Merchants Millpond 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(252) 357-1191
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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Merchants Millpond State Park is a park in Gates County, about 18 miles south of Suffolk.
Things to do include canoeing and kayaking, boating, biking, fishing, and hiking. Facilities for water recreation include a boat ramp and boat or kayak rentals.
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 | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | 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. | ||
| Visitor center | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Nov 1 – Feb 28 |
| Daily | 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Mar 1 – Oct 31 | |
Official wording
January: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 8 a.m. to 8 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 8 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.
Visitor Center: From November to February, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. From March to October, open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
From November to February, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. From March to October, open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 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
Camping
- Tent sites (including backpacking sites and paddle-in sites)
- Trailer sites
- Group tent sites (including paddle-in only sites)
- Showers
- Firewood
Camping
Camping
SVG
Make a Camping Reservation
Find and book a campsite online at ncparks.gov/reservations or call 1-877-722-6762
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingBikingCanoeing and kayakingFishingPicnickingBoating
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennetts Creek Trail | 2.25 mi | Easy | 2.25-mile one way; Blaze: blue circlesHiking only |
| Coleman / K.I.P. Track Trail | 2 mi | Easy | 2-mile loop; Blaze: orange circlesHiking only |
| Cypress Point Trail | 0.3 mi | Easy | 0.3-mile loop; Blaze: red circlesHiking onlyAccessible |
| Lassiter Trail | 7 mi | Easy | 7-mile loop; Blaze: white circlesHiking only |
| Bicycle Trail | 5 mi | Easy | 5-mile loop; Blaze: red trianglesBikingHiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Open
Bike Trail: Open
Bennetts Creek Trail (2.25-mile one way; Blaze: blue circles), Easy, Hiking only
Coleman / K.I.P. Track Trail (2-mile loop; Blaze: orange circles), Easy, Hiking only
Cypress Point Trail (0.3-mile loop; Blaze: red circles), Easy, Hiking only
Lassiter Trail (7-mile loop; Blaze: white circles), Easy, Hiking only
Bicycle Trail (5-mile loop; Blaze: red triangles), Easy, Biking/hiking
Boating and paddling
Paddling
Fishing
Fishing
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
Water
- Boat ramp
- Boat, canoe or kayak rentals
✓ 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
- 176 Millpond Road
Gatesville, NC 27938 - Nearest town
- Suffolk — about 18 mi south (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.4372, -76.6844 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (252) 357-1191
- merchants.millpond@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: Merchants Millpond ncwetlands AM (3).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