Looking for:
Best state parks near raleighBest state parks near raleigh -
The Triangle area of North Carolina is an awesome place to live. There are plenty of ways to play, tons of great food options, and awesome parks to visit. However, sometimes you still want to get away from it all. If you are looking for some quick day trips from Raleigh and the Triangle this is the place for you. This edition focuses on State Parks. There are 41 State Parks in North Carolina and we recommend visiting all of them, you will learn a lot!
There is not a State Park you could not visit in one day from Raleigh, but you might be in the car for hours upon hours!
This list focuses on the 10 best State Parks to visit if you are taking a day trip from Raleigh. The farthest you should have to drive is a little over two hours if you use this list — so, very doable. Hope you have a blast going the adventure way on your day trips from Raleigh! Medoc Mountain is an hour and fifteen minute drive northeast or Raleigh in Hollister. This is one of our favorite parks in all of the Piedmont area of North Carolina.
Medoc Mountain is a great place for hikers of all skill levels — some of the trails are even paved so they are accessible to everyone. Pretty much every trail is great here, but we like to do the Summit Loop Trail which takes you to the old ridge line of Medoc Mountain.
In all it is about 4. This is an awesome kids track trail with a ton of hands on activities. The adult have just as much fun when challenging the kids. If you are in there at the right time, you might even be able to hold it yourself. Medoc Mountain is near the historic town of Halifax , so check it out when you are there. Hanging Rock is one of the most popular parks in the whole state. This park is about two hours and fifteen minutes from Raleigh — so it is one of the longer drives on our list.
There is a ton to do in this park so if you want to experience it all you will need to leave early and stay late. Of course, the Hanging Rock Trail is an absolute must do. This is a 2. This is a great place to eat lunch and enjoy the views. There are some steep spots and you need to be careful around the cliffs, but there is a ton of room up at the top. If you took the Hanging Rock out of the State Park there would still be a park here because there are so many other things to do.
Hanging Rock has a great set of waterfalls. These are not the biggest falls in the state, but they are some of the closest to Raleigh. If you are feeling super adventurous, see if you can do the five peak challenge — it is on our list to do soon. Pilot Mountain is an awesome park to visit if you have a day to explore. Pilot Mountain is about a two hour drive from Raleigh to the west.
It is one of the most famous landmarks in the state. The Jomeokee Trail is our favorite trail at the park. It is less than a mile, but it takes you to the base of Pilot Mountain and gives you some killer views. There are two main sections to this park.
Most people only go to the mountain section, but there is a river section as well. Plenty of things to do on the water and they have an operating historical farm, a great place for kids and adults.
If you are going to Pilot Mountain, check out nearby Mt. We love Cliffs of the Neuse. This park is about an hour and fifteen minutes southeast of Raleigh just outside of Goldsboro. This is one of the best parks to hike in the eastern part of the state. This park also has a really awesome lake to swim in. The water is really clear here. There is a small charge for day use. There is not a ton of space here, but there are some pretty cool views. Carvers Creek State Park is a fun little park with some historical significance.
This park is about an hour south of Raleigh in Fayetteville. Long Valley is the main access is home to the Rockefeller House, the one time vacation home of James Stillman Rockefeller. The home is being restored and one day will be open to the public.
You can walk the grounds and the nearby pond. This is a good spot for an east mile hike. The Sandhills has about 10 miles of hiking in total. This is a great place to explore the Sandhills area of North Carolina. This is one of the few places you can find the federally endangered red cockaded woodpecker. It is so cool to see these birds flying around, they are beautiful! Morrow Mountain is just under two hours to the east or Raleigh in Albermarle.
This park literally has something for everyone. That is why it ranked so high in our State Park rankings. You can rent kayaks and hit the Yadkin River Trail. They have bald eagles towards the dam on the river.
Very cool to go searching for them. This park also has a museum that explains the unique geology and history of this area. There once were American Indian tribes living in this area and you might even be able to find some artifacts while you are there. There are a ton of trails here as well.
Fall Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain Trails are really great. Whether you hike or drive, make sure you get up to Morrow Mountain Overlook. The views from up there are super rad.
Definitely check that out, especially now that there is a new deck up there. Weymouth Woods is another park about an hour south of Raleigh in Southern Pines. It has many trails for you to check out the long leaf pine forest that cover this part of the state.
One thing we enjoyed about this park were the amount of birds we could check out. It is an ideal place for this, especially woodpeckers.
If you are a beginning hiker this place is perfect because it offers plenty of flat, easy trails for you to build up your strength on. We recommend heading here in the fall because of all of the colorful ground cover. Raven Rock is an awesome park 40 minutes southwest of Raleigh near Lillington. There are a lot of really great places to visit at the park. If you go you have to hike down to Raven Rock.
This is an awesome rock formation that is great to climb all over. Once you get back on the trail, you can head to an observation area that gives you a great view of the river below.
It is almost like you are in the mountains almost. Some of the best hikes near Raleigh. They have incredible vegetation and wonderful water features along the river and creeks. There is a great visitors center here with a bunch of hummingbird feeders outside.
