Carolina Beach State Park

Fairly spacious sites, not too close to your neighbor, and we found the park ranger and the personnel at check-in to be very friendly and helpful. The only negative with this park is it's probably louder, from a traffic standpoint, then your neighborhood Walmart parking lot. Other than that it's a beautiful spot. Another nice thing about this park is there's plenty of hiking trails, flat, but well maintained and very peaceful.

Since we went in winter, unfortunately we could not see the Venus Fly traps as they were dormant. However we could still enjoy the hiking trails through the park. The path along the beach to the marina is pretty!

While visiting my son, we hiked for four miles in the Carolina Beach State Park. The trails were obviously marked, and it was a beautiful day. There were plenty of people on the trails with their children and pets. Great time for all.

Very nice state park, free to use. Lots of hiking trails and areas to walk. Only recommendation is to definitely use insect repellent if you are walking the trails in the woods, because we were getting swarmed while walking.

it’s clear the ranger/anyone else in charge care very much about protecting the cleanliness and safety of the area. the bathrooms were well kept, there was 0 litter anywhere that I noticed, and they provide both a picnic table & fire pit at every site. we loved that there were hiking trails directly behind our lot leading to Snow’s Cut, because it was a quick way to catch the sunsets on the water. worth noting though, that you can hear nearby roads throughout the day/night (at least at #77 we could) - we didn’t mind it but some people may prefer complete silence. great experience overall!

Carolina Beach State Park is a gem. It’s got a little bit of everything — hiking trails that are easy enough for a casual walk but still give you that feeling of being out in nature, peaceful views along the Cape Fear River, and some really cool plant life (the Venus flytraps are worth checking out). The park feels well taken care of, with clean trails and clear signage. It’s also not overly crowded, which makes it perfect for a quiet morning hike or just clearing your head after a busy week. Parking is convenient, and the marina area gives it a nice “by the water” vibe without the chaos of the main beach. If you’re looking for a spot that’s relaxing but still has plenty to explore, this park is perfect. It’s the kind of place you end up returning to again and again.

One of our favorite parks. We’ve stayed here a lot and always have a good time. Campsite’s are large and most have privacy from trees and vegetation from site to site. Most are shaded as well. Picnic tables, fire rings and lantern pole at all sites. There are maybe 8 full hookup sites in the first loop on the right as you enter but in our 5 years coming here have not once seen ANY availability 🤨 There are 2 camping loops and both have a bath house in the middle with flush toilets and 4 showers. Usually pretty clean but in the summer it’s pretty humid in there taking a shower. There are walking trails to explore and this park is very close to restaurants and groceries and a brewery! In summer the bugs are usually pretty hungry so take bug spray. Also it seems to always be muggy in the campground. Never a breeze so take a fan if you can.

Took my Jazzy girl for a sunset walk and it was so relaxing g after a day of travel and the beach. It’s Fall so I figure it’s less traffic than during the summer season.

This place is beautiful and so natural. Love it. The trails are windy. Use an app because I got off track a few times and ended up taking the scenic route. That was okay. It was a beautiful way to pass the time.

This was a lovely park for a family hike to see the Snow's Cut trail in late March 2024. Weather was ideal - cool in the 60s during the early afternoon. Lot of pluses. First, it's free to enter the park. Second, the visitor's center has plenty of maps and clean restrooms. Third, dogs are allowed in much of the park (except the marina). We walked along a paved road with our dog along the perimeter heading in the direction of the Snow's Cut Bridge (this is the road behind the Food Lion). From there, we entered the Snow's Cut trail which had a lovely view of the cliff and water. It's an easy trail with a gentle grade. You'll see some Spanish moss and scenic views of Snow's Cut. Near the middle of the trail (where the shortcut to the campground begin), we enjoyed an informal picnic lunch of lox bagels (from Seaside Bagels) and admired the cliffside view of Snow's Cut. On our return walk to the parking lot at the Visitor's Center, we walked by the campground which had tent sites (for car camping) as well as cabins. It looked really nice. I know there are many more trails, but we only had time to explore the Snow's Cut trail. Spring weather is ideal (very few mosquitos because it got chilly in th evenings). Would probably avoid hiking in this park in the heart of summer unless you enjoy bugs.

