Lake Waccamaw State Park
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- ncparks.gov(910) 646-4748
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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Lake Waccamaw State Park is a park in Columbus County, about 5 miles southeast of Lake Waccamaw.
The park supports canoeing and kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. On the water side, there is a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites and primitive or hike-in sites).
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other — January | Daily | 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | Daily | 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — May | Daily | 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Other — November | Daily | 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. | — |
| Park | The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays. | ||
| Visitor center | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
Official wording
January: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
April: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
June: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
July: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
August: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
September: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
October: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
December: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Visitor Center: Open daily, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open daily, from 8 a.m. to 5 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 · leash up to 6 feet
Pets are allowed at the park and at campsites. 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
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primitive Campsites Lake Waccamaw offers four primitive group camping areas nestled beneath the trees. The fifth campsite is a yurt campsite with a permanent tent. Picnic tables, fire circles and charcoal grills are located in the sites and pit toilets are located nearby. Please be aware that these are hike-in campsites that do not have water or electricity onsite. All campers must check-in at the visitor center or with a ranger before occupying a campsite and must display a parking pass for overnight parking in the parking area. | — | — |
Camping details from the park
Camping
- Tent sites (including backpacking)
- Group tent sites
- Firewood
Primitive Campsites
Lake Waccamaw offers four primitive group camping areas nestled beneath the trees. The fifth campsite is a yurt campsite with a permanent tent. Picnic tables, fire circles and charcoal grills are located in the sites and pit toilets are located nearby. Please be aware that these are hike-in campsites that do not have water or electricity onsite. All campers must check-in at the visitor center or with a ranger before occupying a campsite and must display a parking pass for overnight parking in the parking area.
Book Now
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingCanoeing and kayakingFishingPicnickingBoatingCamping
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pier Boardwalk Trail | 0.1 mi | Easy | 0.1-mile one way; Blaze: noneHiking only |
| Boardwalk Connector Trail | — | Easy | Blaze: noneHiking only |
| Lakeshore Trail | 4 mi | Moderate | 4-mile one way; Blaze: blueHiking only |
| Loblolly Trail | 0.65 mi | Easy | 0.65-mile one way; Blaze: redHiking only |
| Pine Woods Trail | 1.8 mi | Easy | 1.8-mile one way; Blaze: yellowHiking only |
| Sand Ridge Nature Trail | 0.75 mi | Easy | 0.75-mile loop; Blaze: orangeHiking only |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Open
Pier Boardwalk Trail (0.1-mile one way; Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking only
Boardwalk Connector Trail (Blaze: none), Easy, Hiking only
Lakeshore Trail (4-mile one way; Blaze: blue), Moderate, Hiking only
Loblolly Trail (0.65-mile one way; Blaze: red), Easy, Hiking only
Pine Woods Trail (1.8-mile one way; Blaze: yellow), Easy, Hiking only
Sand Ridge Nature Trail (0.75-mile loop; Blaze: orange), Easy, Hiking only
Boating and paddling
Paddling
Fishing
Fishing
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
Water
- Boat ramp
Camping
- Tent camping
- Primitive or backcountry camping
✓ 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
- 1866 State Park Drive
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 - Nearest town
- Lake Waccamaw — about 5 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 34.2593, -78.4681 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (910) 646-4748
- lake.waccamaw@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: Scene lake fringe wetland Lake Waccamaw State Park ncwetlands KG (15).jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), ncwetlands.org
“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