Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife
57 acres0.3 mi of trail
Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Tyrrell County Courthouse · Photo: HarmonyReignPope · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Columbia
8% of Columbia’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
8% of Columbia’s land is conserved, about 63 acres. 5 acres are parks and preserves, 6.6 per 1,000 residents. 3.0 miles of mapped trail cross Columbia, 2.4 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
8%
63 acres · of 1.2 sq mi of land
Trails
3.0 mi
2.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
5 ac
6.6 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, with 0.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
63 conserved acres
8% of Columbia’s land. Who manages Columbia’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service123 ac
Town or city1 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 123 acLocal Park · 1 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 123 | Restricted |
| Columbia Town Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
Things to do
9 places to go in Columbia
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Columbia
6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Columbia
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Columbia
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
1 named trail
Named trails
Unpaved · 0.6 mi
Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk0.6 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
2Basketball
2Baseball
1Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Columbia: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.7 |
| High (°F) | 53 | 55 | 62 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 88 | 87 | 82 | 73 | 63 | 56 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 6.0 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Columbia →
Questions about parks and trails in Columbia
Where can I hike in Columbia?
The longest trail networks: Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Columbia’s trails?
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and Kitty Hawk Woods don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Columbia?
11,902 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Columbia or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Columbia neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →