Pondberry Bay Trail Open in Sampson County

Published on November 21, 2025

Sampson County staff alongside many outstanding partner organizations and agencies across the county and throughout North Carolina celebrated the opening of a new section of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail at the Pondberry Bay Plant Conservation Preserve near Roseboro and Salemburg.

Opened in November 2025, the Pondberry Bay Trail is the first publicly accessible natural-surface trail in Sampson County. The trail offers a unique outdoor experience as it winds through longleaf pine forests at every stage of growth from seedlings to mature stands to several areas of bottomland hardwood forests.

In the future, this trail segment will connect as part of the permanent route of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. For now, it is open as a 5.5-mile out-and-back trail with a loop section (a “lollipop” configuration).

Sampson County Parks and Recreation Director Dana Hall also expressed appreciation to the many individuals and partners from different agencies and levels of government whose collaboration helped bring this project to life, creating a space that supports outdoor recreation, nature preservation, and environmental education for residents and visitors alike.

Trail Hours (Daylight Only):

Open from Friday at sunrise through Sunday at sunset.

Public Access (Trailhead Only):

The only public access to the Pondberry Bay Preserve is the trailhead at: 20 Straw Den Lane, Roseboro, NC (off White Woods Rd.)

Coordinates: N34.97538°, W78.47121°

Please note: Entering the preserve from any other location, or outside of the posted hours, is considered trespassing.

For more information, visit Pondberry Bay Trail