Jones Lake State Park

Open — Open year-round. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance online or by phone, with walk-up sites available first-come, first-served. Maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights within any 30-day period. The park is closed on Christmas Day.

About

Located in Bladen County 40 miles southeast of Fayetteville, Jones Lake State Park campground provides 20 wooded family campsites and one group site near the mysterious Carolina bay lakes. Established in 1939, this is one of North Carolina's oldest state parks. The campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, with six sites providing full hookups for electric, water, and sewer. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring/grill, with drinking water and a bathhouse with showers located nearby. The group campsite accommodates up to 35 people and is available year-round by reservation only. Campers enjoy access to the tea-colored waters of Jones Lake, which reaches just 8 feet deep, as well as 6 miles of hiking trails, a swim beach, boat rentals, and fishing opportunities. The park's unique setting allows visitors to explore two Carolina bay lakes while camping in a wooded environment. Firewood is available for purchase at the visitor center, and pets are allowed at campsites on a 6-foot leash.

Directions

Jones Lake State Park is located in Bladen County, four miles north of Elizabethtown on Highway 242. From Wilmington, drive west on US 74/76, turn right onto NC 87 north toward Elizabethtown, then right onto NC 87 Business. At the second light, turn right onto US 701 north for one mile, then left onto NC 53, and an immediate right onto NC 242 north. The park entrance is two miles on the left.

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