State Parks and Forests

State Parks and Forests

The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages a number of state parks, state recreation areas, and state natural areas.

1. Carolina Beach State Park
2. Carvers Creek State Park
3. Chimney Rock State Park
4. Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
5. Crowders Mountain State Park
6. Dismal Swamp State Park
7. Elk Knob State Park
8. Eno River State Park
9. Falls Lake State Recreation Area
10. Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
11. Fort Macon State Park
12. Goose Creek State Park
13. Gorges State Park
14. Grandfather Mountain State Park
15. Hammocks Beach State Park
16. Hanging Rock State Park
17. Haw River State Park
18. Jockey's Ridge State Park
19. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
20. Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
21. Lake Norman State Park
22. Lake Waccamaw State Park
23. Lower Haw River State Natural Area
24. Lumber River State Park
25. Medoc Mountain State Park
26. Merchants Millpond State Park
27. Morrow Mountain State Park
28. Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
29. Mount Mitchell State Park
30. Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
31. Pettigrew State Park
32. Pilot Mountain State Park
33. Raven Rock State Park
34. South Mountains State Park
35. Stone Mountain State Park
36. Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
37. William B. Umstead State Park

State Forests are managed by the North Carolina Forest Service, part of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

1. Clemmons Educational State Forest
2. DuPont State Forest

Map:

The following map shows the state parks and other state-protected areas that I've visited. The hiking icons represents state parks, the swimming icons represents state recreation areas, the horseback riding icons represent state natural areas, and the trees represent state forests.

Carvers Creek State Park:

Carvers Creek protects the Long Valley Farm and Sandhills section along Carvers Creek, a tributary of Cape Fear River near Fayetteville.

Fort Macon State Park:

Fort Macon State Park protects a restored Civil War era fort and 1.5 miles of beach on the eastern tip of Bogue Banks.

Grandfather Mountain State Park:

Towering over Boone, Grandfather Mountain is one of the highest points in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Hammocks Beach State Park:

The highlight of Hammocks Beach State Park is Bear Island, a 3-mile long undeveloped barrier island.

Jones Lake State Park:

Jones Lake and Salters Lake are two Carolina Bay lakes, mysterious oval lakes found in the coastal plain region.

Lake James State Park:

Lake James State Park is located on the shore of Lake James, a hydroelectric-generating lake in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mayo River State Park:

Mayo River State Park protects sections of the river's shoreline from the Virginia state line to the confluence with Dan River.

Mount Mitchell State Park:

Mount Mitchell State Park was the very first North Carolina State Park, established to protect the highest point in the eastern US.

New River State Park:

New River State Park is a collection of access areas along New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world.

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area:

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area is a satellite of Eno River State Park near Hillsborough and protects the highest point in the Triangle.

Singletary Lake State Park:

Singletary Lake has two group camps and protects one of the deepest Carolina bay lakes.

William B. Umstead State Park:

Umstead State Park is located right in the heart of the Triangle between Raleigh, Cary and RDU airport with miles of hiking and multi-use trails.

External Links:

NC State Parks website: https://www.ncparks.gov/