Great for fishing. There are lots of places to stand and cast around the lake, and many are in the…read moreshade. The lake itself is stocked with catfish and others so you're sure to catch something. I also saw many people jogging or walking around the trail that circles the lake, which seems quite nice because it is a wide and clear trail with lots of shade.

I was looking for a new trail to explore since the weather is warmed up and it's not freezing…read moreoutside. This park wasn't too far from where I live so I decided to check it out. It definitely needs some TLC but overall, it offers playground dog park, baseball basketball and restrooms. I wasn't crazy over the trails so I decided to skip it and I'm gonna continue my search looking for other parks that I feel like I feel more fit what I'm looking for. The signage and overall vibe of the park could use some updating.

Nice clean park with several pickleball courts. Courts are clearly marked and always clean. Plus,…read morethe bathrooms are clean too.

Lots of gated areas to make sure there are no escapees. All dogs when outside of the gate were…read moreleashed. Dogs must be registered before coming! There is also a tennis court and soccer field basically on the/ next to it. We assumed it is all the same place. Wish it included some walking trail type areas but there was also a covered space with picnic benches and bbq grills. So a pretty well rounded little spot for multiple needs. Water fountains weren't functioning closest to bathrooms on tennis side when we went though...

I like this park mainly because it's secluded and virtually across the street from the Lakewood…read moreYMCA. Lots of kids came out to play even though there isn't much equipment to play on. My son loved the twisty slide best and it seemed that the other kids did too. There's a picnic area and a shelter area which I assume had bathrooms but I didn't check. There's also a huge sports field near the playground which means big kids can mingle with little ones once they are done with practice. Lots of shade from pine trees, and the company of squirrels, hawks, and various birds.

This park is great but it is a bit off the beaten path, well I guess not really for most people but…read moreit is from the route that I normally travel. One thing I find interesting about this park is that it is basically split into two sections that you would almost think are two different parks instead of one. The southern half of the park features a basketball court ( 2 court layout, picnic tables) and a weird sort of playground. You have to see it to understand what I mean. Its far from your traditional playground but its still pretty cool. Sadly the park has been abused and does have a good amount of trash laying about and even more of it in the nearby stream. As a result of the abuse the bathrooms near the play ground are almost always locked and the drinking fountains don't work. On the plus side a BSA Venturing Crew (Crew 505) has just recently adopted the park so with any luck the park will start to get cleaned up and better taken care of.

I want to like this park more but there are too many things that make me feel uncomfortable. The…read more"caterpillar" playground will be the first thing that catches your eye. Perfect for younger kids with their low "ropes" options and swings a step away. Walk down the trail a bit and you'll run into a covered picnic area, bathrooms with water fountains, two basketball courts, and while not lit, they do look well maintained. Across a tiny creek and bridge you'll finally run into a large baseball field. I know it all sounds great and while parts of the park look great, I don't think the location makes for the safest children's spot. The park is located in a residential neighborhood, however it divides Lakewood (a lower-income neighborhood) from the backside Forest Hills (a higher income neighborhood). On a Monday afternoon around noon, the parking lot was empty, and I've rarely seen people here. However, evidence around the basketball court (empty beer cases, bottles, boxers even) prove that it's well used. I'm not an expert with bullet holes, but it also looks like several holes are in the door of the woman's bathroom and even a park sign. YIKES! Having already had a run-in with a shooting down the street at Forest Hills Park, seeing this didn't give me the desire to rush back. It really just puts a knot in my stomach, knowing that the city has put money into making this a desirable park, and seeing first hand that something dangerous has gone down here, where children are encouraged to play. If you do choose to head to Lyon Park, be alert to who is surrounding you and come in full daylight!

Found this park when we tried to go to the library after it closed. Pretty new, play structures are…read morein great condition and have a lot of interesting designs and obstacles. Both structures are pretty low to the ground so are pretty good for young children. What sets this apart is the small amphitheater and seating options. Looks like it would be great for a small party, school class or just an informal play date with lots of kids. There is a large gazebo or pavilion right in the middle and lots of trees for shade. A few downsides: it may not be as adventurous for older kids, grassy area is small but useable and there is only one swing, which is a tire swing. Small things, but overall this was a great find right next to the library downtown!

I always see this place on the map but decided to check it out on an evening walk. There are clear…read moresigns leading you to it from 157 Guess street. There's grills, 6 tennis courts, a play ground, flush toilets, water fountains, two baseball diamond, and plenty of picnic benches and plenty of parking spots. There's a short paved path that hugs along Warren Creek. Plenty of people walk this road and kids like to ride their bikes along it too.

Cool little park with a nice play ground, two baseball / softball fields and four tennis courts,…read moreand picnic tables. Nice park to take the kids for a picnic when the weather is nice for a little R&R.

Trinity Park is one of my favorite parks in Durham. It's safely located directly off Trinity Street…read morein "Trinity Neighborhood" (around the corner from Duke East Campus). It has two playgrounds, one that is enclosed by a gate for younger children, while the other is open and has features that would interested 5+ ages (i.e. slides, monkey bars, fireman's pole, etc). Several swings, picnic tables, two grills and a water fountain are also on site, as well as a lovely gazebo. I've seen lots of birthday parties hosted here and it draws in a large neighborhood crowd as well. The only real downside to the park are the missing bathrooms. This is a problem if you're making this a destination spot, but it also keeps the crowd more neighborhood only. You can find parking on the street off Watts or Trinity and there's a "Little Free Library" right off Watts that you won't want to miss! This is a great spot for an afternoon (especially if your child is in diapers...), they also do a wonderful job of keeping up the landscaping and have some lovely flower gardens and herbs on site.

Oval Park is your prototypical neighborhood park. It's snug enough to make you feel at home, but…read morelarge enough (it does span across West Club Boulevard after all) that you can run away from your friends or family if you want and still stay within the confines of the park. If you don't have kids, the high point of the park is probably the two tennis courts on the adult side of the park. If you do indeed have a few little rugrats, the most attractive asset of the park is most likely the playground complete with giant tortoise on the opposite side of the park. Aside from during the cold of winter, this half of the park is always teeming with parents and their little kiddies. Personally, I can't even handle a dog at this point in time so I probably won't be venturing over to that side of the park anytime soon. I'm not a tennis player, but the courts here do seem to be in decent shape and are usually unoccupied. If you're reading this, don't you dare come and swarm "my" courts because I just might take up tennis any day now and when I do I want a free court to make a fool of myself on! Despite my ineptitude in the tennis realm, I do enjoy playing a bit of basketball (also not well) and thus have done so here at Oval Park. The court here is not in terribly great shape and is only half-court. To make up for the lack of the other half of the court, the architects behind this park seemingly decided to jack the rim up to 11 feet. Thanks, guys. Come on, though--it's street ball! You deal with the conditions. As mentioned by Christina G., the park hosts monthly picnics and mini food truck "rodeos" during the spring and summer, which are obviously pretty sweet and a good excuse to get outside and enjoy the local 'hood!

I'm pretty grateful to have this park in our neighborhood. My husband uses the tennis courts, and I…read more... well, I'm more of a tennis ball retriever than a tennis player. The courts are on the South side of Club; but on the North side, there's a kids play area with pretty new equipment. And a giant tortoise. What's not to love? The community hosts monthly picnic/food truck get-togethers here, and it's truly the perfect place for a little outdoor/live music/get to know your neighbors action.