Things to do › State Parks and Outdoors
The state parks and outdoors guide lists every park, recreation area and natural area in our dataset, grouped by region. Each row shows whether day use is free and links to our page for the park.
Our state park list covers 43 parks, recreation areas and natural areas in 8 regions. 37 have free day use, 4 are partly free, and 42 say pets are allowed on a leash. Every row below links to our page for the park, which carries hours, closures and the park’s own rules.
43Parks and Areas
8Regions
37Free Day Use
42Allow Pets
State park facts come from our state park dataset (last checked Oct 27, 2026), read on each park’s own ncparks.gov page. Plans and rules change, so check the organizer or park page before you drive.
State Parks by Region
Triangle (9) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Eno River State Park Official page | Durham, Durham County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Falls Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Wake Forest, Wake County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Apex, Chatham County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Official page | Henderson, Vance County · Triangle | Partly free (see the park page) Free most of year; per-vehicle entrance fee on certain days (amount not on park page) |
| Lower Haw River State Natural Area Official page | Pittsboro, Chatham County · Triangle | Not confirmed Not published |
| Medoc Mountain State Park Official page | Hollister, Halifax County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area Official page | Hillsborough, Orange County · Triangle | Free day use |
| Raven Rock State Park Official page | Lillington, Harnett County · Triangle | Free day use |
| William B. Umstead State Park Official page | Raleigh, Wake County · Triangle | Free day use |
Eastern Plain & Inner Banks (8) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Official page | Seven Springs, Wayne County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Dismal Swamp State Park Official page | South Mills, Camden County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Goose Creek State Park Official page | Washington, Beaufort County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Jones Lake State Park Official page | Elizabethtown, Bladen County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Lake Waccamaw State Park Official page | Lake Waccamaw, Columbus County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Merchants Millpond State Park Official page | Gatesville, Gates County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Pettigrew State Park Official page | Creswell, Washington County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
| Singletary Lake State Park Official page | Kelly, Bladen County · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | Free day use |
High Country (8) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Elk Knob State Park Official page | Todd, Watauga County · High Country | Free day use |
| Grandfather Mountain State Park Official page | Banner Elk, Avery County · High Country | Free day use |
| Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Official page | West Jefferson, Ashe County · High Country | Free day use |
| Mount Mitchell State Park Official page | Burnsville, Yancey County · High Country | Free day use |
| New River State Park Official page | Laurel Springs, Ashe County · High Country | Free day use |
| Pilot Mountain State Park Official page | Pinnacle, Surry County · High Country | Not confirmed Not published |
| Rendezvous Mountain Official page | Purlear, Wilkes County · High Country | Free day use |
| Stone Mountain State Park Official page | Roaring Gap, Alleghany County · High Country | Free day use |
Coast (5) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Beach State Park Official page | Carolina Beach, New Hanover County · Coast | Free day use |
| Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Official page | Kure Beach, New Hanover County · Coast | Free day use |
| Fort Macon State Park Official page | Atlantic Beach, Carteret County · Coast | Free day use |
| Hammocks Beach State Park Official page | Swansboro, Onslow County · Coast | Free day use |
| Jockey's Ridge State Park Official page | Nags Head, Dare County · Coast | Free day use |
Asheville & Foothills (4) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney Rock State Park Official page | Chimney Rock, Rutherford County · Asheville & Foothills | Partly free (see the park page) Rumbling Bald day use free; Chimney Rock attraction charges per person (amount not on park page) |
| Gorges State Park Official page | Sapphire, Transylvania County · Asheville & Foothills | Free day use |
| Lake James State Park Official page | Nebo, McDowell County · Asheville & Foothills | Free day use |
| South Mountains State Park Official page | Connelly Springs, Burke County · Asheville & Foothills | Free day use |
Sandhills (3) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Carvers Creek State Park Official page | Spring Lake, Cumberland County · Sandhills | Free day use |
| Lumber River State Park Official page | Orrum, Robeson County · Sandhills | Free day use |
| Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve Official page | Southern Pines, Moore County · Sandhills | Free day use |
Charlotte Region (3) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Crowders Mountain State Park Official page | Kings Mountain, Gaston County · Charlotte Region | Free day use |
| Lake Norman State Park Official page | Troutman, Iredell County · Charlotte Region | Free day use |
| Morrow Mountain State Park Official page | Albemarle, Stanly County · Charlotte Region | Free day use |
Triad (3) Events in This Region
| Park | Where | Day Use |
|---|---|---|
| Hanging Rock State Park Official page | Danbury, Stokes County · Triad | Free day use |
| Haw River State Park Official page | Browns Summit, Guilford County · Triad | Free day use |
| Mayo River State Park Official page | Mayodan, Rockingham County · Triad | Free day use |
Outdoor Events on Our Calendar
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach Scavenger Hunt (Fort Macon State Park) | Oct 24-Feb 15, 2027: 10:00 AM (state parks list); detail page shows 10-11 AM | Atlantic Beach · Coast | See event page |
| Escape at the Millpond (Merchants Millpond State Park) | Oct 26-Dec 14 | Gatesville · Eastern Plain & Inner Banks | See event page |
| Fayetteville Turkey Trot 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk | Thu, Nov 26 (8:30 AM-11:00 AM) | Fayetteville · Sandhills | See event page |
| Snowshoe Guided Tours at Sugar Mountain Resort | Tue, Dec 1: not published (page shows 00:00) | Sugar Mountain · High Country | See event page |
| NASTAR Racing at Sugar Mountain Resort | Sat, Dec 5: 12:00 PM (page lists 12:00PM) | Sugar Mountain · High Country | See event page |
| Pre-Season Ski Clinic at Sugar Mountain Resort | Fri, Dec 11 (not published) | Sugar Mountain · High Country | See event page |
| Tobacco Road Marathon and Half Marathon (17th running) | Sun, Mar 14 (Sun 7:00 AM start at USA Baseball, 7445 Green Hope School Road) | Cary · Triangle | See event page |
Keep Planning
- By month: October, November, December, January, February, March
- Regional event hubs: High Country, Coast, Eastern Plain & Inner Banks, Sandhills, Triangle
- By day: Today, Tomorrow, This Weekend, Next Week, By Month
- The full state park guide hub and the State Parks Passport
More Topic Guides
Map of State Parks
Frequently Asked Questions
Are North Carolina state parks free?
Many charge nothing for day use, but camping, cabins, boat rentals and some attractions cost money, and a few parks are only partly free. The table says which is which for each park, and each park page has the details.
Do I need a reservation to visit?
Day use usually does not need one, but camping and cabins do, and some parks close a gate when full. Check the park’s own page, linked from each row, before you drive.
Which parks are in the mountains and which are on the coast?
The tables are grouped by region, and each region heading links to that region’s events. Our mountains guide and coast guide pull the parks together with the events.
Sources
- Park facts (hours, day-use cost, pet rule) were read on each park’s own ncparks.gov page; all rows are in the North Carolina state parks dataset.
- Each event links to the organizer’s own page, where its date, hours and price were read; all rows are in the North Carolina events dataset with a checked date on every row.
How we check: editorial standards, verification log, corrections.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “State Parks and Outdoors”, itsnorthcarolina.com/things-to-do/state-parks-and-outdoors/ (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.