As February winds quickly down toward March and as winter most assuredly gives way to spring, the prospect of spending time on mountain hiking trails will appeal to many Catawba Valley residents.

Just a couple of problems, however.

Spring comes a good deal later to the high country of the Blue Ridge than it does to the foothills, and a mild 50-degree day here in the valley can be a chill, windy, 30-degree day in the mountains.

Hikers can bundle up, head north or west, and face the elements, or they can instead check out a hiking option that is closer, warmer, and safer than those in the mountains.

Lake Norman State Park in Iredell County is less than an hour away from most points in the Unifour area and offers a variety of hiking options.

The park, which was called Duke Power State Park until just a few years ago, is better known for its water activities -- a swimming beach, boat launches and excellent fishing -- than for its hiking.

But thanks to its location on a long, jutting peninsula, it also offers an excellent and lengthy hiking opportunity with its Lake Shore Trail, a 5-mile loop that basically follows the shoreline of that peninsula.

Indeed, this trail will be a more rewarding hike from now until the budding of the leaves in late March because the bare trees mean the lake's waters are in view for almost the entire hike.

The trail rolls gently up and down along the shoreline through mature forests that are made up mainly of hardwoods, with an occasional white pine and cedar, as well as lower growth of holly and rhododendron.

For the most part, the forest is very open, increasing the hiker's chances of seeing white-trailed deer romping through the woods, and also improving the opportunity for observing woodpeckers, blue jays and other birds in the trees.

In the waters of the lake, particularly in the more shallow, sheltered coves by which the trail spends much of its length, a variety of ducks and geese are likely to be seen, as well as an occasional heron or crane.

The impact of the drought, which began last summer and which continues to plague North Carolina, is readily evident along this trail. It is easy to note on the shoreline where the water normally reaches compared to where it reaches now.

At the lower end of the peninsula, at the trail's southernmost point, a sandbar now links an island to the mainland. In normal times, the sandbar is hidden under 4 to 5 feet of water.

The average hiker will need at least three hours to make this 5-mile loop, accessible at the park's boat launch and its new picnic area. Those with children, or who enjoy a leisurely amble with lots of stopping, should plan on at least four hours.

An additional 1.4 miles can be tacked onto this trail by parking at the group camping area and taking the spur trail that leads seven-tenths of a mile through the forest before its intersection with the Lake Shore Trail.

For those with either less time or less energy than is required for the Lake Shore Trail, a shorter option is the Alder Trail, whose trailhead is located at the park's older picnic area.

This trail could almost be called a miniature version of the Lake Shore Trail as it also follows a peninsula, albeit a much smaller one, through a mature forest with lake views along the way.

This trail is also flatter than the Lake Shore Trail and can be enjoyed by younger children and those not in the best of physical shape.

For Catawba Valley residents, the quickest route to Lake Norman State Park is to take Interstate 40 east to the Old Mountain Road and follow this road to N.C. 21. Go south on 21 into downtown Troutman and follow the brown state-park signs from there.

The drive time from my home in Drexel is about 50 minutes, so you can figure your own travel time from there. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of February, with closing time advanced to 7 p.m. on March 1.

More information is available by calling the park office at 704-528-6350 or on the Web at ncparks.gov.