North Carolina state parks are set to reopen, with restrictions. Here’s the latest.
North Carolina’s state parks are scheduled to reopen Saturday, but with restrictions under Gov. Roy Cooper’s phase 1 reopening of the state during the novel coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday.
Of North Carolina’s 41 state parks, only Gorges State Park in Transylvania County in the N.C. mountains plans to open on a later date — May 13.
Hiking and biking trails, boat ramps and restrooms will be open. Parks such as South Mountains State Park in Burke County will let you fish, officials said.
Crowders Mountain State Park will limit parking when it reopens Saturday to maintain social-distancing standards, and no walk-in entry will be permitted. Two hiking loops — a 2.2-mile moderate loop and a 6.7-mile strenuous loop — will be open.
Restrooms will be closed for cleaning and sanitizing on regular intervals. Other areas of the park —including the lake and picnicking — will be closed for now to avoid people congregating.
And the Robeson Creek canoe access will also be open at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area in Chatham and Wake counties.
Campgrounds, visitor centers and picnic shelters will still remain closed, as will some swimming beaches, including the one at Lake Norman State Park in Troutman, 40 miles north of uptown Charlotte, according to N.C. Parks and Recreation officials.
Other swim beaches are scheduled to open, including at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head on the Outer Banks, and the swim lake and beach at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Wayne County in Eastern N.C.
Exhibits, meeting rooms, community buildings and retail areas will also remain closed so staff at the parks can focus on cleaning restrooms and ensuring social distancing on trails and other open areas.
Campgrounds are expected to open May 22, according to parks officials, while group camps will remain closed until at least June 30.
No facility rentals will be available yet, including picnic shelters, according to the state.
Parking will be limited to available spaces, with no overflow parking allowed.
Several parks will further limit their parking to ensure social distancing, and visitors should check park pages for park hours. Some may close early, officials said.
To maintain social distancing on trails, hikers should move aside for others to pass, state parks officials recommend. Those in a group should walk single file when passing someone.
And avoid approaching someone who’s already at a vista or overlook. Just wait your turn, officials said.
Limited gatherings
Only gatherings of 10 or fewer people are allowed. And wearing a face covering is recommended anywhere 6 feet of distancing is unavailable, according to the Phase 1 order.
Visitors also may encounter unexpected restrictions.
At Mount Mitchell State Park, the trail to the summit tower will be open. Due to social-distancing guidelines, however, the summit tower will stay closed. And while its state trails will be open, those maintained by the U.S. Forest Service will stay closed.
In summer, visitors crowd the summit of Mount Mitchell to take in 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Officials at the park advise campers to make reservations well in advance of the expected May 22 opening of campgrounds in state parks.
At Chimney Rock State Park, the elevator and top parking area will remain closed, and no shuttle buses will run.
State parks closed March 27 when Cooper’s COVID-19 stay at home order began.
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 3:02 PM.