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Posted on: Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - 4:22pm |
Ask a Ranger: Reedy Creek State Park; A Personal History of Segregation

Contact the park
984-867-8240
william.umstead@ncparks.gov
Addresses
Crabtree Creek access
and visitor center
8801 Glenwood Ave.
Raleigh, NC 27617
GPS: 35.8905, -78.7502
Reedy Creek access
2100 N. Harrison Ave.
Cary, NC 27513
GPS: 35.8334, -78.7603
Hours
►
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- Open daily:
8:00am to 5:00pm
- Exhibit Hall is open.
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- Tent and trailer family campground is open April 1 - October 31
- April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
Ask a Ranger: Reedy Creek State Park; A Personal History of Segregation
A map of present-day William B. Umstead State Park, marked up by Ranger Jess for reference on what Mr. James Johnson discusses in the episode.
Click the photo to download a PDF version of the map for easier viewing.
Former Reedy Creek State Park Superintendent James Johnson holds a fawn found in the park, taken on July 23, 1969.
Photo courtesy of North Carolina State Parks archives.
A Boy Scout troop engaged in an environmental education activity at Whispering Pines at then Reedy Creek State Park, circa 1943.
Photo courtesy of North Carolina State Parks archives.
Maintenance staff vehicles parked at the shop at Reedy Creek State Park, circa 1956.
Photo courtesy of North Carolina State Parks archives.
About the Ask a Ranger Podcast
Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess host the North Carolina State Parks Ask a Ranger Podcast series. Ranger Billy Drakeford of William B. Umstead State Park was the guest host for this episode.
Their guest this episode is James Johnson, a historian, who grew up in what is now William B. Umstead State Park. His father, Supt. James Johnson, was the park superintendent at Reedy Creek State Park from 1959 to 1985. During Supt. Johnson's early career, the park now known as Umstead was segregated into two sections, Reedy Creek for Black people, and the other, Crabtree Creek State Park, for white people.
Email them at askaranger@ncparks.gov.
For a full list of episodes, visit our BuzzSprout page.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast with Apple iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast with RSS feed.
Park Maps and Brochures: