I started coming to the Beaver Dam entrance of Falls Lake since there is a public beach, as well as access to the lake where you can open water swim. I have been practicing some open water swimming here. It is populated but has plenty of parking, making it feel family friendly and safe. On warmer weekend days I've seen families come out and have a BBQ. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the summer if you do not have access to a pool or can't make it down to the beach. read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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It's always nice going out to the Falls Lake area to hike. There are many trails for that and for mountain biking too. Some of the trails are easy while others more challenging. Some off shoot trails go along the shorelines and people come out here to fish or put a kayak in the water. There are plenty of birds and other wildlife to watch in the lake areas. Just a historical note. The Falls Lake area is part of the Neuse River system and is the main supply of water for Raleigh & Durham. It was created in the 70s to supply drinking water for a quickly expanding area of the state. Many valley, farms, and pasture lands were flooded to create it. In times of drought it's not uncommon for the top of an old barn to be seen in the water. read more

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A group of 10 friends rented a boat to celebrate 4th of July on the lake. We had perfect weather and the lake never disappoints. Even though it was a holiday, the lake is so big and has so many "fingers" to explore, it didn't feel crowded. Such a great day out with friends enjoying this beautiful area. read more

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Beautiful relaxing scenery - winding road to water -just an amazing experience - the water was calm & blue- just gorgeous! read more

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Visited for the first time and we had a great time. In our trip to NC we found this park with 2 swimming areas for the lake. We stopped at the Sandling beach area which again is a man made "beach" to swim at the lake. No life guard but the do have life vest if you need too. They have plenty tables and bbq to use . Bathroom were clean but dark. The entrance was $7 per car. And the open from 8am-9pm. read more

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This park provides a great, safe outdoor space to spend time with others. From rentable picnic shelters to the Sanderling beach and various fishing spots, the state has done a great job making sure the parks stay clean for visitors. We recently used one of their Beaver Dam shelters to host a socially-distanced event, and enjoyed the use of the outdoor fireplace and grills. There were plenty of picnic tables to safely enjoy the company of others and the bathrooms attached to the shelters make it easy to spend a long afternoon there. read more

Great little gem of a state park. This location off Creedmoor Road outside Raleigh has a nice beach that prohibits motorized watercraft. Makes it a great place for kids to wade in shallow water and beginning kayakers and paddleboarders to get practice. read more

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This is a nice park but a little far away from us. We had never been here before but were interested in the First Day Walk on new year's day. We entered what was listed as the address into our smartphone and it actually took us to a little parking lot before the main gate. Had we known better, we would have driven further into the park. We enjoyed a nice hike up to the lake but the official ranger-led walk was just starting and we didn't want to hike much further so we explored one path and then headed back. We got into our car and did drive around to look at the marina and other areas. There are plenty of picnic shelters and hiking trails. There are also reserved camping spaces, but they may be only for warmers months. read more

We love Falls. The non-motorized section at Beaverdam is a great place to kayak or standup paddle board.

Beautiful area, not too far from home. Many nice areas for hiking, picnicking, and camping. There are several places to launch boats and other water vehicles, as well as rentals (canoes, kayaks, etc). The marina is spacious. Look forward to spending more time there! read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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This seems like it would be one of many cool lakes within a short drive from RDU to visit in the warmer months. However I was quite disappointed to find the park office closed on weekends, of all times, in the off season. I can't imagine why they would choose that pattern for closures in the off season as I imagine most visitors would be here on the weekends then. It seems in any case it could be due to lack of staffing as I saw a "now hiring" sign out by the road. In any case, the views were nice. I got here so early that I even got to watch the fishermen slowly trickle in to their favorite spots on the shoreline. It was a windy day after a rain front and we all know it can be brutal on or by a lake on such a day. Just outside the park entrance is another parking area for the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST). I parked there and hiked into the woods (after piling up a good bit of trash from litterbugs that must have recently visited). I did about three miles on this pleasant trail that was very quiet and cut through one side of the park, although mostly without lake views. Public service announcement to dog owners: if you can't control them, leash them! Even if they aren't aggressive, nobody needs their dirty paw prints on their clothes! Otherwise a good hike and quiet park in the off season. read more

What a beautiful Lake! A great place to stop by to read a book or just take in nature. I've visited the part by the main building but haven't had a chance to fully explore from edge to edge. Lots of parking and quiet, especially on a weekend. I look forward to visiting again when the weather gets warmer. If you want a place to listen to the sounds of nature, this is the place to visit! read more

