List of North Carolina state parks facts for kids
The State of North Carolina has amazing natural places called the North Carolina State Park System. These special spots are looked after by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR), which is part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR). New parks can only be created by North Carolina's lawmakers.
The park system started way back in 1916 when the top of Mount Mitchell became the very first state park in the Southeastern United States. The NCDPR says there are six main types of places in the system: State Parks, State Recreation Areas, State Natural Areas, State Lakes, State Trails, and State Rivers. The division owns or manages all these places. Some are even managed by other groups. Most of these parks are also part of North Carolina's special nature and history protection areas.
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North Carolina State Parks: Nature and Fun
State Parks are the main type of park in the system. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation says that State Parks should have both important natural features and fun things to do. They are built to protect nature while still offering activities. Park facilities are kept simple to avoid harming the natural beauty. Most of each park is left wild, with only trails and a few buildings.
Many newer State Parks are still being planned and built. Some older parks have grown much larger, adding more trails and bike paths for everyone to enjoy.
| Park Name | Web- site |
Region | County or Counties | Size | Year Established | Status | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Beach State Park | [1] | Coast | New Hanover | 761 acres (3.08 km2) | 1969 | Open | This park is known for its amazing wild carnivorous plants, like the famous Venus Flytrap! It's located along the Cape Fear River. |
| Carvers Creek State Park | [2] | Coastal Plain | Cumberland | 4,530 acres (18.3 km2) | 2005 | Open | This park is still growing. You can visit its historic Long Valley Farm area. |
| Chimney Rock State Park | [3] | Mountains | Rutherford, Polk, Buncombe, Henderson | 8,014 acres (32.43 km2) | 2005 | Open | This park is still being developed. It protects the beautiful Hickory Nut Gorge, with its famous Chimney Rock. |
| Cliffs of the Neuse State Park | [4] | Coastal Plain | Wayne | 1,097 acres (4.44 km2) | 1945 | Open | This park protects ancient cliffs along the Neuse River. |
| Crowders Mountain State Park | [5] | Piedmont | Gaston | 5,217 acres (21.11 km2) | 1973 | Open | This park protects the Kings Mountain Ridgeline with its highest peaks, Crowder's Mountain and King's Pinnacle. Trails connect it to parks in South Carolina. |
| Dismal Swamp State Park | [6] | Coastal Plain | Camden | 14,432 acres (58.40 km2) | 1974 | Open | This park protects a large part of the Great Dismal Swamp. It's next to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. |
| Elk Knob State Park | [7] | Mountains | Watauga, Ashe | 4,423 acres (17.90 km2) | 2002 | Open | This park is still growing. It protects high peaks and the start of the North Fork New River. |
| Eno River State Park | [8] | Piedmont | Durham, Orange | 4,319 acres (17.48 km2) | 1973 | Open | This park protects the banks of the Eno River and the land around it. |
| Fort Macon State Park | [9] | Coast | Carteret | 424 acres (1.72 km2) | 1924 | Open | This was the first North Carolina State Park to open! It protects the historic Fort Macon and part of Bogue Banks. |
| Goose Creek State Park | [10] | Coastal Plain | Beaufort | 1,672 acres (6.77 km2) | 1974 | Open | This park protects part of the land along the Pamlico Sound. |
| Gorges State Park | [11] | Mountains | Transylvania | 7,709 acres (31.20 km2) | 1999 | Open | This park is still being developed. It's in the westernmost part of North Carolina and is famous for its many waterfalls. |
| Grandfather Mountain State Park | [12] | Mountains | Avery, Watauga, Caldwell | 3,647 acres (14.76 km2) | 2009 | Open | This park is still being developed. It protects the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains. |
| Hammocks Beach State Park | [13] | Coast | Onslow | 1,611 acres (6.52 km2) | 1961 | Open | This park is known for its four-mile (6.4 km) long barrier island, Bear Island. You can take a ferry to the island in warmer months. |
| Hanging Rock State Park | [14] | Piedmont | Stokes | 9,011 acres (36.47 km2) | 1935 | Open | This park includes the eastern part of the Sauratown Mountains, with a cool rock feature called Hanging Rock. It also protects part of the Dan River. |
| Haw River State Park | [15] | Piedmont | Rockingham, Guilford | 1,485 acres (6.01 km2) | 2003 | Open | This park is still being developed. It protects large wetlands along the Haw River. |
| Jockey's Ridge State Park | [16] | Coast | Dare | 427 acres (1.73 km2) | 1975 | Open | This park has the tallest sand dune system on the East Coast of the United States! |
| Jones Lake State Park | [17] | Coastal Plain | Bladen | 1,669 acres (6.75 km2) | 1939 | Open | The park surrounds Jones State Lake and Salters State Lake, which are natural Carolina Bay lakes. |
| Lake James State Park | [18] | Mountains | McDowell, Burke | 3,743 acres (15.15 km2) | 1987 | Open | This park is near Linville Gorge and covers a large part of the Lake James shoreline. It grew much bigger in 2004. |
| Lake Norman State Park | [19] | Piedmont | Iredell | 1,942 acres (7.86 km2) | 1962 | Open | This park is mostly made of land given by Duke Power. It's along the shores of Lake Norman, the biggest man-made freshwater lake in North Carolina. |
| Lake Waccamaw State Park | [20] | Coastal Plain | Columbus | 2,398 acres (9.70 km2) | 1976 | Open | This park is along the shoreline of Lake Waccamaw, the largest natural Carolina Bay lake. |
| Lumber River State Park | [21] | Coastal Plain | Scotland, Hoke, Robeson, Columbus | 13,695 acres (55.42 km2) | 1989 | Open | This is the largest State Park! It protects the banks of the black water Lumber River, which is a special State River. |
| Mayo River State Park | [22] | Piedmont | Rockingham | 2,778 acres (11.24 km2) | 2003 | Open | This new park is still growing and is located along the Mayo River. |
| Medoc Mountain State Park | [23] | Piedmont | Halifax | 3,893 acres (15.75 km2) | 1973 | Open | Medoc Mountain is not a true mountain, but a remnant of an old mountain range. The park protects the land around it and Little Fishing Creek. |
| Merchants Millpond State Park | [24] | Coastal Plain | Gates | 3,520 acres (14.2 km2) | 1973 | Open | This park protects a unique cypress-filled millpond and the Lassiter Swamp. |
| Morrow Mountain State Park | [25] | Piedmont | Stanly | 5,702 acres (23.08 km2) | 1935 | Open | Morrow Mountain is the fourth tallest peak in the Uwharrie Mountains. The park covers several peaks west of the Yadkin / Pee Dee River. |
| Mount Mitchell State Park | [26] | Mountains | Yancey | 4,789 acres (19.38 km2) | 1916 | Open | This was North Carolina's very first State Park! It protects the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States. |
| New River State Park | [27] | Mountains | Alleghany, Ashe | 3,323 acres (13.45 km2) | 1975 | Open | This park protects the beautiful land along the New River, which is a special State River. |
| Pettigrew State Park | [28] | Coastal Plain | Tyrrell, Washington | 5,951 acres (24.08 km2) | 1936 | Open | The park protects the shores of Lake Phelps, the state's second largest natural lake, and the Scuppernong River. |
| Pilot Mountain State Park | [29] | Piedmont | Surry, Yadkin | 3,872 acres (15.67 km2) | 1968 | Open | This park includes the western part of the Sauratown Mountains, with the famous Pilot Mountain, and a part of the Yadkin River with islands. |
| Pisgah View State Park | [30] | Mountains | Buncombe, Haywood | 205 acres (0.83 km2) | 2019 | Closed | This is a planned State Park near Mount Pisgah and Pisgah National Forest. |
| Raven Rock State Park | [31] | Piedmont | Harnett | 4,810 acres (19.5 km2) | 1970 | Open | Located along the Cape Fear River, this park has a cool rock outcrop where the river crosses the Fall Line. |
| Rendezvous Mountain State Park | [32] | Mountains | Wilkes | 1,800 acres (7.3 km2) | 1926 | Open | People say this mountain was a meeting spot for the Overmountain Men during the Revolutionary War. |
| Singletary Lake State Park | [33] | Coastal Plain | Bladen | 649 acres (2.63 km2) | 1939 | Limited | This park surrounds Singletary Lake, a special State Lake and Carolina Bay lake. It's mostly for group campers, but you might be able to visit during the day when camps are empty. |
| South Mountains State Park | [34] | Mountains | Burke | 20,949 acres (84.78 km2) | 1978 | Open | This is the largest park in the system! It covers a big part of the South Mountains, which are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. |
| Stone Mountain State Park | [35] | Mountains | Alleghany, Wilkes | 14,353 acres (58.08 km2) | 1969 | Open | This large park is next to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Its main feature is a huge granite dome called Stone Mountain. |
| William B. Umstead State Park | [36] | Piedmont | Wake | 5,599 acres (22.66 km2) | 1945 | Open | This big, wooded park is in the middle of the Research Triangle. It was once known as Crabtree Creek State Park. |
State Recreation Areas: More Activities!
State Recreation Areas are parks with more facilities for fun activities. They are often built on land that is not as sensitive to human activity as State Parks. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation says that these areas are mainly for outdoor recreation, not just for protecting nature.
They have more developed facilities than State Parks. But protecting and enjoying nature is still important! A good part of each area is kept wild and free from buildings.
| State Recreation Area | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size | Established | Status | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falls Lake State Recreation Area | [37] | Piedmont | Wake, Durham | 5,035 acres (20.38 km2) | 1982 | Open | This recreation area is along the shores of Falls Lake, a lake built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. |
| Fort Fisher State Recreation Area | [38] | Coast | New Hanover | 287 acres (1.16 km2) | 1986 | Open | This area is famous for its long, sandy beach between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. It's the only park where you can drive four-wheel drive vehicles off-road! |
| Jordan Lake State Recreation Area | [39] | Piedmont | Chatham | 4,558 acres (18.45 km2) | 1981 | Open | This recreation area is along the shores of Jordan Lake, another lake built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. |
| Kerr Lake State Recreation Area | [40] | Piedmont | Vance, Warren | 3,376 acres (13.66 km2) | 1952 | Open | This area is along the North Carolina side of Kerr Lake, a lake built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that sits on the border with Virginia. |
State Natural Areas: Protecting Special Places
State Natural Areas protect places that are very sensitive to human activities. Most of these areas are undeveloped and have few or no facilities. Some are even closed to the public to protect rare and fragile ecosystems. A few have simple facilities for quiet activities like walking, and for learning about nature.
The NC Division of Parks & Recreation says that State Natural Areas are all about saving and protecting places that are important for science, beauty, or nature. They only have the facilities needed for learning, protection, and basic upkeep. You usually won't find camping, swimming, or picnic areas here.
| State Natural Area | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size | Established | Public Access | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakers Lake State Natural Area | — | Coastal Plain | Bladen | 0 acres (0 km2) | 2021 | Undeveloped | Created to protect a natural lake that has not been developed. |
| Baldhead Island State Natural Area | — | Coast | Brunswick | 1,260 acres (5.1 km2) | 1979 | Undeveloped | This undeveloped area protects a large part of the Smith Island Complex, which includes barrier islands and salt marshes. |
| Bay Tree State Natural Area | — | Coastal Plain | Bladen | 609 acres (2.46 km2) | 1979 | Undeveloped | This used to be a State Park but was never developed. It's next to Bay Tree State Lake. |
| Bear Paw State Natural Area | — | Mountains | Avery | 384 acres (1.55 km2) | 2008 | Undeveloped | This area is north of Grandfather Mountain State Park. It protects Hanging Rock Ridge and the start of Dutch Creek. Its Cherokee name means "Bear's Paw." |
| Hemlock Bluffs State Natural Area | [41] | Piedmont | Wake | 97 acres (0.39 km2) | 1976 | Open | This natural area is managed by the Town of Cary as Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. |
| Masonboro Island State Natural Area | [42] | Coast | New Hanover | 106 acres (0.43 km2) | 1976 | Undeveloped | This area protects an undeveloped barrier island near Wilmington, North Carolina. You can only get there by boat. |
| Mount Jefferson State Natural Area | [43] | Mountains | Ashe | 1,188 acres (4.81 km2) | 1956 | Open | This used to be a State Park. It's now managed by New River State Park and protects the tall peak of Mount Jefferson. |
| Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area | [44] | Piedmont | Orange | 221 acres (0.89 km2) | 1997 | Open | Managed by Eno River State Park, this area protects the highest point in Orange County. |
| Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area | [45] | Coast | Carteret | 265 acres (1.07 km2) | 1971 | Open | This area is managed by Fort Macon State Park and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. It protects the only untouched maritime forest on Bogue Banks. |
| Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve | [46] | Coastal Plain | Moore | 915 acres (3.70 km2) | 1963 | Open | This was the first North Carolina State Natural Area. It protects special longleaf pine forests in the Sandhills region. |
State Lakes: Natural Water Wonders
State Lakes are all large, natural bodies of water found in North Carolina's Coastal Plain. Most of them are unique Carolina Bay lakes. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation explains that a law from 1929 said that all state-owned lakes larger than 50 acres should be managed like other state recreation areas.
This meant the state could manage seven Coastal Plain lakes as part of the State Parks System. Most of these lakes are managed as part of a nearby State Park. However, one lake, White Lake, doesn't have any public land along its shores.
| State Lake | Adjoining State Park | Counties | Size | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Tree State Lake | Bay Tree State Park | Bladen | 1,418 acres (5.74 km2) | Bay Tree Lake used to be called Black Lake. |
| Jones State Lake | Jones Lake State Park | Bladen | 224 acres (0.91 km2) | The state owns all the land around Jones Lake. |
| Phelps State Lake | Pettigrew State Park | Washington, Tyrrell | 16,600 acres (67 km2) | Phelps is North Carolina's second largest natural lake. |
| Salters State Lake | Jones Lake State Park | Bladen | 315 acres (1.27 km2) | Salters is the only State Lake with no buildings or development along its shores. |
| Singletary State Lake | Singletary Lake State Park | Bladen | 572 acres (2.31 km2) | The state owns all the land around Singletary Lake. |
| Waccamaw State Lake | Lake Waccamaw State Park | Columbus | 8,938 acres (36.17 km2) | Lake Waccamaw is the largest natural Carolina Bay lake. |
| White State Lake | None | Bladen | 1,068 acres (4.32 km2) | This is the only State Lake that doesn't have public land along its shores. |
State Trails: Paths for Adventure
State Trails are an important part of North Carolina's trail system. These can be long hiking trails or trails for paddling boats. State Trails might include land for the trail itself or to protect special features along the way. Most of this land is managed by other groups. All State Trails are projects done with other government groups and non-profit organizations.
The North Carolina Trails System Act was passed in 1973. It helps provide outdoor recreation and lets people get closer to nature. The system includes "park trails," which are State Trails managed by the State Parks System, and "designated trails," which are managed by other groups.
| State Trail | Web- site |
Region | Designated Length | Size | Established | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan River State Trail | [47] | Piedmont | 0 miles (0 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 2021 | A paddle trail on the Dan River in Stokes and Rockingham Counties. |
| Deep River State Trail | [48] | Piedmont | 0 miles (0 km) | 1,274 acres (5.16 km2) | 2007 | A planned hiking and paddle trail along the Deep River. |
| East Coast Greenway State Trail | [49] | Coastal Plain | 0 miles (0 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 2021 | North Carolina's part of a growing bikeway that will go along the entire East Coast of the United States. |
| Fonta Flora State Trail | [50] | Mountains | 19 miles (31 km) | 203 acres (0.82 km2) | 2015 | A planned hiking and biking trail that will go around the eastern half of Lake James. |
| French Broad River State Trail | [51] | Mountains | 117 miles (188 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1987 | A paddle trail that goes from the start of the French Broad River in Rosman to I-40 in Asheville. |
| Mountains-to-Sea State Park Trail | [52] | State | 669 miles (1,077 km) | 778 acres (3.15 km2) | 2000 | The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) is a very long hiking trail that crosses North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. It will be about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long when finished. |
| Overmountain Victory State Trail | [53] | Mountains | 49.5 miles (79.7 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 2019 | This trail roughly follows the path of the Overmountain Men during their march to the Battle of Kings Mountain in the Revolutionary War. |
| Yadkin River State Trail | [54] | Piedmont | 130 miles (210 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1987 | This paddle trail is along a mostly free-flowing part of the Yadkin River. |
State Rivers: Wild and Scenic Waterways
State Rivers are part of North Carolina's Natural and Scenic Rivers System. This system is like the national one, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Most of North Carolina's National Wild and Scenic Rivers are also State Rivers, and vice versa.
The NC Division of Parks & Recreation says that the Natural and Scenic Rivers System was created in 1971. Its goal is to protect certain free-flowing rivers, their water quality, and the land next to them for everyone, now and in the future. State Rivers are part of this system and also part of the State Parks System.
| State River | Region | Designated Length | Size | Established | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepasture State Natural River | Mountains | 4.5 miles (7.2 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1985 | This river is in the Pisgah National Forest. You can hike to it from Gorges State Park via the Rainbow Falls Trail. |
| Linville State Natural River | Mountains | 13.0 miles (20.9 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1975 | This river is in the middle of the Linville Gorge Wilderness. |
| Lumber State Natural River | Coastal Plain | 34.5 miles (55.5 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1989 | Lumber River State Park is located along parts of the river banks. |
| New State Scenic River | Mountains | 26.5 miles (42.6 km) | 0 acres (0 km2) | 1975 | New River State Park is located along parts of the river banks. |
Former State Park Units
Some places that used to be part of the NC State Park System have been moved to other agencies to be managed.
When the State Historic Site system started in 1955, its first six sites were historic properties that came from the State Park System.
One park, Rendezvous Mountain, was even transferred back to the park system after 66 years in the state forest system.
| Former unit | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size † | Established | Removed | Status | What Happened to It |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Alamance | [55] | Piedmont | Alamance | 40 acres (0.16 km2) | 1953 | 1955 | Open | This park became one of the first State Historic Sites. |
| Boone's Cave State Park | [56] | Piedmont | Davidson | 110 acres (0.45 km2) | 1971 | 2002 | Open | Boone's Cave is now a park managed by Davidson County. It used to be managed by Morrow Mountain State Park. |
| Brunswick Town | [57] | Coast | Brunswick | 119 acres (0.48 km2) | 1952 | 1955 | Open | This park became one of the first State Historic Sites. |
| Cape Hatteras State Park | [58] | Coast | Dare | 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) | 1935 | 1952 | Open | Cape Hatteras State Park was near Cape Hatteras Light. It became part of the larger Cape Hatteras National Seashore. |
| Reedy Creek State Park | [59] | Piedmont | Wake | 1,234 acres (4.99 km2) | 1950 | 1966 | Open | This park was combined with William B. Umstead State Park. |
| Waynesborough State Park | [60] | Coastal Plain | Wayne | 130 acres (0.53 km2) | 1979 | 2003 | Open | This park is now owned and managed by the Old Waynesborough Commission, a non-profit group. It used to be managed by Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. |
| † Size when it was part of the park system | ||||||||
See also
