North Carolina Natural Park Wonders
National and State Wonders Found in the Tar Heel State:
National Wilderness Areas:
North Carolina, known for its pristine beaches along the Outer Banks (especially along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore), is home to the most visited national park (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) and the tallest dam east of the Mississippi (Fontana Dam).
Let us be your guide to discovering these natural wonders. Follow the links below to obtain more information, insider tips, and pictures, as well as ideas for where to stay when visiting.
National Parks:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
National Seashores:
Cape Hatteras National Seashore [Official Site] Cape Lookout National Seashore [Official Site]
National Scenic Trails:
Appalachian National Scenic Trail [Official Site]
National Recreation Trails:
American Tobacco Trail Art Loeb Trail Bartram Nature Trail Dark Mountain Trail Dismal Swamp Canal Trail House Creek Greenway Little Tennessee River Greenway Lumber River Trail Mountains-to-Sea Trail Mountains to Sea Trail - Falls Lake South Shore Trail Princeville Heritage Trai Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk Shut-In Trail Uwharrie Trail
National Forests:
Croatan National Forest. Location: New Bern, North Carolina. [Official Site] Nantahala National Forest. Location: Highlands, North Carolina. [Official Site] Pisgah National Forest. Location: Burnsville, North Carolina. [Official Site] Uwharrie National Forest. Location: Asheboro, North Carolina. [Official Site]
National Wildlife Refuges:
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge Currituck National Wildlife Refuge Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge
National Wilderness Areas:
Birkhead Mountains Wilderness Catfish Lake South Wilderness Ellicott Rock Wilderness Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Linville Gorge Wilderness Middle Prong Wilderness Pocosin Wilderness Pond Pine Wilderness Sheep Ridge Wilderness Shining Rock Wilderness Southern Nantahala Wilderness Swanquarter Wilderness
National Scenic Roads and Byways:
Blue Ridge Parkway Cherohala Skyway Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway Outer Banks Scenic Byway
North Carolina State Parks, Campgrounds, Recreational Areas:
Boone's Cave State Park Carolina Beach State Park Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Crowders Mountain State Park Eno River State Park Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Macon State Park Goose Creek State Park Gorges State Park Hammocks Beach State Park Hanging Rock State Park Jockey's Ridge State Park Jones Lake State Park Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Lake James State Park Lake Norman State Park Lake Waccamaw State Park Lumber River State Park Medoc Mountain State Park Merchants Millpond State Park Morrow Mountain State Park Mount Jefferson State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park New River State Park Pettigrew State Park Pilot Mountain State Park Raven Rock State Park Singletary Lake State Park South Mountains State Park Stone Mountain State Park Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area Waynesborough State Park Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve William B. Umstead State Park
State Scenic Roads and Byways:
Alligator River Route Appalachian Medley Birkhead Wilderness Route Black Mountain Rag Blue-Gray Scenic Byway Brunswick Town Road Cape Fear Historic Byway
Colonial Heritage Byway Crowders Mountain Drive Devil's Stompin' Ground Road Drovers Road Edenton-Windsor Loop Flint Hill Ramble Football Road Forest Heritage Scenic Byway French Broad Overview Grassy Island Crossing Green Swamp Byway Hanging Rock Scenic Byway Indian Heritage Trail Indian Lakes Scenic Byway Lafayette's Tour Little Parkway Meteor Lakes Byway Millbridge Scenic Byway Mission Crossing Mountain Waters Scenic Byway Nantahala Byway New River Valley Byway
North Durham Country Byway Pacolet River Byway Pamlico Scenic Byway Pee Dee Valley Drive Perquiman's Crossing Pottery Road Roanoke Voyages Corridor Rolling Kansas Byway Sandhills Scenic Drive South Mountain Scenery Tar Heel Trace Upper Yadkin Way Uwharrie Scenic Road Waterfall Byway Whitewater Way
Visit North Carolina: 800-VISIT-NC