State parks and recreational areas received 19.8 million visitors last year – 400,000 more than in any other year registered and 1.2 million more visitors than in 2019. The previous visitation record was set in 2017, when the parks received 19.4 million visitors.
During 2020, Morrow Mountain State Park had its highest number of visitors since 2016.
The park had 512,702 visitors in 2020, compared to 452,862 in 2019, 447,574 in 2018, 500,869 in 2017 and 512,427 in 2016.
“By coming together to face the pandemic, our state parks have become a comfort in a time of isolation,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Records of visitation to the park show that our outdoor spaces have an even greater value than we could have imagined before last year’s challenges.”
The park team attributes the increased visitation not only to public recognition that outdoor recreation promotes better health during the pandemic, but also to recently completed Connect NC Bond projects in parks across the state. These projects include improved and expanded camping facilities, new trails and visitor centers, and improved parking and access.
“The State Parks team did an extraordinary job of welcoming guests, protecting natural resources and ensuring public safety during the pandemic,” said D. Reid Wilson, secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “These excellent public servants hope to continue to receive and serve park visitors in 2021.”
Among 41 state parks and recreation areas, 28 reported increases in visitation in 2020, although most parks were closed for weeks at the start of the pandemic.
Jockeys Ridge State Park, in Dare County, reported the highest visitation, with 1.9 million, and was among seven state park units that received more than one million visitors. The others were Carolina Beach, Pilot Mountain, William B. Umstead, Fort Macon and Eno River state parks and Falls Lake State Recreation Area. Jordan Lake, Kerr Lake and Falls Lake received fewer visitors than in previous years due to several weeks of camps, facilities and boat ramps.
Several parks experienced increases in visitation of more than 25 percent compared to 2019, including Carolina Beach (78 percent), Mayo River (92 percent), Raven Rock (32 percent) and Grandfather Mountain (32 percent). December was the busiest in December, with South Mountains up 98% in the month and William B. Umstead up 68%. Hammocks Beach received 67% more visitors in December than the year before, and Hanging Rock received 57% more visitors.
With the increase in visitation, there were also challenges, such as parking lots, garbage in the park land and damage to natural resources due to the more intense use of trails and popular places. According to the Parks and Recreation Division, visitors can help reduce negative impacts on parks by carrying a bag for their own trash; wear a mask when approaching other visitors; stay on trails to avoid damage to natural resources; visiting less popular parks or less popular trails in parks; and visits during the week or at the beginning or end of the day to reduce congestion.