Topics Related to NC PATH

The outdoors is for everyone, but many activities are out of reach for those with disabilities. To create more access to activities like hiking and kayaking, North Carolina State Parks and Recreation partnered with Waypoint Adventure NC to offer adaptive recreation programs for visitors with disabilities. The pilot program launched with great success!

North Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful state parks in the country, and while many are popular destinations for tourists and locals alike, there are a number of lesser-known parks that are just as stunning and worth visiting. These parks are often less crowded and offer a unique and serene experience for visitors. Here are some of the least visited state parks in North Carolina that you should add to your must-visit list.

North Carolina is home to a plethora of breathtaking state parks, each offering unique landscapes, diverse wildlife, and exciting outdoor activities. As we celebrate Great Outdoors Month, there's no better time to explore these natural wonders. From hiking to water sports, here are 11 exhilarating activities you can enjoy in North Carolina state parks.

William B. Umstead Park and Raven Rock State Park are popular nature spaces, but have you heard of Pettigrew State Park?Pettigrew State Park became North Carolina’s sixth state park in 1939. Located in Washington and Tyrrell counties, it’s the perfect mixture of nature, history, and recreation. There are nine miles of hiking or biking trails and visitors can explore fishing, paddling, swimming or camping on the grounds. The park can be a pitstop on your way to the Outer Banks, a day trip or a weekend getaway.

Day 1:Morning:Start your day early and head to South Mountains State Park, which is about a 30-minute drive from Morganton.Once there, take the Hemlock Nature Trail, a 0.8-mile loop that winds through a dense forest and crosses over sparkling streams.After your walk, have a picnic breakfast at one of the park's picnic areas.Afternoon:Head to Catawba Falls, which is about a 20-

Day 1:Morning:Start your day early and head to Jones Lake State Park, which is about 20 minutes away from Elizabethtown.Once there, take a leisurely stroll on the 0.8-mile Jones Lake Trail that circles the lake.

Located in Gates County 10 miles south of North Carolina's northeastern border with Virginia, Merchants Millpond State Park centers on a 760-acre millpond more than 190 years old. Hiking the surrounding trails or paddling the placid, shallow waters of the pond offer a great way to explore this wetland environment. Old-growth cypress trees adorned with Spanish moss create an "enchanted forest," particularly at Lassiter Swamp.

Aristotle said, “In all things of nature, there is something marvelous.”

So, I went in search of something marvelous. With North Carolina’s vast sights to see, it isn’t a matter of if there are marvelous sights, but which marvelous sight to see. Just a mere hour away from Raleigh, I decided to explore the state’s first nature preserve.

There are pine needles everywhere. The ground is still damp from the night before. I hear the sounds of nature and the crunch of my shoes as I begin my walk.

I’ve still got some work to do to achieve my State Parks Annual 100-Mile Challenge, both on foot and on two wheels.  So yeah, I like to hike and bike.  I’m lucky because there are many state and local parks, trails, and greenways around Raleigh.  But there are plenty of communities throughout North Carolina where that is not the case. 

And that’s a problem.

It’s time to get outside and take part in Parks and Trails for Health (PATH), an online program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to encourage activity in parks, trails, greenways, and other outdoor spaces.