List of North Carolina state parks

The State of North Carolina has a group of protected areas known as the North Carolina State Park System, which is managed by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR), an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR). 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.^[1] 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."^[1] 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 leases some of the units to other agencies for operation. Most units of the park system are also components of State Nature and Historic Preserve.

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North Carolina State Parks (Hover mouse over pog to popup clickable link)
Green - State Park
Red - State Recreation Area
Blue - State Natural Area

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.^[1]

Several of the State Parks are new and are still being planned and developed. A few of the older state parks were greatly expanded in size in the 2000s adding trails and bike paths open to the public.

Park Name	Web- site	Region	County or Counties	Size	Year Established	Status	Remarks
Carolina Beach State Park	[1]	Coast	New Hanover^[2]	761 acres (3.08 km^2)^[3]^[4]	1969^[2]	Open	Named not for a beach, rather the Town of Carolina Beach, the park is located along the banks of the Cape Fear River and Snow's Cut (part of the Intracoastal Waterway). The park is best known for its variety of wild carnivorous plants, including the Venus Flytrap.
Carvers Creek State Park	[2]	Coastal Plain	Cumberland^[2]	4,530 acres (18.3 km^2)^[5]	2005^[2]	Open	Under development; Interim facilities are open at the park's historic Long Valley Farm Access.
Chimney Rock State Park	[3]	Mountains	Rutherford, Polk, Buncombe, Henderson^[2]	8,014 acres (32.43 km^2)^[5]	2005^[2]	Open	Under development; The park protects the landscape of Hickory Nut Gorge, including its most well known feature, Chimney Rock.
Cliffs of the Neuse State Park	[4]	Coastal Plain	Wayne^[2]	1,097 acres (4.44 km^2)^[5]	1945^[2]	Open	The park protects ancient cliff faces located along the banks of the Neuse River.
Crowders Mountain State Park	[5]	Piedmont	Gaston^[2]	5,217 acres (21.11 km^2)^[5]	1973^[2]	Open	The park protects the Kings Mountain Ridgeline in North Carolina, including its highest peaks Crowder's Mountain and King's Pinnacle. The park is also adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina, which in turn is adjacent to Kings Mountain National Military Park. All three parks are connected via the Kings Mountain Ridgeline Trail.
Dismal Swamp State Park	[6]	Coastal Plain	Camden^[2]	14,432 acres (58.40 km^2)^[5]	1974^[2]	Open	Under development; The park protects large part of the Great Dismal Swamp, and it is adjacent to Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It is bounded on the east by the Dismal Swamp Canal.
Elk Knob State Park	[7]	Mountains	Watauga, Ashe^[2]	4,423 acres (17.90 km^2)^[5]	2002^[2]	Open	Under development; The park preserves some of the highest peaks in Ashe and Watauga Counties, and it protects headwaters of the North Fork New River.
Eno River State Park	[8]	Piedmont	Durham, Orange^[2]	4,319 acres (17.48 km^2)^[5]	1973^[2]	Open	The park protects the banks of the Eno River and surrounding lands.
Fort Macon State Park	[9]	Coast	Carteret^[2]	424 acres (1.72 km^2)^[5]	1924^[2]	Open	The first North Carolina State Park to open to the public. It protects the historic Fort Macon and the eastern end of Bogue Banks.
