Back to Explore
State park

Lea Island State Natural Area

North Carolina

About

Lea Island State Natural Area is a 27-acre park in North Carolina, about 2.8 miles from the town of Topsail Beach. It is a small, protected piece of land, and its modest size makes it a short stop rather than a full-day destination. For comfortable weather, spring and fall are the best times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Surf City put May highs around 78°F and October highs around 74°F. Midsummer highs there typically reach the upper 80s. To add some hiking to a visit, Hogans Trail lies about 5.6 miles away, and Corbett Spur Trail is roughly 5.9 miles off.

Park size

27 acres

Loading conditions...
Get Directions

Location

Lea Island State Natural Area

North Carolina

Data source: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (Protected Areas Database, public domain)

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Mar–Jun. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–84°F and lows of 40–68°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Surf City, NC weather station, 9.8 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan55° high34° low
  2. Feb57° high36° low
  3. Mar63° high40° low
  4. Apr72° high50° low
  5. May78° high59° low
  6. Jun84° high68° low
  7. Jul87° high71° low
  8. Aug87° high70° low
  9. Sep82° high65° low
  10. Oct74° high54° low
  11. Nov66° high43° low
  12. Dec59° high36° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Topsail Beach, North Carolina · 2.8 mi

Source: USGS GNIS populated places

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Best time to visit Lea Island State Natural Area

Best months: September–June. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    55° / 34°

  2. Feb

    57° / 36°

  3. Mar

    63° / 40°

  4. Apr

    72° / 50°

  5. May

    78° / 59°

  6. Jun

    84° / 68°

  7. Jul

    87° / 71°

  8. Aug

    87° / 70°

  9. Sep

    82° / 65°

  10. Oct

    74° / 54°

  11. Nov

    66° / 43°

  12. Dec

    59° / 36°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Surf City, NC, 9.8 mi away at 24 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.