Bay Tree Lake State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Bay Tree Lake State Park is a recreational area located in Bladen County, North Carolina.
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Summary
The park is known for its beautiful scenery, diverse wildlife, and numerous outdoor activities. The park has several reasons to visit, such as fishing, boating, swimming, and hiking.
The park has a 65-acre lake that is ideal for fishing, offering anglers the opportunity to catch largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish. The lake is also perfect for boating and swimming. Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards to explore the lake.
Bay Tree Lake State Park is home to several points of interest, including a picnic area, a swimming beach, and a hiking trail. The park's hiking trail is a 1.5-mile loop that takes visitors through a forest of longleaf pines and hardwoods.
The park is also home to several interesting facts about the areas. The park was created in 2016 after the state of North Carolina purchased the land from the National Wild Turkey Federation. The park is named after the bay trees that grow in the area.
The best time to visit Bay Tree Lake State Park is during the summer months, which is the peak season for outdoor activities. The park is also open year-round, and visitors can enjoy the park's beauty during any season.
In summary, Bay Tree Lake State Park is a recreational area that offers visitors an array of outdoor activities, from fishing and boating to hiking and swimming. The park is a great place to explore nature, and visitors can enjoy the park's beauty during any season.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Singletary Lake State Park
Bladen Lakes State Forest Game Land
Whitehall Plantation Game Land
Jones Lake State Park