List of North Carolina state parks
Encyclopedia
The State of North Carolina has a group of protected area
s known as the North Carolina State Park System, which is managed by the North Carolina Division of Parks & Recreation (NCDPR), an agency of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR)
. Units of the system can only be established by an act of the General Assembly of North Carolina. The park system began in 1916 when the summit of Mount Mitchell
became first state park
in the Southeastern United States
. According to the Division of Parks & Recreation, "the State Parks Act of 1987 lists six types of units included in the NC State Parks System." These are State Parks, State Recreation Areas, State Natural Areas, State Lakes, State Trails, and State Rivers. All units of the system are owned and/or managed by the division, and the division lease
s some of the units to other agencies for operation. Most units of the park system are also components of State Nature and Historic Preserve.
Several of the State Parks are new and are still being planned and developed. Also, a few of the older state parks were greatly expanded in size in the 2000's.
. Most of the lakes are Carolina Bay
s. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation describes its State Lakes as follows:
or paddle trails
. State Trails may have land components for providing a trail corridor or for protecting significant features or resources along the trail. Most of these lands are leased to other land management agencies. All of the State Trails are joint projects with other government agencies and nonprofit organizations. The following is the NC Division of Parks & Recreation description of State Trails:
When the State Historic Site system was established in 1955, the system's first seven components were historic properties transferred from the State Park System.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s known as the North Carolina State Park System, which is managed by the North Carolina Division of Parks & Recreation (NCDPR), an agency of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR)
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources is the state's leading stewardship agency for the preservation and protection of natural resources and public health.- Divisions :* Air Quality* Aquariums...
. Units of the system can only be established by an act of the General Assembly of North Carolina. The park system began in 1916 when the summit of Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell can refer to:* Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States* Mount Mitchell , in Jasper National Park of Canada* Mount Mitchell * Mount Mitchell , in Queensland...
became first state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. According to the Division of Parks & Recreation, "the State Parks Act of 1987 lists six types of units included in the NC State Parks System." These are State Parks, State Recreation Areas, State Natural Areas, State Lakes, State Trails, and State Rivers. All units of the system are owned and/or managed by the division, and the division lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
s some of the units to other agencies for operation. Most units of the park system are also components of State Nature and Historic Preserve.
State Parks
State Parks are the principle unit of the state park system. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation describes its parks as follows:
Generally, State Parks are expected to possess both significant natural resource values and significant recreational values. State Parks are expected to accommodate the development of facilities, but may vary in the extent of development depending upon what can be provided without damage to the scenic or natural features. Facilities are planned and constructed to keep disturbance of natural resources to a minimum and to leave a “liberal portion” of each park undisturbed and free from improvements and structures, except for trails.
Several of the State Parks are new and are still being planned and developed. Also, a few of the older state parks were greatly expanded in size in the 2000's.
| State Park | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size | Established | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Tree State Park | — | 2Coastal Plain | Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
609 acres (2.5 km²) | 1979 | Undeveloped | North Carolina's oldest, undeveloped State Park is adjacent to Bay Tree State Lake. |
| Carolina Beach State Park Carolina Beach State Park Carolina Beach State Park is a North Carolina state park in New Hanover County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Carolina Beach, North Carolina and covers 761 acres on Pleasure Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.-Information:... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/cabe/main.php | 1Coast | New Hanover New Hanover County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile . There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 per square mile... |
420 acres (1.7 km²) | 1969 | Open | Named not for a beach, rather the Town of Carolina Beach Carolina Beach, North Carolina Carolina Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,701 at the 2000 census. It is located on part of the Wilmington metropolitan area... , the park is located along the banks of the Cape Fear River Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the... and Snow's Cut (part of the Intracoastal Waterway Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals... ). The park is best known for its variety of wild carnivorous plant Carnivorous plant Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic... s, including the Venus Flytrap Venus Flytrap The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces... . |
| Carvers Creek State Park Carvers Creek State Park Carvers Creek State Park is a North Carolina state park in Cumberland County, North Carolina in the United States. Located north of Fayetteville, it covers 4,076 acres in the Sandhills region of the state. The park covers lands around Carvers Creek, a tributary of the Cape Fear River, and it... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/cacr/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Cumberland Cumberland County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 302,963 people, 107,358 households, and 77,619 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile . There were 118,425 housing units at an average density of 181 per square mile... |
4076 acres (16.5 km²) | 2005 | Closed | Underdevelopment; Interim facilities are being constructed. |
| Chimney Rock State Park | http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/chro/main.php | 4Mountains | Rutherford Rutherford County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile... , Polk Polk County, North Carolina Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 20,510. Its county seat is Columbus.-History:The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson County and Rutherford County... , Buncombe Buncombe County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile... , Henderson Henderson County, North Carolina Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :... |
4531 acres (18.3 km²) | 2005 | Open | Underdevelopment; The park protects the landscape of Hickory Nut Gorge, including its most well known feature, Chimney Rock. |
| Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Cliffs of the Neuse State Park is a North Carolina state park in Wayne County, North Carolina in the United States. It is located near Seven Springs, North Carolina and covers along the southern banks of the Neuse River. It has a swimming area, camp sites, hiking trails, fishing areas, and picnic... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/clne/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Wayne Wayne County, North Carolina - Cities and towns :*Brogden*Dudley*Elroy*Eureka*Fremont*Goldsboro*Mar-Mac*Mount Olive*Pikeville*Rosewood*Seven Springs*Walnut Creek*Grantham-Geography:According to the U.S... |
892 acres (3.6 km²) | 1945 | Open | The park protects ancient cliff Cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually... faces located along the banks of the Neuse River Neuse River The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,... . |
| Crowders Mountain State Park Crowders Mountain State Park Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5126 acre North Carolina state park in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Kings Mountain, North Carolina and on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina, it includes the peaks of Crowder's Mountain and King's Pinnacle. Crowders... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/crmo/main.php | 3Piedmont | Gaston Gaston County, North Carolina Gaston County is a county located just west of Charlotte in the southern Piedmont in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of... |
