North Carolina is spectacular. It is full of incredible landscapes from the mountains to the beach. There is so much to see and do. We recently went to all of the units in the North Carolina National Parks. These park units have different designations – National Parks, National Military Parks, National Seashores, and many others. Though they have different designations, they are all National Park units, run by the Parks System. It is really interesting to learn how these different units get their designations, you can read about that here.

North Carolina has some really interesting park units. Some are full of the beauty of nature, others tell the story of some pretty significant events in history. All of them are worth a visit and should be added to your North Carolina bucket list. Some will take you an hour or two, while others will have you coming back again and again for weeklong trips.

Below is a list of all of the North Carolina National Parks. When we started going to all of them, we learned of some new ones. We have lived in North Carolina for most of our lives and we had no idea that Carl Sandburg Home was anything! For this list we left off the three National Trails – Appalachian, Trail of Tears, and Overmountain Victory. These all are significant trails, but they are not talked about extensively in this post.

How many of these parks have you been to? Which one is next on your travel list? Are there some you had never heard about?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smokies are the only unit with the National Park designation in North Carolina. This stunning park sits on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The main visitor’s center and where most people enter through is Tennessee. This has caused many people to say this is a Tennessee National Park. In reality though, slightly more than half of the acreage of the park is in North Carolina. To get into the park from the North Carolina side, you will need to go through Cherokee and through the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There are numerous other entrances to check out like Catalooche.

This park is the most visited park in all of the United States, and it isn’t even close. Millions more people come into this park than the second-highest on the list. It is beautiful, there is tons of wildlife, and there are so many options for people of all activity levels. This is a great park to drive through (Little River Gorge Road is amazing) or hike. They have a ton of really great visitor’s centers, plenty of camping options, and a ton of historical buildings. This park really has it all. It is also great because there are some really great towns on both sides of the border.

When you are there, check out Clingman’s Dome. This is the second tallest mountain on the East Coast and has a great observation tower. Drive through Cade’s Cove – this is where some really great bear spotting is. You can also get out and visit the historic buildings and go for a hike to Abrams Falls. If you want to see elk, Catalooche and Oconaluftee both have great fields nearby where most days you will see herds hanging out in the morning or right before sunset. This park is best done with three or four days, but you can also hit most of the highlights in a day. Of course, that will only make you want to come back.

We have a full post on visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that will help you plan for your next adventure!

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

North Carolina has some incredible beaches and you would be hard pressed to find any better than Cape Hatteras. This seashore runs from Nags Head to Ocracoke Island. Highway 12, the road that connects it all, is just a spectacular drive along the water’s edge. The road has great views of dunes, the sound, the ocean, and of course you get to ride on the ferry to Ocracoke. There are three visitor centers within the park – Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island.

There is a ton to do along this National Seashore. It is an ideal place to take a week-long vacation, but even if you have only a day to cruise through, take advantage of it. There are three lighthouses you can explore – Hatteras, Bodie, and Ocracoke. You can climb to the top of Hatteras and Bodie for a small fee. Ocracoke is off limits.

There are miles and miles of open beach areas. If you ever want to go to a beach with nobody around, this is the place for it. You can camp, take your foul-wheel drive vehicle out, or search for seashells for hours here. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to park and hangout at the beach.

Cape Hatteras also has a ton of really great towns to visit. Hatteras is really great, and Ocracoke is spectacular. This is where Blackbeard the pirate hung out, and just about everywhere you go on this island you will see nods to him.

Check out our 10 Things to do in the Outer Banks if you are headed to this beautiful North Carolina destination!

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is located right in the middle of Greensboro off of Highway 220. This is an urban park that flows in and out of the town pretty seamlessly. The park is focused on the Battle of Guildford Courthouse during the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. This was a battle between Cornwallis and the British and Nathanael Greene’s Continental forces. The British won the battle, but it actually set them on course to lose the war. It is pretty interesting how the Park Service explains everything.

The visitor center is really awesome. They have some incredible artifacts and displays with a wealth of information. There are some interactive features and a pretty good movie to watch. We used to not watch the movies at the parks, but we have learned that they are worth the extra 15 minutes to get a good overview.

The park has trails and roads to take you from point to point through the battle. You can listen to their audio tour on the app or stop at each marker and read the different plaques. If you are driving, it will take you about an hour to two hours. Walking will take you much longer. Along the way there are close to 30 monuments that you can look at. Some of them are just small little markers in the woods and some are massive. Definitely check out the Greene and Forbus Monuments.

