| Lake Waccamaw State Park | |
| Iucn Category: | III |
| Map: | USA North Carolina#USA |
| Relief: | 1 |
| Location: | Columbus County, North Carolina, United States |
| Nearest City: | Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina |
| Coordinates: | 34.2594°N -78.4681°W |
| Coords Ref: | [1] [2] |
| Area Acre: | 2398 |
| Elevation: | 43feet |
| Established: | 1976 |
| Named For: | Lake Waccamaw |
| Governing Body: | North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation |
Lake Waccamaw State Park is a North Carolina state park in Columbus County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near the town of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, it covers 2398acres, along the shores of Lake Waccamaw, a Carolina bay. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier.[3] Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages.
Lake Waccamaw State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain.