Bakers Mountain Park

 August 23, 2020

A couple of weeks ago we were looking for a new hike that was not too far away from home to try out our new shoes. We went to Bakers Mountain Park in Hickory and hiked the 2.4 mile loop. It is rated as moderate with an elevation gain of 600 feet. There were a lot of roots and it seemed pretty steep in some parts. From the parking area, we passed an old homesite and then a pretty neat looking rock outcropping.  Continuing up to an elevation of 1625 ft., we got to the observation platform. There aren't any other places along the trail that have a good view but it was a nice stopping point and beautiful.  

After resting for a while, we continued on the trail to the stream habitat area.  It was a nice surprise and the kids had a lot of fun splashing in the creek and small waterfall. We passed another old homesite before looping back to the parking lot.  

This is not a state park but was very well maintained.  The restrooms were open and someone working in the park office was helpful.  There aren't a bunch of trails to choose from but for our family and friends it was a great escape from the usual! Here is a link to a park map: Bakers Mountain

By the way, we chose Altra trail running shoes from the recommendation of the nice people at REI. So far we really like them! They are supposed to have much more grip on the bottom than tennis shoes, which they do, and are also supposed to help your feet not slide side to side or front to back as much.