Greensboro is a great city to spend a day in! We have a day trip guide for visiting Greensboro that includes more details about the National Battlefield.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Out of all of the beaches we have been to, Cape Lookout National Seashore might be our favorite. This place is just awesome. Cape Lookout is located on the Southern Outer Banks spanning from just south of Ocracoke to Beaufort. Cape Lookout is an undeveloped stretch of land three miles off the mainland. To get to Cape Lookout, you need to take the ferry or have your own boat. The ferry takes off from either Beaufort or Harkers Island. They have visitors centers at both locations. The Beaufort Ferry takes way longer and you will not have as much time in the water, so we recommend leaving from Harkers Island. There are a couple of vehicle ferries farther north for off-road access, but most will take the passenger ferries.

Cape Lookout has so much to do, but you need to be prepared. There is a small store on the main island of Cape Lookout, but besides that you are on your own. Make sure you pack plenty of food and drinks. On Cape Lookout, you can spend time at the beach or tour the lighthouse and surrounding areas. You can also take the shuttle to the north end for a slight fee to get the best shells (though we have found plenty at the main beach). On the sound side you can enjoy calm and peaceful water. The water on the sound side is pretty shallow and crystal clear. It is like you are in the Caribbean, just beautiful. This is where most people hang out, so if you want more quiet go to the ocean side. We have gone there and been alone all day long before.

You can also get off the ferry at Shackleford Banks. This is just right across the sound from Cape Lookout. Here, you can get on the beach and walk around the sand bars. It is really fun. But what makes this place the best is the wild horses that are on the island. They are everywhere, just don’t get too close. Even if you don’t get off here, you can typically see them from the ferry.

For a full overview on how to spend a day here, check out our guide to Cape Lookout!

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Carl Sandburg National Historic Site is one of the reasons we love National Parks. We never would have gone to a place like this if it weren’t for the Parks System. This site is located in the mountain town of Flat Rock just outside of Hendersonville. We went there during this trip to the N.C. mountains. The Carl Sandburg Home was the estate of the American poet and biographer, Carl Sandburg.

The grounds are open late into the day, but make sure you go during normal operating hours so you can take a tour of the house. This is a 30-minute tour that you have to do with the a guide. The cost is $10. If you have the National Park Pass you do get a discount.

The coolest thing to do at this place though is to tour the farm. The Sandburg Home is still a working farm, with animals and crops. You can check out the goat shed, horse barn, goat barn, cow shed, milk house, and so much more. We had a lot of fun petting the animals. Once again, don’t come late or you will miss out on this.

There are also miles and miles of really great trails you can hike on here. These trails take you deep into the forests that Sandburg used to roam. They are a great little get away right in the middle of town. If you are there for an overnight stay, try and get a ticket to the theater across the street from the home.

We have an entire 5 day plan for visiting Hendersonville in the mountains of North Carolina that includes a stop to this National Historic site! It’s one of our favorite mountain towns to visit!

Blue Ridge Parkway

The United States is full of some really beautiful drives. It would be tough though to find one more scenic than the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway stretches from the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina all the way to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. For our money though, the best sections are found in North Carolina. Keep your eyes open, you may very well see black bears, wild turkeys, foxes, wolves, deer, and so much more while driving.

This road is 469 miles in total and has too many hikes, scenic overlooks, and special mountain towns to name. However, here are some of our favorite spots to stop for a visit:

• Devil’s Courthouse, a nice little trail at MM 422
• French Broad River Bridge and surrounding trails at MM 393
• Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center at MM 384
• Craggy Gardens Trail and Overlook at MM 364
• Glassmine Falls at MM 361
• Mt. Mitchell at MM 356
• Little Switzerland at MM 334
• Linville Falls at MM 316
• Linn Cove Viaduct at MM 304
• Moses Cone at MM 294

During the winter they often have road closures because of the snow. Our favorite times to go are the fall and spring. You know, when everyone else wants to be in the mountains.

We have a full overview on visiting Mt Mitchell off of the Parkway!

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Fort Raleigh is the site of England’s first New World settlement that lasted from 1584 to 1590. This is the group of colonists who became lost and eventually became known as the Lost Colony. This area is run by the National Park Service along with the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama Company. 

The site is at the northern tip of Roanoke Island right where Highway 64 begins. It is a beautiful property with some great trails, a really nice museum, and of course the outdoor theater. There is not much original left of the colony, so the Park Service has plenty of placards around saying what was probably in different spots.

The best thing to do here is to see the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama. This show is put on throughout the summer from Memorial Day until late August. It tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. Shows are right along the sound with the water in the background making for a beautiful backdrop. These shows start every night at 8:30. Tickets for adults start at $20, so not terrible. They do get higher the better the seat. Definitely worth checking out.

Plan ahead with our post all about visiting the National Parks of the Outer Banks!

