The City of Hickory seasonally changes the hours of operation for most City-owned parks.

Standard Seasonal Park Hours:

April – September.......................7 a.m. – 9 p.m. 

October – March.........................7 a.m. – 7 p.m. 

These standard seasonal hours apply to all City parks with the exception of those listed below.

Rotary-Geitner Park:

7 a.m. – 9 p.m. (March – October)
7 a.m. – 7 p.m. (November – February)

Hickory City Park:

7 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Year Round)

Lowes Foods City Park:

7 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Year Round)

Westmont Recreation Park:

7 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Year Round)

Please plan your outings accordingly. At the listed closing time, park gates will be closed and locked. If someone’s vehicle remains in the park after closing, the only way to leave the park is to contact the Hickory Police Department at (828) 328-5551 to come and unlock the gate.  

Charles D. Dixon Memorial Splash Pad:

From mid-May through mid-September, the Charles D. Dixon Memorial Splash Pad at Kiwanis Park is open daily from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Please contact the Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Administrative Offices at (828) 322-7046 to confirm exact opening/closing dates and hours.

**2026 UPDATE: The splash pad is currently closed due to ongoing drought conditions and mandatory water use restrictions.

Picnic Shelter Reservations:

Picnic shelters at Hickory parks are available on a first come, first served basis unless reserved through the Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Administrative Offices. Picnic shelters at Glenn Hilton Park and Kiwanis Park may be reserved for a small fee. To reserve a picnic shelter or park facility, please visit hickory.recdesk.com or call (828) 322-7046 for additional information.