Mountain Creek Park

The park's 19.52-mile trail network includes a mix of multi-use trails shared with bikers and one “hiker-only” trail for 14.8 miles of hiking, including a 0.9-mile paved ADA-accessible trail that winds through a quiet cove to a picnic area and lakeside amenities.

18 miles of mountain biking trails make up a technical, single lane course for the biking enthusiast. Some trails are tight and twisty; some rolling and swooping; others include dirt rollers, berms, table tops, rock jumps, gullies, drops, and sweeping turns. The park’s trail network includes 15.13 miles of multi-use trails shared with hikers and 3.81 bike-only trail miles.

A 1.2-acre pump track consisting of a looped sequence of rollers, berms and banked turns is located within the park for riders to practice their balance, learn skills and improve their confidence on a bike. A tot track consisting of a simple rolling singletrack is adjacent to the pump track. Tool stations for common bike maintenance are located at the pump track and at the lakefront trailhead.

A treehouse-style playground inspired by nature is the centerpiece of Mountain Creek Park. Built by Beanstalk Builders, the playground is designed for children of all abilities to engage, challenge and promote well-being and discovery for hours of adventure and play. Situated on just under an acre of play space, the playground includes 3 slides, rope bridges and skywalks, a climbing wall, an ADA-accessible Mountain Laurel tunnel, a sky hammock, a vine climb, a rope swing and more.

Four pickleball courts are located within the park and are available for First Come, First Served Play. Players should bring their own equipment as none is available at the park. Please observe the following pickleball court rules:

• Use of the pickleball courts is at your own risk.
• All Catawba County Park rules apply on the courts.
• Good sportsmanship is always expected.
• The pickleball courts are public courts available on a first come, first served basis.
• If other players are waiting, play must be limited to one game to 11 points, win by 2. Players will then rotate off the courts allowing the next people in line to play.
• You must be present to hold your place in line for the next court.
• No food or glass containers allowed on the courts.
• No bikes, skates, skateboards, or equipment unrelated to pickleball allowed on the courts.
• Use of the courts for profit is not allowed without permission from Catawba County Parks.
• Catawba County Parks has the right to reserve or close the courts at its discretion.
• Catawba County Parks reserves the right to deny privileges to any individual who does not adhere to the facility guidelines or endangers other users, staff, or themselves.

A fenced-in dog park consists of a 1-acre area for any size dogs and a 0.6-acre area for small dogs under 30 lbs, allowing dogs of all sizes to run and play with other dogs without wearing a leash. Leashed dogs are allowed on trails throughout the park.

Enjoy fishing at the mouth of Mountain Creek as it feeds into Lake Norman. The pier includes benches for relaxation and wildlife observation. Common species to fish for off the pier include bass, bream, yellow perch and catfish. Regulations of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission apply.

Put in your canoe, kayak or SUP at the launch accessed from the lakefront parking lot next to the fishing pier to paddle up Mountain Creek or out into Lake Norman. The park does not provide or rent equipment, so paddlers must bring all of their own gear. The nearest public takeout is 5 miles south at the Little Creek access area.

A curved, tiered, amphitheater-style space is located near the lower restroom and picnic area for presentations and educational events. The upper level is accessible to persons with disabilities.

11 shaded picnic tables and 3 covered shelters with tables offer places to enjoy a picnic or group gathering. Benches can be found throughout the park to sit and rest. All are available on a first-come, space-available basis, but shelters can be reserved ahead of time by calling the park office.

In addition to the shelters, a 648-square-foot indoor meeting room can be used for your educational programs (reservations required ahead of time). Guided outdoor interpretive tours led by one of our knowledgeable rangers can be arranged for groups by contacting the park office. The park also sponsors educational events periodically. Watch for them on Facebook (@CatawbaCountyParksNC).

A variety of habitats and wildlife can be found at Mountain Creek Park. Along the creek, mudflats can be seen when water is low. This provides habitats for shorebirds, wading birds, river otters, beavers, turtles and more. Visitors to the fishing pier are likely to see Ospreys diving into the water to catch fish. In the northern section of the park, old growth Beech, Hickory and Oak forest is home to chipmunks, American mink, turkey, whitetail deer, and various other mammals and birds. A variety of plant life can be found throughout the park.

An 846-square-foot area inside the park office serves as the Kitty Barnes Nature Center with informational displays and exhibits, live reptiles, taxidermy animals, books and hands-on activities for kids to educate about local plants, insects and wildlife. A nature-themed selfie mural is painted on a wall for photo opportunities for visitors. You will also find a Little Free Library and an American flag retirement drop box outside of the building.

Please ask about ways you can volunteer to help maintain/improve our parks or sponsor a public event.

No plans have been made to add a splash pad at Mountain Creek Park. Additionally, the infrastructure needed to support a splash pad at the park (water lines, etc.) does not exist in the area. Within the county, you can find splash pads at Conover City Park, Lowes Foods City Park (Hickory), Kiwanis Park (Hickory), Maiden Municipal Park, the Newton Splash Zone, and the Newton Swimming Pool.

No plans have been made to add a disc golf course at Mountain Creek Park. Within the county, you can find disc golf courses at Glenn Hilton Park in Hickory and Jacob Fork Park in Newton.

No plans have been made to add amenities to Mountain Creek Park. We are focused on maintaining the current park amenities and trail system in a sustainable way as our newest park matures over time.

No plans have been made for a Phase 2 at Mountain Creek. We are focused on maintaining the current park amenities and trail system in a sustainable way as our newest park matures over time.

During the planning phases, a long list of amenities was considered for Mountain Creek. Because of budget, space and conservation easement restrictions, plans for the park could not include all of those amenities. It was suggested that if the County ever considered developing a Phase 2 down the road, those amenities could potentially be reconsidered. However, no plans have been made for a Phase 2.