5126 acres (20.7 km²) | 1973 | Open | The park protects the Kings Mountain Ridgeline in North Carolina, including its highest peaks Crowder's Mountain Crowder's Mountain Crowders Mountain is one of two main peaks within Crowders Mountain State Park, the other peak being King's Pinnacle. The park is located in the western Piedmont of North Carolina between the cities of King's Mountain and Gastonia or about west of Charlotte... and King's Pinnacle King's Pinnacle King's Pinnacle is one of the two main peaks located within Crowder's Mountain State Park. The other peak is Crowder's Mountain. The park is located in the western Piedmont of North Carolina between the cities of Kings Mountain and Gastonia.... . The park is also adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park Kings Mountain State Park Kings Mountain State Park is a South Carolina state park located in the Piedmont region of South Carolina.This large hilly park includes the Living History Farm, which is representative of a typical early 19th century Piedmont farm... in South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... , which in turn is adjacent to Kings Mountain National Military Park Kings Mountain National Military Park Kings Mountain National Military Park is a National Military Park near Blacksburg, South Carolina, along the North Carolina/South Carolina border... . All three parks are connected via the Kings Mountain Ridgeline Trail. |
| Dismal Swamp State Park Dismal Swamp State Park Dismal Swamp State Park is a North Carolina state park in Camden County, North Carolina in the United States. The park was created as a state natural area in 1974 with the help of The Nature Conservancy, and on July 28, 2007 the NC General Assembly re-designated it as a state park. It opened to... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/disw/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Camden Camden County, North Carolina -Schools:There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and CamTech High School. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a... |
14432 acres (58.4 km²) | 1974 | Open | Underdevelopment; The park protects large part of the Great Dismal Swamp Great Dismal Swamp The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. It is located in parts of southern Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, as well as northern... , and it is adjacent to Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the... . It is bounded on the east by the Dismal Swamp Canal Dismal Swamp Canal The Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805... . |
| Elk Knob State Park Elk Knob State Park Elk Knob State Park is an North Carolina state park in Watauga County, North Carolina, in the United States. Opened in 2003, it is one of North Carolina's newest state parks. Elk Knob State Park was established to preserve the natural state of Elk Knob, the second highest peak in Watauga County... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/elkn/main.php | 4Mountains | Watauga Watauga County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile... , Ashe Ashe County, North Carolina - History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence... |
3469 acres (14 km²) | 2002 | Open | Underdevelopment; Only interim facilities exist. The park preserves some of the highest peaks in Ashe and Watauga Counties, and it protects headwaters of the North Fork New River North Fork New River The North Fork New River is a river in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It rises in Northern Watauga County, and flows northeast to Ashe County where it joins with the South Fork New River to form the New River.... . |
| Eno River State Park Eno River State Park Eno River State Park is a 3,900 acre North Carolina state park in Durham and Orange Counties, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Durham, North Carolina along the banks of the Eno River... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php | 3Piedmont | Durham Durham County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile... , Orange Orange County, North Carolina Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough... |
4175 acres (16.9 km²) | 1973 | Open | The park protects the banks of the Eno River Eno River The Eno River, named for the Eno Indians who once lived along its banks, is the initial tributary of the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA.The Eno rises in Orange County. The river's watershed occupies most of Orange and Durham counties... and surrounding lands. |
| Fort Macon State Park Fort Macon State Park Fort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/foma/main.php | 1Coast | Carteret Carteret County, North Carolina Carteret County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 66,469. Its county seat is Beaufort. Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast.... |
424 acres (1.7 km²) | 1924 | Open | The first North Carolina State Park to open to the public. It protects the historic Fort Macon Battle of Fort Macon The Siege of Fort Macon took place from March 23 to April 26, 1862, on the Outer Banks of Carteret County, North Carolina. It was part of Union Army General Ambrose E... and the eastern end of Bogue Banks Bogue Banks Bogue Banks form a barrier island off the mainland of North Carolina in Carteret County. The island, separated from the mainland by Bogue Sound, runs east to west, with the ocean beaches facing due south... . |
| Goose Creek State Park Goose Creek State Park Goose Creek State Park is a North Carolina state park near Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina in the United States. It covers 1,327 acres just off of Pamlico Sound, in North Carolina's Coastal Plain... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/gocr/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Beaufort Beaufort County, North Carolina - Law and government :Beaufort County is a member of the Mid-East Commission regional council of governments.Beaufort County is one of the proposed sites for a Navy outlying landing field. This practice airfield would allow pilots to simulate landings on an aircraft carrier... |
1672 acres (6.8 km²) | 1974 | Open | The park protects part of the landscape along the Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, is the largest lagoon along the U.S. East Coast, being long and 24 to 48 km wide. It is a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy barrier islands, including Cape Hatteras. The Neuse and Pamlico rivers flow in... . |
| Gorges State Park Gorges State Park Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States. The land, along Jocassee Gorges, was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation in 1999. It is North Carolina's westernmost state park and one of the state's newest. The park is... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/gorg/main.php | 4Mountains | Transylvania Transylvania County, North Carolina Transylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 33,090. Its county seat is Brevard.- History :The county was formed in 1861 from parts of Henderson County and Jackson County... |
7641 acres (30.9 km²) | 1999 | Open | Underdevelopment; North Carolina's westernmost state park; it is located along the steep Blue Ridge Escarpment Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most... . The park is best known for the many waterfall Waterfall A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens... s it provides access to, both inside the park and on adjacent public lands. |
| Grandfather Mountain State Park | http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/grmo/main.php | 4Mountains | Avery Avery County, North Carolina - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the... , Watauga Watauga County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile... , Caldwell Caldwell County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,415 people, 30,768 households, and 22,399 families residing in the county. The population density was 164 people per square mile . There were 33,430 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile... |
3205 acres (13 km²) | 2009 | Open | Underdevelopment; Adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains... , the park protects the highest peak located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most... . The park consists of lands formerly known as the "backcountry area" when it was privately owned nature preserve. |
| Hammocks Beach State Park Hammocks Beach State Park Hammocks Beach State Park is a North Carolina state park in Onslow County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Swansboro, along the Southern Outer Banks, or Crystal Coast, the state park covers and consists mainly of Bear Island, but also nearby Huggins Island, as well as Jones... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/habe/main.php | 1Coast | Onslow Onslow County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 150,355 people, 48,122 households, and 36,572 families residing in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile . There were 55,726 housing units at an average density of 73 per square mile... |
1155 acres (4.7 km²) | 1961 | Open | While protecting a variety of maritime habitats, the park is most known for its four mile (4 miles) long barrier island Barrier island Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen... , Bear Island. The park operates a passenger ferry Ferry A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services... service between the mainland and island in the warmer months. |
