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NatureNational & State Parks

Visit A Submerged Enchanted Forest At Merchants Millpond State Park In North Carolina

Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina offers a unique experience with its ancient submerged forest, paddling trails, and various camping options.

Published Aug 19, 2021

Written by 

Robin Jarvis

Whether you grew up in the Tar Heel State or are a frequent visitor, you're likely already smitten by the state's enchanting side, where powerful waterfalls pour down the sides of mountains, breathtaking beaches sprinkle the entire coast with beautiful escapes, and layers of mountains blanket the landscape with sheets of graduating colors. But there's more, much more - including an enchanted and submerged forest of ancient trees that sits at the focal point of one of North Carolina's most underappreciated state parks.

You have but to make only one visit to Merchants Millpond State Park in Gates County to comprehend the astounding hidden beauty here.

A red canoe glides through a lush, green swamp filled with trees and reflections on the water's surface.
Flickr/Kristy Dactyl

The park is home to a 200-year-old mill pond that once powered a grist mil.

A wooden dock extends into a lush, green swamp surrounded by trees under a clear blue sky.
Google/Henry Francisco

And then, there's Lassiter Swamp, also located within the park and reachable by canoe or kayak.

A kayak glides through a lush, green swamp surrounded by trees under a cloudy sky.
TripAdvisor/markawilson33

Many of the submerged bald cypress trees in Lassiter Swamp are estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be at least 500 years old. Others have estimated they are much older.

Misty swamp scene with cypress trees reflected in still water, surrounded by fog and greenery.
pateilers / iStock / Getty Images Plus Collection via Getty Images

And exploring both the pond and the swamp couldn't be easier.

A canoe at a boat launch area with a sign about camping permits and regulations in a green, wooded setting.
Google/aniket chandak

Visitors are welcome to bring their own canoe or kayak. Or, rent a canoe from the park and prepare for one of the most pleasant paddling experiences ever.

Paddling trails lead from the boat ramp at the visitors center, where you can pick up a paddler's map, or download one here from North Carolina State Parks.

A serene wetland scene with lush greenery, a calm water surface, and a blue sky dotted with clouds.
USGS/Debra Willard (public domain)

To get to Lassiter Swamp, the paddling map will lead you through Bennetts Creek, a dark waterway, to another world in the swamp filled with enormous bald cypress trees all around.

Two people kayak through a serene, lush swamp with tall trees and lily pads under a clear blue sky.
Google/Chris

Merchants Millpond State Park even has a number of tent camping sites that are only reachable by way of a canoe or kayak.

Two kayaks are parked near a campsite with tents and a picnic table surrounded by trees.
TripAdvisor/Robert B

The park also offers tent and trailer camping, group camping sites, backpack camping with hike-in sites next to Lassiter Swamp. In addition, one of the paddle-in sites is a group site with 10 very rustic campsites.

Have you discovered the enchanting and submerged forest at Merchants Millpond State Park yet?

Map showing Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina, with nearby roads and towns labeled.
Google Maps

Learn more with a visit to the official website for North Carolina State Parks. The park is open year round, with hours that very by season. Hours are posted on the website. Admission is free.

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