Falls Dam and the greenway trails around it are a great and quick escape to nature. In minutes…read moreyou'll be away from the traffic and the stress of your particular day. I hope plans to turn this into a white water park do not come about. Let nature be nature. We need it more than it needs us.

I feel so lucky to live close to the dam. I am an hobbyist photographer and the wildlife here is…read moreamazing. I have watched a Osprey dive in and catch a fish. I have seen numerous Blue Heron and have gotten pictures of them catching fish. Eastern Blue Birds, vultures, and too many other birds to count. The Neuse River Greenway Trail starts here and you can walk up and down the trail from here. There is ample parking and you will see numerous people there ready to jog, hike or bike from the parking lot. You can park at the dam during the hours it is open and hike across the dam. The place is clean and there are bathrooms and a visitors center where members of the Army Corp of Engineers will happily answer any questions that you may have. Great place and it is all free.

Nice little playground park in Heritage 2 area with a nice size pond with a few docks for…read morepicnicking or fishing. Great walking path all around it. Kids love to come here for change from our park! Never too crowded!

Such a fun place to take kids or if you wanna be a big kid yourself! I like how they have teenagers…read more(maybe some college kids) working there. They're all so friendly and welcoming! Gives them an opportunity to earn some money during the season. We got the aquabana as they call it, for half a day (4 hours) and it was worth it ! We didn't swim but the kids did and they had a blast! You're able to bring a cooler with food and drinks ( juice, tea, soda, water. No alcohol) they have a food truck on site, as well as a "dirty soda" stand. Flavored sodas with cream (very popular in Utah but slowly making their way to the east coast) as well as a first aid bungalow. Everyone gets a life vest but kids under 18 MUST wear theirs at all times! I like that rule! Keeps the kids safe. Of course the teens working there are certified lifeguards just in case! They also offer scuba classes/lessons at the quarry. Would I come back? YES! Maybe one day I would try the courses and swim or paddle board but the go around it was nice relaxing and letting the kids live carefree in the lake!

Me and my husband had such a fun time here! It was just enjoyable sitting in our beach chairs…read morelistening to the music after running and swimming around out there. The inflatables are so much fun and you get tired out after about an hour. They had a food truck that had some great options as well we enjoyed. I would say this is a great spot for all ages.

I started coming to the Beaver Dam entrance of Falls Lake since there is a public beach, as well as…read moreaccess 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.

It's always nice going out to the Falls Lake area to hike. There are many trails for that and for…read moremountain 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.

When I moved to Raleigh our real estate agent has told us about the Greenway, but when I purchased…read moremy house I had no idea we lived so close to an entrance, or how much I would enjoy this wonderful place. It is not often a government gets something right, but in the case of the Greenway they nailed it in my opinion. Laid out nicely along the Neuse River. Trash cans set up so people can dispose of their garbage. A great place to jog, walk or ride your bike. I wish more cyclists would announce themselves when coming up from behind, but hey what would the world be without assholes. Enjoy a relaxing couple of ours and take a hike. Relatively flat and you can go as far as you like.

I loved walking here today. Although it was quite warm and some would say hot, it didn't feel too…read morebad because of the trees which provided good shade. The trails are long enough to get your steps in or even a decent bike ride. Dogs are welcome too. The scenery and fresh scents were also highlights of my walk. However, the icing on the cake came from the birds and animals. The chirping sound of the birds felt refreshing while the squirrels and deer added to the amazing view. If I lived near here l would make this a regular place to visit.

More than just a people park, there's also a pretty decently sized canine park here!…read more The people park includes a community center with a gymnasium, game room and meeting rooms with a small kitchen. There are three lighted baseball/softball fields, four lighted pickleball courts and four lighted tennis courts. I spotted picnic shelters, stocked fishing ponds (catch and release) and a bunch of walking paths. The dog park was really busy today with at least a dozen in the "large" side and two on the "small" side. Running about and parking while their humans chatted and watched. The park has plenty of parking. [Review 2422 of 2024 - 3878 in North Carolina - 23435 overall]

Flaherty Park in Wake Forest is located on the north end of town on N White Street. They've put…read moresome money into upgrades to the ball fields and the dog walk in the last few years. I was there Friday for a Wake Forest Fungo baseball game. The team and league are comprised of college baseball players (mainly division 2 & 3) who play for the summer. The field they are on has been improved from an open cut infield to a grass one and they built an announcers box and snack stand. They also added batting cages and covered stands on both sides. It was fun coming out although is was hot and close to 100 degrees at game time which was 6:30pm. They do sell light snacks, soda and beer at the venue.

Love this park. The trails are well signed, great bathrooms and parking. When you walk around the…read morelake you get great pics and see the turtles sunning. You can find some fun surprises on the trails. Very safe atmosphere.

My partner and I love to come here for a semi-trail run. Short loop around the lake and a portion…read moreof it follows the greenway. Playground, fishing, and bathrooms so a good place to spend an afternoon.

Forest Ridge Park offers a little something for everyone. Nice sized playground area, picnic…read morepavilions, short hiking trails to Falls Lake, an intro mountain biking 3 mi loop, a welcome center, disc golf, fishing, kayak or paddle boarding if you bring your own. There is no swimming, wading, or beach area. Plenty of parking available.

This is a very nice park in North Raleigh which offers a playground and many walking, hiking and…read morebiking trails that loop around parts of Falls Lake. There is ample parking and there are bathroom facilities on site. You can see lots of birds and other wildlife on the trails. Just keep in mind that during hunting season, there will be hunters in the area and people who are hiking are advised to wear either abs orange vest or sweatshirt.

My go-to trail! Lots of parking spaces always available. There are plenty of benches spread out…read morealong the lake loop and picnic tables to spend time at. There are some fields as well that are great for activities. There are plenty other trails attached to the loop as well if you wanted to mix up your scenery. There are also bathrooms available

Ran here again along the Crabtree Creek and i really just love how gorgeous the view is. It is a…read more1.5 - 2 mile loop around the lake with a brutal (but short hill). Definitely recommend running this or bringing your bike. We also saw a bunch of families with their strollers, so this is a perfect spot to bring your coffee for a morning walk.

Looks very promising but currently under major renovation construction. Parts of the park are…read moreclosed down not useable. Noise and dust everywhere. It will be open this summer so I'm going to try again!

This is a nice, well guided park. We started off on the Falls Lake Trail, did the Laurel Loop and…read moretook the Beaver Point and Azalea Loop to get back to the parking lot. We really enjoyed the views from the loop that we hiked. This park features hiking trails, fishing, playgrounds, picnic areas with and without grills and Go Ape Treetop Adventure.