We were on the hunt for in the wild Venus Fly Traps. However, maybe because we were novice lookers or it just isn't the right month... we were sad to leave without laying our peepers on one. That's okay though. We enjoyed a nice walk on the trails and experiencing the nature the park had to offer.

The trails were great! Definitely hit the visitor center first. They have a small area behind their building that has Venus fly traps. We read tons of reviews with people saying they hit the Venus fly trap trail and didn't see any. This way you see them and the trail is just a bonus. Saw tons of fiddler crabs, jumping fish, and some ghost crab carcasses along the beach.

This is a beautiful park. My only complaint was the signs was hard to find or very confusing. We were interested in the Venus flytrap Trail, but could not find it. We went on a different trail and enjoyed it, but were disappointed that we missed the Venus fly traps. The trails are not too long and good for kids.

It's a nature walk/stroll. Nothing too taxing. Came here to see venus flytraps. Didn't see any but I did see this big ass spider.

We reserved a campsite for one night. Everything was great - nice spot to set up our tent that included a picnic table and fire pit. The restrooms only took just a few minutes to walk to and were clean. There were lots of other people tent camping, RV camping, and cabin camping so it didn't feel empty and eerie, and everyone was respectful of quiet times. We walked on one trail that has some nice views of the water, and there is also a marina, which was where we had to check in for our campsite rental.

This was a pretty park to go and it was free. However we got tore up by mosquitoes. Perhaps a different time of year would be better to visit.

Seeing the Venus fly traps in the wild was cool the campgrounds were really nice but it's insane that they lock the gate at 9 pm(we went in October) couldn't do much after dinner or wouldn't be able to get back to camp. Beyond looking at the carnivorous plants there's not much to do here.

Came here for a quick and relaxing hike. Some of the trail is sandy but pretty easy to maneuver around. View of the water is beautiful. Signage is clear for the short hiking trails. The Sugar Loaf trail was a mile long, flat and does not loop back. There were a couple of other trails as well. Restrooms were clean. Firewood is available for camping, and the marina was easy to get to from the parking lot. I think there was a seven dollar fee to launch boats.

It's a cool state park. Lots of walking and hiking trails. Nothing of any significance as far as distance is concerned. Trails are very well kept up. The Venus Fly Trap trail is cool. Hard to find some of the plants though. Park has a lot going on. Trails, camp grounds, boat docks, fishing opportunities, and scenic beauty. Highly recommend stopping here for visit when you come to Carolina Beach.

I liked it but may be better if taking trails when it's not hot. Bugs were biting us on trails. Also, could not find Venus fly traps.

This one of many incredible NC State Parks finds itself spanning across multiple different ecological zones. You can start hiking from nearby the park office which is placed squarely in a pine forest on sandy soil. You almost wouldn't expect that your hike takes you quickly through some swampy flood plains and right up to the Cape Fear River and Intracoastal Waterway. This is the park known for the Venus Fly Traps, by the way. However don't expect to see them if you come in winter. Especially this year after months of extensive rain and flooding have completely changed this landscape. In the park office is a terrarium with a few plants and it's quite surprising how incredibly tiny they are. If they didn't have a boardwalk going through the conservation areas for the plants, they would all most definitely be trampled into extinction. The park was quite popular. It was, after all, one of the longest dry spells we've seen in the area since the beginning of fall. There are several miles of trails and all are marked easy which I agree with. The sandy soil here is supported by roots and a good bit of pine detritus so that you're not wading through beach-like sand. It's worth a visit, although you're not going to get "that beach experience" in this park.

This really is such a great park. I love the trails that take you right on the water. There are so many wooded areas for hiking and a picnic. This is one of the most unique State parks I have been to.

The state park lands face away from the ocean and towards the Cape Fear River. It houses a lot of campgrounds, and some reasonably interesting trails through a scrubby forest that offers occasional views of the water. I have not found the estuary here particularly scenic or tourist-friendly, but the views from the trails are still worthwhile. I suspect many people prefer to be on the ocean side, and I do prefer the wind, but the park is a good stop along the way, and it is free.

