Rising abruptly more than 2,000 feet, Pilot Mountain has been a navigational landmark for centuries, and is a recreational landmark as well, offering miles of trails, camping, climbing and spectacular scenery. The mountain summit remains the principal park area, connected to the Yadkin River section by a 6.5-mile trail corridor. An extensive trail network is augmented by a bridle trail and a canoe trail section on the river. Family camping in a 42-site campground is augmented by canoe-in sites. Rock climbing and rappelling are allowed on portions of the park’s steep cliffs, and those cliffs perched around the mountain’s summit offer seemingly endless views of piedmont, Sauratown Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains.
Source: https://www.ncparks.gov/pilot-mountain-state-park/home
Having watched The Andy Griffith Show when we lived in California, it was so exciting to visit Pilot Mountain for the first time in 1965. After serving as a commercial tourist attraction, Pilot Mountain became a North Carolina state park in 1968. Many assume that the city Mayberry in the Andy Griffith Show was loosely based on Andy Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina, but actually, Griffith has indicated that nearby Pilot Mountain, also in Surry County, North Carolina, inspired him in creating the town. Pilot Mountain likely was the inspiration for the fictional town of "Mount Pilot", a nearby larger town in relation to Mayberry, often referred to and occasionally visited by the characters in The Andy Griffith Show.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry
Driving north to Ohio to visit my sister, we have always felt that the sighting of Pilot Mountain was our navigational beacon that we were REALLY on our way. And upon on our return home from Ohio, Pilot Mountain was our HOME navigational beacon indicating that only 2.5 hours more of travel would find us safely home.
Placing a virtual cache here is an honor and I invite you to take a picnic lunch with you so you can enjoy my most favorite location in NC.
To log your find: 1. Please post a picture taken at the posted coordinates with your family, friends, or avatar with Pilot Mountain in the background. Only pictures taken AFTER the date of this cache. Hold an item with the date of your visit in the picture. 2. Reading the various informational signs as you hike to GZ please locate the plaque that indicates the year that Pilot Mountain became a Registered Natural Landmark.
There are several caches nearby to find.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.