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William B Umstead State Park
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State Park Overview |
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Tucked between the growing cities of Raleigh, Cary, Durham and the corporate world of Research Triangle Park is an oasis of tranquility, a peaceful haven?William B. Umstead State Park.
Here, two worlds merge as the sounds of civilization give way to the unhurried rhythm of nature. Highways fade in the distance as trees, flowers, birds and streams form a more natural community. William B. Umstead is a place to escape the pressures of everyday life, a place to picnic in the pines, to wait for a fish to bite, to take a hike or horseback ride on trails through the woods.
Divided into two sections, Crabtree Creek and Reedy Creek, this 5,439-acre park is easily accessible from Interstate 40 and US 70. Visit William B. Umstead State Park and enjoy this region of wilderness at the citys doorstep.
Park hours
November-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Park office hours
8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Closed Christmas Day
Visitors center hours
November-February, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
March-October, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day |
Camping |
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Tent/Trailer camping
Stay a while and take time to enjoy the park. The tent/trailer campground is open Thursday through Monday, March 15 to December 15. Twenty-eight campsites, well-shaded by a hardwood forest, offer picnic tables and grills. Hookups are not available, but drinking water and restrooms with showers are centrally located. The campsites are available on a first-come basis for a modest fee.
Primitive group camping
Two primitive campgrounds are open year round for organizations and nonprofit groups that want a more rugged camping experience. Reservations are required for use of these campgrounds.
The youth tent camp offers tent sites, a pit privy and running water. The camp accommodates up to 25 people.
Group camping
Three group camps?Camp Crabtree, Camp Lapihio and Camp Whispering Pines?are available to youth groups and nonprofit organizations. Each camp includes a mess hall, dining area, camper and staff cabins and washhouses. Located in the heart of the woodlands, each camp offers ample opportunity to explore the wonders of nature. Swimming in Sycamore and Reedy Creek lakes is a popular group activity. Groups are responsible for providing swimming supervision and water safety.
Group camps are open April through October and may be rented daily in spring and fall or weekly during the summer. Accommodating between 27 and 120 people, an entire camp may be rented or a unit of cabins may be rented. Fees vary accordingly. A minimum of 10 people is required to rent a group camp or unit. Reservations for the group camps must be made in writing. Contact the park office to obtain reservation forms and fee information. |
Trails |
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Picnicking |
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Take a picnic in the park tables, grills and scenery are provided free of charge. A pine/hardwood forest forms a canopy for 40 picnic tables in the Crabtree Creek section. Reedy Creek offers 25 tables scattered under the trees. Drinking water, restrooms and parking are conveniently located nearby.
Crabtree Creek has two shelters for group picnics. One shelter accommodates up to 100 people the second is for smaller gatherings of 20 people or less. A fireplace in each shelter offers an ideal setting for cool-weather dining. There are two shelters with fireplaces at Reedy Creek. One accommodates 125 people and has an attached stone deck the second accommodates 60 people and is accessible. Umsteads picnic shelters are extremely popular, so reservations are suggested. Use of the shelters is free of charge unless reservations are made. |
Boating |
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Fishing and Hunting |
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Three manmade lakes are part of the picturesque beauty of William B. Umstead State Park. The largest is Big Lake, which lies on Sycamore Creek. From the parking lot in the Crabtree Creek section, a broad gravel path leads to this 55-acre body of water. Further downstream is Sycamore Lake and, near the intersection of Crabtree and Reedy creeks, is Reedy Creek Lake. Sycamore and Reedy Creek lakes cover about 25 acres each.
Anglers will enjoy casting a line at William B. Umstead State Park. Fishing is permitted in each of the three lakes and in the connecting streams. Common catches include bass, bluegill and crappie. Regulations of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are enforced. |
History of the Area |
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Long before the first settlers, the area now known as William B. Umstead State Park was an untamed land. American bison, elk, bobcats and wolves roamed majestic forests of oak, hickory and beech. Native Americans later inhabited the land and avenues of trade were developed nearby. Such avenues included the Occoneeche trail to the north and the Pee Dee trail to the south. In 1774, land grants opened the area for settlement.
Forests were cleared as agricultural interests sprouted. While early farming efforts were successful, poor cultivation practices and one-crop production led to depletion and erosion of the soil. During the Depression, farmers made futile attempts to grow cotton in worn-out soil around Crabtree Creek.
In 1934, under the Resettlement Administration, federal and state agencies united to buy 5,000 acres of this submarginal land to develop a recreation area. The Civilian Conservation Corps, as well as the Works Progress Administration, helped construct the site while providing much needed jobs. Four camps along with day-use and picnic facilities were built and the park opened to the public in 1937.
The state purchased this area, known as Crabtree Creek Recreation Area, for $1, and more facilities were built as the General Assembly made its first state parks division appropriation in the 1940s. In 1950, more than 1,000 acres of the park were established as a separate park for African-Americans. This area was named Reedy Creek State Park. Crabtree Creek Recreation Area was renamed a few years later after former Governor William Bradley Umstead because of his conservation efforts. In 1966, the Crabtree Creek and Reedy Creek areas were united under the same name William B. Umstead State Park was open to everyone. |
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More Info | |
Carolina Recreation Sites. Home. Carolina Locator Map. Rec Sites Index. Lodging Locator Map. Menu. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I-J. K-L. M. N. O. P-Q. R. S. T. U-V. W. X-Y-Z. William B Umstead State... | |
Umstead Coalition. Join Us. Make a Donation. Volunteer. Merchandise. About Us. Contacts Mission Why Were Here. Celebration for Umstead (formerly Umstead Festival) News. Alerts Newsletter ... | |
The Umstead Coalition is dedicated to the appreciation, use and preservation of William B. Umstead State Park and the Richland Creek natural area. The 16 partner organizations and individual... | |
The official website for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation provides information about and services of the state parks system and related division programs. William B. Umstead State Park. |
Nature Programs |
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Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about William B. Umstead State Park.
To arrange a special exploration of William B. Umstead State Park for your group or class, contact the park office.
Educational materials about William B. Umstead State Park have been developed for grades 3-5 and are correlated to North Carolinas competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The William B. Umstead program introduces students to resource management, from land-use practices that can destroy natural resources to proper land management, restoration, and preservation. Major concepts covered include forces and causes of erosion and sedimentation, erosion and sedimentation laws, resource management and stewardship. Accompanying the program is a teachers booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. |
Area Attractions |
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Exhibit HallGain a better understanding of the natural and cultural history of the land that is now William B. Umstead State Park by visiting the parks exhibit hall. A series of interactive exhibits, oral histories and images by the celebrated Depression-era photographer Carl Mydans guides visitors through the parks transformation from exhausted farmland in the early 20th century to the dynamic Piedmont forest that exists today. The exhibit hall opened in July, 2001.
Exhibits include
* "This Old Farmland Has Stories to Tell" which uses oral histories of past residents to describe daily life on what was once hardscrabble farmland.
* "Mills and the Community" depicts a replica of one of several gristmills found in the park.
* "Park Construction" tells about the selection of the land as a public works project to be called Crabtree Creek Recreational Demonstration Area, and the beginnings of the reclamation of the land by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
* "The Kingdom Game" is a computer interactive exhibit that invites visitors to consider the effects of development and preservation.
* "The Urban Oasis" shows changes on the land that became the park through a series of aerial photographs.
* Another series of exhibits describes the natural history of the land including stories of weather, soil and wildlife habitats.
The exhibit hall is located in the park visitors center and is open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Closed Christmas Day.
Cycling
Umstead State Park is one of the few state parks offering trails for bicycling. The mountain-bike trails follow the same roads as the bridle trails and are entered at the same points. Bike trailhead parking is also available down Sycamore Road past Maple Hill Lodge. Mountain bikes are prohibited on the hiking trails. |
Area Fishing Related Businesses | | Northern Bait & Tackle
5917 N Roxboro Rd
Durham, NC
(919) 477-4605
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Directions to William B. Umstead State Park William B. Umstead State Park is located in Wake County between Raleigh and Durham.
The Crabtree Creek section is located 10 miles northwest of Raleigh off US 70. The park visitor?s center and camping facilities are located in this section. From I-40, turn northeast on I-540 and take the US 70 exit. Travel southeast on US 70, and turn right on Umstead Parkway, which leads to the park office and visitor?s center.
The entrance to the Reedy Creek section is 11 miles west of Raleigh off I-40. From I-40, take the Harrison Avenue exit and travel northeast into the park. |
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William B Umstead State Park
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