Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area - Hillsborough, NC

If you want our recommendation for the one local park you absolutely can’t miss this Fall, it’s Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Specifically, the overlook on the mountain.

While much of the trails here are a bit steep, and filled with rocks, roots, and various steps, you can park and take the Chestnut Oak Trail up a steady and walkable incline to the Overlook Trail. At a good walking pace, you can make it to the overlook in 10-15 minutes. If you’re walking more “leisurely” with a toddler, plan for about 30 minutes.

Once at the entrance to the overlook, it does get a bit craggy, but with the railings and going slow and steady, it is well worth the trip.

If you are really feeling up for an adventure, head down the Mountain Loop Trail afterward to see the rock formations at the Rock Quarry. We say this was an adventure because there were many steps, inclines and declines, narrower trails, and a whole bunch of roots and rocks. We were at the park for hours taking this trail back to the parking lot, but as you can see from the photos here, the beauty was worth it. Plus, we got a bit more up close and personal with the beautifully-colored foliage.

We’ll add a more complete review about our adventure soon, but we wanted to alert everyone to this awesome spot now so you don’t miss the beauty of Fall here!

Have you seen the Fall colors at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area? Let us know in the comments!

(Note: We're currently working on updating our website with our reviews. This review was originally posted on Instagram and Facebook on October 27, 2020.)