News Release »
| Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor | Dee Freeman, Secretary |
| N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources |  |
| Release: Immediate | Contact: Charlie Peek | |
| Date: 2009-12-14 | Phone: (919) 715-8709 |
State Parks Reservation System Prepared for 2010
RALEIGH -- More than 1,300 reservations have already been made for 2010 for campsites, picnic shelters and other facilities in North Carolina state parks, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
The state parks system implemented a full-service Internet- and call center-based reservations system in July, which allows reservations to be made up to 11 months in advance at any park. The length of stay at a campsite can range from one night to two weeks.
The reservations system will allow popular state recreation areas at Kerr, Jordan and Falls lakes to avoid what was once a January rush for reservations. Under the old system, the more than 2,000 campsites at those parks could only be rented for one week and by paying in person at the parks or by mail.
“In the past, visitors wanting to reserve a week’s camping for the summer often lined up in their cars on Jan. 1 to get their choice of a campsite at these state recreation areas. It was stressful for the visitors and our staff,” said Mike Lambert, state parks chief of operations. “They now have the luxury of studying their options on our Web site or by talking to specialists in our call center any day.”
Questions about the reservations system can be directed to specialists at the call center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Specific details and instructions on how to reserve a campsite or other facility also can be found on the parks system’s Web site, www.ncparks.gov.
Advance reservations aren’t required for a campsite or picnic shelter at a state park if the facility is available, and at many parks, some campsites are set aside for walk-in registration. Without an advance reservation, most available campsites and picnic shelters are on a first come, first served basis as in the past.
There are 38 state parks and state recreation areas in the state parks system, with 12.8 million visitors reported in 2008.
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