North Carolina’s Division of Parks and Recreation will raise most campsite reservation fees and all vehicle entrance fees at its three reservoir recreation areas beginning May 1, 2025, the system’s first broad price change since 2019, while day-use access at the vast majority of parks remains free, according to a division press release posted online.
For private campground and RV-park owners, the higher public-sector prices reset travelers’ cost expectations and could funnel overflow demand toward commercial properties that can position themselves as convenient alternatives.
Tent, trailer, or RV sites without hookups inside the state-park system will now cost $20 to $30 a night, while RV sites with full electric, water, and sewer hookups jump to $45. Reservations completed before 11:59 p.m. April 30 will be honored at the old rates.
At Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake recreation areas, entrance fees rise to $10 per vehicle on weekends in April, May, and September and every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Seniors 62 and older, veterans, and active-duty military personnel pay $5 per vehicle. Fees for picnic shelters, swim passes, and equipment rentals remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, private RV parks can reposition their own pricing by adopting dynamic rate calendars that flex premiums on high-demand weekends; bundling add-ons such as firewood delivery, kayak rentals, and late check-out; publishing side-by-side fee-comparison charts that show total costs for a family of four; rolling out loyalty passes that reward repeat stays; and training frontline staff to explain price shifts while emphasizing property upgrades.
For guests who visit multiple times a year, 2026 state-park passes will cost $70 for the Reservoir Annual Pass, which covers only the vehicle entrance fee at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake recreation areas.
The Standard Annual Pass, at $100, and the 4WD Beach Annual Pass, at $200, cover entrance fees, swim fees (six swim passes per day), most equipment rentals (such as one-hour boat rentals at select parks), and the Hammocks Beach ferry, but not every rental at every park. These prices apply to 2026 annual passes, which go on sale later in 2025. Operators offering seasonal or multi-stay packages may find those figures useful as benchmarks.
Marina users will feel similar increases. Transient dockage at Carolina Beach State Park jumps from $36 to $60 per night July 1, and monthly slip rentals will range from $375 for vessels 25 feet or shorter to $550 for boats up to 40 feet, with six- and 12-month discounts eliminated, according to the state’s online fee schedule. Private marinas may consider revisiting their own tiers and contract terms to stay competitive.
The Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 264,000 acres and welcomes over 19 million visitors annually, as of 2025. Officials cited rising maintenance costs and a need to align with market conditions when announcing the increases.
Separately, private campground operators can position themselves as the convenient alternative by triggering geo-targeted ads when campers search for the three reservoir parks, adding real-time waitlists for sold-out nights, offering shuttle or bike rentals that help guests avoid the $10 vehicle fee, bundling overnight stays with guided paddles or s’mores kits, installing self-check-in kiosks to ease same-day arrivals, and highlighting sustainability upgrades that justify higher rates.
The new pricing takes effect May 1, and operators who want to help guests avoid the higher camping rates have until the April 30 booking deadline to market “beat-the-clock” specials.
For full details on every updated and unchanged charge, see the NC Parks fee schedule on the state website.