The North Carolina State Park Where You Can Hike Across A Stone Bridge, A Metal Bridge, And A Wooden Bridge Is A Grand Adventure
By Carolyn Harmon|Published October 27, 2022
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Carolyn Harmon
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Under Brown Mountain Lights the Beast of Blandenboro wanders this magical land where lighthouses shine on kingdoms only accessible by ferries. A Lost Colony of legends and pirates revealed in historical sites and majestic mountains with views that make us weep. The home of handmade sculptures and scrumptious cuisine. North Carolina leaves this long-time writer and artist breathless with endless surprises, including the unlikely warmth a winter walk on the beach can bring.
William B. Umstead State Park, once known as Crabtree Creek Recreation Demonstration Area, is located in Wake County near downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. With its boundless network of hiking and multi-use trails, three manmade lakes and their tributaries make it a great multiple-bridges park. Pack a picnic as both park entrances offer picnic shelters, or better yet, pack an overnight bag to stay at Crabtree Creek’s camping areas, primitive cabins, and the historic landmark Maple Hill Lodge. Here are a few highlights.
It is easier to appreciate this gorgeous North Carolina State Park when you know about the investment that went into creating such an impressive public space.
From about 1936-1949, some of the Civilian Conservation Corps construction projects at the park included clearing trees and brush to create a lake on Sycamore Creek;
building a dam, group camp cabins, and mess halls; and excavations for a waste disposal field and septic tank.
This wooden bridge takes you across a drainage stream near Big Lake.
Several parking areas make this trail accessible including Big Lake, the visitor center, and the Campground Spur.
Have you decided to explore the most breathtaking views and trails in this vast multiple bridges park? If you visit William B. Umstead State Park, please tell us about your adventures in the comments below. And if you are open to an old-fashioned experience, take a delightful carriage ride through Raleigh.
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