| Hanging Rock State Park Hanging Rock State Park Hanging Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stokes County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is north of Winston-Salem and is located approximately from Danbury in Stokes County.-History:... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php | 3Piedmont | Stokes Stokes County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 44,711 people, 17,579 households, and 13,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 19,262 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile... |
7049 acres (28.5 km²) | 1935 | Open | The park encompasses the eastern end of the Sauratown Mountain range Sauratown Mountains The Sauratown Mountains, which are sometimes called "the mountains away from the mountains", are an isolated mountain range located within Stokes and Surry counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina... , including a geologic feature known as Hanging Rock. It also protects a segment of the Dan River Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It originates in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it goes back into Virginia. It reenters North Carolina near the... . |
| Haw River State Park Haw River State Park Haw River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Guilford and Rockingham Counties, North Carolina in the United States. As one of the newest state parks in North Carolina, Haw River has limited recreational opportunities... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/hari/main.php | 3Piedmont | Rockingham Rockingham County, North Carolina Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County... , Guilford Guilford County, North Carolina Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful... |
1374 acres (5.6 km²) | 2003 | Limited Access |
Underdevelopment; Currently, there are no facilities set aside for day users. This park preserves large wetland Wetland A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions.... s along the Haw River Haw River The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States... . |
| Jockey's Ridge State Park Jockey's Ridge State Park Jockey's Ridge State Park is a North Carolina state park in Dare County, North Carolina in the United States. Located in Nags Head, North Carolina, it covers 426 acres and includes the tallest active sand dune system in the eastern United States. It is the most visited park within the NC park... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jori/main.php | 1Coast | Dare Dare County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Fort Raleigh National Historic Site* Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge* Wright Brothers National Memorial-Demographics:... |
426 acres (1.7 km²) | 1975 | Open | The park protects the tallest sand dune system on the East Coast of the United States East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S... . |
| Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States in near Elizabethtown. It covers 2,208 acres and includes the Carolina bay lakes of Jones Lake and Salters Lake. Jones Lake State Park is north of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jone/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
1669 acres (6.8 km²) | 1939 | Open | The park surrounds Jones State Lake and Salters State Lake, both of which are largely undeveloped Carolina Bay Carolina Bay Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida... lakes. |
| Lake James State Park Lake James State Park Lake James State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke and McDowell Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Nebo, North Carolina, it covers 565 acres and borders the southern end of the Lake James with a shoreline.... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/laja/main.php | 4Mountains | McDowell McDowell County, North Carolina -Cities and towns:*Marion *Old Fort-Unincorporated places:*West Marion*Little Switzerland*Nebo*Glenwood*Pleasant Gardens*North Cove-Education:The following is a list of schools located in McDowell County:*Marion Elementary School... , Burke Burke County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile... |
3515 acres (14.2 km²) | 1987 | Open | Under-redevelopment; Located near the base of Linville Gorge, the park encompasses large parts of the Lake James Lake James Lake James is a large reservoir in the mountains of Western North Carolina which straddles the border between Burke and McDowell Counties. It is named for tobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University, James Buchanan Duke. The lake lies behind a series of 4 earthen dams, and was created by... shoreline. In 2004, the park nearly octupled in size after a land deal with Crescent Resources. |
| Lake Norman State Park Lake Norman State Park Lake Norman State Park, formerly Duke Power State Park, is a 1,328 acre North Carolina state park near Troutman, Iredell County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is on the northern shore of Lake Norman at the mouth of Hicks Creek. The park is open for year round recreation... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/lano/main.php | 3Piedmont | Iredell Iredell County, North Carolina Iredell County, along with Moore County in the eastern Piedmont, are among a very few counties in the United States sharing borders with nine adjacent counties.-Demographics:... |
1928 acres (7.8 km²) | 1962 | Open | Formerly known as Duke Power State Park, most of this park consists of lands donated by Duke Power along the shores of Lake Norman Lake Norman Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located in North Carolina.-General Information:... , the largest manmade body of fresh water in North Carolina. |
| Lake Waccamaw State Park Lake Waccamaw State Park Lake Waccamaw State Park is a North Carolina state park in Columbus County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near the town of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, it covers 1,732 acres along the southern edge of Lake Waccamaw, a Carolina bay. Lake Waccamaw State Park is located in North... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/lawa/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Columbus Columbus County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 54,749 people, 21,308 households, and 15,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 58/sq mi . As of 2004, there were 24,668 housing units at an average density of 26/sq mi... |
2159 acres (8.7 km²) | 1976 | Open | This park is along the shoreline of Lake Waccamaw Lake Waccamaw Lake Waccamaw is a unique fresh water lake located in Columbus County in North Carolina. The lake is oval in shape and measures roughly 5.2 by with an average depth of . It covers 36,170,802 square meters, an average width of 2.32 meters and a shoreline of about 22,852 meters... , the largest natural Carolina Bay Carolina Bay Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida... lake. |
| Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties in the United States. It covers 9234 acres along a 115-mile stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/luri/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Scotland Scotland County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,998 people, 13,399 households, and 9,674 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 14,693 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile... , Hoke Hoke County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 46,952 people, 11,373 households, and 8,745 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 12,518 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile... , Robeson Robeson County, North Carolina Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over... , Columbus Columbus County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 54,749 people, 21,308 households, and 15,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 58/sq mi . As of 2004, there were 24,668 housing units at an average density of 26/sq mi... |
9268 acres (37.5 km²) | 1989 | Open | The State Park with the greatest geographic expanse, it preserves the banks of the black water Blackwater river A blackwater river is a river with a deep, slow-moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands. As vegetation decays in the water, tannins are leached out, resulting in transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea or coffee. Most major blackwater rivers are in... Lumber River Lumber River The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the... , which is Wild and Scenic River and a State River. |
| Mayo River State Park Mayo River State Park Mayo River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Rockingham County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Mayodan, North Carolina and covers along the Mayo River. The park is one of the newest in the North Carolina system, having been authorized by the General Assembly in May 2003... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/mari/main.php | 3Piedmont | Rockingham Rockingham County, North Carolina Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County... |
1961 acres (7.9 km²) | 2003 | Open | Underdevelopment; This new, still growing park is located along the Mayo River Mayo River (Dan River) The Mayo River is a tributary of the Dan River, which in turn is a tributary of the Roanoke River. All three rivers flow through the U.S. states of Virginia and North Carolina. It is named for Major William Mayo .-Course:... . |
| Medoc Mountain State Park Medoc Mountain State Park Medoc Mountain State Park is a 2,300 acre North Carolina state park in Halifax County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Hollister, North Carolina in eastern North Carolina and includes the 325 foot peak Medoc Mountain.... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/memo/main.php | 3Piedmont | Halifax Halifax County, North Carolina -Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:[[Image:HalifaxCountyCotton.wmg.jpg|left|thumb|A cotton field blooms in Halifax County.... |
3892 acres (15.8 km²) | 1973 | Open | At 325 feet (99.1 m), Medoc Mountain isn't a true mountain but rather the remnant of a former mountain range which eroded long ago. The park preserves the land around the Medoc, as well as the banks of nearby Little Fishing Creek Little Fishing Creek Little Fishing Creek is a tributary of Fishing Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Little Fishing Creek joins Fishing Creek 4 miles upstream of the Susquehanna River, near the town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.... . |
| Merchants Millpond State Park Merchants Millpond State Park Merchants Millpond State Park is a North Carolina state park in Gates County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Gatesville, North Carolina, it covers 3,250 acres around a 200 year old, 700 acre millpond and Lassiter Swamp. The park also contains a large cypress swamp. Canoeing is... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/memi/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Gates Gates County, North Carolina Gates County is a small rural county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 12,197. Its county seat is Gatesville. It is part of the Albemarle Sound area of the Inner Banks... |
3447 acres (13.9 km²) | 1973 | Open | The park protects a unique, cypress Cypress Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs... filled millpond and the Lassiter Swamp. |
| Morrow Mountain State Park Morrow Mountain State Park Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North Carolina Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momo/main.php | 3Piedmont | Stanly Stanly County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 60,585 people. In 2000 there were 22,223 households, and 16,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 147 people per square mile . There were 24,582 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile... |
4496 acres (18.2 km²) | 1935 | Open | At 936 feet (285.3 m), Morrow Mountain is the fourth tallest peak of the Uwharrie Mountains Uwharrie Mountains The Uwharrie Mountains are a mountain range in North Carolina. The range lies in the counties of Randolph, Montgomery, Stanly, and Davidson, although its foothills stretch into Cabarrus, Anson, Union counties and terminate in the hills of Person. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by... , and the park encompasses several peaks of the range, just west of the Yadkin Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee... / Pee Dee River Pee Dee River The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood... . |
| Mount Mitchell State Park Mount Mitchell State Park Mount Mitchell State Park is a North Carolina state park in Yancey County, North Carolina in the United States. Established in 1915 by the state legislature, it became the first state park of North Carolina... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momi/main.php | 4Mountains | Yancey Yancey County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,774 people, 7,472 households, and 5,372 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 9,729 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile... |
1996 acres (8.1 km²) | 1916 | Open | The first North Carolina State Park, it protects the summit of Mount Mitchell Mount Mitchell Mount Mitchell can refer to:* Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States* Mount Mitchell , in Jasper National Park of Canada* Mount Mitchell * Mount Mitchell , in Queensland... the highest point in the eastern United States Eastern United States The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in... . |
| New River State Park New River State Park New River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it covers over 2,200 acres in the protected New River watershed. The New River is, ironically, one of the oldest rivers in the United States... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/neri/main.php | 4Mountains | Alleghany Alleghany County, North Carolina -Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:... , Ashe Ashe County, North Carolina - History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence... |
2482 acres (10 km²) | 1975 | Open | This park preserves the landscape along the New River, which is Wild and Scenic River and a State River. |
| Pettigrew State Park Pettigrew State Park Pettigrew State Park is a North Carolina State Park in Tyrrell and Washington Counties, North Carolina in the United States. It covers around the shore lines of Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River. The park's developed facilities are south of U.S. Route 64 near Roper and Creswell, North Carolina... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/pett/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Tyrrell Tyrrell County, North Carolina -Demographics:Tyrrell County was as of 2000 the least populous county in North Carolina.As of the census of 2000, there were 4,149 people, 1,537 households, and 1,055 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 2,032 housing units at an... , Washington Washington County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,723 people, 5,367 households, and 3,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 6,174 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
5578 acres (22.6 km²) | 1936 | Open | The park protects the banks of Lake Phelps, the state's second largest natural lake, and the Scuppernong River Scuppernong River (North Carolina) The Scuppernong River is a blackwater river that flows through Tyrrell County and Washington County, North Carolina into the Albemarle Sound. It is a tributary of the Pasquotank River Basin... . |
| Pilot Mountain State Park Pilot Mountain State Park Pilot Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Surry and Yadkin Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Pinnacle, North Carolina on highway US 52, it covers 3,703 acres and includes the distinctive 2,241 foot peak of Pilot Mountain.-History:The Saura, a... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/pimo/main.php | 3Piedmont | Surry Surry County, North Carolina Surry County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 73,673. Its county seat is Dobson.- History :The county was formed in 1771 from Rowan County... , Yadkin Yadkin County, North Carolina - Cities and towns :*Boonville*East Bend*Jonesville*Yadkinville-Towns of the past:These towns were incorporated at one time:*Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001.*Hamptonville, chartered in 1818.*Huntsville, incorporated in 1792.... |
3651 acres (14.8 km²) | 1968 | Open | The park encompasses the western end of the Sauratown Mountain range Sauratown Mountains The Sauratown Mountains, which are sometimes called "the mountains away from the mountains", are an isolated mountain range located within Stokes and Surry counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina... , including Pilot Mountain Pilot Mountain (North Carolina) Pilot Mountain, a metamorphic quartzite monadnock rising to a peak above sea level, is one of the most distinctive natural features in the state of North Carolina. It is a remnant of the ancient chain of Sauratown Mountains. The Saura were the earliest known inhabitants of the region... , as well as an island filled segment of the Yadkin River Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee... . |
| Raven Rock State Park Raven Rock State Park Raven Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Harnett County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Lillington, North Carolina, it covers along the banks of the Cape Fear River... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/raro/main.php | 3Piedmont | Harnett Harnett County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 91,025 people, 33,800 households, and 24,099 families residing in the county. The population density was 153 people per square mile . There were 38,605 housing units at an average density of 65 per square mile... |
4694 acres (19 km²) | 1970 | Open | Located along both banks of the Cape Fear River Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the... , the park encompasses a rock outcropping where the river crosses the fall line Fall line A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls... . |
