Bring your group to experience a hidden gem within North Carolina State Parks. We do not boast of the highest peaks, largest lakes or the most miles of hiking trails but you will enjoy amazing sunsets, solitude, and memories that will last a lifetime. A unique camping opportunity awaits for the organized group that desires to unplug and unwind in a mysterious Carolina bay environment.
Camp Ipecac, which accommodates up to 92 persons, was named for the Carolina ipecac herb that readily grows in this sandy environment. The camp layout is spacious and includes private cabins, a sizable mess hall with commercial kitchen and a modern bathhouse. The smaller, but ever so popular, Camp Loblolly Bay accommodates up to 48 persons. This Camp was named after the prevalent evergreen tree that produces white blooms in the summer. Camp Loblolly is fully accessible and contains group cabins, a mess hall with commercial kitchen and a modern bathhouse. Park occupants have been known to spend many hours in the camp as each camp also includes a horseshoe pit, volleyball court, basketball court, and fire pit.
Venturing beyond the camp borders, your group can experience the Carolina bay ecosystem by land or by water. A 1-mile hiking trail will guide you through a forest of bay shrubs, cedar, cypress, gum and alongside the longleaf pine ecosystem. The trail also features spectacular views of the lake and signs that interpret formation theories of Carolina bays. Many hypotheses have been proposed and include theories of underground springs, meteorite impacts, and sinkholes. As of yet, no single explanation has been universally accepted creating the mystery of these oval-shaped depressions. A 500-foot pier which extends into the shallow, mysterious, tea-colored waters is the perfect place for a sunset. Swimming, fishing and sunning are also among favorite pastimes described by visitors. Twelve canoes, located just at the water’s edge, are available to registered campers.
If you are looking for an exclusive, extraordinary place to get a little rest and relaxation, Singletary Lake State Park just may be what you’ve been searching for.
Written by Amy Bernhardt, park ranger at Singletary Lake State Park.
North Carolina State Parks 