Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, a North Carolina State Park near Goldsboro, Grantham, Jacksonville, Kinston

USA

North Carolina

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park

Photo Courtesy Jeffery Forney

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Photo Courtesy Jeffery Forney

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Cliffs of the Neuse State Park

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State Park Contact Information:
	Cliffs of the Neuse State Park 345-A Park Entrance Road Seven Springs, North Carolina 28578 Phone: 919-778-6234 Reservations: 877-722-6762 Email: cliffs.neuse@ncmail.net
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State Park Overview:

At the turn of the century visitors flocked to the area. They drank mineral water from local springs to cure their ills and they took riverboat excursions to the cliffs. Things have changed since then. Mineral water now comes in bottles and isn't likely to cure anything at all, and riverboats have given way to more modern modes of transportation. The cliffs, however, remain virtually unaltered, standing as a journal of the geological and biological history of the land. See this spectacular formation, now protected within the boundaries of Cliffs of the Neuse State Park.

Park hoursNovember-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Closed Christmas Day

Park office hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays

Closed on state holidays

Reviews By Park Visitors:

visitor rating:

(7 votes) |Post Your Own Review

Ok park

Its a nice getaway from the cluster of Goldsboro but is really small for a state park. All of the surrounding area is farmland leaving me to wonder how much this tiny patch of wilderness can help the native species of the area.

Written by Hunter S. 1-May-2008

Small but has hidden value

This is a small park, but the trails were easy and the view was great. The facilities blended in to the surroundings and the Park Rangers were outstanding in both knowledge and help.

Written by JP 31-Jul-2008

A peaceful and serene experience!

The view overlooking the river is certainly unexpected, and the nature trails are easy to traverse. A very relaxing way to spend a quiet afternoon.

(name not given) 12-Jan-2009

Peace

This is a peaceful place to walk. One challenge is the HUGE fire ants along the trail...you CANNOT stop EVER or they will tear you up. Outside that...nice.

(name not given) 17-May-2009

Professional Staff

Fantastic place for a Cub Scout or Boy Scout campout. The group site was more primitive but there were bathroom facilities and potable water. The fire rings and grills were top notch! The best thing about the whole experience was the friendly park rangers. They were very approachable and were willing to answer all of the boy?s questions.

Written by Troop 490 Scoutmaster 4-Oct-2009

This is a Wonderful Great-State Park !

This is a Fantasic small State Park. As with all state parks, it has what you would expect! Decent faciliities, friendly rangers, well marked etc. This was a hidden jewel when we found it in 2004. We camped and had our Thanksgiving here. We had a great time, and have some wonderful memories and pictures. We will be doing it again this year as well !

Written by Jeff and Pam from Wilmington 1-Nov-2009

A really good experience

We spent the weekend in the group camping area with our Royal Rangers outposts and had a great time. We were very pleased with the staff, the upkeep and improvements. I personally have been visiting the park for over 30 years and it just keeps getting better.

Written by Phillip W 9-Nov-2009

Camping:

Family Camping: Set up tent or trailer on one of thirty-five sites, each with its own picnic table and grill. The family campground at Cliffs of the Neuse is located in a wooded area near the park office. There are no water or electrical hookups, but a dump station is provided. Water is available at several locations in the camping area and a wash house with hot showers and electricity is centrally located. Occupancy is limited to one family or six people per site. The family campground is open March 15 through November 30. Park gates are locked at the posted closing hours, and campers may not leave the park after closing or before 8 a.m., except in a medical emergency.

Group Camping: A portion of the park has been set aside as a primitive camping area for organized groups. Each site has picnic tables, a fire pit and a grill. Drinking water and pit privies are located nearby. The group campsite is reached by hiking the Spanish Moss Trail. Reservations are required for use of the area. Group camping is available year round.

