OUR PARKS
With over 80 picturesque parks throughout our county, the enjoyment of the outdoors is easily obtained anywhere your adventure might lead you as you venture across Gaston County. Our parks provide a delightful way to admire the refreshing outdoors. No matter what your level of activity, we offer an abundance of all types of recreational activities. Whether you are interested in hiking, biking, kayaking, bird watching or skateboarding, we've got you covered.
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Gaston County prides itself in providing top-notch parks for you to encounter. Our parks are a tangible reflection of our commitment to provide stunning places to get outside and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
Crowders Mountain State Park
Two peaks —Crowders Mountain and Kings Pinnacle — provide challenging terrain for hiking, rock climbing, bouldering and backcountry camping. Mountaintop views stretch 25 miles. Eleven hiking trails vary from easy to strenuous. Wet a hook in the nine-acre lake or rent a canoe. The visitor center contains museum-quality exhibits.
522 Park Office Ln.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
704-853-5375
Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park
Access the Catawba River via canoe, kayak or boat from this 10-acre riverfront park. Kids enjoy the playground, while visitors of all ages like fishing from the pier. Additional amenities include an amphitheater, walking trail and picnic shelter.
1400 Catawba St.
Belmont, NC 28012
704-825-8191
Dallas Park
This 100-acre park provides a broad assortment of facilities, including walking and jogging trails, a one-mile track, three fishing lakes, softball and baseball fields, and tennis courts. The equestrian area has a show ring and 124 stalls. A heritage village showcases local farm life in the 1890s.
1303 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy.
Dallas, NC 28034
704-922-2160
Rocky Branch Park
The centerpiece of the 40-acre park is a hand-built single-track mountain biking trail for intermediate and advanced bikers. The trail is approximately five miles with a pump track located at the beginning. Multiple bridges cross creeks along the trail, which includes challenging climbs and technical features.
103 Sacco St.
Belmont, NC 28012
704-825-8191
Mountain Island Park
This park features river access, a 1.6-mile walking trail part of the Carolina Thread Trail and a fishing pier.
400 Mountain Island Rd.
Mount Holly, NC 28120
704-827-3931
Stowe Park
Located in the heart of downtown Belmont, Stowe Park features a Carolina Thread Trail trailhead that connects to downtown Cramerton via sidewalk. The park is also home to many concerts and festivals.
24 S. Main St.
Belmont, NC 28012
704-825-5586
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George Poston Park
This 344-acre park features North Carolina’s first asphalt pump track, designed for cyclists and skateboarders. Mountain bikers also enjoy 13 miles of single-track trail. Other amenities include lighted athletic fields, seven miles of hiking trails, stocked lake with fishing pier, dog park and horseshoe courts.
1101 Lowell-Spencer Mountain Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28056
704-922-2160
Rankin Lake Park
What started as a WPA project in 1922 is now a premier city park. A 1.5-mile paved walking trail rims the 80-acre lake, complete with fishing pier and boat dock. Canoes, kayaks, johnboats and pedal boats are available to rent. A clubhouse and several picnic shelters allow for group events.
1750 Rankin Lake Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28052
704-866-6839
Tuckaseege Park
A popular place for picnics, the park has four shelters. Visitors make use of the playground, dog park, walking trail and skate park. Three baseball fields and one multipurpose field are lighted. The Tuckaseege Community Center contains Mount Holly Fitness Center and courts for basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer.
165 Broome St.
Mount Holly, NC 28120
704-822-2938
Harper Park
A true community effort, Harper Park opened in 2013 after years of local fundraisers and donations. Kids delight in the splash pad and playground. Walk along a paved track or down the nature trail. Sports offerings include two baseball fields and volleyball and basketball courts.
301 Blacksnake Rd.
Stanley, NC 28164
704-263-4779
Riverside Park
This park in Cramerton offers 300 feet of South Fork River frontage with river access, a 1-mile paved walking path and a fishing pier.
75 Riverside Dr.
Cramerton, NC 28032
704-824-4231
Martha Rivers Park
Children head straight for “the castle” playground. The wooden structure houses a fort, a ship, a race car, slides and swings. Children designed the playground, and community volunteers built it. The park’s youth sports complex contains baseball, softball and soccer fields; batting cages; a sand volleyball court; and walking trails.
1515 Neal Hawkins Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28056
704-869-1018
Goat Island Park
Goat Island Park, in the middle of the South Fork River, is a popular stop for paddlers. The island is full of activities: 18-hole disc golf course, dog park, fishing pier, permanent ping-pong tables and cornhole boards. A Carolina Thread Trail greenway runs east-west through the park with a bridge connecting the island to downtown.
141 8th Ave.
Cramerton, NC 28032
704-824-4231
Ferguson Park
Ferguson Park’s softball complex is ideal for tournament play with four lighted fields. Tennis enthusiasts enjoy eight lighted, asphalt courts. The parking lot serves as a trailhead for Avon/Catawba Creeks Greenway, part of the Carolina Thread Trail.
109 W. Second Ave.
Gastonia, NC 28052
704-869-1018
Lineberger Park
Gastonia’s first park provides both passive and active recreation opportunities on 18.5 acres. The park is naturally bisected by Avon Creek that contains a trailhead for the Avon/Catawba Creek Greenway, a bike share station and is encompassed by a series of paved walking trails.
632 E. Garrison Blvd.
Gastonia, NC 28054
704-866-6839
South Fork River Park
This 44-acre park has 800 feet of river frontage, equipped with a kayak launch and a 1-mile paved walking trail.
4185 Mountain View St.
Gastonia, NC 28056
704-922-2160