Fog at the top, views on the ledges
Our first hike at Pilot Mountain State Park was in late May 2018, and we drove up into the clouds. The summit parking area and overlooks were wrapped in fog, and Big Pinnacle, the quartzite knob that makes Pilot Mountain easy to spot from miles away, kept appearing and disappearing in the mist.
We took the summit trail from the parking area out to the overlooks, then the loop off of it: the Pilot Knob Trail (it used to be called the Jomeokee Trail), a 0.8-mile loop that crosses the saddle and circles the base of Big Pinnacle under its quartzite walls and ledges.
🥾 The fog lifts
Partway around the loop the clouds started to lift, and the farmland below opened up under us. The rhododendron was in bloom along the trail.
We came back in August 2018 and April 2019; those visits are in our Pilot Mountain post.
🥾 Trail facts
- Pilot Knob Trail (formerly Jomeokee): 0.8-mile loop, moderate, from the upper side of the summit parking area around the base of Big Pinnacle
- Little Pinnacle Overlook: 0.1 mile one way, easy, off the summit area
- Note: climbing on Big Pinnacle is not allowed; summit parking can have weekend delays
- Managed by: NC Division of Parks and Recreation
Trail facts checked October 2026. Sources: NC State Parks: Pilot Mountain trails. Trails and roads change, so check with the managing agency before you go.
