NC State Parks COVID-19 Current Status - March 21

Last Updated on February 12, 2022 6:44 pm

UPDATE Sunday March 22 6pm

Park closures: Due to declared state of emergency in various counties and continued crowding that does not adhere to social distancing guidelines, Crowders Mountain State Park, Hanging Rock State Park, Lake Waccamaw State Park and Raven Rock State Park will be CLOSED as of sunset on Sunday, March 22.

The following parks are also closed due to closed county beaches, county travel closures, and county declarations of state of emergency: Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and Fort Macon State Park. Jockey's Ridge State Park is open only to residents of Dare County; the county has established checkpoints and non-residents are not permitted access into the county.

Day-use: Most trails at the parks not listed above are open. All restrooms are CLOSED. Most boat ramps and fishing and climbing accesses are open, at the discretion of park staff. Visitor centers, park offices, picnic shelters, and community buildings are closed. Some parks may also limit parking areas and access to typically crowded areas. All state parks will close at sunset every day.

March 21, 2020 Day-use: Trails at state parks are currently open. All restrooms are CLOSED as of Saturday, March 21, in order to keep our staff and visitors safe. Most boat ramps and fishing and climbing accesses are open, at the discretion of park staff. All state parks will close at sunset every day.

Visitor centers, park offices, picnic shelters, and community buildings are closed until further notice. In addition, some parks may limit parking areas and access to typically crowded areas to limit mass gathering and promote social distancing. Please check the individual park pages or call the park prior to your visit to confirm the status of park facilities.

Events and programs: All events and programs at state parks have been canceled until further notice.

Camping: All campgrounds are closed until further notice. Reservation system staff will contact campers with existing reservations to issue full refunds in the order of their reservation date. Please be patient; campers are advised not to call the reservations number at this time, as staff are currently inundated with phone calls.

A message from the Director of State Parks

North Carolina State Parks are part of the fabric of North Carolina, preserving some of the most iconic features of our state. Last weekend, the parks served many residents of the state. In fact, several parks saw double the visitation over the same weekend last year. We have the safety and well-being of our visitors and staff in mind.

Trails are currently open. However, we are closing visitor centers, campground areas, and picnic shelters until further notice. As of March 21, we will also be closing all restrooms for the safety of our visitors and staff, after consulting with a medical professional regarding concerns about the ability to maintain restrooms to a standard that would prevent the spread of disease.

If you are sick or experiencing symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 virus, please postpone your visit to North Carolina state parks.

We will continue to monitor the situation with COVID-19 in North Carolina and worldwide to ensure we are following the best protocols for the safety of those who visit our parks. This page will be updated when new information becomes available. If you visit a park, please follow social distancing guidelines by keeping a distance of 6 feet or more between you and other visitors.

Tips for visiting parks

Use the restroom prior to coming to the park. All restrooms at parks will be closed.
Do not take group pictures that violate social distancing guidelines.
Do not share your camera with others to take pictures.
Dogs MUST be kept on a leash — violators will be cited.
Do not touch other visitors' pets or allow yours to be touched.
Employ social distancing when enjoying scenic venues.
Come to the park early or in the middle of the week to avoid the largest crowds.

Programs and events

All park events are canceled until further notice.

Camping

All campgrounds and bathhouses are currently closed until further notice.

Our reservations system staff will contact you if you have an existing reservation to issue a full refund.

What you can do

Avoid touching your face and putting your hands near your eyes, nose, or mouth.
If you're sick, stay home. If you feel well, avoid close contact with people who are sick.
When visiting state parks and everywhere else, maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw it away. If you don't have a tissue, use your elbow.
Thoroughly clean surfaces you touch regularly, especially your phone and/or tablet.