Lots of great activities to do at this park! The lake is actually a man made reservoir with over 12k acres. There are different access areas for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, boating and swimming. Our goal was to do some hiking and exploring. The trail we took was pretty easy to navigate, although a bit mushy and water logged after all the rain we had. This being the first glimpse of sunshine in awhile, there were lots of families with the same idea. No fees for parking during off season. They start charging by car load on Memorial Day. Check their website as they do close some of the access points for high water levels. All in all, a pretty park with lots of wildlife and scenic views of the lake. read more

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Wow! We stayed at Holly Point in Loop 5 and absolutely loved it. We unfortunately only had one night but want to come back ASAP. Clean bathrooms. Spacious, shaded and LARGE sites, super impressed with this. We only paid $30 for a site with water for our RV and had so much room for activities in our site alone. Looking forward to going back to explore! read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Picnic table view - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

We were SO impressed with Falls Lake last weekend! Honestly, it was as much fun as a day at the beach. The beach was very nice, big enough, had two bathrooms, easy parking, and it was only $7 per car to get in! We will be back many, many times now that we've seen how awesome this location is! Edited to add: We went again on a hot day and the beach was really dirty with trash. :( While I don't blame staff for this, it is disappointing that people forget how to pick up after themselves. We just went again in July 2018 and had another great day! It was only $6 to get in! read more

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Falls Lake is my family's current favorite spot for killing time over the weekend. We've explored different beach areas of the park including Rolling View, Beaver Dam, and Sandling Beach. Each one has its own feel to it, but with similar amenities. Only $7 per car and it tires out the little one? Sign me up! Each area has a playground more appropriate for older kids rather than toddlers. There are restrooms with changing areas. For those with kiddos in diapers, there are no changing tables so come prepared. The restrooms have always been very surprisingly clean each time I've ventured in. There are also areas to spray off so that you don't track sand back into your car. Each area has picnic shelters and picnic tables though the shelters require reservations. I love that lifejackets are free and accessible to all to use, but there are no lifeguards on duty. Rolling View has a campground nearby for RVs and primitive sites. There is a small beach area, but the sand is not as well kept as the other two areas that we've explored. This area seems to be the most quiet of the three, but has a nice paved trail to a fishing dock that's fun to explore. Beaver Dam is our favorite because the area is blocked off from motor boats. There is a launch for flatwater boats and boards near the beach which is a fun spectator sport. This beach is a little less accessible because of the somewhat winding hill down to the beach. There is a sidewalk that winds down, but is something to consider for those with little kids or mobility concerns. The beach is a decent size, and it's always been clean when we've ventured to it. Sandling Beach is the largest beach, the most accessible, and the busiest. There are some charcoal grills near the parking lot that make it easy to tailgate from. The water can be a bit choppier here compared to the other areas, but that's fun for older kids. The beach was kind of dirty with trash though the last time that we went, which is really unfortunate. read more

Great place for all types of outdoor activities. I love taking the pups and hiking the many trails.

Fishing near Raleigh on Halloween sounded like a cool idea; until we got there at dusk. Dusk in a woodsy area makes the intro for many a murder movie. So we stopped to look; no fishing for us. At least ten other fisherman were packing it in as we arrived. Bring older (okay quiet) kids to fish or your favorite fishing buddies. This lake is for the fisherman. Beautiful spot surrounded by North Carolina trees made me love it here even more. read more

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Beautiful park. Stayed four nights there at Holly Point campground. The campground has excellent, well-maintained campsites. Picnic table, fire ring, hanging pole. All the sites are nicely spaced with ample privacy. Despite hilly terrain, sites are level. The bathroom facilities were average. Toilets cleaned frequently, but sinks not in full working order. The showers slightly below average. During my stay, the men's was blistering hot, while women's was cool, with no ability to adjust. Enjoyed hiking the Holly Point trail. Plenty of beach opportunities throughout park. Impressed that park offers easy access to life jackets at main beach. Will likely return during future visits to area. read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Campsite - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

It was a nice campground. Clean, not one drop of litter at the site. Plenty of things to do. Large and private site. No complaints there. Rather unusual nitpick though... the rangers, who I was warned in other reviews are very... shall we say, PROACTIVE... are hassling people over traffic violations in the campground. I was stopped for not wearing my seatbelt. Of course, I WAS wearing my seat belt, I just had taken it off because I was nearing the campsite. Nice that the rangers are there when you need to complain about some inconsiderate people but it's sort of a blessing and a curse if you know what I mean. I noticed other people getting pulled over too. Inside the flippin campground! (pics) read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - The rangers at the campground would like to remind you to follow all the traffic laws or u will get a ticket! Annoying tho seriously. - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

