New River 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(336) 982-2587
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
New River State Park is a park in Alleghany County, about 8 miles northeast of Jefferson.
Popular activities here are canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
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. – 7 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | Daily | 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Other — May | Daily | 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
| Other — November | Daily | 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — January | Daily | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Visitor center | Mon, Fri | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | — |
| Sat–Sun | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | — | |
| Other — April | Daily | 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — May | Daily | 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Other — Elk Shoals Access | Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
Official wording
U.S. 221 Access
January: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
February: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
March: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
April: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
May: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
June: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
July: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
August: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
September: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
October: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
November: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December: 7 a.m. to 7 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: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
May: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
June: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
July: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
August: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
September: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
October: 7 a.m. to 9 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: Open Mondays to Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Month: Hours: January: closed February: closed March: closed
April: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May: 8 a.m. to 9 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 9 p.m.
October: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November: closed December: closed The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Elk Shoals Access: Open from sunrise to sunset year-round. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Open Mondays to Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 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 and paddle-in sites)
- Trailer and RV sites (some with electric, water, and sewer hookups)
- Group tent sites (including backpacking sites and paddle-in only sites)
- Dump station
- Showers
- Firewood
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingCanoeing and kayakingFishingPicnicking
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fern Nature Trail – Wagoner Access | 1 mi | — | 1-mile loop; Blaze: redHiking only |
| Running Cedar Trail – Wagoner Access | 1.2 mi | — | 1.2-mile one way; Blaze: whiteHiking only |
| Bluebird Spur Trail – Wagoner Access | 0.2 mi | — | 0.2-mile loop; Blaze: noneHiking only |
| Crabapple Spur Trail – Wagoner Access | 0.1 mi | — | 0.1-mile one way; Blaze: yellowHiking only |
| Riverbend Backcountry Trail – Wagoner Access | 3.5 mi | — | 3.5-mile one way; Blaze: blueHiking only |
| Hickory / K.I.P. Track Trail – U.S. 221 Access | 1 mi | — | 1-mile one way; Blaze: redHiking only |
| River Run Trail – U.S. 221 Access | 1.4 mi | — | 1.4-mile one way; Blaze: orangeHiking only |
| Dogwood Trail – U.S. 221 Access | 0.2 mi | Easy | 0.2-mile one way; Blaze: yellowHiking onlyAccessible |
| Campground Spur Trail – U.S. 221 Access | 0.3 mi | — | 0.3-mile one way; Blaze: whiteHiking only |
| Farm House Loop – Alleghany Paddle-In Access | 1 mi | — | 1-mile loop; Blaze: redHiking only |
| Riverview Trail – Alleghany Paddle-In Access | 1 mi | — | 1-mile loop; Blaze: whiteHiking only |
| Road to Nowhere – Alleghany Paddle-In Access | 0.5 mi | — | 0.5-mile one way; Blaze: yellowHiking only |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Partially Open
Fern Nature Trail – Wagoner Access (1-mile loop; Blaze: red), Hiking only
Running Cedar Trail – Wagoner Access (1.2-mile one way; Blaze: white), Hiking only
Bluebird Spur Trail – Wagoner Access (0.2-mile loop; Blaze: none), Hiking only
Crabapple Spur Trail – Wagoner Access (0.1-mile one way; Blaze: yellow), Hiking only
Riverbend Backcountry Trail – Wagoner Access (3.5-mile one way; Blaze: blue), Hiking only
Hickory / K.I.P. Track Trail – U.S. 221 Access (1-mile one way; Blaze: red), Hiking only
River Run Trail – U.S. 221 Access (1.4-mile one way; Blaze: orange), Hiking only
Dogwood Trail – U.S. 221 Access (0.2-mile one way; Blaze: yellow), Easy, Hiking only
Campground Spur Trail – U.S. 221 Access (0.3-mile one way; Blaze: white), Hiking only
Farm House Loop – Alleghany Paddle-In Access (1-mile loop; Blaze: red), Hiking only
Riverview Trail – Alleghany Paddle-In Access (1-mile loop; Blaze: white), Hiking only
Road to Nowhere – Alleghany Paddle-In Access (0.5-mile one way; Blaze: yellow), Hiking only
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
✓ 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
- Nearest town
- Jefferson — about 8 mi northeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.4676, -81.3403
- Phone
- (336) 982-2587
- new.river@ncparks.gov
Entrances
- U.S. 221 Access and Visitor Center — 358 New River State Park Road, Laurel Springs, NC 28644
- Wagoner Access — 1477 Wagoner Access Road, Jefferson, NC 28640
- Kings Creek Access — 2250 Kings Creek Road, Piney Creek, NC 28663
- Elk Shoals Access — 349 Methodist Camp Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694
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
“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