22
DISCOVER BURKE COUNTY
MORGANTON
Lake James State Park:
Tucked
beneath the towering summit of Shortoff Mountain
and the Linville Gorge, Lake James State Park offers visitors
a number of outdoor adventure opportunities. With more
than 150 miles of mostly wooded, scenic shoreline, the
lake is a great destination for fishing, paddling and boating.
Access areas include boat launches at Black Bear Boat
Access Area, Linville Access Area, and Hidden Cove Access
Area. The newest portion, Paddy’s Creek, spans over 3,000
acres including canoe rentals and a large public swimming
and beach area.
ocated in the Catawba River
Valley in the foothills of the Blue
Ridge Mountains, Burke County
is situated in the rolling landscape
of western North Carolina and is home to
some of the area’s best outdoor adventure
destinations. Get started in Morganton,
where you can gear up for adventure at
CBS Sports and finish the day by checking
out the many restaurants and breweries
that are helping breathe new life into the
city’s downtown district. With adventure
destinations like the Linville Gorge to the
north, Lake James to the West and South
Mountain State Park to the south and
numerous great adventures to be found
right in the heart of Morganton, there is
something for everyone in Burke County.
L
South Mountain State Park:
The
largest state park in N.C. with over 20,000 acres
offering equestrian trails, backpacking, trout fishing and the
impressive High Shoals waterfall cascading 80-feet into the
Jacob Fork River.
Catawba River: Below Linville Dam on
Lake James, the Catawba River flows through scenic
woodlands, around islands, and over a series of small
and exciting rapids until it reaches the nearby town of
Morganton. The river features beautiful scenery with clean,
cold and clear water along with a number of class II rapids
that provide a good challenge for beginning canoeists and
kayakers.
Bean Stalk Journey:
Zip-line TreeTop Canopy Tour at Catawba Meadows Park
with numerous ziplines, rope bridges, and a new Free-Fall
attraction.
Paddy’s Creek: Around 15 miles of
singletrack mountain bike trails are now open at the nearby
Paddy’s Creek Area on Lake James, which encompasses
more than 30 miles of shoreline on the 6,812-acre lake.
Apple Hill Orchard and Cider Mill:
Pick your own apples, purchase fresh cider and other
baked apple goodies at this local apple orchard that offers
wagon rides through the orchard and apple picking from late
August through October.
Linville Gorge:
Head out on a guided
overnight backpacking trip with Hike More
Adventures, a full-service, and fully licensed guide service
that help make sure you get the most out of your adventure
and navigate the Wilderness Area safely.
The Catawba River: The tailrace below
Lake James flows east to the Atlantic Ocean and is the
only Special Regulated Trout Waters in NC.We recommend
linking up with a local guide for more info. View options at
Burke County website.
Local Brew: Enjoy the local offerings from upand-coming brewery Fonta Flora, whose brewers
take a unique approach to incorporating natural elements
into their tasty beverages, or check out Morganton’s original
brewery, Catawba Brewing and stick around for live music
and a fun time in their large space.
Getting There: Head to the Burke County
Visitor’s Center in downtown Morganton (110
E. Meeting St., Morganton, NC) to get the scoop on
these and other great adventures and activities in and
around Morganton. For driving directions, download
our app,The WNC Adventure Guide, for turn-by-turn
naviagation right from your phone.