Jones Lake State Park — Attraction in Elizabethtown

It was my 1st time and I wasn't sure about anything!? But it is absolutely beautiful and serene and quiet and peaceful!! If people don't go there and act rude and ruin it!! People tend to be loud and rude wherever they go so I hope they do not do that there! And they need to pick up after themselves always!!

I have a truck camper and I and my dogs went to just stay and picnick and hike for the day! I found a delightful and beautiful and super nice clean and well maintained camping area with all sizes and even handicapped camping spaces near an absolutely GORGEOUS public bathroom with heat and very nice public showers!!

I mean it's like a public bathroom out of Fortune Mag or something! Sitting rt there in a St Park! The sites or about half and half!? About half pull rt thru and about half back in! With water sewer and plenty of plugins!

I was just there for the day so I didn't use anything but the bathroom! But would absolutely love to go back and spend an entire WKND!!

And the lake is beautiful! I wanted to spend time at the lake!! And I wanted to see what else was there but by the time I played with my dogs and ate and went for a hike etc it was time for me to leave!

They open and close the gates at 8! So if ur in there at 8 ur staying unless ur walking! So I left at 7! I wanted to be home by dark anyways!

There were several other campers there esp tent campers! They were all set up quiet nicely!

I had recently gotten a truck camper and I needed to do some work on it so I also worked on it some while I was there! Nothin that would be loud or disturb anyone! But much needed work!

Was nice to get some things done to my camper and to spend an entire day at such a beautiful gorgeous well set up FULL AMENITY CAMP GROUND!!

I FULLY INTEND TO GO BACK AND TO EXPLORE OTHER AREAS!! AND TRAILS! AND TO SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME AT THE LAKE!

MAY EVEN GET ME A LISENSE AND A PLAIN OLD NICE SIMPLE FISHIN POLE AND GO FISHING AT THE LAKE NEXT TIME WE GO! BET MY DOGS WILL LOVE FRESH 🐠🐟🐠 FISH!!!

HELL ID JUST THROW EM BACK! AFTER ALL IT'S ABOUT THE SITTING AT THE WATER AND WAITING! NOT SO MUCH THE ACTUAL CATCHING! IT'S ABOUT RELAXING AT THE WATER ON A BEAUTIFUL SOFT EASY RELAXING DAY OR TURNING UR DAY INTO THAT!

BUT I SURE LEFT JONES PARK TR AND WACCAMAW PARK FRIDAY FEELING LIKE I HAD DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN!!!! AND LIKE I COULD DO THAT AND LIVE THAT WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY OF OUR LIVES FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!

A GREAT CAMPING HIKING EXPERIENCE BOTH DAYS AT BOTH PLACES!!! DIDNT MEET ANYONE AT JONES! BUT MET SEVERAL AT WACCAMAW LAKE PARK AND EVERYONE I MET WAS NICE KIND AND DELIGHTFUL!!! ONE RANGER NAMED ANDY AT WACCAMAW ALSO FOR SURE!

ANYWAYS A GREAT PLACE TO GO AND CAMP!!! I DONT KNOW THE PRICES FOR CAMPING AS I DID NOT STAY! I only stayed the day!! No overnights!

So I will need to call there or go there and ask prices! But I will find out on my next trip there!

WACCAMAW is tents only!!! And Mother Nature for ur potty and bathing!! Beautiful trails and place! BUT ABSOLUTELY NO AMENITIES CEPT FOR PICKNIC TABLES AND FIRE PITS?? AT WACCAMAW!!

BUT JONES...

Not far from Elizabethtown is the five lakes region. In this area of North Carolina lie a mysterious group of lakes that modern scientists are still uncertain as to how they formed. While some lakes have been surrounded by tourism and development, a select few have been preserved in their natural state and opened to the public to enjoy year-round. Jones Lake State Parks is one of these destinations.