Goose Creek State Park	[10]	Coastal Plain	Beaufort^[2]	1,672 acres (6.77 km^2)^[5]	1974^[2]	Open	The park protects part of the landscape along the Pamlico Sound.
Gorges State Park	[11]	Mountains	Transylvania^[2]	7,709 acres (31.20 km^2)^[5]	1999^[2]	Open	Under development; North Carolina's westernmost state park; it is located along the steep Blue Ridge Escarpment. The park is best known for the many waterfalls it provides access to, both inside the park and on adjacent public lands.
Grandfather Mountain State Park	[12]	Mountains	Avery, Watauga, Caldwell^[2]	3,647 acres (14.76 km^2)^[5]	2009^[2]	Open	Under development; Adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the park protects the highest peak located along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The park consists of lands formerly known as the "backcountry area" when it was privately owned nature preserve.
Hammocks Beach State Park	[13]	Coast	Onslow^[2]	1,611 acres (6.52 km^2)^[5]	1961^[2]	Open	While protecting a variety of maritime habitats, the park is most known for its four-mile (6.4 km) long barrier island, Bear Island. The park operates a passenger ferry service between the mainland and island in the warmer months.
Hanging Rock State Park	[14]	Piedmont	Stokes^[2]	9,011 acres (36.47 km^2)^[5]	1935^[2]	Open	The park encompasses the eastern end of the Sauratown Mountain range, including a geologic feature known as Hanging Rock.^[6] It also protects a segment of the Dan River.
Haw River State Park	[15]	Piedmont	Rockingham, Guilford^[2]	1,485 acres (6.01 km^2)^[5]	2003^[2]	Open	Under development; This park preserves large wetlands along the Haw River.
Jockey's Ridge State Park	[16]	Coast	Dare^[2]	427 acres (1.73 km^2)^[5]	1975^[2]	Open	The park protects the tallest sand dune system on the East Coast of the United States.
Jones Lake State Park	[17]	Coastal Plain	Bladen^[2]	1,669 acres (6.75 km^2)^[5]	1939^[2]	Open	The park surrounds Jones State Lake and Salters State Lake, both of which are largely undeveloped Carolina Bay lakes. Until 1965, it was one of two parks open to Black people.
Lake James State Park	[18]	Mountains	McDowell, Burke^[2]	3,743 acres (15.15 km^2)^[5]	1987^[2]	Open	Under redevelopment; Located near the base of Linville Gorge, the park encompasses large parts of the Lake James shoreline. In 2004, the park nearly octupled in size after a land deal with Crescent Resources.
Lake Norman State Park	[19]	Piedmont	Iredell^[2]	1,942 acres (7.86 km^2)^[5]	1962^[2]	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, the largest manmade body of fresh water in North Carolina.
Lake Waccamaw State Park	[20]	Coastal Plain	Columbus^[2]	2,398 acres (9.70 km^2)^[5]	1976^[2]	Open	This park is along the shoreline of Lake Waccamaw, the largest natural Carolina Bay lake.^[7]
Lumber River State Park	[21]	Coastal Plain	Scotland, Hoke, Robeson, Columbus^[2]	13,695 acres (55.42 km^2)^[5]	1989^[2]	Open	The State Park with the greatest geographic expanse, it preserves the banks of the black water Lumber River, which is Wild and Scenic River and a State River.
Mayo River State Park	[22]	Piedmont	Rockingham^[2]	2,778 acres (11.24 km^2)^[5]	2003^[2]	Open	Under development; This new, still growing park is located along the Mayo River.