Went in for a few hours to check this place out and to see what their camping facilities were like. Found restrooms that were well kept, toilets flush & real toilet paper too! There are changing rooms in the women's bathroom, there are only outside showers to wash the lake stink off & sand between the toes. The camping areas were nice & look like they will fit almost any RV or travel trailer, also saw people in tents. There was also a small playground near the swim beach with a tire swing! read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

My High School reunion weekend included a picnic at the Falls Lake State Recreation Center - Beaverdam section. Entrance is clearly marked on Hwy 50. The picnic shelter reserved for us had ample room for us to eat and enjoy our conversations. The lake was a short walk and a lovely view. Shelter had its own designated parking area plus restrooms. Facility was neat, well maintained, and clean. During the season, there is a charge for every vehicle that enters the park. While I wasn't thrilled about paying $6 to enter the park, I believe the charge is necessary for park upkeep. read more

We had a great time at Falls Lake. We went to Sanderling beach and you pay a set price per vehicle. It is $5 for seniors and $7 for non-seniors. Parking was ample in the morning. You bring your own chairs, blankets, picnics and swimming gear and set up shop where you would like. The trees added lots of shade. There are restrooms and changing cabins and also showers. The lake water was very warm and I had no idea this little lake beach existed here in NC. It was quiet and a great place to bring your family for the day. You can also grill and or bring a picnic. The park rangers monitor the area and parking and we had a very nice day. read more

Camping at Holly Point... We have found our new favorite campground. Huge sites. Immaculately maintained. Friendly staff. Quiet. Peaceful. After a summer full of being crammed into commercial campgrounds and literally being able to reach out and touch our neighbors, Falls Lake Holly Point is exactly what the doctor ordered. The sites are immaculate and huge. Trash cans are at each site pair and are promptly emptied each morning. Fire pits are cleaned after each check out. The campground loops are paved and very well maintained. Sites are level. Other than the lack of a camp store to sell firewood and ice, there is absolutely nothing that I can criticize about this campground. Like the vast majority of state parks, there are no sewer hook-ups, so being your portable dump tank (get one if you don't have one!!!). But, I'd give this campground 10 stars if I could. It is truly camping, but with A/C and water, and close enough to Raleigh to pick up 40 TV channels with an antenna. The perfect glamping spot! read more

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I did the Falls Lake Trail from Bayleaf Church Rd. It was a nice trail. Found an old vehicle on the trail and some art work. I can't remember how long the hike was but I think it was about 5-6 miles out and back. Here's the video: https://youtu.be/Dbw8a_BIADY read more

Falls Lake is the premier day-trip vacation destination and one of our favorites places to visit for a bit of R&R. There is so much to offer at this breathtaking nature extravaganza a mere 40 minutes north of Raleigh! We've stopped in for a relaxing afternoon on the beach, grilling with friends for special occasions, weekend-long camping trips with group of families, and have even participated in fascinating guided tours! There are several beaches that offer swimming, playgrounds and picnic shelters... Rolling View offers hot showers. There are wonderful trails that lead off from the beaches, so there is plenty of opportunity to explore! The camping facilities are excellent. Most sites have a water source close by with trashcans, easy access to restrooms, and even beach and boating access. We have particularly enjoyed the group sites which allows for multiple families to pitch tents or park RV's without feeling too cramped. These sites are more private, which is great for groups of kids that want to play hide-n-seek until dark! I believe that reservations for individual camping sites are plentiful, but group sites need to be booked months in advance. I would also recommend a guided tour or event.They might not be readily available, or they just might be posted closer to event time, but we went on a fascinating guided tour of migrating birds with special access to the private trails for species preservation. We had the opportunity to see unique habitats built especially to attract and support a variety of birds and other wildlife. Bring a a boat and fish until your hearts content! Hike, swim, grill, or just lay in the sand for a bit of sun. Falls Lake has it all! read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Picnic area at Sandling Beach - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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I'll write more after experiencing more of the park, but for now I'll focus on the spot I've been to a couple of times now: Sandling Beach. Sandling is a man-made beach on a Falls Lake. There's ample parking and grassy areas on the two sides of the sand, with grills there for your enjoyment. (For what it's worth, I haven't yet been to Sandling and found those grills not being used, so you probably need to get there pretty early to snag 'em!) With the actual beach more than 2 hours away, Sandling is a great alternative when you've had enough of your community pool and staring at your neighbors in their swimsuits. It's a VERY family friendly place - good fun for all ages. There's not an admission fee for the beach per se, but there is a $6 parking fee for your car. The good news, however, is that if you hang on to your receipt you're able to leave and come back... very helpful should you run out of soda, etc. I make a point of saying "soda" because, sorry folks, alcoholic beverages aren't permitted! (Although I'd be shocked if someone told me that festive beverages have never been cleverly smuggled in.) No pets are allowed on the beach either... however, I have seen folks camp out on the grass that butts up to the sand with their dogs, and they just tie 'em off when they want to go into the water for a few. Folks with kids, take note: There's no lifeguard present, but since it's a lake, there are no waves to contend with... nor are there sharp shells on which the kiddies can cut their feet. There are also life jackets provided right on the beach for your use. read more

Now that's more like it! I am a california girl and these NC muddy lakes scare the crud outta me! If I can not see the bottom I am not going in, and if there isn't sand under my feet I am also not going in! This place is massive and has great areas to walk, swim, bike, picnic, grill, etc. We spent almost all of our last summer here with the dogs because it is pretty nice and not as far away as the ocean!! read more

4 stars. We stopped by here for camping one night midweek. The park was largely empty, the bathrooms clean and there was plenty of kindling at the site - something that makes the experience pleasant. Most of the sites have gravel so using a tent can be a bit rough and pokey on the back. There are some sties that have a decent amount of grass that makes for a softer bed - look for those if you like to use a tent. The park is large and can be confusing - make sure to look at the map and figure out which "neighborhood" of the park you want to visit/stay at. When the park closes for the night, it really "closes" and you are locked in so make sure you have all of your supplies. The "high schooler" staff is extremely friendly and helpful (or bored and excited to do something). The park ranger left customer service to be desired - he seemed busy in his own world and did not seem to notice or care that we were looking for help. There is a lot to do at this park, so much that I think there should be separate Yelp entries for each of the "neighborhoods" of the park. We will be revisiting and now that we are more familiar with the layout, services, and what to expect, are looking forward to our seconding camping trip of the season. Have fun, be safe, enjoy yourself, and be a good neighbor! read more

I went here several times over the summer and I'm looking forward to going back. I've only gone to Sandling Beach, but it's quite beautiful, and much larger than I expected. They even have nice sand for a lake, if you can imagine that. The parking lot is huge and they have two bathhouses on either side of the lake. Amongst the trees are grills and picnic tables, but not many, so definitely get there early if you plan to grill out. Some people even hang up hammocks, which seems like an awesome idea. You can bring your own floats and toys, etc., and it's a great way to spend some time on a beautiful day. I believe it's about $7.00 a carload, so not bad if you have a few people. No concessions, so you'll need to bring your own. The biggest pitfall, and the reason it only has 4 stars for me, is the condition of the bathrooms -- just really, really bad. I would say that's what I would expect, but at Umstead Park, the bathrooms are quite clean and nice. This place is really big and there's much to explore. Definitely put it on your to-do list now that the weather is getting nicer. (fingers crossed!) read more

Gorgeous scenery for fall photography! My bf and I took our drone to take some aerial shot of this wonderful lake. Not too many people come to this place I wonder why, there's several picnic tables, I've seen men take their boat and enjoy this beautiful day. The park is well kept, there's a nearby bathroom as well. Great for family and pet friendly. Highly recommend!!! read more

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I mountain bike quite a bit so the Beaver Dam area of the Falls Lake State Recreation Area is the area that this review focuses. I've ridden all the trails here more times than I can count. The west and south loops are my main focus, but I'll continue on to the inner and outer if I'm feeling frisky. The south loop is the real gem here, it's about 8 miles long with the "drop zone" included. It's a good mix of hill climbs with rewarding down hill runs. You get good views of the lake and I rarely have a spin around it with out seeing some sort of wild life. Do take note this is not a beginner trail, you need to be in decent shape and have decent trail riding skills to make it around in one piece. I just use the west loop as a connector from the parking lot to the south loop, it's fairly unremarkable on it's own. The inner and outer have some fun parts but are very root-y so prepare to be shaken up. There are bathrooms and a place to fill up on water (well) along with picnic tables at the parking lot. You can easily ride down to the lake beach after your ride if you so choose. There is a $6 entrance fee during the summer months, the (very kind) lady at the gate usually leaves around 5 so you won't be charged if you intend to head over after work. If you're like me and ride weekends too a season pass will set you back $50. read more

We just moved to the area and were in search of a fishing spot with a kid friendly area for our 20 month old to roam around. We decided Falls Lake might fit that criteria. After driving around a bit we found some spots, but not for the whole fam, then we came upon Sandling Beach. It was perfect! Not too crowded and you could fish as long as it wasn't in the designated swimming area. They had a playground, bathrooms, picnic tables and grills scattered around for your dining pleasure. It was really nice. I could see it getting crowded in the summer months. My little one really enjoyed the little paths and playground. As far as the fishing goes, there was too much boat traffic. No biggie though! We will definitely be back to catch some rays and swim once it warms up. That water is COLD!!! Burr read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - Boat ramp - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Awesome group camping sites, and ample facilities! Beautiful lake access, we enjoyed safe swimming with our children!

Metal Detectorist: Be aware your not allowed to Detect even at the Swimming Beaches of Falls lake. So lame of the park officials. Not disturbing anything but sand. read more

Worst place to bring animals. I have a chihuahua teacup and they are just the worst with little dogs. We had the swimming area to ourselves and still got kicked out read more

Biking Perspective: I was only here to do some biking and the trails were pretty good. It is less groomed than Lake crabtree, more trees the need to be scaled over, but nice long rides on rolling easy ridges. You also get some nice views of the lake during the ride. The ride is almost completely wooded. There wasn't anything super technical or downhillish hill here. FYI it costs $6 per car just to enter the park, unless you have pass. I think i saw a beach area during the bike,which might be worth checking out in the heart of summer. read more

Nice state park. Divided into non-connected areas. Beach. Boat ramps. Pretty low key. About 14 miles of bike trails. Working to develop a mor extensive hiking trail system. Eventually both main areas will be connected and will include a portion ofvthe NC Mountain to Sea trail. Not really a destination yet for great hiking. Great primitive campgrounds with some stunning views of Falls Lake. read more

I like the not too fancy feel of this beach and how you have a couple options for where you want to go.... There are a ton of tables and grills and even a covered patio. Easy to get your canoe in the water too! read more

Falls Lake State Recreation Area - We practically have the beach to ourselves in February! Too bad for everyone missing out on this springlike day. - Campgrounds Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

Thank you, Falls Lake, for bringing some beauty to a small portion of I-85. So I had to commute via 85-South on a pretty regular basis for a year, and my favorite part of the drive (ok, so there wasn't much competition) was passing over Falls Lake as it was remarkably beautiful and serene (especially in the early morning hours and when the sun was setting). Aside from the drives over the lake, I have been frequenting Falls Lake for the better part of two and a half years now primarily for hiking and swimming. With respect to hiking, I've mainly taken the portions of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail that traverse the park. This trail makes for pretty good hiking as it usually is very sparsely populated (there have been numerous times where I haven't passed anyone), goes through a range of environments (from grassy fields to pine forests to lakeside), and is quite the manageable hike but not too easy. The trail is also pretty well marked, though there are some portions where it's easy to go off track if you're not paying attention. On a side note, I usually come away from the MST with at least a few ticks on me! (if it's tick season, of course) So you may be best served by wearing pants, bright colored clothing, and checking yourself after hiking this trail if you're not a fan of tick bites. If you are a fan of tick bites, well then I don't really know what to tell you aside from the fact that you may want to seek some professional help. I've also hiked the short trails at Sandling, Holly Point, and Beaverdam, which are just that--short (but nice!). As far as swimming goes, there are man made beaches at Sandling Beach, Rolling View and Beaverdam. Clearly hitting up the beach here isn't the same as going to the shore, but these beaches offer a nice local alternative if you want to get in some sun and sand. The beaches are not huge, and can get pretty crowded on summer weekends but generally no one is piled on top of you. There are also numerous picnic tables and grills up a bit from the beaches if you so desire to partake. There are not any concession stands, nor are there any lifeguards, so be sure to bring your own grub and personal Hasselhoff. The beaches are always well-maintained, and the bathrooms are not the most glorious things in the world (ie, often no soap or paper towels) but then again you're at a state park! Though I cannot vouch for the experience myself, there are also numerous mountain biking trails through the park and quite a few campsites as well (including some primitive camping sites which I am looking to hit up). Yes, there is a $6 admission charge per car that is charged daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day as well as on weekends and holidays in April, May and September. But that is pretty darn cheap if you ask me, and it goes towards maintaining these parks that we love! Plus if you're a true frequent flyer here, you could always opt for the $50 annual pass and maybe save yourself some cash! So next time you're driving through the Wake Forest area on I-85, take a moment to enjoy some nature and check out Falls Lake! read more