I visited Lynches River County Park for the Run for Brighter Days 5K in September 2024. That 5K is…read moreheld in memory of a local teenager who died of suicide and to raise awareness of mental health issues, services, and the 988 phone number. Although I lived in Florence for nine years, this was my first visit to the park. I wish I hadn't waited so long. The 5K route onsite is wonderful- super flat, scenic, and all road. I wish more 5K runs and walks were held here, because it's very safe (several areas for water stations, lots of parking, easy in/out for EMS if needed, etc). For a park out in the country, the cell signal was surprisingly good. I talked to a fellow runner who lives nearby and said he frequently visits for practice runs. At the end of the 5K, we all received medals that are lanyards with a keychain on them advertising the 988 mental health hotline, and we were welcome to enjoy the park for a few hours. Lynches River County Park has a recreational building with air conditioning, kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs, indoor restrooms, and lots of space. It was a great place for the awards ceremony and the recognizing the youth we have lost to mental health struggles. I was surprised at how nice the facility was, as I was expecting picnic shelters and porta potties at the 5K. If you can participate in Run for Brighter Days (also a walk), I highly encourage it, but also get out to the park just for fun. It is also rentable for family reunions or corporate events and would be a great spot for that.

The website oversells the canopy walk. It makes it sound like the canopy walk is a larger than it…read moreis. "The EDC and attached canopy walk is designed to bring visitors to the treetops of the 676 acre park," reads their website. In reality it's a walk of 4-6 trees linked together with bridges over a small area directly behind the Educational Discovery Center. We drove a couple of hours thinking this was going to be a fun, unique experience. Not the case at all. Underwhelming. If we just wanted to walk trails through the woods we could have stayed closer to home and had en even better trail experience. I gave it three stars because I'm sure it is a nice area if you're camping, but I would not recommend this place if you're wanting to experience a walk through the treetops.

There are like 5 parking spots for this playground & the park was empty yet all spots were taken…read more Not sure where the people who'd taken all the parking were. The fast food place nearby was almost full so park was inaccessible due to no parking. We went to Northeast park instead & it was great

Old park close to the highway. Not impressed. Garbage everywhere (including condoms), half of it…read morefalling apart. Missing 2 slides. Swings rusting. Playground chipped and rusting. I was actually nervous to let me two little kids on the park.

We absolutely love this park. It has a little bit of everything for everyone. Trails, woods,…read moreswamps, lakes, beaches, disc golf course, basketball, volleyball, plenty of family areas for picnic and parties. Not to mention multiple playgrounds for the kiddos. Trash cans everywhere to dispose of waste (my only complaint would be all the trash I see lying around) and poop bags for the dogs located throughout the park as well.

This recreation space has the potential to provide such a better experience than what it currently…read moreoffers. The remnants of a better park still remain; the trails, now overgrown, the buildings, whether they were once for education or recreation or simply using the bathroom, are now all locked, even one of the most basic human needs, water, was once offered here, but now if you don't want you or your child to dehydrate after walking or playing or exercising, you either had to pre-plan with bottled water or now need to leave and go purchase some elsewhere. Park maintenance and the budgets allotted to the parks and recreation department I understand; the trails probably not a priority, when things like the Riverwalk have been built recently, and I can't imagine staffing for Luther Britt Park is in the list of priorities for the local government. But access to water? Restroom facilities that are already here and functional and are just locked? If it's an issue of safety or worry that the restrooms will be misused, thousands of parks around the world, hundreds in our own state manage to find a solution to these hypothetical worries; denying 99% of visitors amenities all over the possibility that someone, someday may or may not do something untoward. The taxpayers of this community are primarily the ones this park was built for and who benefit the most from what it provides. Those same individuals, those who not only financed the initial development of these facilities, but whose hard-earned wages support the continued existence and usage of it, should not have their basic needs denied. Solutions as simple as turning on already-existing water fountains and unlocking already-standing restrooms make all the difference when guests are here exercising or playing with their dog or creating memories with their children. Please, turn the water fountains on.

This is a beautiful, free park. The trails are totally flat. The old growth trees and boardwalk…read moreviews were stunning.

Really cool walking area right in Little River. Beautiful…read morescenery all around and Lots of greenery! There are even some docks out there that you can fish off of. Tons of one-clawed little crabs; I believe they are called fiddler crabs. Along the paths are some informative little plaques and also some QR codes you can scan for more information. Even saw some dolphins out in the water by the boats. The wishing tree is really cool; I hung a couple of seashells on it.

A little off 95, stopped here for a toddler activity and we were so impressed by all the fun toys…read more Daughter decided to pretend to go camping after swinging and spinning for a bit. Easy to find parking and there are restrooms. Some locals were playing pickleball nearby on the courts.

Such a fun park for yourself and especially the little ones! Plenty of space and didn't feel too…read morecrowded. There is a separate area for working out which I love to !

Jones Lake State Park is located in Elizabethtown, NC. It is full of beauty, science and history…read more European migrants settled in the area and the lakes. Jones Lake was named for a local who donated a tract of land on which Elizabethtown was founded. Salters Lake was named after Sallie Salter. She was an American Revolutionary War heroine who famously spied on the Tories encamped along the Cape Fear River. Jones Lake State Park has a Visitor Center with restrooms and interactive educational displays. These cover the history of the area, the scientific phenomenon and the ecology. Both Jones Lake and Salters Lake are Carolina Bays with highly acidic ecosystems. They are shallow, elliptically shaped depressions found throughout the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Aerial views show that thousands of these ovals are perfectly parallel, precisely aligned along a northwest-to-southeast axis. There are many theories about these geological wonders. From wind and waves to even meteorite impacts. The industry in the area was farming and harvesting cotton and longleaf pines for the turpentine, pitch and timber. The area became overcut, and farmers could no longer survive. This led to an experiment of making these areas into parks. During the Jim Crow Era, it became a refuge for African Americans and was the state's first state park for African Americans. As most areas were segregated, the park is where the community came together culturally for baptisms, family reunions and community celebrations. In 1964, the park became desegregated. I had to double-check the date, as 1964 is not that long ago. The lake's water is tea-colored, and decomposing organic matter produces tannic acids. This lowers the pH to 4.3, so it is closer to vinegar than to lake water. It is nutrient-poor as well, so not much can survive here. The waterlogged wetland and rims create a unique evergreen shrub bog called a pocosin. The bog has evergreen bay trees such as the Sweet Bay, Loblolly Bay, and Red Bay. Bladen County is home to carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap, pitcher plants and sundews, which thrive here. Not many fish can survive here except for acid-tolerant fish species, like the chain pickerel, yellow perch, flyer sunfish, and yellow bullhead catfish. For day visitors, Jones Lake State Park features over 50 picnic tables, charcoal grills, a sandy volleyball court, and horseshoe pits. During the warmer summer months, the park also opens a designated, roped-off swimming area with a white-sand beach.

Jones Lake State Park is a peaceful well‑kept place to camp and explore. The campground is small…read morebut usually easy to get a spot in, and the whole area is taken care of really well including the bathhouse, which is clean and maintained better than a lot of larger parks. The trail around the lake is an easy but rewarding walk. There's no elevation to worry about, just about five miles of flat, quiet trail with plenty of scenery. It's the kind of hike where you can relax and enjoy the water, the trees, and the quiet without feeling rushed. Just make sure you bring bug spray this is a large lake with standing water which is a perfect breeding ground for bugs. The park also has a fishing dock and a small boat launch that's perfect for kayaks and similar setups. One of the best things about Jones Lake is how quiet it is. You're away from crowds, away from noise, and it actually feels like you get space to breathe. Interesting fact (at least to me) Jones Lake State Park was established in 1939, and it holds an important place in North Carolina history. It was the first state park developed specifically for Black Americans during segregation its cultural significance is still a big part of its identity today. The nearby town of Elizabethtown has a quaint little downtown with a few local restaurants. There's not a ton going on, but it's a pleasant place to stop before or after your time at the park.

A dainty park created at the corner of Dargan St & Elm St, near the old McClenaghan High School…read morebuilding. There's ample parking on the Elm St side of the park. It's very peaceful, clean, and well kept. Everything is centered around this beautiful water feature. There's a paved walking area and lots of greenery at the perimeter of the park. But, no shade in the seating areas keeping everything bright and airy. It's all just enough to draw you into this cocoon of serenity. As a Florence native, it almost makes me forget that this was a bad area once upon a time.

What a beautiful oasis in Sumpter! While traveling through the area I wanted to find a place to…read morestop for a bit and take a break from driving. This place came up in my search and so glad it did. The garden is very well maintained and extremely relaxing. Large pond with a number of different species of swans and geese. Great walking trails with lots of shade too. Well worth a visit. Wish I lived closer.

This park holds a very sentimental place to me. My mom used to bring me and my sisters here when we…read morewere kids. Also, we used to come here with several of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. So coming back here years after my mother's passing was a very bitter sweet moment. The park was as I remembered but also they have added things and made it more. The upkeep and maintenance of the park is great. Great for walking and justa relaxing atmosphere.

This is a great park with a lot for everyone. Great walk/run path, basketball courts, tennis…read morecourts, splash pad and playground, baseball fields and even a skate park! There are even two small dog park areas. Unfortunately, I took my dog there on a Saturday and we found A LOT of broken glass throughout the dog parks. That's probably why we were the only dog in there.

My kids love to play here! They have updated it fairly recently and there's a plethora of areas for…read morekids of all ages and abilities to play! They also added a splash pad which is fun in the summer.

This is one of my absolute favorite park to go to. It gives me such a calm feeling. I bring my pets…read morewith me when I visit. They just love the sounds of the birds and squirrels. My chihuahua can walks forever here he just loves it and they have bags please clean up after your pets and yourselves. There's wild animals in the area that could get sick off your trash. I can't say enough about the views. From the woods to the trails to the benches for lunch. There's is a small playground for the lil ones. If you want to get away from the bustle and hustle of the Fayetteville streets even if you only have a few minutes trust me come here and breath and take in the beauty.

This was a cute park to walk around. We got to Fayetteville early and were killing time before we…read morecould go to Cape Fear Botanical Garden so we went for a quick walk, it was pretty extensive.