PILOT MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Pilot Mountain continues to bounce back after a fire burned more than 1,000 acres. There are still some spots left behind after a campfire caused the massive fire.
Park officials said this spring, wildflowers and new tree growth are popping up. Pilot Mountain Park Ranger Carla Williams knows Pilot Mountain State Park like the back of her hand. As a park ranger, she often gets asked about the recent wildfire and the impacts it had on the mountain.
"It's still healing. People coming to the park, they're gonna notice our trees are a little bit crispy, they're not burnt, but if you look around the base of the tree you're going to see some marks, and maybe some of our smaller trees didn't make it, but less than 5% tree death overall in the park, which is great for a fire of that size," Williams said.
Williams was working the night the fire started last year. "It happened really quick," Williams said. "I was the only ranger on duty that evening, but I was in an outer access area so it took me about 15 minutes to actually get over to this area."
Around 1,050 acres burned, but now Williams said while you may notice charred trees, mother nature acted fast. "We have a lot of wildflowers already popping up, we have brand new tree growth already, a lot of those pine cones, it's a great way for new growth to happen," Williams said. As some parts of the mountain still heal, Williams enjoys seeing new life in the mountain she loves.
If you plan on making a visit this spring, park rangers want to remind visitors to stay on the path and make sure not to venture off the trails.
Pilot Mountain Shuttle Service Information:
The shuttle service operates weekends and holidays from March through November. The shuttle is also scheduled to run on New Year's Day.
Shuttle tickets are sold in front of the visitor center at the shuttle stop. Only debit or credit cards can be used to purchase tickets. The roundtrip fare is $5 for adults. Children ages 10 and under ride for free. There are no one-way tickets available.
The shuttle is wheelchair-accessible. Service animals are permitted on the shuttle; pets are not.