Raven Rock State Park

              Camping Trails
Picnicking
For Your Safety
History Highlights
Backpack camping facilities, available to families and groups,
offer an opportunity to enjoy the wilderness without distraction.
All supplies, including water, must be packed to the sites.
Before camping, register your vehicle and obtain a camping
permit at the park offi ce.
Family camping: Follow Campbell Creek Loop Trail to reach
the family wilderness campground, approximately 2.5 miles
from the parking area. Five sites, each accommodating up
to four people, offer tent pads, fi re rings and a vault toilet.
Sites are available on a fi rst-come basis.
Group camping: Little Creek Loop Trail leads to the group
wilderness camp, 2.2 miles from the parking area. Located
along the Cape Fear River, the area offers fi re rings and vault
toilets and accommodates up to 100 people. Use of this area
is by reservation only.
Canoe camping: Six campsites along the Cape Fear
River Canoe Trail offer accommodations for canoeists and
backpackers. Located beside the river, in a low-lying area,
these sites include fi re rings and a vault toilet. The canoe
camping area is 1.7 miles from the park offi ce and is not
accessible by car. Canoeists should reserve sites by calling
the park offi ce before embarking on a trip. To check river
levels on the internet, click the links on the park's Web site.
Available sites are offered to backpackers on a fi rst-come
basis.
Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive
programs about Raven Rock State Park. Contact the park
offi ce to arrange a special exploration of Raven Rock State
Park for your group or class.
Educational materials about Raven Rock State Park have
been developed for grades 5-8 and are correlated to North
Carolina’s competency-based curriculum in science, social
studies, mathematics and English/language arts.
The Raven Rock program introduces students to the geologic
processes along the fall zone. Accompanying the program
is a teacher’s booklet and workshop, free of charge to
educators.
A wide trail leads to the picnic ground from the parking lots
on the south side of the river. Towering oak and hickory trees
provide shade for 27 tables and eight grills. Drinking water,
restrooms and a refreshment stand with a drink machine
are located nearby. A smaller picnic area is located on the
north side of the park. Some picnic facilities are accessible
for persons with disabilities. Call the park offi ce for more
information.
One of the best reasons to visit Raven Rock is the exceptional
beauty of its wildfl owers. A variety of species reveal magnifi cent
blossoms in early spring. Look over patches of Dutchman’s
breeches, bloodroot, saxifrage and trailing arbutus. Gaze
down paths lined with Solomon’s seal, bellwort and spring
beauty, or let your eyes wander through a haze of greens
and yellows as leaves break their winter dormancy and begin
to color the forest.
Raven Rock State Park has a diverse topography. Along the
river are high bluffs and low fl oodplains. Some of the largest
trees in the park are found in the fl oodplain where common
species include river birch, beech and sycamore. The river
bluffs and cool, moist ravines are home to mountain laurel
and rhododendron, as well as elm and red maple. The fl at,
dry uplands are characterized by pine and oak/hickory
forests where sourwood, dogwood and blueberry comprise
the understory.
The many streams of Raven Rock create an ideal habitat for
aquatic invertebrates and fi sh. Salamanders are particularly
at home along the river bluffs. The Piedmont forest is home
to many reptiles. Spotted turtles live in small streams and
larger turtles, such as the yellowbelly slider and the snapping
turtle are found in the river. Lizards such as the Carolina anole,
fence lizard and skink also inhabit the forest.
Among the many harmless snakes found in the park are the
northern water snake, rat snake and the eastern hognose
snake. Though rarely encountered, the venomous copperhead
also resides in the park. Exercise caution when on park
trails.
The spring migratory season brings many species of birds to
the park. At the peak of the season, it is possible to see as
many as 20 species of warblers in a single day. Wood ducks
nest in hollow trees along the river and many other species
such as hawks, owls and woodpeckers are also found.
Mammals in the park include white-tailed deer and eastern
cottontails. Weasels, raccoons, mice and shrews inhabit the
woodlands while beavers and muskrats are at home along
rivers and creeks. Several species of bats may be seen as
they hunt for insects.
The Siouan and Tuscarora Indians hunted the area until
European settlers arrived in the mid-1700s. The fi rst settlers
were primarily hunters and trappers who were searching for
high country similar to their native country, Scotland. Later,
stores, mills and quarries were built. Many of the woodlands
were farmed. As the forests returned, much of the land was
harvested for timber.
A road that stretched from Raleigh to Fayetteville crossed
the Cape Fear River via the Northington Ferry and served
as the area’s major transportation route. Locks and dams
were built along the river to facilitate navigation by boat, and
Raven Rock became an important landmark for river pilots.
After a hurricane destroyed the locks and dams in 1859,
the structures were not replaced. Railroad transportation
eliminated the need for river travel. As new roads were built,
the ferry was closed and Raven Rock became a popular
recreation spot. The remnants of the Northington Lock and
Dam can still be seen in the park.
