Merchants Millpond State Park is located near Gatesville, in North Carolina's coastal plain around a 200-year-old, 700-acre (280 ha) millpond and Lassiter Swamp.
Canoeing is one of the park's major attractions. Alligators live in its large cypress swamps.
Guide to North Carolina State Parks. Published by North Carolina State Parks.
Merchants Millpond SP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_Millpond_State_Park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_Millpond_State_Park
Merchants Millpond State Park is located near Gatesville, in North Carolina's coastal plain around a 200-year-old, 700-acre (280 ha) millpond and Lassiter Swamp.
Canoeing is one of the park's major attractions. Alligators live in its large cypress swamps.
176 Millpond Road
Gatesville, NC 27938-9440
252-357-1191
merchants.millpond@ncparks.gov
GPS: 36.437105, -76.701585
Education and Events: Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational
and interpretive programs about Merchants Millpond State Park. Contact
the park office to arrange a special exploration for your group or class. Be
sure to stop by the visitor center which overlooks the millpond. It features
exhibits explaining the park’s natural and cultural resources, as well as
space for rent for your special occasions.
Camping: Campsites for tents and trailers offer picnic tables and
grills. Drinking water, restrooms, showers and laundry area are
nearby. There are no water or electrical hookups. Family Camping: Twenty campsites for tents and trailers offer picnic tables and grills. A
washhouse with drinking water, restrooms and showers serves the campground. Backpack Camping: Campers must pack all supplies, including
water, to the sites. A pit toilet is nearby. Walk-in Group Camping: Facilities include a bathhouse with flush toilets and showers. Drinking water is
nearby. Canoe Camping: Reach three canoe camps by way of canoe trails
leading from the visitor center and boat ramp. Pit toilets are available, but
campers must carry all supplies, including water. Bennett’s Creek canoe-in
campgrounds are carry-in, carry-out. There are no restrooms.
Picnicking: The shade of large trees offers a place to picnic within
view of the millpond. Located north of the canoe access area, the
A.B. Coleman Picnic Area has tables, one picnic shelter and restroom
facilities. Picnic sites are available on a first-come first-served basis free of
charge. The picnic shelter may be reserved for a fee.
Trails: Eleven miles of trails offer a place to view the
“enchanted forest” and Lassiter Swamp. At one-third of a
mile, Cypress Point Trail is handicapped-accessible. It is a
self-guided interpretive trail and provides beautiful views of the millpond.
Much longer trails, such as Lassiter and Coleman, afford the visitor an
exploration of the many habitats that surround the pond.
Paddling: A boat ramp and pier, near the parking area, offer
access to the water. Marked paddle trails lead from the visitor
center and boat ramp to canoe-in campsites. Canoes and kayaks
can be rented by the hour or overnight (for canoe-in campsites) at the
visitor center. Canoes, paddles and life vests are available on a first-come
first-served basis. You must be at least 15 years of age to rent a canoe. A
maximum of three people may occupy each vessel.
Fishing: Cast your line from the bank or journey into the millpond
to fish in a pastoral setting. Small boats (with trolling motors only)
may be launched at the boat ramp. Largemouth bass, bluegill, chain
pickerel and black crappie are just waiting to bite the hook. The Wildlife
Resources Commission (WRC) manages the fisheries of the millpond. All
boating and fishing regulations of the WRC apply
Merchants Millpond is located in Gates County near the
community of Gatesville. The park may be reached from
U.S. 158, N.C. 32 and N.C. 37. It is approximately 30 miles
from the cities of Ahoskie, Elizabeth City and Edenton,
North Carolina and Suffolk, Virginia.
North Carolina State Parks are open every day, with the
exception of Christmas Day. Park hours vary with the seasons.
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
Make a reservation online at ncparks.gov
or call 1-877-722-6762.
3
Accessible
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Hiking Trail
2
Park boundary
Restrooms
1
North
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250
500
Feet
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High-ground
Campsites
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2
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Campsites
on Platforms
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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
