RALEIGH â North Carolina state parks experienced a record number of visitors in 2020. State parks and recreation areas welcomed 19.8 million visitors last year â 400,000 more than any other year on record and 1.2 million more visitors than in 2019. The previous record for visitation was set in 2017 when the parks welcomed 19.4 million visitors. âAs we came together to face the pandemic, our state parks became a comfort in a time of isolation,â Gov. Roy Cooper said. âThe records set in park visitation show that our outdoor spaces hold even greater value than we could have imagined before the challenges of the last year.â Park staff attribute the increased visitation not only to public recognition that outdoor recreation promotes better health during the pandemic, but also to recently completed Connect N.C. Bond projects at parks across the state. These projects include improved and expanded campground facilities, new trails and visitor centers and improved parking and access.