Welcome to the National Forests in North Carolina

Explore Your Public Lands

The Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie, and Croatan National Forests. Hike one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Explore the only coastal national forest in the eastern U.S.

Plan Your Adventure

North Carolina is home to 4 national forests: Croatan, Uwharrie, Pisgah, and Nantahala National Forests. These forests are located in all three regions of North Carolina, providing visitors with unique landscapes. Terrain varies from rugged mountains, to gentle rolling hills, to sandy beaches, with ample recreation opportunities.

  • Camping

    A placeholder image

    Remote wilderness, roadside camping, family friendly campgrounds, and more. To reserve campsites and more in North Carolina visit recreation.gov

  • Passes & Permits

    A placeholder image

    Passes and permits are needed for a variety of activities, such as accessing some day use areas, collecting firewood, and commercial filming and events.

  • Maps and Publications

    A placeholder image

    We offer a variety of map products including paper and digital visitor maps, Motor Vehicle Use Maps, and digital downloads of topographic maps and GIS information.

Features

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree logo

The National Forests in North Carolina is providing the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

View Feature

Shared Stewardship

The National Forests in North Carolina have a rich history of working with partners to accomplish cross-boundary landscape level restoration and conservation objectives. 

View Feature