Trails:

Follow the cliffs' edge for lovely views of the river below. A path bordered by a rail fence leads along the riverbank. Oaks, dogwoods and other trees line the path, often cloaking views of the river with a veil of Spanish moss. An observation area at the lower end of the bluff provides visitors with a view of the cliff face. Though the cliffs formed over millions of years, irresponsible actions on the part of man could destroy them in no time. To preserve this beautiful formation, climbing on the cliffs is not permitted.

Follow park trails to creeks that were once used to make moonshine and cornmeal. Mill Creek was the home of a gristmill that processed grain while federally-operated whiskey stills were located along Still Creek. Today, the area where these creeks empty into the Neuse River serves as a place to fish and enjoy nature.

Four hiking trails are accessible from the parking lot at the museum. Each is less than a mile in length and offers a closer look into the heart of Cliffs of the Neuse State Park.

Picnicking:

The shade of huge pine trees offers just the place for outdoor dining. Located near the lake, the picnic area has 60 picnic tables served by 8 grills. Drinking water and restrooms are located nearby. The park's picnic shelter is perfect for large gatherings. Twelve tables and two fireplaces are housed in a covered brick shelter. To be certain that the shelter is available, reservations are advised. Use of the shelter is free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis, unless reservations are requested.

Swimming:

Recreation activities in the park center on an 11-acre man-made lake where a sandy beach, diving platform, roped-off perimeter and bathhouse provide all of the facilities needed for a refreshing swim.

Fishing and Hunting:

The banks of the Neuse River provide scenic spots to wet your line. The river and its tributaries are home to bluegill, largemouth bass and several species of catfish. In the spring, white and hickory shad migrate up the river. A state fishing license is required and all regulations of the Wildlife Resources Commission are enforced.

History of the Area:

Witness the effects of the forces of erosion that have carved and chiseled cliffs in the south banks of the Neuse River. Extending for 600 yards, this spectacular series of cliffs rises 90 feet above the water. Layers of sand, clay, seashells, shale and gravel form the multicolored cliff face, a rainbow of white, tan, yellow and brown.

The cliffs were formed when a fault in the earth's crust shifted millions of years ago. The Neuse River followed this fault line and, over time, cut its course through layers of sediment deposited by shallow seas that had earlier covered the coastal plain. A portion of the river took a bend against its bank and the water's erosive action slowly carved Cliffs of the Neuse.

Much of the human history of the area centers around the river. The Tuscarora and Saponi Indian tribes once occupied much of the land between the Neuse and Pamlico rivers. What is now the park used to be a ceremonial ground and a gathering place for hunting expeditions; the river was used for travel into the surrounding wilderness.

Early European settlers set up a trading center at Whitehall (now Seven Springs), the earliest English settlement in the area. After the Revolutionary War, a stagecoach line and river traffic promoted growth of the town.

A gateway to the Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, the Neuse River also played a role in Civil War history. As part of an effort by the Confederate navy to challenge Union control of North Carolina's coastal waters, an ironclad ramming vessel, the CSS Neuse, was built at Whitehall. The ill-fated ship ran aground in the river and was destroyed to prevent its capture. The town itself was bombarded by Union cannons and much of it was demolished.

Early in the 20th century, Whitehall was known for its mineral water cures. In an area of just a few square feet were seven springs, each said to produce water with a different chemical content. On summer weekends, visitors checked into local hotels to drink mineral water and to take riverboat excursions to the cliffs. A gallon of the water per day was prescribed for "whatever ails you." The waters were also used for whiskey stills?locals explained that if the mineral water didn't cure people's ills, the corn whiskey would make them forget what ailed them to begin with!

In the 1920s, the community was damaged by fire and never fully recovered. In 1944, local landowner Lionel Weil proposed that the cliffs area along the Neuse River be preserved as a state park. Land on the south side of the river was donated by Weil and other individuals through the Wayne Foundation and the park was established in 1945. An additional contribution of approximately 200 acres extended the boundary east of the river. Additional purchases and donations increased the park to its present size of 751 acres.

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