Not the parks fault for this review! The campground was kept in good shape, not fancy, but everything was clean. Just not monitored well. People were up talking and yelling until about 4am. Could hear people walking past my tent all night and got very little sleep. Around 3am a group a few spots town were trying to fix their truck non stop backing firing, tools banging, and screaming cuss words. NOTE: If you do stay here make sure you bring a fan for your tent it was 95% humidity at 3am when I was woken up for the 10th time. I'm considering staying a second night to do other campgrounds being booked up near by. If my experience changes I'll update.

A lovely little park with a variety of easy trails and beautiful scenery which will take you through diverse landscapes of the eastern North Carolina coast from low trees and sandy terrain to cypress marshes and coastal inlet dunes. Many paths have softer surfaces which may impede wheelchairs or strollers while others offer a bit more resistance. Campsites are scattered around the park, offering simple rustic pleasures throughout the year! Advance booking is recommended. In the main parking lot you will find the park offices, bathrooms, maps including the length/difficulty/markings for different trails, general park information and more, which will help you decide your route and also advise of any changes or closures to the trails. All in all, Carolina Beach state park is a pleasant and enjoyable coast experience beyond the usual beach activities!

We love camping here! it's a nice setting with a lot of sites available. we tent camp but there are cabins and electric sites available. there is a greenway that connects all the way from Snows Cut bridge to Kure beach. prices are reasonable and off season sites are readily available. It's well managed and we've always met the nicest fellow campers.

Um....Where. Are. The. Fly. Traps?!?!? I did not see ONE. How can it be called the fly trap trail and there not be a single fly trap. I spent about an hour looking. I even stepped off the trail and looked to see if I could find any. Not ONE! Oh well. It is still a beautiful park and I enjoyed my fly trapless walk in nature.

Fun walk! We were in the Greenway which was basically like a neighborhood trail but great shade and easy

The trails at this park are some of my favorites for a walk or run. I do a lot of training down here because the ground is soft and not technical. The pine needles keep the trail from getting muddy in most places. If there has been a decent amount of rain, though, there are some serious puddle/pending where I go a bit off road or just deal and go through it up to my calves. I've heard all sorts of birds here and see birders fairly frequently with their equipment. I also see lots of families playing, picnicking, and fishing on the river part of the trail near the marina. I love the different types of water in this park, particularly the Lilly Pond when it's in bloom. I always stop to take in the beauty of all the flowers.

I absolutely love this park, I wish that the park could expand further down the river! I am thankful for living so close to a beautiful recreation area. I do recommend for the park rangers to recreate trail guides. I've heard about many people state that it's confusing getting around on the trails. Definitely check out the venus flytraps and pitcher plants on the designated carnivorous trail. Don't give up trying to find these guys, look for moss off the sides of the raised boardwalk & you'll see them :)

I can't say enough great things about this state park. It's clean, friendly, has great trails, beautiful views and awesome Rangers. The kids had the time of their lives riding their bikes on the paved loop and down to the marina. We all learned so much from our guide, Assistant Park Ranger Ellie. She showed us carnivorous plants and taught us about the trees and other wildlife. Bonus: she also studied marine biology and knows about my daughters current obsession-- manatees! We had one night of rain but it was no problem. Just threw a tarp on the tent and called it a night. Weather was beautiful and mild the rest of the time (first week of April). It's not easy choosing a campsite from the website because it's hard to tell size and how close to the road each site is. I thought we'd be better off with a tent closer to the shore but when we got there those sites were really small and shaded so we moved and I'm glad we did. Yes, the smaller sites have trail access to the marina but that serves no purpose with kids on bikes as they may only ride on paved roads anyway. Also, the camp ground is one way so if you choose a site closer to the end off the loop you will have significantly less traffic (not that it's "traffic" per se). We chose site 36 and it was perfect. Close to the bathroom (on our own little trail), trash, fresh water and near the end of said loop. We had an amazing family camping trip (no, camping is not a vacation-- at least not for moms!) and the kids didn't want to leave. Close to the beach (only 7 minutes by car) and close to good seafood restaurants if you need a night off the grill.

I didn't even know that this trail was here until I signed up for a Carolina Beach Half Marathon (13.1 miles) this past December. What a gorgeous trail- it's so peaceful with sand trails , hard packed pine needle and dirt trails bordering the intercoastal on the west side and Dow Road on the east. There are picnic and camping areas, lots of parking and great trails for running, hiking, walking the dog and family time. There are marked trails and it's perfect if you just want to get away and enjoy nature. Happy trails!

