Public land in North Carolina

164 public places in North Carolina: 104 state & public land, 31 state parks, 13 wildlife management areas, 10 parks, 3 national forests, 1 recreation areas, 1 state forests, 1 ATV / OHV trail systems. 5 are free to enter. Pick an activity below, or open any place for its fees, rules, map and the public land around it.

What you can do

🥾 Hiking · 163 ⛺ Camping · 141 📷 Nature Photography · 138 🎣 Fishing · 109 🍄 Mushroom Foraging · 107 🫐 Berry Foraging · 107 🦉 Birdwatching · 14 🦌 Hunting · 13

🎫 Entry pass for North Carolina state lands

None — state parks are free: residents Free; out-of-state visitors Free.

Typical published rates; fees change, so confirm at the official site before you go.

🗺️ State & Public Land (104)

All 104 on the map →

Brumley Forest Nature PreserveUnknown — check official site
Duke Forest Blackwood DivisionUnknown — check official site
Johnston Mill Nature PreserveUnknown — check official site
Jordan Game LandUnknown — check official site
Alligator RiverUnknown — check official site
Angola Bay GamelandUnknown — check official site
B.W. Wells Recreation AreaUnknown — check official site
Bald Head Island Natural AreaUnknown — check official site
Battery IslandUnknown — check official site
Bear Creek Lake Access AreaUnknown — check official site
Beaver Dam ParkUnknown — check official site
Bell ParkUnknown — check official site
Birkhead Mountains WildernessUnknown — check official site
Black River Cypress Forest PreserveUnknown — check official site
Buffalo Cove Game LandUnknown — check official site
Bullocksville ParkUnknown — check official site
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game LandUnknown — check official site
Buxton Woods Coastal PreserveUnknown — check official site
Buxton Woods Coastal PreserveUnknown — check official site
Cape Hatteras National SeashoreUnknown — check official site
Cape Lookout National SeashoreUnknown — check official site
Cascades Preservefree
Caswell GamelandUnknown — check official site
Catfish Lake South WildernessUnknown — check official site
Chestnut Hills PreserveUnknown — check official site
Chowan Swamp Game LandUnknown — check official site
Chowan Swamp Natural AreaUnknown — check official site
Coastal Mangement-Masonboro Estaurine Resource PreUnknown — check official site
Coker PinetumUnknown — check official site
Cold Mountain GamelandUnknown — check official site
Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study AreaUnknown — check official site
Cumberland Knob Recreation AreaUnknown — check official site
Currituck Estuarine SanctuaryUnknown — check official site
Dan River GamelandUnknown — check official site
Davis Chapel Historic SiteUnknown — check official site
Deep River State TrailUnknown — check official site
Duke Forest Durham DivisionUnknown — check official site
Duke Forest Hillsboro DivisionUnknown — check official site
Duke Forest Korstian DivisionUnknown — check official site
Elk Knob GamelandUnknown — check official site

🌳 State Parks (31)

Hanging Rock State Parkfree
South Mountains State ParkUnknown — check official site
Carvers Creek State ParkUnknown — check official site
Carvers Creek State Park - Sandhills AccessUnknown — check official site
Chimney Rock State ParkUnknown — check official site
Cliffs of the Neuse State ParkUnknown — check official site
Crowders Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Dismal Swamp State ParkUnknown — check official site
Eno River State ParkUnknown — check official site
Goose Creek State ParkUnknown — check official site
Gorges State ParkUnknown — check official site
Grandfather Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Hanging Rock State ParkUnknown — check official site
Haw River State ParkUnknown — check official site
Jones Lake State ParkUnknown — check official site
Lake James State ParkUnknown — check official site
Lake Norman State ParkUnknown — check official site
Lake Waccamaw State ParkUnknown — check official site
Lumber River State ParkUnknown — check official site
Mayo River State Park (NC)Unknown — check official site
Medoc Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Merchants Millpond State ParkUnknown — check official site
Morrow Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Mount Mitchell State ParkUnknown — check official site
Pettigrew State ParkUnknown — check official site
Pilot Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Pisgah View State ParkUnknown — check official site
Rendezvous Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
Singletary Lake State ParkUnknown — check official site
Stone Mountain State ParkUnknown — check official site
William B. Umstead State ParkUnknown — check official site

🦆 Wildlife Management Areas (13)

Alligator River National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Cedar Island National Wildlife ReserveUnknown — check official site
Dupont State Recreational ForestUnknown — check official site
Nutbush Peninsula Wildlife Management AreaUnknown — check official site
Pea Island National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Roanoke River National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Swanquarter National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Swanquarter National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Swanquarter National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Swanquarter National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site
Swanquarter National Wildlife RefugeUnknown — check official site

🌿 Parks (10)

Carolina North ForestUnknown — check official site
Briar Creek GreenwayUnknown — check official site
Dare County Open SpaceUnknown — check official site
Fonta Flora State TrailUnknown — check official site
Guilford Courthouse National Military ParkUnknown — check official site
James M. Johnston Nature PreserveUnknown — check official site
Little Sugar Creek GreenwayUnknown — check official site
Mount Jefferson State Natural AreaUnknown — check official site
Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature PreserveUnknown — check official site
Yellow Mountain State Natural AreaUnknown — check official site

🌲 National Forests (3)

Pisgah National Forestfree
Croatan National ForestUnknown — check official site
Uwharrie National ForestUnknown — check official site

🏕️ Recreation Areas (1)

Cape Hatteras National Seashorefree

🌲 State Forests (1)

Headwaters State ForestUnknown — check official site

🛞 ATV / OHV Trail Systems (1)

Uwharrie National Forest OHV Trails$5/day trail pass ($30 season)