Fort Macon State Park
- 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(252) 726-3775
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Fort Macon State Park is a 424-acre park in Carteret County, about 3 miles southwest of Beaufort.
Visitors come for canoeing and kayaking, swimming, biking, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other — Fort Macon | Daily | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
| Daily | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — | |
| Other — January | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5:30 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. | — |
| Park | The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays. | ||
| Other — January | Daily | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Swimming | Not stated | 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. | Memorial day to labor day |
| Office | Mon–Fri | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
| Mon–Fri | 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | — | |
| Visitor center | Daily | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Fort Macon: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays. Visitor Center, Coastal Education Center and Bookstore Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
January: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
February: 8 a.m. to 5:30 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 5:30 p.m.
December: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
January: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
May: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
June: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
July: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
August: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
September: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
October: 8 a.m. to 6 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.
Swimming Area: Lifeguards are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, as staffing permits, from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Park Office: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a 1-hour lunch break closure from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The park office is closed on all state holidays. The full list of state holidays is available on the N.C. Office of State Human Resources website.
Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a 1-hour lunch break closure from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The park office is closed on all state holidays. The full list of state holidays is available on the N.C. Office of State Human Resources website.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
January: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
February: 8 a.m. to 5:30 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 5:30 p.m.
December: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Swimming Area: Lifeguards are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, as staffing permits, from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
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.
Pets are allowed at the park, except they are not permitted on the swim beach, inside the fort, 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 Macon. The closest state park with camping is Hammocks Beach State Park.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingBikingCanoeing and kayakingSwimmingFishingPicnicking
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott Coues Nature Trail | 3.2 mi | Moderate | 3.2-mile loop; Blaze: yellow circlesBikingHiking |
| Yarrow's Loop | 0.25 mi | Easy | 0.25-mile loop; Blaze: noneHiking |
| Hike: Beach | 1.5 mi | Easy | 1.5-mile one way; Blaze: noneHiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Open
Elliott Coues Nature Trail (3.2-mile loop; Blaze: yellow circles), Moderate, Biking/hiking
Yarrow's Loop (0.25-mile loop; Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking
Hike: Beach (1.5-mile one way; Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking
Swimming
Swimming
Boating and paddling
Paddling (ocean beach)
Fishing
Fishing
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
- Park or camp store
- Restaurant or food service
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
- 2303 E. Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 - Nearest town
- Beaufort — about 3 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 34.6956, -76.6889 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (252) 726-3775
- fort.macon@ncparks.gov
Nearby state parks
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)
- Wikidata
- Photo: Crowning of the Smilax DVIDS1101766.jpg — Public domain (US federal government work), Petty Officer 2nd Class David Marin
“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