Ten Reasons to visit Merchants Millpond State Park

Caleb Laney

Published in

NC PATH

3 min readJul 6, 2022

written by Caleb Laney

Paddle your way among enchanting bald cypress draped with Spanish moss.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. All rights go to their respective owners.

1. It’s known as North Carolina’s “Enchanted Forest.”

The beautiful Spanish moss, in combination with the beech groves and huge bald cypress trees, creates an enchanting experience. It’s something you just have to see!

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Pippen via Jeff’s Nature Pages. All rights go to their respective owners.

2. Host an event!

Merchants Millpond State Park has a few different reservable facilities! There is an auditorium that seats up to 70 people, as well as an indoor and outdoor classroom! If you are interested, please visit the reservations website by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Architect Magazine. All rights go to their respective owners.

3. Walk a trail!

There are many different trails of different lengths to choose from. Ranging from 0.33 miles to 6 miles in length, no matter your stamina, there’s a trail for you!

Photo courtesy of Maplets. All rights go to their respective owners.

4. It’s open year-round!

Merchants Millpond State Park is open every day of the year, with the one exception being Christmas day. Besides December 25, no matter when you want to visit, the park is open and ready to receive you!

Photo courtesy of Only In Your State. All rights go to their respective owners.

5. Go camping!

This park is a great destination for camping out! There are many different ways to go about it, too! There is trailer or RV camping, a group camping area, backpack camping, and even paddle-in camping!

Photo courtesy of Roverpass. All rights go to their respective owners.

6. Go fishing!

Merchants Millpond is a great destination for fishing. You can even go out on the water in a small boat! Fish that you may catch here include the Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Chain Pickerel.

Photo courtesy of NC Wildlife. All rights go to their respective owners.

7. Have a picnic!

There are picnic tables at the park for those who want to have a picnic at this park. There is also a free reservable picnic shelter that holds up to 48 people!

Photo courtesy of John Meckley via Flickr. All rights go to their respective owners.

8. Go canoeing!

It has been said that canoeing provides the best way to see and explore Merchants Millpond. You can bring your canoe or rent one by the hour (or overnight for camping).

Photo courtesy of Carolina Country. All rights go to their respective owners.

9. Educational Events happen all the time!

There are plenty of fun and informative events happening at Merchants Millpond State Park. If you are interested in finding out what’s scheduled, please visit the events and programs website by clicking here.