| Singletary Lake State Park Singletary Lake State Park Singletary Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Elizabethtown, it covers 659 acres and surrounds Singletary Lake, one of the largest Carolina bays. Singletary Lake State Park is southeast of Elizabethtown on North... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/sila/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
649 acres (2.6 km²) | 1939 | Limited Access |
The park surrounds Singletary Lake, which is a State Lake and a Carolina Bay Carolina Bay Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida... lake. The park's facilities are usually reserved for registered group campers, but limited day use may be allowed while the camps are unoccupied. |
| South Mountains State Park South Mountains State Park South Mountains State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Connellys Springs, North Carolina, it covers 16,664 acres and includes part of the South Mountains, a branch of the Blue Ridge Mountains.High Shoals Falls is the... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/somo/main.php | 4Mountains | Burke Burke County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile... |
18491 acres (74.8 km²) | 1978 | Open | Under-redevelopment;The largest unit of the state park system, it encompasses a large part of the South Mountains South Mountains (North Carolina) The South Mountains are an ancient and deeply eroded mountain range in western North Carolina. They are an isolated remnant of the much larger Appalachian Mountains to the west, and are separated from the Appalachians by the Catawba River valley. The range covers approximately 100,000 acres in... range, which is a branch of the Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most... . |
| Stone Mountain State Park Stone Mountain State Park Stone Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.-Size and location:Located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties of North Carolina, it covers 13,747 acres .... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/stmo/main.php | 4Mountains | Alleghany Alleghany County, North Carolina -Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:... , Wilkes Wilkes County, North Carolina Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340... |
14210 acres (57.5 km²) | 1969 | Open | Adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains... , this large park's centerpiece is a granite Granite Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic... dome named Stone Mountain Stone Mountain (North Carolina) Stone Mountain is the centerpiece of Stone Mountain State Park. It is a dome of exposed granite of Devonian age, which has intruded into the gneiss of the Precambrian Alligator Back Formation. It rises sharply over 600 feet above the surrounding terrain... . |
| William B. Umstead State Park William B. Umstead State Park William B. Umstead State Park is a North Carolina state park in Wake County, North Carolina in the United States. It covers nestled between the expanding cities of Raleigh, Cary, and Durham, North Carolina. It offers hiking, bridle, and bike trails, boat rentals, camping, picnic areas, and... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wium/main.php | 3Piedmont | Wake Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county... |
5606 acres (22.7 km²) | 1945 | Open | This large, forested park is in the heart of the Research Triangle. |
State Recreation Areas
State Recreation Areas more intensely developed units than State Parks, and they largely encompass lands less sensitive to human activities than State Parks. According to the NC Division of Parks & Recreation:
State Recreation Areas are sites where the primary purpose is outdoor recreation, rather than preservation. More intensive development of facilities is provided than in State Parks. Protection and enjoyment of the natural resources are still important, and the sites are expected to contain scenic and attractive natural features. Development is planned and constructed to keep a “reasonable amount” of each area undisturbed and free from improvements and structures.
| State Recreation Area | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size | Established | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falls Lake State Recreation Area Falls Lake State Recreation Area Falls Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Durham and Wake Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Near Wake Forest, North Carolina, it covers over 30,000 acres and includes the 12,000 acre Falls Lake.... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fala/main.php | 3Piedmont | Wake Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county... , Durham Durham County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile... |
5035 acres (20.4 km²) | 1982 | Open | This recreation area is located along the shores of Falls Lake Falls Lake Falls Lake is a 12,410 acre reservoir located in Durham, Wake, and Granville counties in North Carolina, USA.Falls Lake extends up the Neuse River to its source at the confluence of the Eno, Little, and Flat rivers... , a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir Reservoir A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to... . |
| Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in New Hanover County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Kure Beach, North Carolina, it includes Fort Fisher, site of a major naval engagement during the American Civil War. The recreation area also served as a home... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fofi/main.php | 1Coast | New Hanover New Hanover County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile . There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 per square mile... |
287 acres (1.2 km²) | 1986 | Open | This recreation area is known for its long, sandy beach between the Cape Fear River Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the... and the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area... . This is the only unit of the park system that allows four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously... vehicles off road. |
| Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park spanning Chatham County, and Wake County North Carolina in the United States. It includes the over Jordan Lake.-History:... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php | 3Piedmont | Chatham Chatham County, North Carolina Chatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:... |
3916 acres (15.8 km²) | 1981 | Open | This recreation area is located along the shores of Jordan Lake Jordan Lake B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir located west of Raleigh and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States of America. The northernmost end of the lake actually reaches into southwestern Durham County... , a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir Reservoir A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to... . |
| Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Vance and Warren Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Henderson, North Carolina near the North Carolina-Virginia border, it includes much of the 50,000 acre man-made Kerr Lake. The lake, and thus the park,... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/kela/main.php | 3Piedmont | Vance Vance County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,954 people, 16,199 households, and 11,647 families residing in the county. The population density was 169 people per square mile . There were 18,196 housing units at an average density of 72 per square mile... , Warren Warren County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile... |
3002 acres (12.1 km²) | 1952 | Open | This recreation area is located along the North Carolinian shores of Kerr Lake Kerr Lake Kerr Lake is a reservoir along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia created by the John H. Kerr Dam... , a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir Reservoir A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to... , which is along the border of North Carolina and Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... . |
State Natural Areas
State Natural Areas protect areas more sensitive to human activities than State Parks. Most of the State Natural Areas are undeveloped and have limited to no facilities, and some of them are closed to the general public to protect rare, fragile ecosystems. A few have developed facilities for low intensity, passive recreation, as well as facilities for public interpretation and education of the natural area. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation states:
The purpose of State Natural Areas is focused on preserving and protecting areas of scientific, aesthetic, or ecological value. Facilities are limited to those needed for interpretation, protection, and minimum maintenance. Generally, recreational and public use facilities such as camping, swimming, picnicking, and the like are not provided in State Natural Areas.