Medoc Mountain State Park	[23]	Piedmont	Halifax^[2]	3,893 acres (15.75 km^2)^[5]	1973^[2]	Open	At 325 foot (99 m), Medoc Mountain isn't a true mountain but rather the remnant of a former mountain range which eroded long ago.^[8] The park preserves the land around the Medoc, as well as the banks of nearby Little Fishing Creek.
Merchants Millpond State Park	[24]	Coastal Plain	Gates^[2]	3,520 acres (14.2 km^2)^[5]	1973^[2]	Open	The park protects a unique, cypress filled millpond and the Lassiter Swamp.
Morrow Mountain State Park	[25]	Piedmont	Stanly^[2]	5,702 acres (23.08 km^2)^[5]	1935^[2]	Open	At 936 foot (285 m), Morrow Mountain is the fourth tallest peak of the Uwharrie Mountains,^[9] and the park encompasses several peaks of the range, just west of the Yadkin / Pee Dee River.
Mount Mitchell State Park	[26]	Mountains	Yancey^[2]	4,789 acres (19.38 km^2)^[5]	1916^[2]	Open	The first North Carolina State Park, it protects the summit of Mount Mitchell the highest point in the eastern United States.^[1]
New River State Park	[27]	Mountains	Alleghany, Ashe^[2]	3,323 acres (13.45 km^2)^[5]	1975^[2]	Open	This park preserves the landscape along the New River, which is Wild and Scenic River and a State River.
Pettigrew State Park	[28]	Coastal Plain	Tyrrell, Washington^[2]	5,951 acres (24.08 km^2)^[5]	1936^[2]	Open	The park protects the banks of Lake Phelps, the state's second largest natural lake, and the Scuppernong River.^[10]
Pilot Mountain State Park	[29]	Piedmont	Surry, Yadkin^[2]	3,872 acres (15.67 km^2)^[5]	1968^[2]	Open	The park encompasses the western end of the Sauratown Mountain range, including Pilot Mountain, as well as an island filled segment of the Yadkin River.^[11]
Pisgah View State Park	[30]	Mountains	Buncombe, Haywood^[12]	205 acres (0.83 km^2)^[5]	2019^[12]	Closed	Planned State Park on the property of Pisgah View Ranch, near Mount Pisgah and Pisgah National Forest.
Raven Rock State Park	[31]	Piedmont	Harnett^[2]	4,810 acres (19.5 km^2)^[5]	1970^[2]	Open	Located along both banks of the Cape Fear River, the park encompasses a rock outcropping where the river crosses the Fall Line.
Rendezvous Mountain State Park	[32]	Mountains	Wilkes	1,800 acres (7.3 km^2)^[13]	1926^[Note 1]	Open	Popularly rumored to have been an assembly point for the Overmountain Men during the Revolutionary War.^[14]^[13]
Singletary Lake State Park	[33]	Coastal Plain	Bladen^[2]	649 acres (2.63 km^2)^[5]	1939^[2]	Limited	The park surrounds Singletary Lake, which is a State Lake and a Carolina Bay 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	[34]	Mountains	Burke^[2]	20,949 acres (84.78 km^2)^[5]	1978^[2]	Open	Under redevelopment; The largest unit of the state park system, it encompasses a large part of the South Mountains range, which is a branch of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Stone Mountain State Park	[35]	Mountains	Alleghany, Wilkes^[2]	14,353 acres (58.08 km^2)^[5]	1969^[2]	Open	Adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, this large park's centerpiece is a granite dome named Stone Mountain.
William B. Umstead State Park	[36]	Piedmont	Wake^[2]	5,599 acres (22.66 km^2)^[5]	1945^[2]	Open	This large, forested park is in the heart of the Research Triangle. It was originally known as Crabtree Creek State Park. In 1950, the 1,234 acres (4.99 km^2) southern section was carved out for a Blacks-only park. In 1955, the Crabtree Creek section was renamed Willium B. Umstead. It was desegregated in 1965.

State Recreation Areas

State Recreation Areas are 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.^[1]

State Recreation Area	Web- site	Region	Counties	Size	Established	Status	Remarks
Falls Lake State Recreation Area	[37]	Piedmont	Wake, Durham^[2]	5,035 acres (20.38 km^2)^[5]	1982^[2]	Open	This recreation area is located along the shores of Falls Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir.
Fort Fisher State Recreation Area	[38]	Coast	New Hanover^[2]	287 acres (1.16 km^2)^[5]	1986^[2]	Open	This recreation area is known for its long, sandy beach between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. This is the only unit of the park system that allows four-wheel drive vehicles off-road.
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area	[39]	Piedmont	Chatham^[2]	4,558 acres (18.45 km^2)^[5]	1981^[2]	Open	This recreation area is located along the shores of Jordan Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir.
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area	[40]	Piedmont	Vance, Warren^[2]	3,376 acres (13.66 km^2)^[5]	1952^[2]	Open	This recreation area is located along the North Carolinian shores of Kerr Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built reservoir, which is along the border of North Carolina and Virginia.

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.^[1]

State Natural Area	Web- site	Region	Counties	Size	Established	Public Access	Remarks
Bakers Lake State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Bladen	0 acres (0 km^2)	2021^[15]	Undeveloped	Established to protect an undeveloped, 75-acre (0.30 km^2) natural lake.
Baldhead Island State Natural Area	—	Coast	Brunswick^[2]	1,260 acres (5.1 km^2)^[5]	1979^[2]	Undeveloped	Contiguous to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, 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.^[16]
Bay Tree State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Bladen^[2]	609 acres (2.46 km^2)^[5]	1979^[2]	Undeveloped	Former State Park which was never developed. It consists of lands adjacent to Bay Tree State Lake.
Bear Paw State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Avery^[2]	384 acres (1.55 km^2)^[5]	2008^[2]	Undeveloped	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 name for the site is "Yonah‑wayah", which means "Bear's Paw".^[17] It is managed by Elk Knob State Park.
Beech Creek Bog State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Watauga^[2]	295 acres (1.19 km^2)^[5]	2002^[2]		The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog.
Bobs Creek State Natural Area	[41]	Mountains	McDowell	6,000 acres (24 km^2)^[5]	2017^[18]	Closed	Historically known as Bob's Pocket Wilderness, the natural area conserves high quality, rare natural communities.
Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Alleghany^[2]	442 acres (1.79 km^2)^[5]	2000^[2]	Limited	This natural area is adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway and just north of Stone Mountain State Park.
Bushy Lake State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Cumberland^[2]	6,396 acres (25.88 km^2)^[5]	1977^[2]	Undeveloped	Managed by Jones Lake State Park, the natural area protects an area of wet pocosin and carolina bay forest.
Chowan Swamp State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Gates^[2]	6,066 acres (24.55 km^2)^[5]	1973^[2]	Open	Located along the northern shores of the Chowan River, this natural area is leased by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for management as part of the larger Chowan Swamp Game Land.
