RALEIGH -- Morrow Mountain State Park added 45 acres of land south of Mountain Creek to its holdings this summer. The new property includes more than 3,000 linear feet of frontage on Mountain Creek, a pristine stream home to rare mussels.

The addition was made possible through a partnership with landowners Ron and Nancy Bryant and LandTrust for Central North Carolina. The site protects a hardwood forest ecosystem with other rare species, including the Carolina Creekshell and timber rattlesnake.

The park will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the acquisition at 10 a.m., July 26 at the lodge adjacent to the park office. Friends of Morrow Mountain State Park will provide refreshments.

“We are thrilled to welcome this addition to Morrow Mountain State Park,” State Park Director Dwayne Patterson said. “This park is beloved by its community and is a treasure trove of beautiful sights and activities—from paddling and fishing on Lake Tillery to picnicking at the top of the highest peak. The new land will attract first-time visitors while giving old friends a new reason to return.”

Funding for the acquisition came from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, Fred and Alice Stanback, and other private donors.

Morrow Mountain State Park offers more than 15 miles of hiking trails and 16 miles of bridle trails from the summit of Morrow Mountain to Lake Tillery, where a boathouse offers canoes and rowboats for rent and bait for fishing. A family campground with 106 sites for tents, trailers and RVs is close by a swimming pool with bathhouse. The park also offers group camping sites, remote backpack camping and rustic vacation cabins.