North Carolina State Parks

Pettigrew

2252 Lake Shore Road, Creswell, NC 27928 · (252) 797-4475 · E-mail

With more than 1,200 acres of land and 16,600 acres of water, Pettigrew State Park is an ideal blend of nature, history and recreation.

Explore Lake Phelps and examine dugout canoes as ancient as the pyramids. Or cast your line into crystal-clear waters where largemouth bass reign. Take a trip back in time at the grave of a great Confederate general. Or hug a tree as wide as an elephant.

Pettigrew exhibits its history among picturesque natural surroundings. Majestic cypress trees tower above as the branches of tulip poplar and swamp chestnut oak provide perches for songbirds. Wildflowers decorate the landscape with a splash of color.

Boating

Canoes, kayaks, rowboats and power vessels have ample room to enjoy Lake Phelps. The lake offers ideal conditions for sailing in shallow draft boats. Launch a canoe from Cypress Point or use the launching and docking facilities behind the park office.

A canoe trail winds through the park's nearby waterways, offering paddlers the chance to view the area's environment up close.

Camping

The family campground is located between the park office and Somerset Place. Thirteen campsites, each with a picnic table and grill, are well-suited for tents and trailers.

The edge of a cypress/sweetgum forest furnishes a shaded area for some of the campsites while others are located in an open, grassy meadow. Water and restrooms with showers are nearby. A fee is charged for the campsites, which are available on a first-come basis.

Opportunities for outdoor learning abound in the group camping area. Located in the midst of a beautiful forest, primitive camping facilities include tent pads, grills and pit toilets. Water is located nearby. To ensure availability of the group camping area, reservations are advised.

Fishing

Lake Phelps is known throughout the east for its bass fishing. The lake teems with largemouth bass, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Enjoy the challenges of pickerel and catfish as the Algonquians did 10,000 years ago.

From land, try your luck on the fishing pier or boardwalk at Cypress Point. Wade fishermen can enter Lake Phelps at the Pocosin Overlook. Anglers must have a fishing license and obey regulations of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

Picnicking

A large cypress grove supplies plenty of shade for picnicking. Tables and grills are provided with each picnic site, and restrooms and water are located nearby. The grassy field near the picnic grounds creates a great playground for all ages. Individual picnic sites are available on a first-come basis.

Picnic shelters offer a perfect setting for gatherings. The shelter located near the park office includes eight tables; the shelter at Cypress Point offers two. Use is free of charge unless reservations are requested.

Trails

In the days of the plantation, the Collins family enjoyed carriage rides on a promenade that passed Somerset Place and Bonarva and followed along the shore of Lake Phelps. Today, the carriage road makes up a portion of the Bee Tree Trail. Beginning at the park office, a one-mile section winds past the campground and Somerset Place. After wandering through a sweetgum forest, the trail leads to Bee Tree Overlook, a wooden platform offering a view of the lake and a place to observe wintering waterfowl. Between the site of Bonarva and the canal is a short trail leading to Pettigrew Cemetery.

Moccasin Trail leads northwest from the park office for approximately three miles to Moccasin Canal. After traveling through a cypress and hardwood forest, the trail stops at a 350-foot boardwalk, which cuts through a cypress swamp to Moccasin Overlook. This view of Big Point is one of the most impressive vistas in the area. Morotoc Trail continues from the overlook to Cypress Point. Bicycles are allowed on parts of the trail.

The Pocosin Natural Area has a short trail to an observation tower and carnivorous plant management area. See the park map for distance and difficulty.

For more information visit: North Carolina State Parks - Pettigrew State Park