Jones Lake State Park has tea-dark water and a shape scientists still argue about

It’s one of the state’s quietest swims

Jones Lake State Park spreads across 2,208 acres in Bladen County, about 40 miles southeast of Fayetteville.

Two natural lakes sit at the center of it all, Jones Lake and Salters Lake, and both fill oval-shaped depressions called Carolina bays.

Scientists still argue over how these bays formed, though recent research points to ancient lakes shaped during a colder, windier climate thousands of years ago.

The park draws small crowds and moves at a slow pace, and the water has a color you won’t expect.

Black families gathered here long before integration

The land around Jones Lake was farmland before the federal government bought it in the 1930s.

Workers built a recreation center with a beach and bathhouse, and the park opened in 1939 as the first North Carolina state park to welcome Black visitors.

For decades, families came back for reunions, picnics and church gatherings along the shore.

The state didn’t integrate its parks until the 1960s, which makes Jones Lake’s early history all the more significant to the people who kept coming back.

The water looks like sweet tea but it’s clean

Jones Lake covers about 224 acres, and the water runs brown. Tannins from cypress trees and bay leaves stain it the color of tea, but the lake is clean.

It only reaches about eight feet deep at its lowest point, so sunlight warms the whole thing through.

A sandy beach lines part of the shore, and the shallow bottom means you can wade out a good distance before the water reaches your waist. The dark color throws people off, but the lake is gentle once you’re in.

Wade into the warmest swim in the county

A sandy beach sits along the lakeshore with a designated swim area. The shallow water heats up fast in summer, and the calm surface barely moves.

Pine and cypress trees shade the grassy area just behind the sand, so you can dry off without baking in the sun. Kids wade in the shallows while adults float farther out.

If you’ve had enough of crowded public pools and loud waterparks, this is the opposite of that.

Paddle past cypress trees standing in the water

The park boathouse rents canoes and paddleboats during the warm season, roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day. You can also bring your own small boat and launch it from the ramp.

Motors over 10 horsepower aren’t allowed, so the lake stays quiet.

Out on the water, you pass pond cypress trees growing right up from the shallows, their trunks dark and their branches hung with moss. The surface sits flat most mornings, and your paddle is the loudest thing out there.

Cast a line in water most fish can’t handle

The lake runs acidic, which limits what can survive in it. But yellow perch, chain pickerel and catfish do just fine here.

You can fish from the shore, the pier or a small boat launched from the ramp. The quiet shoreline gives you room to spread out without bumping elbows with other anglers.

Most mornings, you’ll hear frogs and birds before you hear another person. Bring your own gear and settle in for a slow, patient kind of fishing.

Walk four miles around the entire lake

The Bay Trail loops four miles around Jones Lake and takes you through dense lakeside plants, boggy ground and stretches of tall pond cypress draped in Spanish moss.

Wooden boardwalks carry you over the wet spots where the trail dips close to the water.

Short side paths break off toward open views across the lake, and you can stop to watch for birds and turtles along the way. The trail stays flat, so the distance is the only challenge.

Two shorter trails worth your time

The Cedar Loop Trail runs about a mile near the visitor center and passes through groves of Atlantic white cedar, which is actually a type of cypress. The leaves give off a woodsy scent as you walk through.

If you want a second lake, the Salters Lake Trail spurs off the Bay Trail and covers about a mile to reach Salters Lake. Boardwalks and footbridges cross the wetter sections on both paths, so your shoes stay dry.

Look for white paint on the pine trunks

The park’s longleaf pines hold nesting sites for the rare red-cockaded woodpecker.

Rangers mark trees with active nest holes using white paint, and you can spot these along the Bay Trail and Salters Lake Trail.

The bird is more common in the Sandhills region farther west, so finding one here is a good catch. Quiet hikers who move slowly through the pine stands have the best shot.

Stop, listen and scan the bark before moving on.

Bears, swans and wood ducks call this home

Black bears live in the park’s woods and wetlands, though you’re more likely to see their tracks than the bears themselves.

White-tailed deer, rabbits and wild turkey move through the forest, and the lake pulls in wood ducks year-round. In winter, tundra swans show up at Salters Lake.

Closer to the ground, box turtles, frogs and lizards cross the trails on warm days. Early morning and dusk are your best windows for watching.

Cypress, pine and the bays that named the bay

Pond cypress trees grow right in the shallow water, their trunks wrapped in Spanish moss. On the higher, sandy ground, longleaf pine and Atlantic white cedar take over.

Sweet bay, loblolly bay and red bay trees grow here too, and they’re the reason these formations are called Carolina bays. The boggy ground beneath them is called a pocosin, with acidic soil that supports few flowers.

The park uses controlled burns to keep this rare plant community alive.

Camp under the pines with 20 quiet sites

The park runs 20 wooded campsites, each with a picnic table and grill. Six of those sites have full RV hookups for electric, water and sewer.

A bathhouse with showers and drinking water sits nearby, so you don’t have to rough it too hard. A group campsite handles organized groups if you’re planning something bigger.

Every site sits among the trees, so you get shade and privacy without stacking on top of your neighbors.

Visit Jones Lake State Park in North Carolina

You’ll find Jones Lake State Park at 4117 N.C. 242 N. in Elizabethtown, about 40 miles southeast of Fayetteville in Bladen County. Day use is free.

Fees apply for boat rentals, camping and facility reservations. The boathouse and concession stand operate seasonally, roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Park hours change by season, and the park closes on Christmas Day. Check the official website before you head out so you know what’s open.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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