North Carolina
Parks
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National Scenic Trail
Appalachian
Maine to Georgia, CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,180+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by private citizens, and completed in 1937, today the trail is managed by the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers. ...
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Parkway
Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, NC,VA
A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.
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National Heritage Area
Blue Ridge
Fletcher, NC
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is a place unlike any other on Earth, where ancient landscapes enchant the eye and age-old traditions warm the heart. The distinctive landscape of the North Carolina mountains and foothills combined with the region’s living traditions of craft, music, agriculture and Cherokee heritage create a wealth of natural and cultural treasures unmatched in our country.
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National Seashore
Cape Hatteras
Nags Head, Buxton, Ocracoke, NC
The sound of ocean waves, the starry night sky, or the calm of the salt marshes, you can experience it all. Shaped by the forces of water, wind, and storms these islands are ever changing. The plants, wildlife, and people who live here adapt continually. Whether you are enjoying the beach, kayaking the sound, or climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse there is something for everyone to explore!
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National Seashore
Cape Lookout
Harkers Island, NC
A boat ride three miles off-shore brings you to the barrier islands of Cape Lookout National Seashore. Horse watching, shelling, fishing, birding, camping, lighthouse climbing, and touring historic villages--there’s something for everyone at Cape Lookout. Be sure to bring all the food, water, and supplies you need (and carry your trash out of the park) when visiting these remote beaches.
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National Historic Site
Carl Sandburg Home
Flat Rock, NC
Carl Sandburg provided a popular voice for the American people of the twentieth century and still speaks to us through his words, songs and the beauty and serenity of Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Explore Sandburg's legacy and Experience Your America!
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National Historic Site
Fort Raleigh
Manteo, NC
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site protects and preserves known portions of England's first New World settlements from 1584 to 1590. This site also preserves the cultural heritage of the Native Americans, European Americans and African Americans who have lived on Roanoke Island.
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National Park
Great Smoky Mountains
the states of, NC,TN
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park.
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National Military Park
Guilford Courthouse
Greensboro, NC
"I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons." -Lt. General Charles, Earl Cornwallis The largest battle of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign was fought at the small North Carolina backcountry hamlet of Guilford Courthouse. The battle proved to be a turning point for British military operations in the Revolutionary War.
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Cultural Heritage Corridor
Gullah/Geechee
FL,GA,NC,SC
Designated by Congress in 2006, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor extends from Wilmington, North Carolina in the north to Jacksonville, Florida in the south. It is home to one of America's most unique cultures, a tradition first shaped by captive Africans brought to the southern United States from West Africa and continued in later generations by their descendents.
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National Battlefield
Moores Creek
Currie, NC
Loyalists were unaware of what they would encounter as they charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. Beyond the bridge, nearly 1,000 North Carolina patriots waited quietly with cannons and muskets poised to fire. The unsuccessful charge left between thirty and seventy Loyalists dead. This dramatic victory ended British rule in the colony forever.
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National Historic Trail
Overmountain Victory
NC,SC,TN,VA
Stretching 330 miles through four states (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina) the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail traces the route used by patriot militia during the pivotal Kings Mountain campaign of 1780. Follow the campaign by utilizing a Commemorative Motor Route which uses existing state highways marked with the distinctive trail logo, or 87 miles of walkable pathways.
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National Historic Trail
Trail Of Tears
AL,AR,GA,IL,KY,MO,NC,OK,TN
Remember and commemorate the survival of the Cherokee people, forcefully removed from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee to live in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. They traveled by foot, horse, wagon, or steamboat in 1838-1839.
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National Memorial
Wright Brothers
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where, after four years of scientific experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights on December 17, 1903. With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.
By The Numbers
- 10 National Parks
- 17,834,699 Visitors to National Parks
- $1,198,700,000 Economic Benefit from National Park Tourism »
- $1,380,375,326 of Rehabilitation Projects Stimulated by Tax Incentives (since 1995) »
- $57,808,778 of Land & Water Conservation Fund Appropriated for Projects (since 1965) »
- $38,162,034 in Historic Preservation Grants (since 1969) »
- 54 Certified Local Governments »
- 38 Community Conservation & Recreation Projects (since 1987) »
- 250 Acres Transferred by Federal Lands to Parks for Local Parks and Recreation (since 1948) »
- 156,041 Hours Donated by Volunteers »
- 2 National Heritage Areas »
- 2 Wild & Scenic Rivers Managed by NPS »
- 3 National Trails Managed by NPS »
- 2,877 National Register of Historic Places Listings »
- 38 National Historic Landmarks »
- 13 National Natural Landmarks »
- 1 World Heritage Site »
- 568 Places Recorded by Heritage Documentation Programs »
- 2,656,913 Objects in National Park Museum Collections »
- 586 Archeological Sites in National Parks »
- 26 Threatened & Endangered Species in National Parks »
- 8 Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans »
- 9 Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries »
Download the summary »
These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. Figures are for the fiscal year that ended 9/30/2015.