Kinda new to NC.  I want to do some hiking/camping and be able to carry.  Where is the nearest(to Charlotte) National Park to do this?

I guess that would be Great Smokey Mountains National Park.  Lots of trails and backcountry camping there.  Plenty of people there too though.  However this time of year no so much.

Pisgah National Forest has some really nice areas as well and would be closer for you but a lot of it is designated gamelands so you have to be careful and not carry on the gameland portions.  

The Blue Ridge Parkway is closer to Charlotte than the Smokey Mountains and has lots of trails not sure about the back country camping. How ever one can start at the BRP. and hike across Grandfather mountain which will require at least one night of camping on the mountain maybe more depending on how much sight seeing you do and which trails you take.

There are plenty of trails along the parkway including the Mountains to Sea.  The easiest thing to do is get one of the books on the area and it'll have them listed along with details on elevations, etc.  Some of the local shops have more details if you need them along with topos.  I've done a lot of hiking and packing up in that area and always enjoyed it.  You can leave your vehicle parked along the parkway in the overlooks near the trailheads and they're usually fairly safe.

palmer,
When you get a NC CHP head up I-77 and go to Virginia. VA's laws are much better than NC's in regards to hiking and handguns. Our laws can turn even an honest man into a criminal. My last camping trip included time in NC State Parks, National Forests, and a National Park. The regulations are different in all three areas with the NC State Park being the worst. Until our laws change it's just easier for me to go into VA.

Thanks for all the help.

I will pick up a hiking/camping book, I'll check REI tomorrow.