3009 Raven Rock Road, Lillington, NC 27546
(910) 893-4888
info.ravenrock@ncmail.net

Camping, canoeing, education and events, fishing, picnicking, trails

Camping
Backpack camping facilities, available to families and groups, offer an opportunity to enjoy the wilderness without distraction. All supplies, including water, must be packed to the sites. Before camping, register your vehicle and obtain a camping permit at the park office.

Family camping: Follow Campbell Creek Loop Trail to reach the family wilderness campground, approximately 2.5 miles from the parking area. Five sites, each accommodating up to four people, offer tent pads, fire rings and a vault toilet. Sites are available on a first-come basis.

Group camping: Little Creek Loop Trail leads to the group wilderness camp, 2.2 miles from the parking area. Located along the Cape Fear River, the area offers fire rings and vault toilets and accommodates up to 20 people per campsite. Five campsites are available. Use of this area is by reservation only. Click here to download more information about group camping and the group camping application.

Canoe camping: Six campsites along the Cape Fear River Canoe Trail offer accommodations for canoeists. Located beside the river in a low-lying area, these sites include fire rings and a vault toilet. The canoe camping area is 1.7 miles from the park office and is not accessible by car. Canoeists should reserve sites by calling the park office before embarking on a trip.

Canoeing
Negotiate the rapids of Lanier Falls and the Fish Traps on a portion of the Cape Fear Canoe Trail that runs through the park. The entire trail travels for 56 miles along the Cape Fear River from an access point at the US 1 bridge over Deep River. A buoy signals the location of the canoe camp in the park. Contact park staff for information about the nearest access points; there is no access area in the park. Canoeists should exercise caution and wear life vests at all times. Spring floods make the river dangerous for canoeing. Check with the park office for the current water level before launching your canoe. Portage dams, dangerous rapids.

Click here for the latest Cape Fear River levels from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (text only).

Click here for river levels from the US Geological Service (graphic charts). At times this link may not be available because of the high volume of hits to its server.

Education and events
Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Raven Rock State Park. Click here to search our database of park events.

To arrange a special exploration of Raven Rock State Park for your group or class, contact the park office.

Educational materials about Raven Rock State Park have been developed for grades 5-8 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Raven Rock program introduces students to the geologic processes along the fall zone. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. To learn more about environmental education or to search our database of upcoming workshops, click here.

Fishing
The best places for fishing in the Cape Fear River are the Fish Traps and the mouth of Campbell Creek. Game fish in these waters include largemouth bass, warmouth, bluegill, catfish, redear and green sunfish. Other interesting species are longnose gar, American eel, chub, shiners, darters and pirate perch. Fishing is permitted during posted park hours only. Anglers must have a state fishing license. Regulations of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission are enforced.

Picnicking
A wide trail leads to the picnic ground from the parking lots on the south side of the river. Towering oak and hickory trees provide shade for 27 tables and eight grills. Drinking water, restrooms and a refreshment stand with drink and snack machines are located nearby. A smaller picnic area is located on the north side of the park. Some picnic facilities are accessible for persons with disabilities.

Trails
Scenic trails invite you to journey into the park's interior. Raven Rock offers a variety of trails. Travel them on foot or on horseback.

Hiking: A number of trails in the park traverse a variety of terrains. Raven Rock Loop Trail travels through a hardwood forest on its one-mile trip to the park's centerpiece, Raven Rock. Wooden stairs down the face of the river bluff lead to the base of Raven Rock where the river bank provides a place to examine the area beneath the overhang. A stone balcony along the way overlooks the river and the flood plains beyond. Other trails offer access to fishing holes and idyllic scenery. For information on distance and difficulty, see the park map.

Horseback riding: Undeveloped woodlands on the north side of the river with areas set aside for parking and picnicking offer seven miles of trails for horseback riding. Land adjoining park bridle trails is posted private property. Respect the rights of landowners; do not trespass. Horses are not permitted on hiking trails.

After periods of heavy rainfall, the trails can become very muddy. To help avoid injury to your horse and damage to park natural resources, please avoid using the trails at these times.

All visitors with horses must be able to provide proof of a negative equine infectious anemia (Coggins) test while visiting North Carolina State Parks.