Jones Lake State Park is located in Elizabethtown, NC. It is full of beauty, science and history. European migrants settled in the area and the lakes. Jones Lake was named for a local who donated a tract of land on which Elizabethtown was founded. Salters Lake was named after Sallie Salter. She was an American Revolutionary War heroine who famously spied on the Tories encamped along the Cape Fear River. Jones Lake State Park has a Visitor Center with restrooms and interactive educational displays. These cover the history of the area, the scientific phenomenon and the ecology. Both Jones Lake and Salters Lake are Carolina Bays with highly acidic ecosystems. They are shallow, elliptically shaped depressions found throughout the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Aerial views show that thousands of these ovals are perfectly parallel, precisely aligned along a northwest-to-southeast axis. There are many theories about these geological wonders. From wind and waves to even meteorite impacts. The industry in the area was farming and harvesting cotton and longleaf pines for the turpentine, pitch and timber. The area became overcut, and farmers could no longer survive. This led to an experiment of making these areas into parks. During the Jim Crow Era, it became a refuge for African Americans and was the state's first state park for African Americans. As most areas were segregated, the park is where the community came together culturally for baptisms, family reunions and community celebrations. In 1964, the park became desegregated. I had to double-check the date, as 1964 is not that long ago. The lake's water is tea-colored, and decomposing organic matter produces tannic acids. This lowers the pH to 4.3, so it is closer to vinegar than to lake water. It is nutrient-poor as well, so not much can survive here. The waterlogged wetland and rims create a unique evergreen shrub bog called a pocosin. The bog has evergreen bay trees such as the Sweet Bay, Loblolly Bay, and Red Bay. Bladen County is home to carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap, pitcher plants and sundews, which thrive here. Not many fish can survive here except for acid-tolerant fish species, like the chain pickerel, yellow perch, flyer sunfish, and yellow bullhead catfish. For day visitors, Jones Lake State Park features over 50 picnic tables, charcoal grills, a sandy volleyball court, and horseshoe pits. During the warmer summer months, the park also opens a designated, roped-off swimming area with a white-sand beach. read more

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Jones Lake State Park is a peaceful well‑kept place to camp and explore. The campground is small but usually easy to get a spot in, and the whole area is taken care of really well including the bathhouse, which is clean and maintained better than a lot of larger parks. The trail around the lake is an easy but rewarding walk. There's no elevation to worry about, just about five miles of flat, quiet trail with plenty of scenery. It's the kind of hike where you can relax and enjoy the water, the trees, and the quiet without feeling rushed. Just make sure you bring bug spray this is a large lake with standing water which is a perfect breeding ground for bugs. The park also has a fishing dock and a small boat launch that's perfect for kayaks and similar setups. One of the best things about Jones Lake is how quiet it is. You're away from crowds, away from noise, and it actually feels like you get space to breathe. Interesting fact (at least to me) Jones Lake State Park was established in 1939, and it holds an important place in North Carolina history. It was the first state park developed specifically for Black Americans during segregation its cultural significance is still a big part of its identity today. The nearby town of Elizabethtown has a quaint little downtown with a few local restaurants. There's not a ton going on, but it's a pleasant place to stop before or after your time at the park. read more

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This was the first state park that we took our camper to and it went really well. It was easy to reserve online but book early if you want an electric/water hookup. I booked a week before so we had a primitive site. The sites are spacious, clean and well-spaced out with plenty of recycling and trash areas. It was contactless check-in so we just pulled in. The bathhouse was also clean and large. Our site, #19 was listed as partial shade but it only got shade late afternoon. Next time, I'd probably choose another site but it was hard to tell from the photos online. We walked the Bay trail which was 4 miles. The path was a mix of woods then a sandy open path. Only about 1miles is near the lake and some areas were really muddy. It had good signage along the way. The fishing pier was also a nice spot for lake views. They also have a swimming area and kayak/canoe rental but wasn't open mid-April. There are tons of picnic tables and shelters here and plenty of parking for guests. We'd definitely come back here. read more

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[Coronavirus review] This is a lakeside park. There is a small section cordoned off for swimming, which had some signs saying it was closed, which no one cared about (nor could I see any reason for a small number of people not to swim). The bathrooms were actually open. Conversely, the lakeside trail was closed not for any public health reason but for flooding, leaving not a ton of space to actually enjoy. A walk towards the pier in the other direction yielded swarms of mosquitos. One wishes the spindly spider I saw artfully webbing together partially submerged plants could have done more work. This is a blackwater lake, which looks cool and isn't especially dangerous, and the reflections off the setting sun were sublime and visible from the small section of park that was actually accessible. It would be a good space to picnic, but there isn't much else to do at present. read more

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On my trip to this neck of the woods, Jones Lake was a welcome redemption from my visit to Singletary Lake just a few minutes away. Here they have a proper huge parking lot, a park office with an exhibit (one of the few that I actually spent the time to view almost completely) and one 4-mile-long loop trail that I wish I had time to walk all of. Just like Singletary, they were dead quiet on this overcast winter day. It made for a relatively peaceful quick hike of the Cedar Loop Trail. A good part of the trail had only recently been re-graveled. Like many of the parks in this region, rain has done a number on the trails over the last 6 months. They're so water logged that even a week without rain won't dry them out. So, prepare to get a bit muddy. This loop trail also runs close to the highway and gets a bit noisy as a result. The Bay Trail must be a great hike taking you between this and the next bay lake inside the park. I have to imagine the place is an infestation of bugs and mosquitos in summer and I'm convinced it's a hidden gem in winter. Not a soul in sight - not even park staff - a calm lake without a ripple in the water. Silence except for the occasional bird call in the distance or squirrel bounding through the leaves. There are lots of picnicking sites with grills. Boat rentals and put-ins for your own boats. Fishing, swimming and campsites (closed til Spring 2019) with showers. This park is one of a few that I would definitely like to get back to. read more

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The trail was beautiful, clearly marked, and relatively easy for me and my two younger boys (11 and 6). I also really appreciated that there was a 4 mile Bay Trail that could easily be increased to 6.5 - 7 with the Salters Lake Trailer and Cedar Loop Trail. The glistening water viewable at all the outlooks was a nice touch. We hiked the trail in late-October, which made everything even prettier. In addition, the day we went hiking there was a fall festival going on. While we did not participate in the festivities (that looked fun), we did get to enjoy the inconspicuous "stuffed" animals along the way! read more

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This is a nice state park with a swimming area, a pavilion, fields for ball, and kayaking. The water is beautiful and the trees are beautiful, too. I came to a wedding today and the bathrooms were filthy and I didn't feel like there was that much rondo here. I have been to many state parks and this one isn't one of my favorites. There are certain bugs that fly around that are unique to this park that the locals know about. Don't get me wrong- it's a beautiful park. Just not one of the best. read more

Stayed at park for a week in December. 40 ft class A RV at a full hook up site. Very nice park and well maintained. All the sites were spacious and the water pressure was good. Cell coverage for Verizon and TMobile was ok. There is a bath house with hot showers. This would be a great place for any type of camping, tent, boondocking, even or car camping. About 6 miles of trails and a nice picnic area with swimming. Good for bird watching. Close to Elizabethtown it has everything you wold need for a short or longer stay. read more

Jones Lake State Park - Bath house. - Parks Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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Great State Park. We stayed here 3 nights. The sites are really taken care of fire pits are really clean even the gravel sites are close to level. The bath house is really clean, heat and ac and hot water for showers. The trails are nice and maintained wide enough you can pass two abreast. Will definitely return. read more

Put up signs that the entire trail is flooded. Unhelpful attendants, overall very sad. read more

Lovely park. Just be careful you're not in a buddy site. They are too close unless you're traveling with another camper, large sites that are well kept up. We were in a 36' class A motor home with 4 slides. No problems in and out. Roads well maintained. read more

I've been here twice. I walked the entire trail the 2nd time even through the flooded areas! I believe the trail is closed at this time. Here's my video of my trip around there the first time. : https://youtu.be/pfAjxJ-hDZE read more

Really pretty, great little swimming area. The longest hike is five miles. There are grills for a nice day outside but the bugs are insane. Mutant size horseflies and swarms of hungry Mosquitos read more

Jones Lake State Park - Parks Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

Nice hike! Took family (teens & dog) for a day hike... Bay Trail (5-mile loop) around the lake. Trail is flat, well maintained and either gravel or sand. Bugs werent too bad, but would definitly recommended insect repellent! We had a few mosquito bites. Admission to park is free. Restrooms were clean/maintained. Nice picnic area, swimmimg area, fishing pier, boat launch, shelters, sand volleyball and horseshoe pits! Place seemed to have it all... quiet and not crowded at all. We'll definetly be back. read more

Went here a few weekends ago. A very nice park and definitely set-up for summer activities. Did a short hike on a mostly paved trail. I would like to try the entire perimeter of the lake. Very flat trail and good for beginners and kids. read more

Jones Lake State Park - Jones Lake - Parks Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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Great place to kayak. My husband and I love to go kayaking there. It's a state park so it's free to get in. It's clean, not terribly overpopulated, and there's several options. You can rent a canoe or a paddle boat. We bring our own kayaks and have kayaks around the lake. We also attempted to fish but had no success. If you love kayaking in a safe environment you'll love the state park. read more

Jones Lake State Park - My husband kayaking - Parks Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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We, family of two adults and two kids 7 and 3, stayed in the campground over Memorial Day weekend. No complaints about the facilities whatsoever. It was clean and the bathroom was very nice and well kept. Camp sites are well treed and a good distance apart with generous water access. The swimming beach was nice and the restroom shower facilities at the beach were also as clean as possible considering the HEAVY use for the holiday. The water in the lake is very brown with tannins and natural compounds. It's not nasty by any means, but it will stain a light colored bathing suit, so be warned. We had a very loud group camping several spots up from us that were very loud well past the quiet time of 10:00. We called the number on the info sheet we got at check in and quickly got ahold of a live person (at 1am!) It quieted right down quickly after that. We appreciated the quick response, although at least one drive through after quiet time would have been helpful. We liked cruising around the area around the park. Elizabethtown is a nice little place. Everything was closed for the holiday weekend though. read more