Carvers Creek State Park is one of the newest additions to the NC State Parks system. It opened as recently as 2013 and right as things started to get rolling in an uphill direction, this park suffered major devastation in 2016 when the dam (originally...
Read MoreCarvers Creek State Park is one of the newest additions to the NC State Parks system. It opened as recently as 2013 and right as things started to get rolling in an uphill direction, this park suffered major devastation in 2016 when the dam (originally built in 1850) that upheld one of the key features of the park, a 100-acre millpond, broke due to catastrophic flooding from the remnants of a hurricane. However, if I were living out in nearby Fayetteville I would still be visiting this little park on a regular basis. It's backs right up to the edge of the city and offers visitors a glimpse at what growing up on an old farm in North Carolina would be like.
Once owned by members of the Rockefeller family as a modest southern retreat, Carver Creek really took me back to my time growing up on my grandparents farm. The sandy-dirt road leading to the old house passed by a large field to the left and pine trees on the right. I enjoyed the feeling of sand between my toes as I walked barefoot and I imagine this sensation was shared with the long past owners of the land. While the 4,000 acre park only has this one trail to offer guests, there are plenty of spots to stop for a picnic. Even with the pond having drained out, it's still a pretty spot to find a seat in the grass next to an old home.
Carvers Creek is ideal for anyone looking to get some good shots of old southern barns and homes. There are a few on the property and they're all easy to access as well as safe to approach. In addition to this, there are occasional tours of the Rockefeller home however I believe those may need to be set up in advance. There are some signs around to let guests know a bit about the home and who used to live there. I would love some more signs out in the future that also explained the other buildings in the park. All in good time I hope!
Trails
James S. Rockefeller Trail
This is a trail that is serviceable to private vehicles and is what I imagine was used as the driveway for the Rockefeller's. It runs strait to the house and what was the pond. It was flat and soft to walk on for the first half. The second half runs through tall pines and backs up against the farthest edge of the park. We Mira and I walked we heard dogs barking from the nearby neighborhood and even a rooster crow a few times. I would have loved to have been able to bike this trail. It was wide, offered a few easy-to-maneuver hills, and just enough to keep riders on track and alert. The entire trail is less than a mile and serves as a great place to get some steps in before nightfall.
Cypress Point Loop Trail
I imagine this trail was very popular back in its heyday with the pond. Guests used to be able to rent canoes and go out onto an overlook over the water. Now it is a bit over grown. It still goes past a few old buildings and one can still see where the pond used to be, however, until the park can extend it out to the creek I imagine many people do not use this trail anymore. That is a small point I want to make...the park is named after a creek that I crossed just outside the park on the way in. It looked beautiful under all the trees! I was excited...until I learned there was no way to access the creek without going off trail. This park is named after a feature unaccessible to guests. That was a bit of a let down.
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Wheelchair accessible entrance 
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