Current Status
N.C. State Parks has been diligently working to reopen trails at all accesses of Eno River State Park and at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area that sustained damage from Chantal.
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Hammocks Beach State Park
Ferry service closed for the 2026 season. Mainland and Bear Island camping is open with restrooms, potable water, and showers. Bear Island bathhouse open until 11/15/2026. Reservations can be made within a 6-month booking window. The mainland areas, trails and the boat ramp is open. There is no public docking on Bear Island and there is no beach access on the mainland.
Coastal Plain Region, Piedmont Region, Mountain Region, Natural Resources
As temperatures begin to cool across North Carolina, black bears are entering one of the busiest feeding periods of the year.
Grants and Outreach
Save the dates! This is the meeting schedule for the Parks and Recreation Authority in 2026.
Hanging Rock State Park, Piedmont Region, Marketing and Communications, Engineering and Construction, Operations, Trails Program
Hanging Rock State Park is making improvements to its campground to provide visitors with updated facilities and more accessible, comfortable campsites.
Most park facilities at the Jacob Fork Access are open. Clear Creek day-use access remains closed for a previously planned construction project. High Shoals Falls, including the waterfall viewing areas, remain closed.
The Profile parking area, the upper section of the Profile Trail, and the Profile campsite have reopened. The lower section of the Profile Trail remains closed; please do not attempt to access closed areas. We will continue to update this blog post with the latest information.
Eric Martinez of Kernersville spent 2025 visiting every North Carolina state park, using a simple New Year’s resolution to push himself outdoors, log hundreds of trail miles, and explore the state’s incredible range of landscapes. As 2026 begins, his story is a reminder that setting a goal to visit every park is not only achievable, it might be the most rewarding resolution you make all year.
Falls Lake State Recreation Area
Holly Point is currently closed for construction. All other areas are open as normal. Closed facilities will be reopened once construction is completed in that area.
Mount Mitchell State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park reopened Sept. 15, 2025, for the first time since Hurricane Helene. The reopening coincides with the Blue Ridge Parkway reopening between milepost 382 in Asheville and milepost 355.3, near the entrance to the state park. With this announcement, all North Carolina state parks are now at least partially open.
New River State Park is continuing recovery efforts post-Hurricane Helene. Some accesses and campsites are open while others remain closed.
Lake James State Park has reopened most facilities, but there are some ongoing closures due to Hurricane Helene damage. Park staff are conducting assessments at the Paddy's Creek swim beach area to determine a reopening timeline.
Bobs Creek State Natural Area, Chimney Rock State Park, Crowders Mountain State Park, Elk Knob State Park, Gorges State Park, Grandfather Mountain State Park, Lake James State Park, Lake Norman State Park, Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, Mount Mitchell State Park, New River State Park, Pisgah View State Park, Rendezvous Mountain, South Mountains State Park, Stone Mountain State Park, Mountain Region, Marketing and Communications, Office of the Director, Operations
State Parks Director Brian Strong provides additional information on post-Helene rescue and recovery efforts and the status of western state parks.
Mountain Region, Operations
The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation is providing an opportunity for public comment on a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense.