Gallery: Catherine’s Top Five State Parks 2 Hours Or Less From Charlotte

Now that the unofficial start of summer has begun, it's time to grab the family and the dog, bike, or horse and head to one of the many wonderful parks in and around the Charlotte area.

Most of the parks are open now, Hurray!!  And I am one happy girl.  State and National parks are either free to visit or admission is at a very low cost.  Sometimes there is a fee to park. Whatever the price of admission, it is more than worth it.  We have some gorgeous parks in our area and here are my top five. Now these are just MY top five, yours may be different.  I am basing mine mostly on hiking and horseback riding friendly places.  I also love to be able to fish or kayak.

5) Croft State Park in Spartanburg, SC

4)Woods Ferry State Park in Sumter, SC

3) Moses Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, NC

2) South Mountains State Park in Burke County, NC

1) Kings Mountain State Park In Kings Mtn, NC

I chose Kings Mountain State Park as my top pick because of its convenience to my home, the beauty, and variety of the riding and hiking trails and the gorgeous scenery. This is a go-to spot for many of my riding friends, many of whom love camping there as well.

Here are a few pics from my riding trip to South Mountain over the Memorial Day weekend: