Bladen Lakes State Forest

Bladen Lakes State Forest is a 33,000-acre forest in Bladen County, the largest forest owned by the North Carolina Forest Service. Bladen Lakes refers to the Carolina bay lakes common in Bladen County. Carolina Bays are mysterious oval-shaped shallow lakes found throughout the coastal plain region. Most of the forest is game land where hunting is permitted. Additionally, there are several state parks in the forest.

Contact Information:

4470 NC Highway 242 North
Elizabethtown, NC 28337

Phone: (910) 588-4964

Email: hans.rohr@ncagr.gov

Parks:

Jones Lake State Park:

Jones Lake State Park protects two Carolina bay lakes, Jones Lake and Salters Lake. There are hiking trails, boat rentals, a swim beach and picnic areas in the park.

Singletary Lake State Park:

Singletary Lake State Park protects one of the deepest Carolina bay lakes at 11.8 feet. The park is primarily open to organized groups, but public access is allowed for hiking, fishing and paddling.

Wildlife:

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is being re-established in the forest to restore the longleaf pine ecosystem that was once dominant.

Blog Entries:

18-Jan-2021: Downtown Roseboro Loop

17-Jan-2021: Singletary & Jones Lakes

16-Jan-2021: Bay Tree Lake

02-Feb-2020: Bladen Lakes Parks

External Links:

NC State Forest Service website: https://www.ncforestservice.gov/BladenLakes/index.htm