Carvers Creek State Park is the newest addition to the North Carolina State Parks family. Located on the edge of the sandhills region just north of Fayetteville, the park encompasses some 4,000+ acres of mostly undeveloped land. The park is in just the earliest stages of its development so what you might find on a visit in the coming years could be vastly different than what I was able to see on this visit. The primary ecological feature of Carvers Creek is its vast stands of Longleaf Pine interspersed with grassy fields left over from when the land was used primarily for farming. The park also contains some interesting cultural sites as well. Back when the region was a turpentine and lumber producing area and early settler dammed the tiny Jumping Run Creek to create a millpond to run his sawmill...the millpond still exists today and is surrounded in part by beautiful stands of bald cypress and tupelo gum. Early in the 20th Century a man by the name of James Rockefeller acquired 1,240 acres around the pond along with a number of buildings which the park plans on someday opening to visitation.

My visit to Carvers Creek was a quick one...primarily because there is a distinct lack of trails to explore, only about 2-miles worth all told. This allowed for a leisurely stroll, however, and I was able to enjoy exploring the edges of the millpond as well as the Rockefeller farm grounds. Carvers Creek certainly wasn't the most visually stimulating park I've ever visited but it was none-the-less interesting to explore one of our state parks in its early stages of development. I doubt I'll return again any time soon but it will be interesting to see how things have changed if I do decide to return. Enjoy...

Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 35.202399, -78.976348

Route Type: Lollipop Difficulty: EASY (Petzoldt Rating: 2.10 )

Hike Length: 2.0 miles Hike Duration: 1:15

Trailhead Temp: 75'F

Min. Elevation: 160' Max. Elevation: 175'

Trails Used (blaze color): Cypress Point Loop (blue), Rockefeller Loop (white)

10-14-2014

Carvers Creek State Park (2.0 miles; d=2.10)

