Mountain Island Park in Mount Holly, NC (Blog Hike #886)

Trail: Mountain Island Park Trail
Hike Location: Mountain Island Park
Geographic Location: Mount Holly, NC
Length: 3.1 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: An out-and-back along the west bank of the Catawba River.
Park Information: https://www.carolinathreadtrailmap.org/trails/trail/mountain-island-park-trail
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=896383
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: On the west side of Charlotte, take I-85 to SR 273 (exit 27).  Exit and go north on SR 273.  Drive SR 273 north 6.5 miles to the entrance for Mountain Island Park on the right.  There is no park sign here, but you reach the park entrance right before you reach the Mount Holly water treatment plant.  Turn right to enter the park, then turn right on the gravel park road to descend to the Catawba River access.  Park in the gravel lot at the river access.

The hike: Built in 1924 for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power, Mountain Island Lake is the smallest of the three hydroelectric-related lakes on the Catawba River northwest of Charlotte.  (Aside: Lake Norman and Lake Wylie, both of which are featured elsewhere in this trail journal, are the other two.)  The lake gets its name from a small unnamed mountain that now forms an island in the middle of the lake.  The 3281 acre lake has 61 miles of shoreline, and it is also a major source of drinking water for the Charlotte metro area.

            Located just downstream from the Mountain Island Hydro Station is Mountain Island Park.  The park sits on the west bank of the Catawba River, and it is owned and maintained by the City of Mount Holly.  The park offers a playground, river access, mountain bike trails, and the out-and-back hiking trail described here.  The hiking trail is also part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of 300 miles of trails that weave throughout the 15 counties that comprise metro Charlotte.

Trailhead at Mountain Island Park

            Start by picking up the gravel trail that heads south from the parking lot.  A chain strung across the trail blocks vehicle access, and an information board and playground also stand here.  If you look over your left shoulder, you will see the downstream side of Mountain Island Hydro Station, a brick and concrete structure that towers over you.  Also, an overlook platform on the left gives a nice view of the Catawba River as it flows through a relatively natural area.

Mountain Island Hydro Station

            The wide flat trail follows what appears to be an old road or railroad grade.  Distance markers appear every 0.25 miles, allowing you to track your progress.  Just shy of 0.5 miles, the trail splits.  The two options come back together in only 0.2 miles, so you can go either way here.  I chose to use the left option closest to the river going out and the right option higher on the hillside coming back.

Hiking on the old roadbed

            Just after the two options come back together, you pass the entrance to Mountain Island Park's mountain bike trails on the right.  Stay left to remain on the Carolina Thread Trail and cross the first of several nice wooden bridges.  The area around the trailhead consists of a nice broadleaf forest dominated by beech, maple, and sweetgum, but some pines mix in as you get further downstream.  Plenty of benches offer opportunities to rest, and I got to enjoy the rhythmic pecking of a woodpecker when I took a break near the midpoint of this hike.

Hiking along the river

            As you continue downstream, more nice Catawba River views emerge, but the natural area across the river is replaced by fancy riverside houses.  When a mountain bike trail appears on the left, stay right to remain on the wider Carolina Thread Trail.  The flat riverside hiking is now replaced by gentle ups and downs as you cross more small streams on wooden footbridges.

Old truck frame

            At 1.4 miles, you start around the short loop that is currently this trail's end.  Future plans call for extending this trail further south to link up with other sections of the Carolina Thread Trail, but for now a sign at the south end of this loop abruptly tells you "Trail Ends Here."  An interesting rusty old truck frame also sits in the woods here.  After completing the short loop, retrace your steps back to the trailhead, maybe taking the other option at the trail split for a short change of scenery.