Hemlock Bluffs State Natural Area	[42]	Piedmont	Wake^[2]	97 acres (0.39 km^2)^[5]	1976^[2]	Open	The natural area is leased by the Town of Cary for operation as Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve.^[19]
Lea Island State Natural Area	—	Coast	Pender^[2]	25 acres (0.10 km^2)^[5]	2000^[2]	Limited	The natural area preserves a largely undeveloped barrier island.
Lower Haw River State Natural Area	—	Piedmont	Chatham^[2]	1,025 acres (4.15 km^2)^[5]	2003^[2]	Open	Under development; This natural area is adjacent to and managed by Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, and it has one 2-mile (3.2 km) hiking trail along the Haw River.
Masonboro Island State Natural Area	[43]	Coast	New Hanover^[2]	106 acres (0.43 km^2)^[5]	1976^[2]	Undeveloped	Managed by the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, this natural area preserves an undeveloped barrier island, near Wilmington, North Carolina. The island is only accessible by boat.
Mitchells Millpond State Natural Area	—	Piedmont	Wake^[2]	93 acres (0.38 km^2)^[5]	1976^[2]	Closed	The natural area protects granitic flatrock outcrops. The ecosystem of the flatrocks is unique and fragile.
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area	[44]	Mountains	Ashe^[2]	1,188 acres (4.81 km^2)^[5]	1956^[2]	Open	Formerly a State Park, this natural area is managed as a satellite of New River State Park, and it preserves the prominent peak of Mount Jefferson.
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area	[45]	Piedmont	Orange^[2]	221 acres (0.89 km^2)^[5]	1997^[2]	Open	Managed as a satellite of Eno River State Park, this natural area preserves the highest point in Orange County.
Pineola Bog State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Avery^[2]	91 acres (0.37 km^2)^[5]	2006^[2]		The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog.
Run Hill State Natural Area	—	Coast	Dare^[2]	123 acres (0.50 km^2)^[5]	1995^[2]	Undeveloped	Managed as a satellite of Jockey's Ridge State Park, the natural area preserves Run Hill, a large sand dune north of Jockey's Ridge.
Salmon Creek State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Bertie	1,002 acres (4.05 km^2)^[5]	2017^[18]	Closed	The natural area contains high-quality natural communities, and important archaeological sites.
Sandy Run Savannas State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Pender, Onslow^[2]	3,133 acres (12.68 km^2)^[5]	2006^[2]	Closed	The natural area preserves southern pine savannas.
Sugar Mountain Bog State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Avery^[2]	102 acres (0.41 km^2)^[5]	2006^[2]		The natural area protects a southern Appalachian bog.
Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area	[46]	Coast	Carteret^[2]	265 acres (1.07 km^2)^[5]	1971^[2]	Open	Jointly managed by Fort Macon State Park and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, the natural area preserves Bogue Banks' only intact maritime forest.
Warwick Mill Bay State Natural Area	—	Coastal Plain	Robeson	976 acres (3.95 km^2)^[5]	2017^[18]	Closed	The natural area protects an undisturbed Carolina Bay, which is an important nesting site for birds. Audubon North Carolina assists with the management of the property.
Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve	[47]	Coastal Plain	Moore^[2]	915 acres (3.70 km^2)^[5]	1963^[2]	Open	The first North Carolina State Natural Area, it preserves strands of longleaf pine forests in Sandhills region.
Yellow Mountain State Natural Area	—	Mountains	Mitchell, Avery^[2]	3,809 acres (15.41 km^2)^[5]	2008^[2]	Limited	The natural area protects a Grassy Bald in the Roan Highlands range.^[17] The natural area is adjacent to the Pisgah National Forest.

State Lakes

State Lakes are all large, naturally formed bodies of water in the state's Coastal Plain. Most of the lakes are Carolina Bays. 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.^[1]

State Lake	Adjoining State Park	Counties	Size	Remarks
Bay Tree State Lake	Bay Tree State Park	Bladen^[2]	1,418 acres (5.74 km^2)^[5]	Bay Tree Lake was formerly known as Black Lake.
Jones State Lake	Jones Lake State Park	Bladen^[2]	224 acres (0.91 km^2)^[5]	The shore line of Jones Lake is entirely owned by the state.
Phelps State Lake	Pettigrew State Park	Washington, Tyrrell^[2]	16,600 acres (67 km^2)^[5]	Phelps is North Carolina's second largest natural lake.^[10]
Salters State Lake	Jones Lake State Park	Bladen^[2]	315 acres (1.27 km^2)^[5]	Salters is the only State Lake without development along its shores.
Singletary State Lake	Singletary Lake State Park	Bladen^[2]	572 acres (2.31 km^2)^[5]	The shore line of Singletary Lake is entirely owned by the state.
Waccamaw State Lake	Lake Waccamaw State Park	Columbus^[2]	8,938 acres (36.17 km^2)^[5]	Lake Waccamaw is the largest natural Carolina Bay lake.^[7]
White State Lake	None	Bladen^[2]	1,068 acres (4.32 km^2)^[5]	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 trails 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:

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.^[1]

State Trail	Web- site	Region	Designated Length	Size	Established	Remarks
Dan River State Trail	[48]	Piedmont	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2021^[20]	A paddle trail on the Dan River in Stokes and Rockingham Counties.
Deep River State Trail	[49]	Piedmont	0 miles (0 km)^[5]	1,274 acres (5.16 km^2)^[5]	2007^[2]	Planned hiking and paddle trail along the Deep River.
East Coast Greenway State Trail	[50]	Coastal Plain	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2021^[21]	North Carolina's section of a developing bikeway spanning the East Coast of the United States.
Equine State Trail	[51]	Piedmont	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2023^[22]	A bridle path in North Carolina's Sandhills region.
Fonta Flora State Trail	[52]	Mountains	19 miles (31 km)^[5]	203 acres (0.82 km^2)^[5]	2015^[23]	Planned hiking and bicycling trail that will encircle the eastern half of Lake James.^[23]
French Broad River State Trail	[53]	Mountains	117 miles (188 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1987^[2]	A paddle trail extending from the beginning of the French Broad River in Rosman, to I-40 in Asheville.
Haw River State Trail	[54]	Piedmont	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2023^[24]	A paddle and hiking trail connecting Haw River State Park and Jordan Lake State Recreation Area.
Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail	[55]	Mountains	0 miles (0 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	2017^[25]	A trail planned to encircle Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure.
Mountains-to-Sea State Park Trail^[26]	[56]	State	669 miles (1,077 km)^[5]	778 acres (3.15 km^2)^[5]	2000^[2]	The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) is a Long-distance, hiking trail, which runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. Still a work in progress, the trail will be approximately a 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long when completed.
Northern Peaks State Trail	[57]	Mountains	0 miles (0 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	2019^[27]	A hiking trail planned to go over several mountain peaks from Rivers Park in Boone to Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.
Overmountain Victory State Trail	[58]	Mountains	49.5 miles (79.7 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	2019^[28]	The Overmountain Victory Trail roughly follows the historic route of the Overmountain Men on their march to the Battle of Kings Mountain.
Roanoke River State Trail	[59]	Coastal Plain	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2021^[29]	A paddle trail on the Roanoke River from Roanoke Rapids to the Albemarle Sound.
Saluda Grade State Trail	[60]	Mountains	0 miles (0 km)	0 acres (0 km^2)	2023^[30]	A planned rail trail along Norfolk Southern Railway's W Line, from Zirconia to the North Carolina-South Carolina state line.
Wilderness Gateway State Trail	[61]	Mountains	0 miles (0 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	2019^[28]	Proposed trail to connect the Overmountain Victory Trail, South Mountains State Park, Valdese, and Hickory.
Yadkin River State Trail	[62]	Piedmont	130 miles (210 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1987^[2]	This paddle trail is along a mostly free-flowing stretch of the Yadkin River between the W. Kerr Scott Dam and the beginning of High Rock Lake. There are only two small impoundments along the trail, and neither one creates a large reservoir.