Carvers Creek State Park Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike at Long Farm Access, of Carvers Creek State Park, as depicted a la Google Earth...
Carvers Creek State Park Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike at Long Farm Access, of Carvers Creek State Park...
Carvers Creek State Park Entrance
I felt the entrance was more reminiscent of some battlefields I had visitied, rather than a State Park...
Visitor Center
I knew long before I arrived this wasn't going to be a prime day for a visit and as you can see from the pouring rain it wasn't going to be. The park itself is in its earliest stages of development to the office, seen here, isn't much to write home about...
Long Valley Farm Access Trailhead
Adjacent to the office parking area is the one trailhead in the park so there wasn't any real confusion which direction to head...
James S. Rockefeller Trailhead
I first gathered a bit of route info at the kiosk marking the start of the James S. Rockefeller Trail...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
The J.S. Rockefeller Trail is an arrow-sraight path which leads from the visitor center one half mile to the historic structures of Long Valley Farm...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
I was warned ahaed of time that what I was likely to see here was 'lots and lots of pine trees'. No joke, aside from the habitats surrounding the millpond ahead the forest here is almost purely made up of Longleaf Pines...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
The Longleaf pine forest of Carvers Creek...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
Agriculture had a huge impact on the ecology of the Carvers Creek property. After mills and logging had passed the area the land was cleared for farming. The open fields along the Rockefeller Trail are remnants of these old farmlands which have reverted to native meadows...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
Every so often along my walk I would pass gated roads leading into other sections of the park. At 4,000+ acres there is much more to the park than what the current 2-miles of path can show you. I wonder whats hidden out there...
James S. Rockefeller Trail
Over the course of walking its brief half-mile route, I had experienced uncomfortably warm 80-degree sun and now this...a brief heavy downpour as I neared the historic farm...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
With the rain shower quickly passing I figured I would walk the Cypress Point Loop Trail first while it was safe to have my camera out...saving the historic buildings until later...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
I hadn't expected to find fall colors yet in these warmer climes but I was pleasantly surprised to find the cypress trees starting their change...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Passing an old garage that has been conveniently converted into a small picnic shelter...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Head out along the pond, the Cypress Point Loop immediately crosses the lazy blackwater Jumping Run Creek...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
In the 19th Century this land was owned by one Daniel McDiarmid who worked in the turpentine and lumber markets. This millpond was likely constructed around 1850 to serve his lumber mills. It about 100-acres in size...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
The old Rockefeller Canoe House sitting along the placid banks of Jumping Run Creek...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Following the west shore of the millpond, the old Rockefeller Pavillion can be seen across the way. The structure farther away across the pond that you can just barely see through the trees is the old gristmill which isn't accessible to the public as of yet...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Pines...tall pines...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
The walk out along the pond was pleasant and fairly open through widely scattered pines...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Making my way farther down the shore, the old gristmill (inaccessible as of yet) could be seen across the way...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Behind me as I walked the millpond shore, the Rockefeller House could be seen through the trees...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
The heavy cloud cover unfortunately did a good job of hiding the fall colors from my camera. The yellows of the changing cypress ringing the pond on all sides were much prettier than my el-cheapo camera reveals...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Autumn reflections in the cypress swamp...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
I noticed an old boardwalk protruding from the swamp. I certainly hope the park fixes this up as I'm sure it would be wonderfully scenic to get out into the swamp itself...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
This lone pond-side picnic table would no doubt be a pleasant place to grab your lunch on a drier day...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Near the northern end of the Cypress Point Loop a huge wooden observation deck extends out into the pond...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Looking across the pond at the cypress groves it struck me that this would also be a fabulous place to launch a canoe for a few hours...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
A thick grove of cypress in their fall finery just across from the observation deck...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
This deck must be a wonderful place in the spring to sit and look for waterfowl and other wildlife...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Not sure why, but some trees just grab my attention more than others...as did this sprawling longleaf pine at the north end of the loop...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
After spending a good amount of time out on the observation deck it was time to continue the loop, for no other reason than that it as looking more and more like rain agin...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
A huge tupelo gum sits just offshore with what looked to be the remains of an old dock attatched to it...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Fire is an intregal part of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Here at Carvers Creek they have a very agressive burn policy to keep this fire-dependent ecosystem in good health. Just about every tree I passed in the park showed evidence of recent burns, though not as a severe as on this particular tree...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
A panorama of the cypress-tupelo swamp which comprises the northern end of the millpond...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
A brief thinning of the cloud-cover allowed the colors of the cypress trees to pop a bit more...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
The back half of the Cypress Point Loop turns back into the heart of the longleaf pine forest...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Yet another gated road leads into the mysterious interior of the park. If I ever return here I'm going to have to see about exploring these off-trail areas if possible...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
This interesting interpretive sign gives some insight into the fascinating and uniquely adapted life-cycle of the Longleaf Pine...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
A young longleaf in its sapling, or bottlebrush, stage. From ages 7-20 these pines can grow 3-4 feet per year, allowing the young tree to quickly grow above the hottest parts of the fires which regularly sweep through here...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Swinging back towards Jumping Run Creek...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Nearing the Long Valley Farm area again the trail passes this old home located a couple hundred feet off the main path. No signage indicates the significance of this home, if there is any...
Cypress Point Loop Trail
Closing the Cypress Point Loop Trail I arrive back at the Long Valley Farm property...
Long Valley Farm
Now it was time to wander around a bit and check out the structures of the Long Valley Farm, owned by James Rockefeller. The largest building is this one, the Rockefeller Home. I was hoping that it was open to the public but it wasn't. Signs indicate the park intends to restore it and eventually provide tours but from the condition of the buildings it looks like that won't be for some time yet...
Long Valley Farm
Wnadering around the Rockefellers backyard beneath sprawling oak branches with the old spring house in the distance...
Long Valley Farm
After circling the home I made my way over to the so-called pavillion which was also gated off from public intrusion...
Long Valley Farm
No doubt meant for social events the old pavillion opens directly onto the millpond, a very pretty location...

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Carvers Creek State Park

Carvers Creek State Park (2.0 miles; d=2.10)

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