Plan Your Visit
The centerpiece of Long Valley Farm, the two-story winter vacation house is listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites. The park holds scheduled tours of the house throughout the year; check the park's Event page or contact the park for more information. While inside, see if you can gaze out the window to enjoy the scenic millpond.
At Long Valley Farm and at Sandhills access, the park's trails meander through the beautiful longleaf pine ecosystem. Follow the paths, enjoy the serenity of the forest, and marvel at the towering trees around you. Don't forget to look up and see if you can see signs of the red-cockaded woodpecker; trees with woodpecker cavities are marked with a single band of white paint. Kids can enjoy a scavenger hunt on the Rockefeller Trail (PDF); Junior Rangers earn acorns towards their park patch by completing the pocket activity.
At Sandhills access, the Longleaf Pine Trail crosses the park's namesake tributary twice. Before the first crossing, don't miss out on the spur trail to the little pond — and see what amphibians you can see at the pond and by the creek.
Becoming a Junior Ranger gives kids the opportunity to learn about and explore North Carolina's beautiful state parks with their families or scout, school and homeschool groups through self-led educational activities and programs. Junior Rangers may also have the opportunity to help park rangers protect the health of the park through short community service projects.
Kids visiting the park for the day can complete activities in the guide, attend park-led programs, complete small community service projects given by park staff, participate in the EcoExplore program, and hike in the park. Doing these activities earns acorns and upon caching 20 acorn points, Junior Rangers can receive the special park patch.
Pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Guide at the visitor center or print your own from the documents list:
Activity Booklet
- Junior Ranger Activity Booklet (PDF)
- Activity Booklet en español (PDF)
- Activity Booklet in black and white (PDF)
Pocket Activities for Any Park
- Litter Scavenger Hunt (PDF)
- Meet the Beetles (PDF)
- Girl Scouts Love State Parks for Daisies (PDF)
- Girl Scouts Love State Parks for Brownies (PDF)
- Girl Scouts Love State Parks for Juniors (PDF)
Pocket Activities for Carvers Creek State Park
Both park accesses offer trailside kiosks with additional information about the natural world.
Longleaf pine trees with active red-cockaded woodpecker holes are marked with a white band and can be found at both accesses.
Long Valley Farm
This access spans more than 1,400 acres and features the old agricultural winter estate of James Stillman Rockefeller.
This part of the park includes meadows, longleaf pine forests, and a historic millpond that is currently under repair. Jumping Run Creek crosses this property and feeds into the Lower Little River.
Efforts to repair the dam and restore the Rockefeller house are underway. Structures that hikers can view from the trails include the pavilion, gristmill, packhouse, spring house, and farmworker houses.
The millpond, which has been on the property since the 1850s, is an excellent spot for fishing.
For additional information on the Rockefeller House, visit the Facilities page
Sandhills
Opened in 2019, this access encompasses more than 3,300 acres and hosts the Carvers Creek tributary, the park's namesake. Most of this property is covered in longleaf pine forest and home to a large red-cockaded woodpecker population.
Much of this land remains undeveloped, allowing visitors to embrace the natural scenery of a fire-dependent ecosystem through 10 miles of trails.
There are two small ponds at this access that offer fishing and nature viewing opportunities.