Ten Reasons to visit Lake Norman State Park

Caleb Laney

Published in

NC PATH

3 min readJul 6, 2022

written by Caleb Laney

Paddle, bike, hike or fish this beautiful lake just north of Charlotte.

Photo courtesy of NC State Parks. All rights go to their respective owners.

1. There’s plenty of room for hiking.

Lake Norman State Park has a 30.5 mile single-track trail for you to conquer! Don’t worry, if that’s just too long, there are much shorter trails, ranging from 0.15 to 6.2 miles.

Photo courtesy of Roots Rated. All photos go to their respective owners.

2. There are many fun and informative events that take place!

Whether you’re looking to learn, or just have fun, Lake Norman has an event for you! Check out their events and programs page by clicking here.

3. There’s a 125-yard-long sand beach!

Beat the heat and cool off by taking advantage of this cool lake and the nice sandy beach! There’s even a concession stand if you get hungry.

Photo courtesy of Macaroni KID. All rights go to their respective owners.

4. There are other options for you to take advantage of.

If you aren’t looking to swim, but still want to go out on the lake, there are plenty of options to take advantage of. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, and pedal boats are available to rent on a first-come, first-served basis.

Photo courtesy of Condé Nast Traveler. All rights go to their respective owners.

5. Go fishing!

Lake Norman State Park is a great place to go fishing. Fish that you make catch here include catfish, crappie, largemouth and spotted bass.

Photo courtesy of NC Wildlife. All rights go to their respective owners.

6. Have a picnic!

There are not one, not two, but three picnicking areas at Lake Norman State Park. They all have grills, tables, and restrooms. There are also shelters that can be reserved for free!

Photo courtesy of Reserve America. All rights go to their respective owners.

7. Go camping!

There are so many different ways to go camping at Lake Norman State Park. You can go group camping at the one of the group sites, there are camper cabins available, and you can even bring your trailer or RV if you desire!

Photo courtesy of Visit Lake Norman. All rights go to their respective owners.

8. See if you can spot Normie!

There are some people who believe there is a Loch Ness-type creature that lurks in the lake. It’s referred to as Normie, and even has a website!

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Stories. All rights go to their respective owners.

9. Many artifacts have been found in this park!

As it states on the website, “artifacts, such as arrowheads, have been found in the state park area, indicating the presence of the Catawba Indians, who made pottery from the red clay prevalent in the Catawba River Basin.”