Moores Creek National Battlefield

Did you know that the first major victory of the Patriot forces during the American Revolution happened in North Carolina? We didn’t either until we went to Moore’s Creek National Battlefield. Moores Creek tells the story of the battle that surrounded the Moores Creek Bridge. Here, close to 1,000 North Carolina Patriots fended off the forces of King George.

Moores Creek NB is in Currie, NC. It is a short drive off of exit 408 along I-40. This is a great stop when you are headed to the beach. This park has a pretty big parking lot with a couple of nice picnic tables and benches surrounding it. The visitor’s center is more than adequate. The museum does a great job explaining the what happened and the people working there are super friendly and willing to answer any and all questions. They also have a nice little book store.

Of course, the main thing to do is to take a tour of the battlefield. The Park Service has done a really great job with this. There are a couple of different trails that you can take that give you a good overview. The main trail is the History Trail. This trail tells the story of the Battle of Moore’s Creek. Along the way, you can see numerous monuments to different people and events of the battle. The highlight is the bridge site that the Patriots defended. Make sure you get your Junior Ranger book before you start your hike.

Moore’s Creek can be conquered in about an hour and half. You don’t need the whole day, but it is worth the stop.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wright Brothers National Memorial is another Outer Banks National Park Unit situated in the town of Kitty Hawk. The memorial commemorates the first manned airplane flight in 1903. This park does have an entrance fee of $10 for everyone over 16. They do take the America the Beautiful Annual Pass.

There are a couple of main things that you can do at the park. The first is check out the visitor center. This is one of the best visitor centers we have ever been to. There are so many great exhibits that are hands on and fun. The Junior Ranger book is really great here, make sure you do it. The highlight of the visitor center is the replica of the Wright Brothers flyer. The original is in the Smithsonian, but this one is pretty cool.

Another great thing to do is to check out the grounds. A really fun activity is to go to the exact spot where the flight took place and see if you can run the distance faster than the original plane flew. We bet you can do it. This is all a part of the overall grounds of the unit. The main attraction is the Wright Brothers monument on the top of the hill. It is a great place to climb to and check out the views of the ocean and sound. It is awesome!

FAQ’s About North Carolina’s National Parks

What are the best North Carolina National Parks?

This is a tough question because each of these are so different. However, for us, our favorite is Cape Lookout National Seashore. This one has it all. Low crowds, beautiful water and beaches, wild horses, a ferry ride, and plenty of history.

Of course, if you are a mountain person it is tough to beat Great Smoky Mountains. There is a reason this is the most visited park in the United States. There is so much to do here, so many hidden gems, and you can spend a month here and not do the same thing twice. It is great.

How many North Carolina National Parks are there?

There are 12 official National Park units in North Carolina according to the National Parks Service. However, there are two National Cultural Heritage Areas (Blue Ridge and Gullah Geechee) so many people say there are 14. You can get National Park stamps of both of these, so in our book it is 14!

Can you camp in North Carolina National Parks?

Yes! At certain ones at least. You won’t be able to camp at most of the historical sites, but there are plenty more you can. The Smokies are full of campgrounds, but you need to make sure you get your reservation in if you want an actual spot.

A super cool thing to do is camp out at either Cape Hatteras or Cape Lookout. Nothing like beach camping! Just make sure you have plenty of supplies for these.

Of course, you can camp just about anywhere along the Appalachian Trail. We have done some backpacking on this trail a couple of times and loved it – except for the time a freak snowstorm came in and dumped two-feet of snow on us in one night.

Does it cost money to visit the North Carolina National Parks?

Depends on the park. Most of the parks are free to enter, including Great Smoky Mountains. However, there are some that do have an entrance fee. Wright Brothers charges per adult, Carl Sandburg charges for house tours (though the grounds are free), Cape Lookout has a fee for the ferry. All of the parks that you camp at have a fee if you use an actual campground site.

When are North Carolina National Parks open?

Good news! These parks are typically open year round. Of course, the visitor centers and other amenities will be closed on major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Some of the smaller parks are open year round but the visitor center is closed on certain days of the week. For instance, Moores Creek is open but the visitor center is closed on Sunday and Monday each week. It is always best to check the park website before you visit any park for the most up to date information.

Takeaways

We love our home state of North Carolina and feel blessed with so many diverse places to see and discover. Over the last couple of years we have realized that many people don’t even know we have so many great National Park units. We have enjoyed visiting each one and would encourage any locals to start exploring our awesome parks! As a family, one of the best things to do at each park is to participate in the junior ranger program – every National Park Unit has one! Grab a park passport book and make sure to start collecting your stamps! It’s a fun way to start going the adventure way together!

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