Lake NormanMecklenburg CountyHours for the Meck County parks are 8am until dark.
Jetton Park19000 Jetton Road
Cornelius
707-896-9808
Jetton Park is a 105-acre lakefront park offering a variety of recreational opportunities. There are numerous picnic areas, paved multipurpose trails and bicycle rentals (weekends and holidays only) plus tennis courts and a sunning beach. In addition, the park provides a playground, formal garden, sites for weddings and receptions and a community meeting room/indoor shelter. Entrance fee is $3 for county residents and $5 for non-county residents. Fees apply only on weekends and holidays from March through October. Picnic decks are available through reservations.
Blythe Landing15901 Highway 73
Huntersville
704-896-9808
This 26-acre park offers floating piers and boat launching facilities. Fees for launching are $5 per craft for county residents and $8 dollars per craft for non-county residents. Season passes (for launching March-October) are also available for $50. Plus you can eat at the Dockside Cafe or shop for the right lure at the bait and tackle shop. Just don't get the two places mixed up. Other amenities include a playground, picnic areas and sand volleyball courts. Also, two gazebos are now available for event rental.
Ramsey Creek Park18441 Nantz Road
Cornelius
704-896-9808
This 46-acre waterfront park features beaches for sunning, a wind-surfer beach, a boat launch area with docks, a new playground, picnic shelters (some covered), nature trails, a store and a fishing pier. Funbrellas are available for rental so you can make your own picnic spot.
Iredell CountyLake Norman State Park159 Inland Sea Lane
Troutman
704-528-6350
Lake Norman State Park was created along with Lake Norman in the mid-1960s. The park, with areas of dense forest and dramatic shoreline, offers a separate (from the lake proper) public swimming area open June through Labor Day complete with bathhouse (10am-6pm). Cost for swimming is $3 for adults or $2 for children. There's a boat launch area for Lake Norman proper plus small boats are for rent for use on the park's lake; canoes or rowboats cost $3 for the first hour and $1 per hour after that and pedal boats cost $4 for the first hour and $2 per half hour. Picnic shelters for larger groups are available for rental for $75 per day plus there are small picnic sites scattered through the park. Also, a new community building is now available for event rental for $125. Other state park amenities include a family campground and a group tent campground. Hours for the summer are 8am-9pm.
Stumpy Creek ParkPerth Church Road, near Mooresville
704-878-3103
Stumpy Creek, originally a Duke Power Access Area, has been leased to Iredell County and a new county park is being created. Only the boat access is currently open. The rest of the park is tentatively scheduled to open by fall of 2002. The facility has 1,369 feet of shoreline to stroll. There's a concrete boat ramp, a new loading dock and the paved parking was recently expanded.
Mountain Island Lake
Mecklenburg CountyLatta Plantation Nature Preserve
5225 Sample Road
Huntersville
704-875-1391
The heart of this 1,090-acre nature preserve is the restored plantation home of James Latta. The nature preserve also borders on Mountain Island Lake and provides a home for the Carolina Raptor Center (704-875-6521) and the Latta Equestrian Center. Admission to the Raptor Center is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students. Tours and other programs are offered at Latta Plantation (875-2312). Other park facilities include an interpretive center with displays, etc., 18 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails (704-875-0808), canoe, kayak and jonboat rentals, picnic areas with shelters, lake overlooks, fishing, and a canoe and kayak launch area. Call for specifics on rentals and fees for horseback riding.
Lake WylieMecklenburg CountyMcDowell Nature Preserve15222 York Road (Hwy 49)
704-583-1176
This nature preserve on the shores of Lake Wylie covers 956 acres of rolling terrain, hardwood forest and streams. The McDowell Nature Center offers interpretive displays and environmental programming. Nature preserve amenities include picnic areas with shelters and decks, a corporate shelter, hiking trails, canoe and paddle boat rentals, fishing and motorboat launching at Copperhead Island, 15200 Soldier Road. Plus there are year round camping facilities, which accommodate everything from primitive camping to motorhomes. Entrance fees are $3 for county residents and $5 for non-county residents. For camping, call 803-831-2285. Camping/event registration must be done seven business days in advance.
York CountyEbenezer Park4490 Boat Shore Road
Rock Hill
803-366-6620
This 26-acre park offers three concrete boat ramps, 1,374 feet of shoreline and a floating pier with four slips. There's plenty of parking for trailers and numerous picnic areas, five with shelters. In addition, the park has 69 campsites and a swimming area. Summer admission prices are $3 per vehicle per day or $25 for a season pass for York County residents. For non-residents, daily per vehicle rate is $6 or $30 for a season pass.
Public Access Areas
Lake NormanIredell CountyPinnacleHwy 150, between Mooresville & Terrell
This nine-acre area has 1,035 feet of shoreline. Three concrete boat ramps & one floating loading pier with four slips are available for public use with 155 paved parking spaces.
McCrary CreekHwy 150, near Mooresville
McCrary Creek offers five acres of terrain and 292 feet of shoreline. Also available are two concrete boat ramps & 50 paved parking spaces. McCrary Creek is adjacent to the Catawba Queen and Queen's Landing.
Hager CreekStallings Road, near Mooresville
The largest public access area in Iredell County, Hager Creek has 20 acres of land, complete with 1,757 feet of shoreline and one concrete boat ramp. There are 70 gravel parking spaces for visitors.
Catawba CountyLong IslandSmyrna Church Road
Inside five acres of land and 972 feet of shoreline are one concrete boat ramp, one stationary loading pier and 40 gravel parking spaces for visitors.
Marshall Fishing AreaHwy 150, Terrell
Located at the Marshall Steam Plant, this fishing area contains 1,110 feet of shoreline. Also, there are 38 gravel parking spaces for visitors.
Lincoln CountyLittle Creekoff Burton Lane Road, near Denver
Little Creek is comprised of four acres of land and 1,090 feet of shoreline with a concrete boat ramp. There are 40 parking spaces in all, 20 of which are reserved for trailers.
Beatties FordOff Unity Church Road
This area is 17 acres and contains 1,076 feet of shoreline, complete with three concrete boat ramps and one floating loading pier with four slips. Seventy-one paved parking spaces are available for visitors.
Mecklenburg County
McGuire Fishing Area
off Hwy 73
Located at the McGuire Nuclear Plant, this fishing area offers 1,800 feet of shoreline and one handicapped accessible fishing platform. Fifty gravel parking spaces are available for visitors.
Mountain Island LakeMecklenburg CountyNeck Roadoff Neck Road, near Huntersville
Neck Road access area covers six acres of terrain alongside 614 feet of shoreline. Park amenities include a concrete boat ramp, a stationary loading pier and 50 gravel parking spaces for visitor convenience.
Gaston CountyRiverbend
Horseshoe Bend Beach Road
This area has 18 acres of land with 1,182 feet of shoreline. Park amenities include two floating loading piers, as well as three concrete boat ramps. There are 100 gravel parking spaces for visitor convenience.
Mountain Island Tailrace
Fishing AreaMountain Island Dam Road
This area offers an off-the-bank fishing platform near the Mountain Island Dam & Hydro Station and is handicap accessible.
Lake Wylie/
Catawba RiverGaston CountySouth PointSouth Point Road
This area contains 26 acres of land, as well as 3,410 feet of shoreline. Park amenities include six concrete boat ramps and three floating parking spaces. There are 165 paved parking spaces available for visitors.
Allen Fishing Areaoff Canal Road
This area covers 21 acres of land and contains 1,919 feet of shoreline available for bank fishing. There are 29 paved parking spaces for cars.
York CountyBuster BoydHwy 49
On 662 feet of Lake Wylie shoreline, Buster Boyd covers four acres of terrain. This area includes two concrete boat ramps with four lanes and one floating loading pier with three slips. For visitor convenience, there are 119 paved parking spaces for trailers and 51 paved parking spaces for cars.
Allison Creekoff Hwy 274, Viesta Road
Allison Creek spreads over 54 acres of land and has 3,930 feet of shoreline. Park amenities include four concrete boat ramps, two floating loading piers and one handicapped accessible fishing pier. For visitor convenience, there are 90 paved parking spaces for trailers and 15 parking spaces for cars.
Fort MillGray Rock Road
This six acre access area can be found below the hydro station, and offers 481 feet of shoreline. It contains one concrete boat ramp and 20 gravel parking spaces.
Nivens CreekWylie Dam Road
This area covers 10 acres of land and includes 447 feet of shoreline. Park amenities include two concrete boat ramps and one floating loading pier. There are 32 paved parking spaces for visitor convenience. *