In 1965, interest grew in preserving the area as a state park
and local citizens organized support for the project. In 1969, a
bill establishing the park was passed in the General Assembly.
More than 220 acres of land were purchased and another
170 acres were donated by Burlington Industries. Additional
tracts have since been purchased, bringing the park to its
present size of 4,684 acres.
Raven Rock State Park sits along the fall zone, an area where
the hard, resistant rocks of the foothills give way to the softer
rocks and sediments of the coastal plain. The underlying rocks
of the area were formed more than 400 million years ago by
intense heat and pressure.
Through the ages, fl owing waters and swirling winds gradually
eroded the land, carving and sculpting Raven Rock. This
immense crystalline structure rises to 150 feet and stretches
for more than a mile along the Cape Fear River.
The rock was originally called Patterson’s Rock for an early
settler who found refuge there when his canoe capsized
nearby. In 1854, its name was changed to Raven Rock,
inspired by the sight of ravens that formerly roosted on the
rock ledges.
Make your visit a safe and rewarding experience. Some of our
rules are posted in the park for the protection of our natural
resources and our visitors. A complete list of regulations is
available at the park offi ce. Help preserve our natural resources
by observing the following:
❏ The removal of any plant, animal, rock or artifact is
prohibited.
❏ All state parks are wildlife preserves. Hunting or trapping
is not permitted.
❏ Do not litter. Please throw trash in proper receptacles.
State law requires aluminum cans to be placed in recycling
containers.
❏ Firearms and fi reworks are prohibited.
❏ The possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages
is prohibited.
❏ North Carolina motor vehicle and traffi c laws apply in the
park.
❏ Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet.
❏ Climbing or rappelling on rock outcrops is prohibited.
❏ Fishing is permitted only during park hours. Regulations of
the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are enforced.
❏ Fires are permitted only in designated areas.
❏ Swimming is not permitted in the park.
❏ Camping is allowed in designated areas by permit only.
❏ Respect the rights of private property owners. Remain
within the park boundary when using trails.
To prevent accidents, remember these safety tips.
❏ At times the Cape Fear River may be dangerous for
canoeing. Before embarking on a canoe trip, check with
park staff for the current river level. Canoeing the river is
not recommended if the water level is above 3.5 feet at
the Lillington Gauging Station.
❏ Stay on designated hiking trails to avoid steep drop-offs
and slick areas along the river.
❏ Wear a life vest when canoeing.
❏ Venomous snakes, ticks and poison ivy may be encountered
along park trails. Be alert.
Contact park staff for other safety tips or for an explanation of park rules.
Negotiate the rapids of Lanier Falls and the Fish Traps on a
portion of the Cape Fear Canoe Trail that runs through the park.
The entire trail travels for 56 miles along the Cape Fear River
from an access point at the U.S. 1 bridge over Deep River.
A buoy signals the location of the canoe camp in the park.
Contact park staff for information about the nearest access
points. There is no access area in the park. Canoeists should
exercise caution and wear life vests at all times. Spring fl oods
make the river dangerous for canoeing. Check with the park
offi ce for the current water level before launching your canoe.
Portage dams and dangerous rapids are present.
The best places for fi shing in the Cape Fear River are the
Fish Traps and the mouth of Campbell Creek. Game fi sh in
these waters include largemouth bass, warmouth, bluegill,
catfi sh, redear and green sunfi sh. Other interesting species
are longnose gar, American eel, chub, shiners, darters and
pirate perch. Fishing is permitted during posted park hours
only. Anglers must have a state fi shing license. Regulations
of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are enforced.
Scenic trails invite you to journey into the park’s interior.
Raven Rock offers a variety of trails. Travel them on foot or
on horseback.
Hiking: A number of trails in the park traverse a variety of
terrains. Raven Rock Loop Trail travels through a hardwood
forest on its one-mile trip to the park’s centerpiece, Raven
Rock. Wooden stairs down the face of the river bluff lead to
the base of Raven Rock where the river bank provides a place
to examine the area beneath the overhang. A stone balcony
along the way overlooks the river and the fl ood plains beyond.
Other trails offer access to fi shing holes and idyllic scenery.
See the park map for information on distance and diffi culty.
Horseback riding: Undeveloped woodlands on the north side
of the river with areas set aside for parking and picnicking
offer more than seven miles of trails for horseback riding.
Land adjoining park bridle trails is posted private property.
Respect the rights of landowners. Do not trespass. Horses
are not permitted on hiking trails. Avoid riding the trails when
they are wet to prevent trail degradation and to ensure rider
and horse safety. Call the park offi ce or check the park Web
site for the current bridle trail conditions.
The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation is a division of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
5,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $1,100.13 or .22 cents per copy.
5M 7/08
William G. Ross Jr.
Secretary
Michael F. Easley
Governor
The Rock
Nature's Classroom
Flora & Fauna
Fishing
Canoeing
Rules & Regulations