Croatan National Forest
| Croatan National Forest | |
|---|---|
View from Patsy Pond Nature Trail, in the Croatan National Forest. | |
| Location | Craven / Carteret / Jones counties, North Carolina, United States |
| Nearest city | Havelock, NC |
| Coordinates | 34°54′52″N 77°03′23″W / 34.914441°N 77.056446°W |
| Area | 159,885 acres (647.03 km2) |
| Established | July 29, 1936 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Croatan National Forest |
The Croatan National Forest (/ˈkroʊətæn/) is a U.S. National Forest, was established on July 29, 1936, and is located on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, a part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The forest is managed together with the other three North Carolina National Forests (Nantahala, Pisgah, and Uwharrie) from common headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina. However, Croatan has a local ranger district office in New Bern.
In 2023, more than 32,000 acres burned in the Great Lakes Fire, which began on April 19 and continued until heavy rains in June.