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Welcome To Carolina Outdoors Guide

Carolina Outdoors Guide is a comprehensive compendium of federal and state recreation lands across North Carolina, such as national and state parks, national forest day use areas and campgrounds, state coastal reserves, and much more.

Learn about all North Carolina has to offer those who love or are curious about the outdoors by reading about our adventures in the Carolina outdoors and checking our directories of links to hundreds of parks and camping and hiking opportunities. 

Our directories provide information and links to recreation resources from the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, N.C. Division of Forest Resources and several other agencies that offer outdoor recreation opportunities.

We don’t know of any single source that identifies as many federal and state outdoor recreation properties from the North Carolina mountains to the coast — from national parks to TVA reservoirs, state parks to Educational State Forests — as this site does. Find a place for you and your family to get out and enjoy North Carolina’s great outdoors!

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Welcome To Carolina Outdoors Guide

If you are unfamiliar with North Carolina, start with the Parks & Forests pages to learn about the numerous parks and recreation areas available across the state and what they have to offer. From there, move to our Carolina Outdoors Adventures articles about specific sites we’ve visited, or to the Camping and Hiking pages to plan your own adventure.

  • Photos alongside directory listings are links; click on them for additional photos and information from our visits.
  • Look under News also for developments at parks, forests and other public lands in North Carolina.

This site is meant to be a concise directory of parks and outdoor recreation opportunities in North Carolina. What it lacks in depth it makes up for in breadth.

If you know of anything we’ve overlooked, see any problems, or have anything else to say, please let us know.

Find Your Carolina Adventure …

Parks & Forests

Camping

Hiking

What’s New?…

Parks & ForestsSandhillsWeymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
February 27, 2026

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve

Renovations at Catawba Falls allow public access to the beautiful upper falls.
couple lying on rock at baseof waterfall in forestMountainsParks & ForestsCatawba Falls, Pisgah National Forest
July 21, 2024

Catawba Falls, Pisgah National Forest

Renovations at Catawba Falls allow public access to the beautiful upper falls.
rock face at Raven Rock State ParkCampingParks & ForestsRaven Rock State Park, Lillington, North Carolina
November 26, 2021

Raven Rock State Park, Lillington, North Carolina

The iconic rock face at Raven Rock State Park is a must-see in eastern North Carolina.

Explore The Carolina Outdoors!…

Carolina Outdoors Guide News …

April 3, 2021 in Camping, Mountains, News, Parks & Forests

Gorges State Park to Offer Family Campground and Cabins

In addition to a family campground for tents and RVs, the park will offer five vacation cabins
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March 27, 2021 in Mountains, News, Parks & Forests

Catawba Falls Trail Closes for Work Toward Expanded Access

Preliminary work underway for upper falls access at Catawba Falls
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October 24, 2020 in Coastal Plain, News, Parks & Forests

Carvers Creek State Park Reopens After Mill Pond Repairs

Carvers Creek State Park reopens after four years with its mill pond restored.
Read More