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Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

Do North Carolina State Parks Charge Admission?

North Carolina events › Answers › Do North Carolina State Parks Charge Admission?

Most North Carolina state parks charge nothing for day use: 37 of 43 park pages we read list free day-use admission. The state charges a parking fee only at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake, on weekends and holidays in April, May and September and daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to its fee page.

  • Free Day Use37 of 43park pages we read
  • Fee Areas3lake recreation areas
  • Per Vehicle$10$5 senior or military
  • Federal PassesNot Acceptedper the state

By Megan Ross. Megan Ross is a pen name used by the It’s North Carolina editorial team (who writes this). Last reviewed October 27, 2026.

What The State Fee Page Says

  • A parking/vehicle entrance fee is charged only at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake state recreation areas on weekends and holidays in April, May, and September, and daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. One motor vehicle $10 per day; one motor vehicle with senior citizen or military member/veteran in the vehicle $5 per day; one bus $20 per day; Seasonal Parking Pass $60 per year ($70 beginning with 2026 passes). source
  • The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation is a state government agency, and we do not accept federal passes, such as the America the Beautiful Pass, or passes for other states.

Every Park Page

Day-Use Admission by Park
ParkRegionAdmission as Printed
Carolina Beach State ParkCoastFree day use (exceptions in note)
Carvers Creek State ParkSandhillsFree day use
Cliffs of the Neuse State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use (exceptions in note)
Crowders Mountain State ParkCharlotte RegionFree day use
Dismal Swamp State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use (exceptions in note)
Elk Knob State ParkHigh CountryFree day use
Eno River State ParkTriangleFree day use
Falls Lake State Recreation AreaTriangleFree most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page)
Fort Fisher State Recreation AreaCoastFree day use (exceptions in note)
Fort Macon State ParkCoastFree day use
Goose Creek State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use
Gorges State ParkAsheville & FoothillsFree day use
Grandfather Mountain State ParkHigh CountryFree day use
Hammocks Beach State ParkCoastFree day use (exceptions in note)
Hanging Rock State ParkTriadFree day use (exceptions in note)
Haw River State ParkTriadFree day use
Jockey's Ridge State ParkCoastFree day use
Jones Lake State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use (exceptions in note)
Jordan Lake State Recreation AreaTriangleFree most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page)
Kerr Lake State Recreation AreaTriangleFree most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page)
Lake James State ParkAsheville & FoothillsFree day use (exceptions in note)
Lake Norman State ParkCharlotte RegionFree day use (exceptions in note)
Lake Waccamaw State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use
Lumber River State ParkSandhillsFree day use
Mayo River State ParkTriadFree day use
Medoc Mountain State ParkTriangleFree day use
Merchants Millpond State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use (exceptions in note)
Morrow Mountain State ParkCharlotte RegionFree day use (exceptions in note)
Mount Jefferson State Natural AreaHigh CountryFree day use
Mount Mitchell State ParkHigh CountryFree day use
New River State ParkHigh CountryFree day use
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural AreaTriangleFree day use
Pettigrew State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use
Raven Rock State ParkTriangleFree day use
Rendezvous MountainHigh CountryFree day use
Singletary Lake State ParkEastern Plain & Inner BanksFree day use
South Mountains State ParkAsheville & FoothillsFree day use
Stone Mountain State ParkHigh CountryFree day use
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature PreserveSandhillsFree day use
William B. Umstead State ParkTriangleFree day use (exceptions in note)
Chimney Rock State ParkAsheville & FoothillsRumbling Bald day use free; Chimney Rock attraction charges per person (amount not on park page)
Lower Haw River State Natural AreaTriangleNot confirmed on the park page
Pilot Mountain State ParkHigh CountryNot confirmed on the park page

Checked on each park’s ncparks.gov page; the park page link on our park pages shows the full wording and hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I pay to enter a state park?

For 37 of 43 park pages, no. Camping, event permits, boat launches and facility reservations can cost extra.

Do I need a pass?

The state does not accept federal passes such as the America the Beautiful Pass.

What We Could Not Confirm

  • Day-use admission is not stated on the park page for: Lower Haw River State Natural Area, Pilot Mountain State Park.
  • The per-vehicle amounts at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake come from the state fee page, not the individual park pages.

Sources

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

Read on October 27, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Do North Carolina State Parks Charge Admission?”, itsnorthcarolina.com/answers/do-north-carolina-state-parks-charge-admission/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.