Fort Fisher

Fort Fisher SRA https://www.ncparks.gov/fort-fisher-state-recreation-area https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Fisher_State_Recreation_Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area located near Kure Beach in New Hanover County, North Carolina. It includes Fort Fisher, site of a major naval engagement during the American Civil War. The recreation area also served as a home for the Fort Fisher Hermit, Robert Harrill. Harrill lived in a bunker and shared his beliefs about "common sense" with thousands of visitors every year while surviving on what he could gather from the surrounding salt marsh and oyster beds. Today, the recreation area consists of the remains of the earthen Fort Fisher and a museum at Fort Fisher State Historic Site, an oceanfront beach pavilion, a large lagoon popular with windsurfers, and a long stretch of beach that is accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles.

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area 1000 Loggerhead Road Kure Beach, NC 28449 910-458-5798 fort.fisher@ncparks.gov GPS: 33.9534, -77.929 Activities Location Education and Events: Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. Program titles include Shell Stroll, Turtle Talk, Salt Marsh Exploration, Bird Hike and Surf Fishing Basics. Educational materials about Fort Fisher State Recreation Area have been developed for grades 4-6 and are correlated to North Carolina’s competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. Contact the park office to arrange a special exploration of Fort Fisher State Recreation Area for your group or class. Fishing: Fishing is allowed on the pedestrian beach and the fourwheel drive beach. Common ocean catches include bluefish, red drum, black drum, pompano, speckled trout, and Virginia mullet. Spot and flounder share the estuary with numerous shellfish. Fishing is best in the spring and fall seasons. All coastal recreational regulations and licenses apply. Hiking: Explore Fort Fisher State Recreation Area by foot. Enjoy a leisurely or brisk walk on our five miles of beach, or take a stroll down the Basin Trail. This trail meanders through the marsh and the Maritime Forest and ends at the overlook of the Cape Fear River and Zeke’s Island. Off Road Vehicles: For people wishing to fish, sunbathe or study nature in the southern portions of the park, four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed to operate along the beach within a limited corridor. Drivers must follow designated routes, avoiding dunes, vegetation and marked nesting areas. Only registered motor vehicles are allowed on the four-wheel-drive beach access (no ATVs). Exercise caution. Portions of the access may flood at high tides. Soft sand and sharp drop-offs are common. Swimming: Five miles of beach provide all of the sun, sand, sea and sky you can soak up in a day. From the recreation area parking lot, an elevated boardwalk leads over the sand dunes to the beach. The adjacent visitor center includes a refreshment stand that is open during summer months, the park office, nature exhibits and restrooms. Lifeguard service is provided in a designated ocean swimming area from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Please obey the warning signs and flags. A red flag indicates severe conditions. Swimming is not permitted under red flag conditions. Picnicking: Whether for a group gathering or a relaxing lunch getaway from work, 23 picnic tables with grills are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no fee for their use. Some tables are ADA accessible. Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is located in New Hanover County five miles south of Carolina Beach. From Wilmington, follow U.S. 421 through the towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. Turn left on Loggerhead Road. The recreation area may also be reached from Brunswick County via the Southport-Fort Fisher ferry, which crosses the Cape Fear River. Park Hours North Carolina State Parks are open every day, with the exception of Christmas Day. Park hours vary with the seasons. Four-wheel drive beach access: Sept. 15 - March 14..........................................24 hours a day March 15 - Sept. 14...... Closes 30 min. before park gates Pedestrian beach access:.......................................24 hours a day Please visit the North Carolina State Park website or contact the park office for the most current information about seasonal hours, activities, alerts, camping fees, programs rules and weather. www.ncparks.gov 

Rd . d he a er Lo gg 421 N.C. Aquarium Southport Fort Fisher Ferry World War II Bunker Basin Overlook in Bas l i Tra Beach Access (Four-wheel drive vehicles only) Boat Ramp (N.C. Wildlife Resources Commision) Concession Stand Hiking Trail Park Boundary Park Office Parking Area Point of Interest Restrooms North Rinse off station Roads Swimming Area Telephone A larger map is available at the park office. 0 2,000 Feet 

