I’ve been saving the Long Valley Farm Road access site of Carvers Creek State Park for some time now because, quite frankly, it was a half-baked idea to go here at the height of summer like we did. 🤣 One look at this first photo of the long walk with no shade should give you an idea why. 🥵(There is technically another way through the woods, but many times with kids, the most direct route is the best route, and the sandy path in the sun was it.)
Now that we’re heading into the cooler months of the year, this location is a total gem. (Note that there are 2 locations for Carvers Creek - this post is only about the Long Valley Farm site. We’re hoping to make it to the Sandhills location soon.)
We always love parks where there’s a “destination” at the end of our hike, and this one has 2 points of interest that do not disappoint. The first is an old Rockefeller house and other historic buildings. The second is a beautiful lake just a bit further up the trail where you can fish if you bring tackle. (Keep your eyes open for water snakes - we saw one while there.)
The historic buildings are generally not open to poke around in, but keep an eye on the events calendar of the NC State Parks' website because they do have tours sometimes.
Make sure to stop in the park office so you can get your NC State Parks Passport stamp, as well as pick up a Junior Ranger activity booklet.
Some logistics:
• The park is about an hour away, right by Ft. Bragg. The drive was very doable. Also, because of the closeness to Bragg, keep an eye out in the skies. We saw some AMAZING military aircraft while on our hike. (Will put the video in our stories.)
• Bathrooms are located by the park office and by the Rockefeller house.
• This park is not really stroller friendly.
• Treat yourself to lunch afterward at Noble Meats just down the road - a tip we got from @nctripping. The brisket. chef’s kiss
Have you been to Carvers Creek State Park? Let us know in the comments!
(Note: We're currently working on updating our website with our reviews. This review was originally posted on Instagram and Facebook on October 28, 2022.)
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