On our last trip we saw about 20 of them flying around. It was so cool! This park gets super crowded. It is always a good idea to show up to this one early.
This park is an hour and 45 minutes northwest of Raleigh. We were just going to stop in real quick, check it out, and burn up the road. We had to check it out and were so glad we did! This waterfall is called Fall Creek Falls and it is one of the coolest waterfalls we have been to.
Not a tall one, but a fun wide one you can climb all over. We went on a day that nobody else was there so it was awesome! This is a great place to enjoy a picnic and play in the river.
Occoneechee is a State Park site that took time to grow on us. This park is only 45 minutes to the west of Raleigh. The first time we went there all we did was take the short trail to the overlook and we were gone. The next time we went we did the whole Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail and it was wonderful.
State Parks in Raleigh, N.C. | Falls Lake, William B. Umstead.15 Most Beautiful State Parks In North Carolina To Explore
View Embed. Oct 8, , am - pm — Crowders Mountain State Park. Oct 8, , pm - pm — Goose Creek State Park. Oct 17, , pm - pm — Jockeys Ridge State Park. Oct 22, , am - pm — Lake Norman State Park.
Oct 28, , pm - pm — Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Middle Child Paragraph. NC Trails. NC Mile Challenge. Junior Ranger. Year of the Tree.
Things to Do in North Carolina. State Parks in North Carolina. Enter dates. Traveler favorites. Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity. Highest rated attractions on Tripadvisor, based on traveler reviews. All things to do.
Category types. Day Trips. Outdoor Activities. Traveler Resources. Types of Attractions. Hiking Trails. State Parks. Traveler rating. Good for.
Good for Kids. Good for Couples. Free Entry. Good for Big Groups. Hidden Gems. Good for Adrenaline Seekers. Honeymoon spot. Good for a Rainy Day. Show more. By shannonn. We had a great time hiking all over the sand dunes , my 5 and 3 year olds loved it and we loved the great naps that f By Hotspots Located at water this park has lots of interesting areas including a visitor centre, camping , hiking, boat docking an By jmpncsu.
The Lakeshore Trail is the longest in the park at about 4 miles from the visitor center to the dam. It's a really By danielcRFC. My wife, our dog and I hiked the Boone Fork Trail in about 2 hours 45 minutes, the trail was well marked, moderate wi By JulieG We watched ospreys fishing , and there were herons, egrets and woodpeckers everywhere.
By dbaaronson. Wonderful location on the end of the island, a beautiful large visitor center and the fort is easy to learn about and By KathernN. By HazelM We took a ton of photos and videos and had a nice picnic lunch at an Ebenezer Church picnic spot. By Rally What a gorgeous spot, incredibly tranquil and the picnic spots were wonderful. By ninetraveler. By heart0texas.
The surrounding woods have many miles of well marked walking trails where you can view the lake almost the entire walk. By 17campbellf. Dip your toes in the river, cool off by the waterfall, visit the 19th century Homestead, and enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountain views. At Lake Norman State Park, you'll enjoy exquisite lakeside views and extensive hiking.
Cyclists love this peaceful haven because it has more than miles of biking trails. This 32, acre park is begging to be explored and promises visitors an unforgettable experience reconnecting with nature.
The restored historic fort at Fort Macon State Park played a significant role in the Civil War, which you can learn about in detail when you visit. However, you might be even more impressed by the breathtaking beach that's also located inside the park.
Truly, there's a little something for everyone at this state park in North Carolina. S Army Corps of Engineers.
In the northern part of the state lies 14, acres of winding rivers and gorgeous overgrown cypress trees. A popular destination for kayaking, this North Carolina-Virginia shared state park is a must-see. This 13,acre park outside of Raleigh is home to bald eagles and perfect for a long day of fishing. No matter your reason for visiting, you'll find that Jordan Lake is an excellent day trip for all ages. Climb the steps and this gorgeous, ft. Ride along the horse trail, hike to mountain peaks, and sunbathe on one of the many rocks in the river.
Lake Waccamaw is one of the largest Carolina bays. While you're there, keep on the lookout for unique coastal wildlife -- who knows, you might even spot a couple of alligators!
Located in the southeastern region of the state, Lake Waccamaw is a taste of the coast without the full drive. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Out and About Our favorite state parks in the Triangle and beyond The weather has gotten warmer and it's time to get outside. Posted p. Apr 11, — Updated p. Apr 11, And since marks the th anniversary of North Carolina's state park system , now is a great time to check out what they have to offer. I can't claim to have visited all 41, but here are my favorites within a reasonable drive of Raleigh. Umstead State Park offers bike trails and is a favorite with my friends who are serious runners, especially when they're in the mood for a challenge.
One of the biggest conveniences for Umstead is location. It is tucked between Raleigh Durham International Airport, Glenwood Avenue and , making it easily accessible form in town or from the highway. But that's also one of the reasons it's not my favorite spot for camping. After a relatively peaceful night's slumber, early morning takeoffs from RDU tend to roust my camping crew out of bed earlier than is ideal. This is a nice option when you don't want to struggle through traffic all the way to the beach or get chlorine in your eyes.
It's all the way on the other side of Greensboro.
No comments:
Post a Comment