| State Natural Area | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size | Established | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldhead Island State Natural Area | 1Coast | Brunswick Brunswick County, North Carolina -External links:*******.... |
1260 acres (5.1 km²) | 1979 | Contiguous to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in New Hanover County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Kure Beach, North Carolina, it includes Fort Fisher, site of a major naval engagement during the American Civil War. The recreation area also served as a home... , this undeveloped natural area preserves a large portion of the Smith Island Complex, which consists of barrier islands, salt marshes, bays, tidal creeks and estuarine islands. |
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| Bear Paw State Natural Area Hanging Rock (North Carolina) Hanging Rock, also known as Bear's Paw , is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country, next to the town of Seven Devils. It is along the Avery and Watauga border. Its elevation reaches... |
4Mountains | Avery Avery County, North Carolina - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the... |
351 acres (1.4 km²) | 2008 | Closed | The natural area is located just north of Grandfather Mountain State Park, and it protects Hanging Rock Ridge and the headwaters of Dutch Creek. The Cherokee Cherokee The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family... name for the site is "Yonah‑wayah", which means "Bear's Paw". There are no public right of ways to the natural area's boundary. It is managed by Elk Knob State Park Elk Knob State Park Elk Knob State Park is an North Carolina state park in Watauga County, North Carolina, in the United States. Opened in 2003, it is one of North Carolina's newest state parks. Elk Knob State Park was established to preserve the natural state of Elk Knob, the second highest peak in Watauga County... . |
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| Beech Creek Bog State Natural Area | 4Mountains | Watauga Watauga County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile... |
120 acre (0.4856232 km²) | 2002 | The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog Bog A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens.... . |
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| Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area | 4Mountains | Alleghany Alleghany County, North Carolina -Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:... |
365 acres (1.5 km²) | 2000 | This natural area is adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains... and just north of Stone Mountain State Park Stone Mountain State Park Stone Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.-Size and location:Located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties of North Carolina, it covers 13,747 acres .... . |
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| Bushy Lake State Natural Area | 2Coastal Plain | Cumberland Cumberland County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 302,963 people, 107,358 households, and 77,619 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile . There were 118,425 housing units at an average density of 181 per square mile... |
6343 acres (25.7 km²) | 1977 | Managed by Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States in near Elizabethtown. It covers 2,208 acres and includes the Carolina bay lakes of Jones Lake and Salters Lake. Jones Lake State Park is north of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway... , the natural area protects an area of wet pocosin Pocosin Pocosin is a term for a type of palustrine wetland with deep, acidic, sandy, peat soils. Groundwater saturates the soil except during brief seasonal dry spells and during prolonged droughts... and carolina bay Carolina Bay Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida... forest. |
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| Chowan Swamp State Natural Area | 2Coastal Plain | Gates Gates County, North Carolina Gates County is a small rural county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 12,197. Its county seat is Gatesville. It is part of the Albemarle Sound area of the Inner Banks... |
6066 acres (24.5 km²) | 1973 | Open | Located along the northern shores of the Chowan River Chowan River The Chowan River is a blackwater river formed with the merging of Virginia's Blackwater and Nottoway rivers near the stateline between Virginia and North Carolina. According to the USGS a variant name is Choan River.... , this natural area is leased by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for management as part of the larger Chowan Swamp Game Land. |
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| Hemlock Bluffs State Natural Area | http://www.hemlockbluffs.org/ | 3Piedmont | Wake Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county... |
97 acre (0.39254542 km²) | 1976 | Open | The natural area is leased by the Town of Cary Cary, North Carolina Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham... for operation as Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. |
| Lea Island State Natural Area | 1Coast | Pender Pender County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,082 people, 16,054 households, and 11,719 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 20,798 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile... |
25 acre (0.1011715 km²) | 2000 | The natural area preserves a largely undeveloped barrier island Barrier island Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen... . |
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| Lower Haw River State Natural Area | 3Piedmont | Chatham Chatham County, North Carolina Chatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:... |
1022 acres (4.1 km²) | 2003 | Open | Underdevelopment; This natural area is adjacent to and managed by Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park spanning Chatham County, and Wake County North Carolina in the United States. It includes the over Jordan Lake.-History:... , and it has one 2 miles hiking trail along the Haw River Haw River The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States... . |
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| Masonboro Island State Natural Area | http://www.nccoastalreserve.net/About-The-Reserve/Reserve-Sites/Masonboro-Island/59.aspx | 1Coast | New Hanover New Hanover County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile . There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 per square mile... |
106 acre (0.42896716 km²) | 1976 | Open | Managed by the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, this natural area preserves an undeveloped barrier island Barrier island Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen... , near Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina... . The island is only accessible by boat. |
| Mitchells Millpond State Natural Area | 3Piedmont | Wake Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county... |
93 acre (0.37635798 km²) | 1976 | Closed | The natural area protects granitic flatrock outcrops. The ecosystem of the flatrocks is unique and fragile. | |
| Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Jefferson, named for Thomas Jefferson, who owned land nearby.-History:... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/moje/main.php | 4Mountains | Ashe Ashe County, North Carolina - History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence... |
803 acres (3.2 km²) | 1956 | Open | Formerly a State Park, this natural area is managed as a satellite of New River State Park New River State Park New River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it covers over 2,200 acres in the protected New River watershed. The New River is, ironically, one of the oldest rivers in the United States... , and it preserves the prominent peek of Mount Jefferson Mount Jefferson (North Carolina) Mount Jefferson is a mountain located in Ashe County, North Carolina. The mountain is part of the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. The mountain has an elevation of above sea level, and it sharply rises more than 1,600 feet above the towns of Jefferson, North Carolina and West Jefferson... . |
| Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area is a North Carolina state park in Orange County, North Carolina in the United States. Located adjacent to the town of Hillsborough, it covers 124 acres and includes Occoneechee Mountain, the highest point in Orange County and a settlement of the... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/ocmo/main.php | 3Piedmont | Orange Orange County, North Carolina Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough... |
162 acre (0.65559132 km²) | 1997 | Open | Managed as a satellite of Eno River State Park Eno River State Park Eno River State Park is a 3,900 acre North Carolina state park in Durham and Orange Counties, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Durham, North Carolina along the banks of the Eno River... , this natural area preserves the highest point in Orange County. |
| Pineola Bog State Natural Area | 4Mountains | Avery Avery County, North Carolina - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the... |
91 acre (0.36826426 km²) | 2006 | The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog Bog A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens.... . |
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| Run Hill State Natural Area | 1Coast | Dare Dare County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Fort Raleigh National Historic Site* Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge* Wright Brothers National Memorial-Demographics:... |
123 acre (0.49776378 km²) | 1995 | Open | Managed as a satellite of Jockey's Ridge State Park Jockey's Ridge State Park Jockey's Ridge State Park is a North Carolina state park in Dare County, North Carolina in the United States. Located in Nags Head, North Carolina, it covers 426 acres and includes the tallest active sand dune system in the eastern United States. It is the most visited park within the NC park... , the natural area preserves Run Hill, a large sand dune north of Jockey's Ridge. |
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| Sandy Run Savannas State Natural Area | 2Coastal Plain | Pender Pender County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,082 people, 16,054 households, and 11,719 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 20,798 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile... , Onslow Onslow County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 150,355 people, 48,122 households, and 36,572 families residing in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile . There were 55,726 housing units at an average density of 73 per square mile... |
2538 acres (10.3 km²) | 2006 | The natural area preserves southern pine savannas Eastern savannas of the United States The eastern savannas of the United States covered large portions of the east side of the continent until the early 20th century. These were in a fire ecology of open grassland and forests with low ground cover of herbs and grasses.... . |
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| Sugar Mountain Bog State Natural Area | 4Mountains | Avery Avery County, North Carolina - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the... |
102 acre (0.41277972 km²) | 2006 | The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog Bog A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens.... . |
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| Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area | http://www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores/plan-your-visit/helpful-hints/theodore-roosevelt-natural-area-nature-trails | 1Coast | Carteret Carteret County, North Carolina Carteret County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 66,469. Its county seat is Beaufort. Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast.... |
265 acres (1.1 km²) | 1971 | Open | Jointly managed by Fort Macon State Park Fort Macon State Park Fort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936... and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, the natural area preserves Bogue Banks Bogue Banks Bogue Banks form a barrier island off the mainland of North Carolina in Carteret County. The island, separated from the mainland by Bogue Sound, runs east to west, with the ocean beaches facing due south... ' only intact maritime forest. |
| Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve is a North Carolina state park in Moore County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Southern Pines, North Carolina, it covers 898 acres in the Sandhills region of the state.-History:... |
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wewo/main.php | 2Coastal Plain | Moore Moore County, North Carolina Moore County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 74,769. Its county seat is Carthage.- History :The county was formed in 1784 from Cumberland County... |
900 acres (3.6 km²) | 1963 | Open | The first North Carolina State Natural Area, it preserves strands of longleaf pine Longleaf Pine Pinus palustris, commonly known as the Longleaf Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida.... forests in Sandhills Sandhills (Carolina) The Sandhills is a region in the interior of the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. It is a strip of ancient beach dunes which generally divides the Piedmont from the coastal plain, and is the evidence of a former coastline when the ocean level was higher, or the land lower. The... region. |
| Yellow Mountain State Natural Area | 4Mountains | Mitchell Mitchell County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Pisgah National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,687 people, 6,551 households, and 4,736 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 7,919 housing units at an... , Avery Avery County, North Carolina - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the... |
841 acres (3.4 km²) | 2008 | Open | The natural area protects a Grassy Bald Appalachian balds In the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, balds are mountain summits or crests covered primarily by thick vegetation of native grasses or shrubs occurring in areas where heavy forest growth would be expected.... in the Roan Highlands range. The natural area is adjacent to the Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina... and it is accessible from the Appalachian Trail Appalachian Trail The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long... . |
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State Lakes
State Lakes are all large, naturally formed bodies of water in the state's Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
. Most of the lakes are Carolina Bay
Carolina Bay
Carolina bays are elliptical depressions concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within coastal Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida...
s. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation describes its State Lakes as follows:
Chapter 165 of the Laws of 1929 specified that “all lakes now belonging to the State having an area of 50 acres or more” should be “administered as provided for other recreational areas now owned by the State.” This allowed the then-Department of Conservation and Development to assume management authority for seven Coastal Plain lakes that became units of the State Parks System known as State Lakes. Most of these are administratively included as part of an adjoining State Park, but one of the lakes (White Lake) has no public ownership on its shoreline.
| State Lake | Adjoining State Park | Counties | Size | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Tree State Lake | Bay Tree State Park | Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
1418 acres (5.7 km²) | Bay Tree Lake was formerly known as Black Lake. |
| Jones State Lake | Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States in near Elizabethtown. It covers 2,208 acres and includes the Carolina bay lakes of Jones Lake and Salters Lake. Jones Lake State Park is north of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway... |
Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
224 acre (0.90649664 km²) | The shore line of Jones Lake is entirely owned by the state. |
| Phelps State Lake | Pettigrew State Park Pettigrew State Park Pettigrew State Park is a North Carolina State Park in Tyrrell and Washington Counties, North Carolina in the United States. It covers around the shore lines of Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River. The park's developed facilities are south of U.S. Route 64 near Roper and Creswell, North Carolina... |
Washington Washington County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,723 people, 5,367 households, and 3,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 6,174 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... , Tyrrell Tyrrell County, North Carolina -Demographics:Tyrrell County was as of 2000 the least populous county in North Carolina.As of the census of 2000, there were 4,149 people, 1,537 households, and 1,055 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 2,032 housing units at an... |
16600 acres (67.2 km²) | Phelps is North Carolina's second largest natural lake. |
| Salters State Lake | Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park Jones Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States in near Elizabethtown. It covers 2,208 acres and includes the Carolina bay lakes of Jones Lake and Salters Lake. Jones Lake State Park is north of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway... |
Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
315 acres (1.3 km²) | Salters is the only State Lake with out development along its shores. |
| Singletary State Lake | Singletary Lake State Park Singletary Lake State Park Singletary Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Elizabethtown, it covers 659 acres and surrounds Singletary Lake, one of the largest Carolina bays. Singletary Lake State Park is southeast of Elizabethtown on North... |
Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
572 acres (2.3 km²) | The shore line of Singletary Lake is entirely owned by the state. |
| Waccamaw State Lake Lake Waccamaw Lake Waccamaw is a unique fresh water lake located in Columbus County in North Carolina. The lake is oval in shape and measures roughly 5.2 by with an average depth of . It covers 36,170,802 square meters, an average width of 2.32 meters and a shoreline of about 22,852 meters... |
Lake Waccamaw State Park Lake Waccamaw State Park Lake Waccamaw State Park is a North Carolina state park in Columbus County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near the town of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, it covers 1,732 acres along the southern edge of Lake Waccamaw, a Carolina bay. Lake Waccamaw State Park is located in North... |
Columbus Columbus County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 54,749 people, 21,308 households, and 15,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 58/sq mi . As of 2004, there were 24,668 housing units at an average density of 26/sq mi... |
8938 acres (36.2 km²) | Lake Waccamaw is the largest natural Carolina Bay lake. |
| White State Lake | None | Bladen Bladen County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
1068 acres (4.3 km²) | This is the only State Lake without public lands along its shores. |
State Trails
State Trails are one of the principal components of the State Trail System. State Trails may be either long-distance, hiking trailsLong-distance trail
Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
or paddle trails
Blueway
A blueway or water trail is a water path or trail that is developed with launch points, camping locations and points of interest for canoeists and kayakers...
