State Forests In North Carolina

Carolina Outdoors Guide – Parks & Forests – Camping – Hiking – Adventures

State Forests in North Carolina

The N.C. Division of Forest Resources manages state forests primarily for protection of unique natural communities and cultural resources, forestry research and demonstration, wildlife protection and watershed protection. They include Bladen Lakes State Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest and Headwaters State Forest, which are open to the public for low-impact recreation.

Additionally, N.C. State University’s Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources operates several forested tracts for research and study. Two are available for recreational use.

State Forest Links

Bladen Lakes State Forest
4470 N.C. 242 North
Elizabethtown, NC 28337
(910) 588-4964
E-mail
(Locator Map)

Bladen Lakes State Forest covers 33,016 acres surrounding White Lake, Jones Lake State Park and Singletary Lake State Park, as well as Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest. The state forest, with 130 miles of dirt roads, is mainly a research and preservation area, but is open for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and horseback riding, which require permits.

DuPont State Recreational Forest
P.O. Box 300
Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
(828) 877-6527
Friends of DuPont State Forest
(Locator Map)

The 10,473 acres on the Transylvania/Henderson county border between Hendersonville and Brevard feature four major waterfalls on Little River and several more on Grassy Creek; five lakes, including the 99-acre Lake Julia; and about 90 miles of trails and roads. The forest is open to fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain biking and picnicking. Vehicle passes are available by reservation for disabled people unable to hike to the waterfalls or other destinations. There are several access sites off of U.S. 64, and a visitors center at the High Falls Access Area. The nonprofit Friends of DuPont State Forest maintains a detailed Web site at the link above. Click on the photo for more info.

Headwaters State Forest
N.C. Forest Service Region 3 Office
14 Gaston Mountain Road
Asheville NC 28806
(828) 665-8688
(Locator Map)

The 6,730-acre Headwaters State Forest opened to the public in September 2018 after nine years of work to conserve lands that surround the upper reaches of the East Fork French Broad River. The forest is open for hiking, hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. The 18-foot East Fork Falls is a short walk from the road. The N.C. Forest Service will make resources available to assist with educational efforts by schools, colleges, and other natural resource management organizations in the forest. Headwaters State Forest is located about 10 miles south of Brevard, close to the towns of Cedar Mountain and Rosman, in southern Transylvania County. Part of the forest borders South Carolina. There is limited parking and no other development.

College of Natural Resources
N.C. State University
Box 8008
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
(919) 515-2891

G.W. Hill Forest
Durham, NC
(Locator Map)
The G. W. Hill Forest is a 2,690-acre forest in Durham County and the site of Camp Slocum, a summer camp for Forest Management and Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences majors. Like NCSU’s other forests, Hill Forest is economically self-sustaining through timber sales and usage fees. Still-hunting, fox-hunting, horseback riding, biking, hiking and fishing activities are allowed with a license or permit.

Carl A. Schenck Memorial Forest
Raleigh, NC
(Locator Map)
Visitors can enjoy several trails, picnic facilities, birdwatching and wildlife in a 286-acre managed forest adjacent to William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh. Bikes, dogs, horses and hunting are not allowed in Schenck Forest. Click on the photo for more information.