Mountain Island Educational State Forest is located on an important conservation easement and concentrates on forestry best management practices related to water quality. Mountain Island Lake, from which the forest takes its name, provides water for one out of every 12 residents in North Carolina.
Public Access Hours of Operation:
March 1 through Oct. 31
Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Nov. 1 through end of February
Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday Closed
Closed designated N.C. state holidays including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years
Forest Features:
- Outdoor education workshops
- Picnic facilities
- Educational programs led by N.C. Forest Service rangers
- Trails
- Loblolly Loop Trail
- "Talking Tree" Trail
- Harvest Hill Trail
- Demonstration Trail
Forest Partners:
- Duke Energy
- Public Service North Carolina
- Trust for Public Land
- North Carolina Land and Water Fund
- Lincoln County Parks & Recreation
- Gaston County Parks & Recreation
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
- Lincoln County Natural Resources
- Catawba Lands Conservancy
- Gaston County Natural Resources
- Gaston County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
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This page was last modified on 12/03/2025