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.^[1]

State River	Region	Designated Length	Size	Established	Remarks
Horsepasture State Natural River	Mountains	4.5 miles (7.2 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1985^[2]	The river is located in the Pisgah National Forest, within a moderate 1.75 miles (2.82 km) hike of Gorges State Park, via the Rainbow Falls Trail.^[31]
Linville State Natural River	Mountains	13.0 miles (20.9 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1975^[2]	The river is located in the middle of the Linville Gorge Wilderness.
Lumber State Natural River	Coastal Plain	34.5 miles (55.5 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1989^[2]	Lumber River State Park is along portions of the adjacent river banks.
Lumber State Scenic River	Coastal Plain	52.0 miles (83.7 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1989^[2]	Lumber River State Park is along portions of the adjacent river banks.
Lumber State Recreational River	Coastal Plain	15.5 miles (24.9 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1989^[2]	Lumber River State Park is along portions of the adjacent river banks.
New State Scenic River	Mountains	26.5 miles (42.6 km)^[5]	0 acres (0 km^2)^[5]	1975^[2]	New River State Park 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 six components were historic properties transferred from the State Park System.^[32][33][34]

One unit, Rendezvous Mountain, was transferred back to the park system, after 66 years in the state forest system.^{[Note 1][14][13]}

Former unit	Web- site	Region	Counties	Size †	Established	Removed	Status	Remarks
Battle of Alamance^[33]^[34]		Piedmont	Alamance^[35]	40 acres (0.16 km^2)^[35]	1953^[35]^[34]	1955^[33]	Open	The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system.
Boone's Cave State Park^[36]^[33]		Piedmont	Davidson^[37]	110 acres (0.45 km^2)^[36]	1971^[37]^[33]	2002^[38]	Open	Formerly managed by Morrow Mountain State Park, Boone's Cave is now a Davidson County Park.
Brunswick Town^[33]^[34]		Coast	Brunswick^[35]	119 acres (0.48 km^2)^[35]	1952^[35]^[34]	1955^[33]	Open	The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system.
Cape Hatteras State Park^[33]^[34]	[66]	Coast	Dare^[39]	1,200 acres (4.9 km^2)^[39]	1935^[33]^[39]^[34]	1952^[33]^[34]	Open	Cape Hatteras State Park was located adjacent to Cape Hatteras Light, and it was transferred to the larger Cape Hatteras National Seashore.^[33]^[34]
Charles B. Aycock Birthplace^[33]^[34]		Coastal Plain	Wayne^[35]	1 acre (0.0040 km^2)^[35]	1951^[35]^[34]	1955^[33]	Open	The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system.
Frutchey State Park^[40]		Piedmont	Montgomery^[40]^[35]	53 acres (0.21 km^2)^[35]	1937^[40]^[35]^[34]	1955^[40]^[33]	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.^[40]
Hiwassee Lake State Park^[33]^[34]		Mountains	Cherokee^[39]	834 acres (3.38 km^2)^[39]	1948^[33]^[39]^[34]	1952^[33]^[34]		The state leased land around Hiwassee Lake from the Tennessee Valley Authority for a few years.^[33]^[34]
James Iredell House^[33]^[34]		Coastal Plain	Chowan^[35]	2 acres (0.0081 km^2)^[35]	1951^[35]^[34]	1955^[33]	Open	The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system.
Reedy Creek State Park^[33]^[34]	[70]	Piedmont	Wake^[35]	1,234 acres (4.99 km^2)^[33]^[35]	1950^[33]	1966^[33]^[34]	Open	Formed as a segregated park for black citizens, it was merged with William B. Umstead State Park during desegregation.^[33]^[34]
Sandhills State Recreation Area^[34]	[71]	Coastal Plain	Richmond		1939^[34]	1941^[34]	Open	Transferred to Wildlife Resources Commission.^[34] Now part of the Sandhills Game Land.
Tryon Palace^[33]^[34]	[72]	Coastal Plain	Craven^[35]	2 acres (0.0081 km^2)^[35]	1952^[35]^[34]	1955^[33]	Open	The park was transferred as one of the initial components of the State Historic Site system.
Waynesborough State Park^[41]^[33]	[73]	Coastal Plain	Wayne^[41]	130 acres (0.53 km^2)^[41]	1979^[41]^[33]	2003^[42]	Open	Formerly managed by Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, the park is now owned and managed by the Old Waynesborough Commission, a non-profit corporation.
† 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

Notes

1. Rendezvous Mountain was originally established as North Carolina's third state park in 1926. It was transferred to the Division of Forestry in 1956. From 1984 to early 2022, it was operated as an educational state forest. It was returned to the state park system in 2022.

References

1. . North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
2. (PDF). North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings. May 1, 2010. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
3. "History". North Carolina State Parks. North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
4. "IX. Land Acquisition". (PDF) (Report). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. January 22, 2007. pp. 50–51. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015. The state owns 420 acres and leases 266 acres from the Department of the Army. ... 75 additional acres are pending as an addition to the MOTSU lease[.]
5. "Size of the North Carolina State Parks System" (XLS). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. July 1, 2020. from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
6. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Piedmont". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8. Hanging Rock State Park is located at the eastern end of the isolated Sauratown Mountain range.
7. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Coastal Plain". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8.
8. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Piedmont". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8. This "mountain" reaches a height of only 325 feet and is the eroded remnant of a larger mountain range.
9. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Piedmont". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8. Morrow is the tallest of the range's four major peaks and measures 936 feet.
10. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Coastal Plain". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8.
11. Biggs, Jr., Walter C.; Parnell, James F. (1993) [1989]. "Piedmont". State Parks of North Carolina (2nd ed.). Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F. Blair. pp. 176–187. ISBN 0-89587-071-1. Pilot Mountain, like the rocky escarpments in nearby Hanging Rock State Park, is a remnant of the ancient Sauratown Mountain range.
12. "Session Law 2019-138". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
13. Hubbard, Jule (July 10, 2022). "Matheson named Rendezvous superintendent". North Wilkesboro: Wilkes Journal-Patriot. from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
14. "Education". North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. August 27, 2015. from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
15. "Session Law 2021-180" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. November 18, 2021. Section 14.10. Retrieved November 30, 2021. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add Bakers Lake State Natural Area in Bladen County to the State Parks System[.]
16. "I. Description of Fort Fisher State Recreation Area" (PDF). Fort Fisher State Recreation Area General Management Plan. North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. February 1, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2011. The Bald Head Island State Natural Area consists of a complex of barrier islands, salt marshes, bays, tidal creeks and estuarine islands located south of the state recreation area. (Figure I-2) The state natural area, a unit of the N.C. State Parks System, is under administration of staff from Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and includes: all of Bluff Island; about five miles of the beach strand of East Beach and the marshes behind it; and land at the actual point of Cape Fear on the southeastern tip of Bald Head Island.
17. "Session Law 2008-155". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 19, 2003. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
18. "Session Law 2017-177". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. July 25, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
19. Lynch, Ida Phillips; Pendergraft, Bill (2007). "Piedmont". North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide. Design by Leesa Brinkley Graphic Design. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Niche Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-9794591-0-8.
20. "Session Law 2021-55". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
21. "Session Law 2021-54". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
22. "Session Law 2023-63" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 27, 2023. Section 6. Retrieved June 30, 2023. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the Equine State Trail in Chatham, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, and Richmond Counties to the State Parks System as a State trail[.]
23. "Session Law 2015-113". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 24, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
24. "Session Law 2023-36" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
25. "Session Law 2017-57". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 28, 2017. Section 14.15. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
26. "Session Law 2000-157". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. August 2, 2000. Section 1. Retrieved May 20, 2011. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to add the Mountains to Sea State Park Trail to the State Parks System as provided in G.S. 113-44.14(b).
27. "Session Law 2019-74". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
28. "Session Law 2019-20". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
29. "Session Law 2021-180" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. November 18, 2021. Section 14.7.(g). Retrieved November 30, 2021. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the Roanoke River Paddle Trail in Halifax, Northampton, Bertie, Martin, and Washington Counties to the State Parks System as a State trail[.]
30. "Session Law 2023-134" (PDF). Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. October 3, 2023. Section 14.5. Retrieved October 31, 2023. The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to add the trail established on the Saluda Grade rail corridor to the State Parks System as a State trail[.]
31. Burgess, Randall (March 17, 2010). "Rainbow Falls Trail Decision Memo" (PDF). Transylvania County, North Carolina: USDA Forest Service, National Forests in North Carolina, Pisgah Ranger District. pp. 1–4. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
    — "Rainbow Falls Trail Extension". USDA Forest Service, National Forests in North Carolina. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
    — "Rainbow Falls Trail #499". USDA Forest Service, National Forests in North Carolina. Retrieved May 20, 2011. 1.75 mi - Moderate
32. McCullough, Gary L. (2001). "Foreword". North Carolina's State Historic Sites. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F. Blair. p. vi. ISBN 0-89587-241-2. In 1955, seven historic properties were transferred from the state parks system to what was then the North Carolina Department of Archives and History. Thus began the system of state historic sites ...
33. (PDF). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. August 27, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
34. North Carolina State Parks At The Crossroads (Report). Division of State Parks. 1968. pp. 1–5. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
35. "Division of State Parks". Fifteenth Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation and Development (Report) (15 ed.). Raleigh, NC: Department of Conservation and Development. 1954. p. 66. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
36. (PDF). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
37. Biggs, Jr., Walter C.; Parnell, James F. (1993) [1989]. "Piedmont". State Parks of North Carolina (2nd ed.). Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F. Blair. pp. 107–110. ISBN 0-89587-071-1.
38. "Session Law 2002-149". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. October 9, 2002. Section 2. Retrieved May 20, 2011. Boone's Cave State Natural Area is deleted from the State Parks System pursuant to G.S. 113-44.14. The State may transfer this property to Davidson County for management as a park. The instrument transferring this property shall provide that the State retains a possibility of reverter and shall provide that, in the event that Davidson County ceases to manage the property as a park, the property shall revert to the State. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange the property.
39. "Division of State Parks". Fourteenth Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation and Development (Report) (14 ed.). Raleigh, NC: Department of Conservation and Development. 1952. p. 67. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
40. McCullough, Gary L. (2001). "Central". North Carolina's State Historic Sites. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F. Blair. pp. 51–54. ISBN 0-89587-241-2.
41. "Waynesborough State Park - Park Profile" (PDF). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. pp. 1–2. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
42. "Session Law 2003-234". Raleigh, North Carolina: General Assembly of North Carolina. June 19, 2003. Section 5. Retrieved May 20, 2011. Waynesborough State Park is deleted from the State Parks System pursuant to G.S. 113-44.14.

External links

• NC State Parks home page
• (Updated biannually)
• NC General Statute § 143‑260.10. Components of State Nature and Historic Preserve.