RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s state parks system saw a record number of visitors last year.
The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources says 22.8 million visitors entered the system’s 41 parks, recreation areas and natural areas, according to a report.
That’s a 15% increase from the 19.8 million visitors in 2020, when visits surged as more people sought outdoor activities amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jockey’s Ridge State Park was 2021′s most visited park with more than 1.8 million guests.
The second most frequented park, Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, saw 84% growth from its nearly 877,000 visitors in 2020.
The 2021 numbers reflect even greater interest among the public to visit even after Covid-19 vaccines had become widely available.