Pettigrew State Park South Mountains State Park – 2018 Park of the Year Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 234,000 acres of iconic landscape across our state in our parks, recreation areas and natural areas with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomed more than 19 million visitors in 2017. Discover More with a Ranger Across North Carolina, state park rangers are proud of our parks and eager to welcome you and your family. Come to our parks to marvel at our state’s most beautiful natural resources, enjoy your favorite outdoor activities and learn about the rich science, culture and history that make our parks great. Fun facts about North Carolina State Parks ■■ There are 41 places to visit, including 34 parks, four recreation areas and three staffed state natural areas. ■■ The Division manages four state rivers, seven state lakes and six state trails. ■■ There are about 581 miles of trail to explore in our parks. ■■ The first state park created was Mount Mitchell State Park on March 3, 1915. Fort Macon State Park was the second. ■■ The Division celebrated 100 years of being Naturally Wonderful in 2016. ■■ Parks that welcome over 1 million visitors annually include: Jockey’s Ridge, Fort Macon and William B. Umstead state parks and Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state recreation areas. ■■ The Division employs over 1,000 people across the state. ■■ Some www.ncparks.gov M N P Q Roy Cooper Governor unique activities you can do in our parks include: wind surfing and hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, cross country skiing and snow shoeing at Elk Knob State Park, driving on the four-wheel-drive beach at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and rock climbing at Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain and Stone Mountain state parks. Susi H. Hamilton Secretary 75,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $10,707.92 or $0.14 each. 03/18 Did you know that many plants atop Mount Mitchell are rare in North Carolina but common in Quebec? That the giant sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge are constantly moving? Do you know how to safely hold a crayfish? From fishing lessons to astronomy programs and tree identification hikes to guided paddles, parks offer programs for all ages. Visit our website for a list of upcoming programs at each park. Junior Rangers The Junior Ranger program offers educational and skill-based activities to encourage children to explore the outdoors. Children can complete activity guides, geared for ages 6-12, and attend ranger programs to earn a junior ranger patch unique to each park. Ask about the program at a park office or download the guide at: www.ncparks.gov/junior-rangers. Environmental Education Learning Experiences Parks have their own curriculum guides that are correlated to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Competency goals in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts are available. Each program includes pre-visit, on-site and post-visit student activities that have measurable objectives, background information, vocabulary, references and step-bystep activity instructions. Passport Program How many state parks can you visit? Use your passport as a guide and collect stamps, earn prizes and make “Naturally Wonderful” memories! Pick up your passport at a state park near you. North Carolina State Parks 100-Mile Challenge Can you hike, bike or paddle 100 miles in a year? Join the N.C. State Parks’ 100-Mile Challenge and log your miles online to earn digital badges and redeem prizes as you reach various milestones! This is a great way to get outside, get moving and keep track of your activity. Visit www.nc100miles.org to sign up. ■■ Several parks have educational trails, called TRACK trails, that include activities for children to complete along the way. William B. Umstead State Park Jockey’s Ridge State Park Friends Of State Parks Join the Friends of State Parks to help support, promote and advocate for the parks system as a whole, or join the friends group of your favorite park. The group helps provide funding for Junior Ranger and Youth in Parks – Environmental Education programs, as well as grants for state parks projects. You can also make a donation to help keep our parks around for future generations. Learn more at www.ncfsp.org or www.ncparks.gov/support-your-parks. Merchandise Want to show your N.C. State Parks pride? Visit the online webstore and purchase products such as coffee mugs, prints, t-shirts, pins, patches and Christmas ornaments. This exclusive merchandise makes a great gift for special state parks fans, including yourself. www.ncparkstore.com N.C. State Parks License Plate Show your support for state parks every time you drive your vehicle! Purchase an N.C. State Parks license plate through the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicl