Haw River State Park, a 1,485-acre park in the Browns Summit area spanning Guilford and Rockingham counties, opened in 2003 as one of North Carolina’s newer state parks. Unlike many parks centered on broad public recreation, it is defined by environmental education. Its centerpiece, the Summit Environmental Education Center, began as an Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina retreat center before becoming part of the park. Operated by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, the Summit supports overnight programs, training, conferences, and retreats with lodging, meeting rooms, recreational facilities, a 6-acre lake, and hiking trails, giving the park a distinctive role in the state system.