Hiking In North Carolina State Parks

Updated August 2025.

Links to North Carolina State parks trails pages and individual trails of 5 miles or more within each park (one-way, unless otherwise noted; some trails may also be available to bikes and/or horses):

Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. 9 miles total.

Carvers Creek State Park, Spring Lake. 7.15 miles total.

Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock. 13.65 miles total.
— Weed Patch Mountain Trail. Strenuous, 8.5 miles.

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs. 6.2 miles total.

Crowders Mountain State Park, Kings Mountain. 20 miles total.
— Ridgeline Trail. Moderate, 6.2 miles.

Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills. 21.15 miles total.
— Kim Saunders Road. Easy, 5.4 miles.

Elk Knob State Park, Todd. 5.4 miles total.

Eno River State Park, Durham. 35.19 miles total.
— Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (portion of Segment 10). Easy, 7.5 miles.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area, Raleigh. 23.2 miles total.
– South Loop Mountain Bike Trail. Advanced biking (open to hiking), 7.3-mile loop.

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, Kure Beach. 6.1 miles total, including the 5-mile beach.

Fort Macon State Park, Atlantic Beach. 4.95 miles total, including 1.5-mile beach.

Goose Creek State Park, Washington. 9.5 miles total.

Gorges State Park, Sapphire. 24.9 miles total.
– Auger Hole Trail. Strenuous, 7.2 miles.
– Canebrake Trail. Strenuous, 5 miles.
– Foothills Trail. Strenuous, 6.7 miles (within park). The 76-mile Foothills Trail extends from Oconee State Park to Table Rock State Park in South Carolina, with two segments in North Carolina.

Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville. 13.8 miles total.

Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro. 6.1 miles total.

Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. 58.1 miles total, including several bike trails open to hiking.
– Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (Segment 7). Strenuous, 7.4 miles.
– Hike to Five Peaks. Strenuous, 10 miles.

Haw River State Park, Browns Summit. 6.1 miles total.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head. 1.9 miles total.

Jones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown. 6 miles total.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Apex. 15.31 miles total.
– New Hope Trail. Moderate, 5.4-mile loop.

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, Henderson. 2.59 miles total.

Lake James State Park, Nebo. 32.8 miles total
– Fonta Flora State Trail. Moderate, 7 miles (within park).
– West Wimba Loop Bike Trail. Moderate, 6 miles.

Lake Norman State Park, Troutman. 79.15 miles total, including several bike trails open to hiking.
– Lake Shore Trail. Moderate, 5-mile loop.
– Itsui Bike Trail. Easy to moderate, 30.5-mile loop.
– Monbo Loop on Itusi Bike Trail. Easy to moderate, 6.25 miles.
– Laurel Loop on Itusi Bike Trail. Moderate, 9.75 miles.

Lake Waccamaw State Park, Lake Waccamaw. 7.3 miles total.

Lumber River State Park, Orrum. 5 miles total.

Mayo River State Park, Mayodan. 2.5 miles total.

Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister. 29.85 miles total, including several bike trails open to hiking.
– Pyrite Loop Bike Trail. Moderate, 3.5-mile loop.

Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. 16.55 miles total.
– Lassiter Trail. Easy, 7-mile loop.
– Bicycle Trail. Easy, 5-mile loop (open to hiking).

Morrow Mountain State Park, Badin. 37.1 miles total.
– Middle Loop Bridle Trail. Moderate, 5.5 miles (open to hiking).
– Long Loop Bridle Trail. Moderate, 9.3 miles (open to hiking).

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, West Jefferson. 4.65 miles total.

Mount Mitchell State Park, Burnsville. 45.4 miles total.
– Black Mountain Crest Trail. Strenuous, 11.3 miles.
– Mount Mitchell Trail. Strenuous, 5.6 miles.
– Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (potion of Segment 3).  Strenuous, 22.9 miles.

New River State Park, Laurel Springs. 11.4 miles total.

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough. 3.35 miles total.

Pettigrew State Park, Creswell. 8.89 miles total.

Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle. 42.05 miles total.
– Corridor Trail. Strenuous, 6.6 miles.
– Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (portion of Segment 7). Strenuous, 12.6 miles

Raven Rock State Park, Lillington. 32.9 miles total.
– Mountain Laurel Beginner Loop Bike Trail. Easy, 6.6 miles (open to hiking).

Rendezvous Mountain, Purlear. 5.95 miles total.

Singletary Lake State Park, Kelly. 5.9 miles total.

South Mountains State Park, Connelly Springs. 113.8 miles total, including bridle trails open to hiking.
– Raven Rock Trail. Strenuous, 5.2 miles.
– Saddleback Loop. Easy to strenuous, 7.9 miles.
– Fox Loop. Easy to strenuous, 14.4 miles.
– Perimeter Loop. Easy to strenuous, 19 miles.
– Sawtooth Loop. Moderate to strenuous, 10.3 miles.
– Upper Falls In and Back. Moderate to strenuous, 9.6-mile loop.

Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap. 30.47 total miles.
– Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (portion of Segment 6). Advanced, 11.32 miles.

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines. 9.6 miles total.

W.B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh. 34.3 miles total, inlcuding several also for bikes and horses.
– Company Mill Trail. Moderate, 5.8-mile loop.
– Sycamore Trail. Moderate, 7.2 mile-loop.

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