Cliffs Of the Neuse State Park: Epic Cliffs, Chill Vibes

The Cliffs of the Neuse State Park are more like the Cliffs of Insanity straight from Eastern North Carolina. You will want to bring your swim suit for a quick dip as much as your hiking boots. Perfect for meeting up with friends for a day in nature.

Drive, Drive, Drive to the Cliffs

Outside the small town of Seven Springs is Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Any way you approach the park you will find yourself on some country roads. The state park is in a remote rural setting in the NC country side. Interestingly enough, this is a fairly central location between Raleigh, Greenville, Wilmington and Fayetteville. If you find a good restaurant near by, this could be perfect as a meet up spot for friends spread out across eastern NC.

If you are a big fan of pickles, the infamous Mt. Olive pickle factory of Mt Olive NC is not far away. It is still on my to-do list but I have heard many people making the journey for their annual pickle festival. Likely not as interactive as the Fossil festival in Aurora .

Parking is quite good. You will find parking in a few different areas. The parking near the lake is by far the largest. During the summer months, this place can get packed. The parking near the main Cliff overview is fair and not far from the lake. Be warned, there are no realistic alternatives for parking outside of the park.

The Cliffs of Insanity!

I decided to go and see “the cliff” that the park was named after first. Interestingly enough, you can park within 100 yards of the cliff and walk right up to it. The “350 yard trail” is a short stint of trail that parallels the cliff. If you are not big into hiking, you can still easily stop in and see the amazing view of the water. I was completely surprised by this when we walked up to it. Madilyn uttered a “wow” in a way only a toddler can and then wanted to keep going. Not a problem.

We took the connecting trails to the south of the cliffs and found a neat little creek area. There was a family that was setting up for a picnic here and looked like they were having a great day. We found “Cypress Knees” all through out this area which are only found in swamps. It greatly reminded me of Goose Creek State Park near Washington.

A Walk In The…. Park

The weather was nice and not too hot in the shade of the forest so we went for about a 3 mile hike. Madilyn was an absolute trooper. For over half of the hike, she did her little jog in front of me and tried to touch every sign we came to. It inspired me to write a children’s book about a little girl who runs everywhere. We will see if it materializes.

For the second half of the hike, her lunch caught up to her in the form of a stitch in her side. So naturally she rotated between stopping, walking, running and being carried on my shoulders. When she saw we were at the parking lot, she magically had all her energy back and took off.

The scenery around the lake, by the cliffs and all through out the woods was magnificent. I had no expectations for great views and was floored at every turn. The trees were full of life but the weather was mild with the first cool breezes of fall. Truely a perfect day to hike.

But What Else?

The Cliffs of the Neuse State Park has a neat array of amenities to choose from. Either on purpose or over time, the park has developed a setup perfect for a family on a budget trying to escape the summer heat or the hustle & bustle of the city.

The visitor center is likely the first thing many visitors will see when they enter the main entrance of the park. This building is relatively new and has a fair assortment of interactive exhibits for kid and adults alike. This seems to be standard fair for most NC state parks we have visited. This includes the typical mini-gift shop. Madilyn ran around the kids area a while and was interested in one exhibits titled “Who’s Scatt is That?”…. and that is all I will say about that.

The Beach Minus the Ocean

The next major feature of the park is the swimming lake. This is a quiet little lake not far from the visitor center made for swimming. There are also paddle boats allowed in certain areas. Unfortunately, they had just shut down the lake for the season before we visited but it was clear that this is one of the main reasons people visit. The parking lot for the lake was the largest in the park. You will find a little vestibule with bathrooms and concessions adjacent to the sandy beach.

At only 1 hour from Raleigh, 1 hour from Greenville, 1 hour from Fayetteville, this is a great beach alternative if you do not mind the lack of waves.

I must also mention the camp grounds. There is also a sizable contingent for campers of all kinds. Again, much like Goose Creek State Park, The Cliffs of the Neuse has accommodations for all types of RV’s, Camping Trailers, back packers and more. The check-in building and small general store is at the main entrance to the camping area. Madilyn was overdue for a nap when we saw this area so we did not go in and check it out. With the accessible trails and great swimming lake, I could easily see myself booking a camp site for a weekend as a low cost weekend get-away during the summer.

Epic Cliffs, Chill Vibes

The Cliffs are the awesome pictures that draw a lot of people to check out the park. As epic as these views are, the relaxed vibe of the whole park is why people will come back. The trails are not super strenuous and the swimming lake is the perfect beach alternative for busy families. The extremely central location makes it perfect for meeting friends for a great day together.

Overall

The Cliffs of the Neuse State Park combines surprising cliff views with a family friendly hiking experience to make a great park. It finds itself in a four star spot thanks to its well executed swimming area and relaxing vibes. Find your camping spot before they are all gone for your next long weekend.

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