One of the significant historical traits of this park is this was the first NC State Park to be opened for African Americans in 1939 prior to integration. Today people of all backgrounds can be found on banks of the lake. There is a beach area that is commonly filled with people sunbathing and swimming. While only offering three trails, these trails are expansive around the lakes at this park and there is a small quaint campground as well. And yes, I said lakes. While Jones Lake is most easily accessible, for those willing to take a long hike into the woods, they can reach the solitary Salters Lake. This park is ideal for a day trip for hikers and a week or weekend stay for those looking to get a taste of the wilderness without venturing too far outside of civilization.

Bay Trail Bay Trail is a trail that most people likely stumble on while at the park whether they mean to or not. It runs right through the beach and picnic area on its loop around the lake. This trail can be a commitment and comes in at a 4-mile round trip. However, if you're looking to get away from everyone else and have some quiet time, this is completely worth it. Just be wary of roots popping out of the ground and spiderwebs. Otherwise, the breeze coming off of the lake is very refreshing and the trail is well marked as the surrounding brush is too thick to get through so it's hard to get lost so long as you don't forget which way you came from!

Cedar Loop For those not ready to commit to 4-miles, but would like to get a bit of walking in and to get far enough away from the masses to only be left with the sounds of birds and wind coming off of the water, the Cedar Loop is a great little side quest. It's only about a mile long and is close to the picnicking area.

Salters Lake Trail This is a one-way trail that hikers can get to if they venture out to the half-way point of the Bay Trail. It is the only path out to Salters Lake and from there, guests can really get some time away from it all. All in all, both ways and around the Bay Trail will put you at a total of 6-miles, but for those up to the task, it is absolutely worth it. Once again, just be sure to watch out for spider webs!

Camping This park offer options for all campers from tents, to RVs, to group primitive sites, to hammocks! Not site is far from a bathhouse and most of the sites are flat though not all of them offer the same amenities. Even on a weekday this campground was pretty well packed with guests so I would recommend reserving a spot ahead of time especially for a weekend or...

This a very nice state park here in southeastern North Carolina near the town of Elizabethtown. We stayed in site #4 which was an electric/water/sewer site. It was long and level and we were able to park both the RV and toad with plenty of room to spare. Hookups are logically placed and well maintained. There is a picnic table, fire ring and lantern pole. It was an easy backin off the road and the 1/2-mile loop is interspersed with the 20 campsites.

On the right side of the loop there are several pull throughs; the pads are gravely and ours was almost perfectly level, there are two ADA fully-paved sites right next to the bath/shower house, more about that in a minute. There are a few grassy tent sites on the southside of the loop. It was dry here when we were here, but I doubt there would be any trouble with flooding or impassable road. The entrance is a very well marked turn off from the two-lane SR-242. The entire park is a mixture of Scrub Oaks and Southern Yellow Pine, I think it would be open enough for both solar and satellite feeds and data. Everything is clean and in its place. There are trash can dispersed throughout the loop as well as water spigots.

The checkin station is a combo building of auditorium, classroom, display area, office, the building is right inside the gate and all 63ft of us made it around with ease. There is a huge amount of day-use parking. Staff was friendly. In back of the building is the swimming area and boat dock/launch, which we did not utilize. There are tones of picnic tables and plenty of open space for your travel critters. (they just have to be leashed.)

The Power: It was right at 121.1vac and a perfect 60hz ours had 50/30/20amp receptacles

The Water: had great pressure and is both clear and pleasant to drink (after going through filter) There was plenty of pressure and volume.

The Sewer: Standard opening but is a little raised but nothing too dramatic.

The Bathhouse: Let me say my wife was impressed and that comes pretty hard to obtain. The men's side was very clean as well and there are plenty of commodes and showers to handle summer time campers. The water and heating are gas fired and one gal told my wife that, "the water takes a short time to get hot."

The campground was quiet this second week in December and we shared it with only four other campers. The sky's at night are dark with very little light pollution. The rangers make frequent rounds and everything feels safe and secure. We stayed in a 35' Class-A and would come back again, but bet spots are very hard to get in the...