Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions6-ft leash
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- ncparks.gov(910) 458-5798
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is a recreation area in New Hanover County.
Popular activities here are off-highway vehicle riding, canoeing and kayaking, swimming, fishing, and hiking. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Park Hours: Park gate is closed and locked at park closing time. Please view the tab for four-wheel-drive gate access hours. | ||
| Other — January | Daily | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | Daily | 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. | — |
| Other — April | Daily | 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — June | Daily | 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Office | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
| Other — April | Daily | 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Other — June | Daily | 8 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. | — |
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Swimming | Open 24 hours | ||
Official wording
Park Hours: Park gate is closed and locked at park closing time. Please view the tab for four-wheel-drive gate access hours.
January: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
April: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
June: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
July: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
August: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
September: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
October: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
November: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
December: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Park Office: Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Month: Hours: January: Open 24 hours February: Open 24 hours March: Open 24 hours
April: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
May: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
June: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
July: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
August: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
September 1 to 14: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. September 15 to 30: Open 24 hours October: Open 24 hours November: Open 24 hours December: Open 24 hours The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Pedestrian Beach: Open year-round, 24 hours a day
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Month: Hours: January: Open 24 hours February: Open 24 hours March: Open 24 hours
April: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
May: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
June: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
July: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
August: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
September 1 to 14: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. September 15 to 30: Open 24 hours October: Open 24 hours November: Open 24 hours December: Open 24 hours The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Pedestrian Beach: Open year-round, 24 hours a day
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park.
Fees and passes
Free entry at most parks ('Most state parks are free to enter'); per-vehicle day-use fees at the reservoir SRAs (Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, Kerr Lake) and fees for swimming, boat launches, rentals, ferries and camping.
Statewide fee rule from North Carolina's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
North Carolina park passes
- Annual Pass for Reservoirs — $70 Details
- Annual Pass — $100 Details
- Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access — $200. Annual Pass benefits plus four-wheel-drive beach access Details
From the North Carolina state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (northcarolinastateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Phone
- 1-877-722-6762
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions · leash up to 6 feet
Not allowed in or on: the swim beach or inside buildings.
Pets are allowed at the park, except they are not permitted on the swim beach or inside buildings. Pets must be on an attended leash of no longer than 6 feet at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Camping
There are no camping facilities at Fort Fisher. The closest state park with camping is Carolina Beach State Park.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingCanoeing and kayakingSwimmingFishingPicnickingOff-highway vehicles
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basin Trail | 1.1 mi | Easy | 1.1-mile one way; Blaze: noneHiking only |
| Hike: Beach | 5 mi | Easy | 5-mile one way; Blaze: noneHiking only |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trail: Open
Basin Trail (1.1-mile one way; Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking only
Hike: Beach (5-mile one way; Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking only
Swimming
Swimming
Boating and paddling
Paddling
Fishing
Fishing
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
Water
- Swimming beach
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 1000 Loggerhead Road
Kure Beach, NC 28449 - Phone
- (910) 458-5798
- fort.fisher@ncparks.gov
Sources and freshness
- North Carolina State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- NC State Parks 'Catalog: Find a State Park Access' (paged Drupal view, ?page=0..6)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology