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| Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve Welcome Center © Katrena |
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, located 35 miles northwest of Fayetteville in central North Carolina, greets guests with a longleaf pine forest that is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including the rare red-cockaded woodpecker, also known as the Yankee Doodle woodpecker.
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| Longleaf Pine at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve © Katrena |
The park has a welcome center with restrooms. When we visited in the spring of 2020, the welcome center was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the bathrooms were open. The restrooms were clean and well-stocked.
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| Birds at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
A plethora of birds, about 160 species, live in the preserve. We saw red-headed woodpeckers, warblers, sparrows, waxwings, cardinals, and more. Sitting and listening to the birds while eating a picnic lunch was a real treat for us.
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| Self-guided Educational Sign at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
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| Picnic Table at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
Picnic tables are located in several places near the parking lot, including some behind the welcome center near some birdfeeders. Educational signs offer added information about various interests at Weymouth Woods.
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| Hiking Trail at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
We hiked several trails at Weymouth Woods. They were well-maintained, clearly marked, and offered quite a mix of biodiversity. All of the trails we hiked were natural surface and one trail had a short bridge. It was a quiet, serene, peaceful, and enjoyable time for our family.
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| Trail Map at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
Printed trail maps were not available on the day my family visited due to the pandemic, but the park does offer a large map to the right of the welcome center. Visitors are welcome to take pictures of the maps or you might wish to print a trail map at home.
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| Bower's Bog Trailhead © Katrena |
Bower's Bog Trail is a 0.3 mile easy loop that is an easy hike in view of the parking lot. Longleaf pines, ferns, and sassafras were plenteous along this hike.
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| Observational Deck at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve © Katrena |
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| Bench Dedicated to a Beloved Dog Named Liam at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve © Katrena |
Pine Barrens Trail is a mile-long meandering loop trail that is also an easy hike without a lot of steps or steep hills to navigate. An observation deck that offers a view of the back of the welcome center is near one end of the loop.
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| Dragonfly at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
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| Daddy Longlegs at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
We found a wide range of dragonflies, damselflies, plants, and other creatures along this trail and the detour trails we took. If you slow down and really look, you might be surprised at what you can find!
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| Gum Swamp at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
The Gum Swamp Trail is another loop trail that takes a detour off the Pine Barrens Trail. This half mile trail takes hikers along James Creek and a swamp under the canopy of hardwoods.
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| Damselfly at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
For me, it was well worth the detour as the wildlife diversity was quite different and interesting near the swamp.
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| Moccasin Crossing at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
From Gum Swamp Trail, we went 0.1 mile to Moccasin Crossing, which takes hikers to a short bridge over the James River. Hikers who wish to continue on in that direction will find a 1.8 mile loop called Holly Road Trail. My crew turned back and headed back to the Pine Barrens Trail.
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| Carnivorous Plants at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
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| Venous Flytrap at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
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| Pitcher Plant at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
We did manage to find some carnivorous plants, including the venus flytrap and pitcher plant. The venus flytrap in particular is quite rare and only found naturally in the world within about 75 miles of Wilmington, North Carolina. They are federally protected.
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| Plants Along Trails at Weymouth Woods Near Fayetteville © Katrena |
I would highly recommend bug spray for hiking these trails if mosquitoes are out. I would also recommend sunscreen despite the shade as the sun does come through in patches throughout the trails.
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| Flower at Weymouth Woods © Katrena |
We are blessed with lots of beautiful protected natural areas in North Carolina. To keep them beautiful, take only pictures and leave only footprints. Enjoy the time together in nature and make memories!
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| Unusual Plants at North Carolina State Park © Katrena |
For directions, trail maps, information on history and ecology, visit the
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve page on the official North Carolina State Parks web site. You might also wish to see
lists and photos of plants and animals along with their scientific names at the preserve. Looking for educational materials related to Weymouth Woods? Click
here for free teacher resources.
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| Moss at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve © Katrena |
Additional articles by Katrena:
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Travel NC With Kids!
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| Pine Cone at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve © Katrena |
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