, and picnicking on one of the many little islands in the lake. Fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends, family, or with just you and your pup!

Another beautiful North Carolina State Park. We love the swim beach and miles of trails. There are several great spots to picnic near the lake. The staff are very friendly, and the park is very clean.

My girlfriend and I had a great time just taking a stroll on the Adler trail today! It was overcast and just the right temperature! I highly recommend bringing your family here for hiking, biking, or picnicking!

Very cool place to hike, fish, camp, and in general check out. If you enjoy nature and being healthy, this is the place for you.

Rented a cabin for Easter weekend. It was so nice. Keep in mind these cabins don't have kitchens or baths but they are perfect. Fire pit outside. Picnic tables. Room for two cars. Great location for two hiking trails. Ranger sells fire wood. Great value!

I was visiting a friend in nearby Mooresville and decided on a hike at Lake Norman State Park before heading north. The park is easy to find and easy to navigate. I saw signs for swimming, picnic and boating areas. I saw bathrooms There's even a 30 mile biking trail made of several loops. I had limited time to explore so I went for the Lake Shore Trail. It's a 5 mile hiking trail that can be shortened if desired. It's rated as moderate and I would agree. It's not the most strenuous hike but there are some hills and it is very close to the lake itself in spots so best to watch your footing. There is a map and signage at the trailhead and the trail itself is very well marked with white numbered blazes. There are also benches along the way. For a Tuesday morning I was surprised how many people I ran into. The park, or at least this trail, seem pretty popular. Fall is a good time to hike here. Earlier this week (mid-November) the weather was good (not too hot or cold) and there was still some color on the leaves but also enough leaves had fallen for a good view of the lake from the trail. I had no trouble finding parking and was impressed by the cleanliness of the bathrooms. I'd recommend this park for outdoor family or solo fun.

Took the short hike I found on the NC Parks website called Lake Shore Trail. It was nothing short of a beautiful view the entire way! It was moderate at times with having to climb out of the "valleys" but the perfect intensity for a low-key walk that you still want to break a sweat on. Very dog friendly and they loved it as well! Can't wait to go back and explore more of this area.

"I got beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes -- you name it! Headed over to L.N.S.P while visiting with family that Friday after Thanksgiving Day 2018. Felt like I needed to use my yoga pants for something other than being a glutton. After some research I found that the Lake Norman Lake Shore trail was Charlotte's highest rated and a "must see". Let's go! The trail is clearly marked and plenty of scenery to take in. The trail is over 6.25 miles total but I ended up completing around 3.2 miles and was plenty! I recommend parking off of Short Leaf Dr. and starting the trail there at marker #1. I took the short turn trail back to the parking lot. Can't wait for next year to try another trail. Oh and did I mention this is a free park? Some of the best things in life ARE free....!

Beautiful park with plenty trails! There are only few parking places around the park so make sure to get familiar with the park, there are also not too many places with waking or jogging with a stroller. Otherwise it's a beautiful park with great views and small swim beach !

A very large, beautiful, clean, well run park. The visitor center is very large and modern. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I did the 5.3 mile Lake Norman Loop trail and it was super clean with a good number of hills and beautiful lake views along the way. I saw tons of bicycle riders and of course lots of boating activity. Something for everyone!

3/10/19 was my first time being here I liked it it was nice to see the mini beach area & the trail walks were nice as well I liked all they had to show it's a nice place to visit plus great gift stand & make sure you start you state park passport

My first visit to a out of state lake! Being able to cruise on a boat in this massive lake was an unforgettable experience. It is so nice to see other people and families cruising on their boat and doing fun water activities. As a bonus, you also get t cruise around some of the most beautiful lake homes in the state. Absolutely eye catching how some homes were built. This is the best attraction in Charlotte!

Great Hiking, fishing, and playing. My boys enjoyed the hillside climbs. The water was spectacular to look at in November. I read the bike trails are great too.

So much more than I expected. It's a nice large park with lots of bike and walking trails. All lengths and clearly described variety of difficulty. Most trails include at least some lake views. At the nicely acquainted visitors center. Kayak and paddle boat rentals are available. And Wood is for sale. My dogs love the place. There is overnight camping but we haven't tried. One possible disappointment is that alcohol is forbidden. But on the other hand there are no drinks either. The fishing is good I imagine cause there are lots of people fishing often entire families. Oh, and there is no admission charge!

I bit removed from the Charlotte beaten path... but worth the trip! A couple friends and I decided to strap our mountain bikes to the roofs of our cars and make a trek out to the park. Having seen the trail maps online, the park boasts about 30+ miles of trail riding. You can also do hiking and trail running (just yield to the bikes). Our group ranges from avid cyclist to recreational (me being the latter) but our expert cycling friend lead us onto the most difficult trail from the get go. Luckily I didn't see the signs, but about a mile into the ride, I was huffing and puffing and thinking in my head, "this sounded like a better idea that it was turning out to be". I put my head down and just focus on the trail and the growing pains in my backside from all the jostling. It didn't exactly help that I was using a solid frame bike. Mountain bikes now-a-days have nice shocks and bells and whistles.... makes me want to get a new bike, but my bike survived. We almost made it all the way through but I caught some air and my chain fell off during the landing. I managed to get it back on, but not before some more people passed us on the trail (insult to injury). It was all in good fun. We stuck to the "easy" trail for a cool down and it was a lot more enjoyable. The park really caters toward mountain bikers from what I saw. Parking was ample. There was even a changing shack where you can change into your bike gear (nice and big - better compared to doing it in your car). There was also a portable bathroom that was large (handicaped) so you could change in there as well. Overall a great place to ride! I'll be coming back - I need to sharpen my skills and fitness so I wouldn't be taking breaks every 15 seconds, but I'll keep at it.

This park is a beautiful place to hike, bike, and relax beside the picturesque Lake Norman. Most amenities unfortunately closed now (camping open and limited visitor center hours), but great place to get outdoors for nature hike or picnic safely during the pandemic on warmer winter days.

Beautifully kept park with clean common areas and restrooms. Well marked trails for people of all hiking abilities. Canoe, paddle board and kayak rentals were only $5 for an hour! We are looking forward to trying the beach next season.

Love visiting the state park for walking, grilling out, swimming and hanging out with friends. Great local spot!

Love living near the state park. So much to do and explore. The rangers are so friendly and the welcome center staff are very accommodating!

Very relaxing place for an afternoon or evening picnic or hike through many of the trails it is beautifully kept

Beautiful park! I always come here for mountain biking, trails are always well kept and rotated. Runners on the bike path can be somewhat irritating but I'm sure they think the same about the bikes. I love driving through all the roads but be careful for wildlife and don't text and drive!

This is mainly focused on the Swimming Beach. The experience at the beach was pretty negative and lacking. If you value not being hassled and corralled like cattle be very weary coming here. I am not sure if they are flowing very strict state policies, but the entire process of purchasing swimming tickets and other operations are dumb. It's 5 dollar per person (which isn't bad, except they treat you like intruders). After you purchase you get a hand scribble piece of paper with the number of tickets you bought. You then go to another counter and then you have to have a person that matches your gender place a colored wrist band on you. (I saw several people miss this step and head to the beach because they were not informed. They would then be approached by beach guards because they thought they were trespassing.) They say that you are allowed to have floating device, but they will deny you to use them if there are more than 50 people on the beach. The beach is also only about a 80 yards across (but they had 3 aggressive life guards staffed). Also, they say they allow beach balls footballs,etc... , but will ask you to stop due to a throwing hazard to other guest patrons at their discretion. The water was nice with beach sand up close and a hard a clay bottom as the further you got out. However, do not even to go near the yellow corral barrier, or else you will receive a flurry of whistles from the lifeguards. Also, beware if there are dark clouds in the area. If the lifeguards thinking they heard thunder they will shut down the beach immediately for a minimum of 30 mins. You not only have to leave the water, but have to go the whole up to the the bathhouse and wait behind a gated area. The experience of the beach was very mixed, but made me feel negatively about it because of the backwards and extreme safety consciousness of the park. However the setting and the area was very pleasant. If it was a free area, or a had a less draconian policy for patrons, I would change my review.

Just got back into MTB and love the trails here. Kinda rooted out at the moment but they are still fun and very enjoyable.

I love this park! Great bike trail to run on! Love the community center too! I love spending time here! You can bring a picnic basket for many of the covered picnic areas!

LOVE LKN State Park, always a quiet and relaxing place to visit. Good launch ramp if you want to go fishing on Lake Norman.

Went camping and bathhouse were so bad might even be health hazard. I notified the state park of disgrace and never received any response

Good clean spot. The ground is a little rocky but it is family and culture friendly...which can be a little hrd to find in this neck of the woods.

Been hiking here before and it was pretty awesome. I did get lost for a second (in the sense the trial split and I was tired and wanted to get back to my car). So they have a phone number you can call, and every so often there's a marker to let you know your location and a emergency number you can call for help or directions. Which I did, and the girl was really friendly and helpful. Got back to my car in less than 20 minutes.

This is my first time actually hiking in this park. I used the Lake Shore Trail where they have beautiful views of Lake Norman. That trail is 5 miles long and is moderate meaning they have hills. They also have a 12 mile bike trail where you can hike too called the Itusi Trail. You can camp, fish, picnic, go boating and they even have a swim beach. Great place for the whole family to spend the day or whole weekend.

My husband and I met some family and friends here for a hike. We decided to do the 6 mile hike. It led us along the shoreline and was so beautiful. We had great weather and amazing scenery. However, the trails are a bit warn down and they are covered in roots and ruts and are challenging to maneuver. I would label this as a moderate hike. I love that the park is dog friendly and my pups really enjoyed it there! The trails were clearly marked and everything was very orderly.

Very nice place to take a hike. Tip they have a rest room down by the beach. Beautiful in the winter

FYI do not camp at lake Norman state park!!!! First they doubled booked one of our sites..... the bathrooms are covered in large spiders and not that clean..... also while on the water today they completely moved all of the personal items from one site to another without informing us. Once asked about it after we were promised a site for two nights for the mess up on the other site they threatened us with being arrested. Also the visitors station closed two hours early. This place is completely incompetent.

Was visiting a North Carolina and an old friend and I met here to hang for a few hours to catch up. Beautiful park, wished we had more time to walk around. We sat at a beautiful spot right near the Welcome Center. The center was closed, but the restrooms were open and they were clean (always a plus). Lots of parking, I'm sure it's busy during the weekend.