Trail Map
About the State Trail
The Roanoke River State Trail is a paddling trail. It begins at Roanoke Rapids and follows the river to the Albemarle Sound. Then it extends northward to additional accesses in Chowan County. The namesake river has been called "the Amazon of North Carolina." It meanders through the northern Coastal Plain. But paddling through the river is a unique wilderness experience. It travels through the largest and least disturbed bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem in the mid-Atlantic. The eastern end of the river offers some day trip opportunities. Most paddlers, though, need to be prepared for a multi-day journey. Some animals you might see on your expedition include bears, beavers, river otters, white-tailed deer, bobcats, and over 200 bird species. Overhead are ancient bald cypress and tupelo trees.
Camping platforms are iconic to the river, allowing paddlers to spend the night along the water. The RRST trail markers feature a tent and one of the platforms. Reservations are required to use these campsites.
Trail Use
Partner Organization
The Roanoke River Partners is a nonprofit organization with members from each of the five counties that the Roanoke River flows through. One of the RRP's first and biggest projects was to create a paddle / camping trail along the river and its creeks that would increase awareness of the treasure that is the Roanoke, and build infrastructure for small businesses like guides, outfitters, and many others in the region, new and old. Visitors can trace the curves of the Roanoke and its tributaries, discovering the variety of wildlife and habitats it offers and enjoying the unique experience of spending a night (or more) in the breathtaking beauty of its moss-draped back swamps. The RRP brought eco-tourism to the Roanoke.
About Partner Organizations
The legislation that created the Complete the Trails program requires that funds be distributed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation to a nonprofit partner for each trail. To be the recognized partner, an organization must have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Division and an approved 3- to 5-year plan for deploying the funds to develop the state trail.
As part of the Complete the Trail Program, each state trail partner organization was required to submit a five-year plan, outlining priorities and goals until 2027 for their trail. Excerpts from the plan are outlined below.
Capacity Building Fund Projects:
Capacity building funds will be used to support a regional and a paddle trail coordinator. Duties of this coordinator will include: program development and administration, maintenance of records and documents related to the Complete the Trail Fund projects on the RRST, volunteer recruitment and training, marketing and communications, search for additional grant funding, and paddle trail promotion.
Priority CTP Projects:
- Camping platform repair / renovation
- Campsite(s) construction at RRP Mile Markers 35, 44, 50, and 85
- Town of Hamilton boat ramp – floating dock and kayak rack at RRP Mile Marker 72
- Rosenwald Visitor Center renovations at RRP Mile Marker 72
| Estimated cost for all RRST priority projects | $1,030,000 |
|---|---|
| Estimated cost for all RRST projects | $1,000,000+ |
| CTP allocation for RRST | $507,375 |
Banner photo: Camping platforms on the Roanoke River