Special to Iredell Free News
RALEIGH — The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will launch a new website on August 30. The new site will still be accessed at www.ncparks.gov, but will offer many new features including improved navigability, user- and mobile-friendliness and accessibility.
The old state parks website was built in 2015 and was in great need of modernization. Using extensive input from state parks website users and park staff, the new website was developed on Drupal 9 with a focus on providing easier access to the information and tools that users want most. It will be hosted on the North Carolina Digital Commons platform, which prioritizes mobile-first and accessibility and is used by most state agencies.
The division’s mission, “Conservation, Education, Recreation,” will be the starting point for navigation on the new site. A one-click map of the state parks and a “Find a Park Catalog” will allow users to filter by activity, region, facilities and more. The site will also have a new guide for visiting parks with pertinent information about pets, fees, family-friendly activities, and accessibility.
Each park’s home page will have up-to-date information about trail status, easier navigation and easy links for camping, activities and facilities. Detailed camping options, a searchable trails chart, information on hosting events at the park and educational materials related to the park’s ecology and history will be offered on each park page.
“We expect this new website will provide a more informative, engaging and productive experience for users and make it easier for them to read and navigate wherever they roam,” said State Parks Director Dwayne Patterson. “Our staff look forward to the new website improving our ability to inform and serve the public,” he said.
Those interested in providing feedback on the new site can email their comments to state.parks@ncparks.gov.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 257,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 22.8 million visitors annually.