. State Trails may have land components for providing a trail corridor or for protecting significant features or resources along the trail. Most of these lands are leased to other land management agencies. All of the State Trails are joint projects with other government agencies and nonprofit organizations. The following is the NC Division of Parks & Recreation description of State Trails:
The North Carolina Trails System Act was passed in 1973 to help provide for the state’s outdoor recreation needs and to promote public access to natural and scenic areas. The act prescribed methods for establishing a statewide system of scenic trails, recreation trails, and connecting or side trails. The Trails System includes “park trails”, which are designated and managed as units of the State Parks System known as State Trails, and “designated trails”, which are managed by other governmental agencies or corporations.
| State Trail | Region | Length | Size | Established | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep River State Trail Deep River State Trail Deep River State Trail is a newer unit of the North Carolina state park system in Chatham County, North Carolina in the United States, and it covers 1,274 acres along the Deep River. The park and trail was established by the General Assembly on August 2, 2007. The first land acquisition for the... |
3Piedmont | 0 miles | 1274 acres (5.2 km²) | 2007 | Under planning |
| French Broad River State Trail French Broad River The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River.... |
4Mountains | 67 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1897 | paddle trail Blueway A blueway or water trail is a water path or trail that is developed with launch points, camping locations and points of interest for canoeists and kayakers... |
| Mountains-to-Sea State Park Trail Mountains-to-Sea Trail The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a long-distance trail, for hiking and backpacking, that runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects to the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National... |
0State | 530 miles | 691 acres (2.8 km²) | 2000 | The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) is a Long-distance, hiking trail Long-distance trail Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling .... , which runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the... to the Outer Banks Outer Banks The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States.... . Still a work in progress, the trail will be approximately a 1000 miles long when completed. |
| Yadkin River State Trail Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee... |
3Piedmont | 130 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1987 | This paddle trail Blueway A blueway or water trail is a water path or trail that is developed with launch points, camping locations and points of interest for canoeists and kayakers... is along a mostly free-flowing stretch of the Yadkin River between the W. Kerr Scott Dam and the beginning of High Rock Lake High Rock Lake High Rock Lake is the northernmost of the Uwharrie Lakes and the second largest lake in North Carolina behind Lake Norman. Its water surface covers and there are of shoreline. It begins at the confluence of the Yadkin River and the South Yadkin River. The lake's name is derived from neighboring... . There are only two small impoundments Dam A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are... along the trail, and neither one creates a large reservoir Reservoir A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to... . |
State Rivers
State Rivers are components of the state's Natural and Scenic Rivers System, which is the state's equivalent to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Most of the state's National Wild and Scenic Rivers, are also State Rivers and vice versa. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation states that:
The Natural and Scenic Rivers System was created by the 1971 General Assembly to preserve and protect certain free flowing rivers, their water quality and their adjacent lands for the benefit of present and future generations. The Natural and Scenic Rivers Act established criteria and methods for inclusion of components to the system. Components of the Natural and Scenic Rivers System are State Rivers, and are also units of the State Parks System.
| State River | Region | Length | Size | Established | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepasture State Natural River Horsepasture River The Horsepasture River is an National Wild and Scenic river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river rises in Jackson County, North Carolina, and flows through the Jocassee Gorges area and ends at Lake Jocassee in South Carolina... |
4Mountains | 4.5 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1985 | The river is located in the Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina... , within a moderate 1.75 miles hike of Gorges State Park Gorges State Park Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States. The land, along Jocassee Gorges, was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation in 1999. It is North Carolina's westernmost state park and one of the state's newest. The park is... , via the Rainbow Falls Trail Rainbow Falls Trail The Rainbow Falls Trail is an American hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in Sevier County, Tennessee. The trail ascends Mount Le Conte, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River and passes Rainbow Falls before absorbing the Alum Cave Trail and terminating near... . |
| Linville State Natural River Linville River The Linville River is a river in western North Carolina. The river begins in the slopes of Peak Mountain, Sugar Mountain and Flattop Mountain, in the Linville Gap . As it goes south through Avery County, it passes through the communities of Grandfather, Linville, Pineola, Crossnore and finally at... |
4Mountains | 13 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1975 | The river is located in the middle of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Linville Gorge Wilderness The Linville Gorge Wilderness is the third largest wilderness area in North Carolina and one of only two wilderness gorges in the Southern United States... . |
| Lumber State Natural River Lumber River The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the... |
2Coastal Plain | 34.5 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1989 | Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties in the United States. It covers 9234 acres along a 115-mile stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain... is along portions of the adjacent river banks. |
| Lumber State Scenic River Lumber River The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the... |
2Coastal Plain | 52 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1989 | Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties in the United States. It covers 9234 acres along a 115-mile stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain... is along portions of the adjacent river banks. |
| Lumber State Recreational River Lumber River The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the... |
2Coastal Plain | 15.5 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1989 | Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties in the United States. It covers 9234 acres along a 115-mile stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain... is along portions of the adjacent river banks. |
| New State Scenic River | 4Mountains | 26.5 miles | 0 acre (0 km²) | 1975 | New River State Park New River State Park New River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it covers over 2,200 acres in the protected New River watershed. The New River is, ironically, one of the oldest rivers in the United States... is along portions of the adjacent river banks. |
Former units
Some units have been formally removed from the NC State Park System and transferred to other agencies for management.When the State Historic Site system was established in 1955, the system's first seven components were historic properties transferred from the State Park System.
| Former unit | Web- site |
Region | Counties | Size † | Established | Removed | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| http://www.co.davidson.nc.us/leisure/BoonesCavePark.aspx | 3Piedmont | Davidson Davidson County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 149,331 people, 58,156 households, and 42,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 267 people per square mile . There were 62,432 housing units at an average density of 113 per square mile... |
110 acre (0.4451546 km²) | 1971 | 2002 | Open | Formerly managed by Morrow Mountain State Park Morrow Mountain State Park Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North Carolina Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North... , Boone's Cave is now a Davidson County Park. |
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| http://www.nchistoricsites.org/town/town.htm | 3Piedmont | Montgomery Montgomery County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,822 people, 9,848 households, and 7,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 14,145 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile... |
54.89 acre (0.2221321454 km²) | 1937 | 1955 | Open | The park was named after L. D. Frutchey, who donated the core property to the state, and it was later renamed "Town Creek State Park". The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system, becoming known as Town Creek Indian Mound Town Creek Indian Mound -External links:*, North Carolina Historic Sites... . |
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| http://www.waynesboroughhistoricalvillage.com/Waynesboroughpark.html | 2Coastal Plain | Wayne Wayne County, North Carolina - Cities and towns :*Brogden*Dudley*Elroy*Eureka*Fremont*Goldsboro*Mar-Mac*Mount Olive*Pikeville*Rosewood*Seven Springs*Walnut Creek*Grantham-Geography:According to the U.S... |
130 acre (0.5260918 km²) | 1979 | 2003 | Open | Formerly managed by Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Cliffs of the Neuse State Park is a North Carolina state park in Wayne County, North Carolina in the United States. It is located near Seven Springs, North Carolina and covers along the southern banks of the Neuse River. It has a swimming area, camp sites, hiking trails, fishing areas, and picnic... , the park is now owned and managed by the Old Waynesborough Commission, a non-profit corporation. |
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| † Size while the unit was part of the park system | ||||||||
See also
- List of U.S. national parks
- List of North Carolina state forests
- List of National Natural Landmarks in North Carolina