New River

New River SP https://www.ncparks.gov/new-river-state-park/home https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_River_State_Park New River State Park is located near Jefferson, North Carolina in the protected New River watershed. The New River is considered by some geologists to be possibly one of the oldest rivers in the world, between 10 million and 360 million years old. New River State Park is open for year-round recreation, including canoeing, hiking, picnicking, fishing, camping and environmental education. The park is just off U.S. Route 221 in northwestern North Carolina.

New River State Park 358 New River State Park Road Laurel Springs, NC 28644 336-982-2587 new.river@ncparks.gov GPS: 36.467680, -81.340350 Activities Education and Events: Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about New River State Park. Contact the park office to arrange a special exploration for your group or class. The visitor center offers hands-on environmental education opportunities, with a teaching auditorium and a laboratory/classroom. Educational materials about New River State Park have been developed for grades 6-8 and are correlated to North Carolina’s competency-based curriculum. The New River program focuses on basic river ecology and the aspects of the New River that make it unique. Camping: New River State Park offers three access areas that total more than 750 acres. Both Wagoner and US 221 Access offer walk-in/canoe-in campgrounds. Allehany Access, along with the River Bend Campsites, offer canoe-in only primitive campgrounds. Visit the website or contact the park office for more information about amenities, facilities, and accessible campsites. Picnicking: Each of the park’s access areas includes a picnic area. There are two covered shelters with grills and fireplaces, available by reservation. The community building located at the 221 Access features a large meeting room, kitchen facilities and restrooms. Contact the park office for reservations and a fee schedule. Trails: Explore the diverse riparian habitat found along the New River at any of the state park access areas. Walk through open fields, rhododendron thickets and oak/hickory woodlands for a beautiful view of the cliffs across the river. Fishing: The south and north forks of the New River provide some of the best smallmouth and redeye bass fishing in the region. Anglers 16 years of age and older are required to possess a valid North Carolina fishing license. All regulations of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commision apply. Paddling: Easy paddling and spectacular scenery make the New River a natural canoe trail for inexperienced paddlers. Its shallow, gentle waters and mild rapids are perfect for beginners, families and groups, but even expert paddlers return again and again to experience the river’s beauty and tranquility. Paddlers may leave their vehicles and launch canoes at any of three accesses (see map). All vehicles must be registered for overnight parking. Canoes may also be launched from several bridges and roadways that cross the river. Parts of the river are suitable for tubing at times. Contact the park office for more information about outfitter tube and canoe rentals. Location New River State Park is located in Ashe and Alleghany counties. Wagoner Road Access Area, at river mile 26, is located eight miles southeast of Jefferson. U.S. 221 Access Area, at river mile 15, is located eight miles northeast of Jefferson and may be reached by U.S. 221. Kings Creek Access Area, at river mile 7, is located on Kings Creek Rd. Alleghany County Access Area, at river mile 1, may be reached only by canoe. Park Hours 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. 

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New River State Park – Riverbend Trail 

Park Office 34 33 Accessible 32 Bathhouse 1 31 Campsites 30 29 Canoe Access 28 Community Building 27 26 24 Group Campsite 25 23 ck 21 Parking RI VE l rai yT W or NE Park Boundary Hi 22 Hiking Trails R Picnic Area Restrooms Roads River Flow Direction Telephone North Trash Bin Water Spigot 0 15 0 300 600 F eet 6/16 

The following information is provided to assist with campsite selection based on appropriate equipment size. Site 1 - 33ft Site 2 - 42ft Site 3 - 39ft Site 4 - 55ft Site 5 - 34ft Site 6 - 33ft Site 7 - 40ft Site 8 - 40ft Site 9 - 42ft Site 10 - 48ft Site 11 - 54ft Site 12 - 53ft Site 13 - 47ft Site 14 - 62ft Site 15 - 49ft Site 16 - 34ft Site 17 - 67ft Site 18 - 40ft Site 19 - 38ft Site 20 - 50ft Park Entrance There will be a $10 fee to switch sites after check-in. 2 1 18 19 20 F 6/16 

New River State Park – Trails at U.S. 221 access 

Prathers Creek Campsites 36°29'35.60”N 81°19'21.54”W 4 3 2 1 Legend 1 Campsites Point of Interest te Ro ad 3 miles to Kings Creek Access iva Pr Tan House Park Boundary Tan House 6 miles from 221 Access to Prathers Creek Large Boulder Water Prathers Creek Campsites are approximately 6 miles downstream from the U.S. Hwy. 221 Access. You will see several mobile homes on River left Go 0.3 mile, tan house will be river left and a large boulder will be on the river right bank. Go 150 yards, Prathers Creek Campsites will be on river right. You will see rock steps and a sign with a tent icon on a yellow post. 

3000 Round House Rd, Piney Creek, NC 28663 GPS: 36.554608, -81.324092 new.river@ncparks.gov (336) 982-2587 1 Campsites Canoe Launch Group Camping Hiking Trail Picnicking Area Restrooms (pit privies) Service Road (No public access) Telephone Water Spigot 7 8 5 6 4 2 3 1 North 07/14 0 150 300 600 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