I felt very comfortable camping here solo. The camp sites were well taken care of, as was the shower house. I enjoyed a nice walk on fly trap trail, where I got some nice photos of a pitcher plant, then continued on swamp trail through the salt water marsh and a dock that overlooks the water. The trails were well- marked and maintained. The staff was also very friendly. It made for a very pleasant experience. Remember your bug spray.

I love this park, especially camping grounds. We could set up our tent at a really nice secluded site with fire pit, table and pine trees. Sites are separated with trees and bushes, which gives huge advantage compared to other camp sites that are close at the beach. Many beach campgrounds are like plain sand field, but this one you feel like you're in the middle of forest.

Ahh, early morning and the birds are singing, the morning sunlight glimmers and beams through the treetop canopy. The morning air is fresh and oxygen is plentiful. At nightfall the crickets are chirping, frogs are croaking, a slight drizzle of rain pattering on tent makes for a pleasant, comforting dream inducing sleep...... That is, until you are abruptly woken up up by exhausts pipes screaming from street bikes on the nearby highway. The park itself is gorgeous with numerous hiking trails and even a Venus fly trap trail. The campsites are clean, well maintained with bath houses that have running water, toilets and showers. When you purchase firewood, it is delivered to your site; valet firewood, nice. This is camping at its best for the likes of the high maintenance, outdoorsman or woman. If you're looking to camp and relive the adventures of Bear Grylls, this probably isn't the place for you. Now if you want to camp and feel "so fresh and so clean" while you explore beautiful Wilmington, you cannot go wrong here. This campsite offers the best of both worlds. Modern conveniences with just enough seclusion to offer a feeling of being away from civilization. Whether you're exploring, or just relaxing on a hammock all day, Carolina Beach State Park is perfect. Not only is it still rustic and secluded, it is also about 5 mins away from grocery stores, restaurants and numerous hiking trails. Additionally the beach is just a stones throw away.

This was the first time I have ever camped on the beach and it was great! It's even better if you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle because if you don't then you will have to walk everything in. The campsites are spacious and can hold at least 3 tents. If you buy firewood you can have a nice fire that will help with the bugs! Make sure you bring long tent steaks because it is very windy during the day, but nice and calm at night! The bathrooms are port a jons, so come prepared! The sunset was beautiful and the sunrise woke me up! It was definitely worth it to stay a night on the beach, even with all of our stuff getting sandy. You should try it out for sure and it was cheap! So camp on!

We camped here for two nights last weekend so we could do some sightseeing in Wilmington. It's a great location if you want to be close to Carolina or Kure Beach. We didn't feel like dealing with the campstove or doing any grilling this weekend so we were happy that it was close enough to civilization that we could grab some grub. Port City Java is just around the corner if you want to grab breakfast before heading off to the beach, plus there is a Food Lion nearby as well. The campground was very quiet and was filled mainly with tent campers. The facilities weren't the best or worst I've ever seen. They kept the bathrooms clean enough but if you're morally opposed to bugs in your bathroom you may be happier at one of the private campgrounds. They don't have any soap dispensers to wash your hands so you need to bring your own hand soap. They don't have shower curtains either - someone actually fashioned their own with some zip ties, first time I'd ever seen that. Both times I used the showers there was nice hot water though! There were quite a few mosquitoes here so you'll definitely want some bug spray and maybe a few citronella candles (our bug repellent was an utter failure - I have a few dozen bites). We didn't do too much hiking since between my boyfriend, myself, and the two puppies, three of us were feeling under the weather that weekend. We did go on one of the shorter trails - trying to find a venus fly trap but didn't have much luck. They have rangers walks almost daily to talk about the flora and fauna of the area so you may want to tag along on one of those. I arrived around 6 PM on a Friday night and the campground may have been half full. By Saturday night I think they may have sold out or at least have been close to capacity. I asked the ranger and he said they had actually already sold out a few times this year, impressive for so early in the season. For $15 a night (and dog friendly to boot) in the Wilmington area it can't be beat.

Former home of the Cape Fear Indians, until they were pushed out by European settlers in 1725. Later, a safe haven for Caribbean pirates. Then a Civil War battle site. Today, it's a a State Park with a secluded camping area beneath towering trees, and miles of hiking trails that traverse a variety of distinct habitats--not to mention the presence of the Venus flytrap, one of the world's most unique carnivorous plants.

This park is a nice change of pace from the typical woodland trails. Most of the ground is sand, and you will even see cactus! I didn't see any Venus Fly Traps on my visit - I think their season had just ended. But I saw lots of other nice foliage and I enjoyed the cool, shaded, fresh air. The trail system is seriously wack though. The park is not huge, but I got lost and felt very disoriented and frustrated on the trails. The trails are as follows: blue circle, blue triangle, red circle, red triangle, orange circle, orange triangle, and then random small green triangles. It's not obvious at first that there are different shapes for each color, so newbies, pay attention. Some of the red and orange coloring has faded into one indiscernible reddish-orange color. The signs should be redone/updated. You might to bring a compass. Also, bring lots of bug repellent. In fact, cover your body with it at home before you put your clothes on. During my mid-September visit, I didn't get bit but I had aggressive mosquitoes following me through the wetter areas of the park, buzzing in my ears the entire time.

Great campground if you like getting absolutely annihilated by mosquitoes. Got locked out of the campground and no way to open the gate, forced to walk about a mile and a half in the pitch dark to get back to camp only to get bit by a venomous snake with no way of leaving the campground without walking another mile back to our car. Luckily got to a hospital in time to not die. Not even including the snake bite, this place sucked.

A nice place for a walk or run- not too strenuousness-just right.

A wonderful little park, with choices that profile dunes, wetlands, long leaf pines (coming up everywhere), cypress, and lily ponds, as well as savannah. The birding is fabulous. All trails easy and the longest may be three miles.

Nice location. Plenty of unique and woodsy campsites. The deer are abundant and nice to watch. Very old facilities (bathhouse). The marina area is nice. A great place to crab, fish , or watch the sunset/rise. A major downside in my opinion is that the park is actually locked between 10pm and 7am. While I enjoy the security it made me a little uneasy as I had a child become sick in the middle of the night. If I needed to take them to the hospital I would have had to call the "emergency park number" in order to have them let me out. Who knows how long that would have taken. Luckily I didn't need to leave. Also if you're not back in the campground by 10pm you're locked out! I did like the fact that checkout is 3pm. This gives you a little extra time.

We like this park and campground a lot. There are 9 RV sites with full hook up, they can be hard to reserve during peak season, but worth it if you can get one. Tent lots are good too and some of them are large enough to park an RV on, great way to camp and save a little money. Bathhouses are generally clean, with decent size showers, though an upgrade would be nice, they are better than many state park ones I've seen. Gave it a 4 as the bathhouses could use a little more outside lighting, it gets super dark at night under those trees.

Awesome place to camp or just hang out and enjoy the wildlife & water. The staff and rangers here are very friendly & helpful.

What a wonderful state park! Very clean, well-kept and refreshing outdoor recreational area. We camped here for 2 nights. The campground and facilities are great. Two in our group insist on showers and flushable toilets and were happy with what we had. We had a great campsite with room for 2 tents and extra space for the kids. Many folks were riding bikes, and we wished we had ours. Down the road is a small marina. There is a great little outdoor area on the river. We put our kayaks in right there and enjoyed the river. You can also rent various kayaks or paddle boards. We love this location and will definitely return!

My girlfriend and I camped there for almost a week around Labor Day, and we wished we could've stayed for at least another week (preferably longer.) The park is beautiful, with great, scenic trails and interesting flora (cacti and the Venus Fly Trap, which we unfortunately didn't see.) Take the trail that runs along the river and you'll see crabs, lizards, fish jumping, and bats wheeling around at night. For birders, there's a little sanctuary for the Painted Bunting near the marina. The camping area was *very* well maintained- I didn't see any trash anywhere, and staff did a good job of taking care of the trash cans (there are cans for recycling aluminum and plastic too, always a nice thing to have.) The campsite we had was large enough to fit a large tent and large screenhouse, and still had room for the picnic table (included,) fire ring with grill (also included), and my camping hammock and two camping chairs. The bathrooms/shower houses were also well maintained, and did have shower curtains. Once you're in the park you'll feel like civilization is far off, but in reality you're a quick drive away from Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, and not far from Wilmington. There's a Food Lion close by too, so you'll have no problem getting more supplies. One thing to note- the park's gate is closed kind of early (10pm in the summer months, 8pm after that), so make sure if you venture out in your car you're back in time or your car will have to be left somewhere outside. I'd go back to this park in a heartbeat!

Mixed review on this park. The park itself is very nice. You can park near the marina and fish or just walk along the water. The campground had some issues. The bathrooms were smelly and hot. The smell was not just from normal use. They just needed a thorough cleaning. If your campsite is not in the middle of the loop, you have to walk around to a service road to access the bathroom. All other access paths went through another camp site. They need at least one more access path

This is a beautiful park with camping, picnicing, boating and hiking all within 15 minutes of Wilmington. My son and I spent almost 4 hours hiking around on the trails in the park. We were rewarded with a variety of terrains and fauna. I talked with a ranger before coming here and she told me that the camping rarely sold out. Apparently many Wilmingtonians just do not know about this place. The trails are well marked but pick up a map at the ranger station anyway. It was easy to get off trail , especially in the south western part of the park near the Sugarloaf Dune Trail, due to some of the old four wheeler trails cut through the park. My son and I encountered several hikers that had gotten lost, and the map help them get reoriented. The map provided by the ranger station locates trails by color code and shape. Each trail is clearly marked with these colors and symbols, making it fairly easy to figure out where you are. There is also an excellent boat ramp near the northwest corner of the park. The ranger I talked too also told me that one of the popular local fauna, the Venus Fly trap, were hard to find due to the drought in the area. Fire restrictions also prevent any open fires state wide, at this time, making camping a little less appealing. We visited in the fourth quarter of 2007 and there was only one camp site in use. Definitely a great place for families for either a half day picnic with hiking or a short over night get away from the cities hustle and bustle.

Nice park with good trails. Right on the water so fishing is easy and good. The marina makes boating and kayaking possible. The campsites for RVs are limited and do not have water hook ups

Hands down one of my favorite places in the area. My mother took my sister and I camping and hiking a lot here when we were children. Two weeks ago I came here with my lady and a few friends to check out the Star Party. The event was much different than I expected. Most of the activities were for children and most of the groups in attendance had small children. That being said the event was blast and very educational. It was amazing to see the moon through a high powered telescope. I think this would have been much better with alcohol

Beautifully kept grounds, sunset views on the Cape Fear River, abundant wildlife, friendly and helpful staff. Close to many attractions and shopping. Restrooms need updating and more frequent cleaning.

AWESOME PLACE. Bike-able to and from Kure and Carolina Beach. Easy but nice hiking trails. Good campsites (kinda close to each other). Clean place. You could always find friendly, helpful staff. Easy to collect firewood. Cons- gate closes at 9 (you have to park and walk), noisy dogs kept locked in the tent next to us (rangers tried to help, but chalked it up to the owner being "somewhat homeless"- it turned out not to be a problem). Would visit again.

Great place for a dog walk! Many trails (none paved), water vistas and views, good parking, and public restrooms. There is also a small marina to launch your boat into Snows Cut, which leads into the ICW. The trails through the woods are very clearly marked. Lastly, there are two camping areas (one with bath/shower facilities) for those who want to camp. There are always some park employees around.

carolina beach state park is an outstanding natural resource in our area. the loop trail is 3-4 miles long. free access, and plenty of parking. during the course of the hike, you pass through several different environments: cool, dense forest, sandy shores along the cape fear river, coastal shrub forest, long leaf and loblolly pine, marshes, large ephemeral ponds, and sugarloaf dune, which is about 40 feet high, and you can hike to the top which offers great views all around. venus flytraps are native to the park. the trail is mostly sandy, with a few boardwalks here and there

Nice place to just go and relax. You are able to do some moderate hiking here but mainly I just love the fact that this is a nice serene place to visit as you look over the river and see what is out there losing your train of thought to just relax and embrace beauty. :)

Fun and free. Spent time looking for the elusive Venus Fly Trap. Not sure if we were successful but we did look. Worth the money--free!