I’m an Asheville mountain girl at heart, so when I heard there was a mountain in Hillsborough I had to go see it for myself! Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area is smaller than the mountains I’m used to, but it didn’t disappoint. It was a short climb to the overlook that gave us a great panoramic view looking down at the countryside below!
Restrooms and Picnic Tables
Upon pulling into the parking lot you will be greeted by the restrooms and an area with picnic tables. This is a nice shady spot to have your lunch after a morning of hiking!
shaded area with picnic tables
Hiking Trails
At the start of the trail there was a map posted but there were no maps to take with you. I snapped a picture on my phone for future reference, which came in very handy! The trail has lots of signage, but I liked that the map also showed the distance.
At the trail entrance you can choose to go down towards the fishing ponds or up to the overlook. We chose the overlook so I can’t speak much about the pond, but we did see it on our way out of the park.
trail entrance 
one of the fishing ponds at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
Overlook Trail
I’ll preface this by saying that it’s probably not the best idea to drag your 3 kids up a mountain during a heat advisory. When I glanced at the map I saw that the overlook trail was only .15 miles long, so I pushed them along in the blistering heat. I misread that the overlook trail is short, but that’s not including the walk to get to it!
Honestly, it was a short walk probably around a half a mile, but with the heat and walking uphill my kids weren’t big fans. Luckily once we got to the overlook, took in the view, and felt the cool breeze, everyone’s spirits lifted considerably!
walking down to the overlook 
taking in the view 
don’t go past the fence!
It probably helped that there were a couple butterflies at the overlook that really took to my kids. They flew around us for a while and then sat on my 5 year old’s finger. As we left, they followed us and landed on our shirts as a farewell. I can’t promise you’ll have the same experience, but it was pretty magical to be up on the top of a mountain with butterflies flying around you!
There is plenty of seating in the overlook area. We sat on a bench right near the fence to rest and take in the view. Be careful not to climb on the fence and do not go past it for any reason.
Park Programs
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area offers a variety of learning programs throughout the year led by park rangers. Most are free but some required pre-registration. Check the calendar for upcoming programs.
For other mountain hiking in our area check out Flower Hill Nature Preserve in Middlesex or Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary.