HIGHLIGHTS:  Kings Mountain State Park rests in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains next to the Kings Mountain National Military Park, a prominent Revolutionary War battle site in the late 1700’s. A Living History Farm is located at the park, which allows visitors to re-live the lifestyles of the early pioneers through a replica of a 19th century South Carolina yeoman farm. The farm includes a barn, cotton gin and blacksmith/carpenter shop.

This easy 1.2-mile roundtrip loop trail begins at the picnic area in Kings Mountain State Park (not at the National Park like the Battlefield Trail and Browns Mountain hikes featured earlier in this book). The Kings Mountain Nature Trail is a pleasant hike through a lightly forested area that is suitable for all members of the family, including the dog. This trail is not far from Charlotte, N.C. and is occasionally crowded on the weekends – particularly in the warmer months. So the pooch must be on a leash of no more than six feet, which is characteristic of many of the State Parks in both South Carolina and Georgia.

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