Bond Park Lake Trail is such a lovely spot for an easy outdoor escape in Cary. The trail is about…read morehalf paved and half unpaved, which made it feel a little more natural while still being very accessible. It was especially great for dogs -- there were so many happy pups out enjoying the trail, and the atmosphere felt super friendly and relaxed. A huge plus was how shaded most of the trail is, which made the walk comfortable even on a warmer day. The lake views along the way were beautiful and peaceful, and there are plenty of large grassy areas throughout the park that are perfect for picnics, tossing a ball around, or simply lounging outside with a book. The park itself is also very well maintained with lots of parking, clean restrooms, and helpful amenities. I also liked seeing the workout stations scattered along the trail for anyone wanting to turn their walk into a little fitness moment.

We had our baby shower at Buehler Shelter and had a great experience! You can pay ahead of time and…read morereserve the shelter. It was a large area with lots of picnics tables. It is somewhat secluded. Plenty of parking and bathrooms are nearby(but not too close)

Lake Johnson Park is one of Raleigh's best spots when you want a workout that actually comes with a…read moreview. The 3-mile loop gave me the perfect mix of cardio, scenery, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting. The trail is mostly paved and very well maintained, but there are also a few off-road paths if you want to switch things up. The lake views are gorgeous throughout the walk, and the heavily wooded sections make it feel peaceful and shaded even on warmer days. I also appreciated that the trail has a few solid uphill stretches. I'd say it's ideal for intermediate walkers, runners, or cyclists looking for a scenic challenge without venturing into hardcore hiking territory. The only downside is the parking situation, which can get pretty tight during busy hours. Still, once you're on the trail, it's absolutely worth it. Raleigh really lucked out with this gem of a park.

Natures finest!…read more Local park with free (but limited) parking. Walking trails. Kayak and paddleboard rentals. Birdwatching. Clean picnic and public bathrooms. Great place to go and enjoy nature.

It's a nice park in the area! You'll get to expose yourself to sunlight and nature! Great place to…read moredo picnic or outdooring like fishing and playing toys on the lake! Cool place

What a scenic experience! The wind and good weather blew me here and it was just the space I needed…read moreto clear my head.

Wonderful trails for biking, hiking, walking (and also some trails are sign-posted to allow…read morehorses). Not crowded. Miles & miles of trails. Picnic tables and pavilions. Creeks and streams. Lakes and ponds. Boating. BE AWARE of closed trails, bridges, etc...stop by the park office AND check the website for closures.

Umstead is a great park with plenty of parking locations and different trail options. I hope to try…read moreout all of their walking trails. I've done at least 2 of their trails with the last being the Pott's Branch Trail. Pott's Branch is one of their easy trails at 1.3 miles. I recommend you wear tight/well fitting sneakers or boots as there are a lot of roots on the trails and you don't want to slip. Umstead does a great job of marking the trails and there were even paper maps available.

Honestly, after going for another run here, I have to up my rating to 5 stars. The greenway is…read morepretty darn beautiful, and there's parking right next door to it. In my last review, I should have also noted that there's a fishing pier (no idea if people actually catch anything, but I did see a few trying!) and a covered "shelter" where people can hang out on their laptops and enjoy the outdoors. Overall, I think this park will become one of my running staples.

We walked to this park from our house in Cary for years !! We moved and I will have to admit that…read moreI miss it. The paved walking trail goes all the way around a small lake. There are a few sets of stairs and a small hill that you can train on as well. Baseball fields and volleyball and swingsets. We spent many a day here playing tennis and soccer with my kids. It's a great little park. Give it a visit - you will be glad you did.

Enjoyed a walk around the lake after breakfast. Beautiful walking trail and a nice dock area with…read morerocking chairs overlooking the lake. The trail is unpaved with lots of trees, perfect for walking and running.

TLDR: Peaceful lake in Holly Springs. Check out the retreat center (they have animals!). Relax in a…read morerocking chair on the deck and listen to the flowing water and birds. Note that you cannot fish off the deck. Why have I not visited this lake before?? I have passed by it several times and decided to stop and enjoy my breakfast here on a gloomy morning. The lake has benches on the grass near the shore, ample parking, trash cans, lost and found, restrooms, water fountains, dog waste stations, posted rules, weight scale, and marked trails. The retreat center has a large, clean deck with picnic tables and umbrellas. The deck provides a beautiful view of the lake and plenty of bird sounds (mainly from the geese). Inside they have resources and reptiles. Excellent area in Holly Springs to learn, exercise, fish, and appreciate nature.

Peace and quiet on the Peninsula Trail…read more Wonderful trails for hiking and biking and open fields for soccer and other picnic activities. Clean restrooms. Disc golf is fun too. Never busy during the week ... not sure about weekend crowds.

This is a great park and there is a ton to do here. They have a playground, as well as a disc golf…read morecourse. I love that there is a stocked pond to fish.

Very well kept park located in south west Raleigh not too far from downtown. The parking is…read moreeffortless. The restrooms were clean. The trails were scenic and relatively easy to navigate. I enjoyed the trails and I recommend hiking here. There is a nice pond loop trail area that's really nice. I'd definitely return. No pets are allowed here. That's the only downside. Besides that it was a great time here. This is a nice 3.5 miles when covering all the trails.

Although out of the way from Wake Forest, this park is nice. Not too easy and not too difficult…read more Very little elevation change, however the trail is mostly dirt. So, if it is raining be prepared for some muddy conditions. The trail is pretty much covered by trees that provides some shade. Yesterday it was in the 90s, but with the breeze and shade, I was able to get 12000 steps. There are clean restrooms at the entrance/exit of the park. There was also ample parking. The trail is a little over 1 mile if you just go around the lake. There are more steps if you take the trail into the woods. Stay on the paths and they will loop you back. Yesterday, the only disappointment was the water wheel wasn't being used and we didn't get any pictures of that.

Surprised I haven't reviewed this park yet. We have been exercising here for several years. The…read morepark is clean and well marked. It has ample walkways mostly flat with some intense hills. It used to be a golf course converted to a public park. Previously it included a large area across Hilltop Needmore Rd, which now houses a new community center. Overall lovely place for family walk.

My dog and I like to walk the trails at this park. There are (3) trails; I consider the red trail…read moreto be the hardest because it has the most hills (it's a little over 2 miles), so your legs really feel the burn, the yellow trail (also a little over 2 miles) is an average hike, and the blue trail (0.6 miles) is easy breezy. This park is very scenic and it used to be a golf course. It's surrounded by large homes, and you can peek at everyone's backyard and sometimes that's awkward. Lol. My biggest complaint is that the trails need to be wider. It's impossible to social distance and when someone is walking in the opposite direction, someone ends up in the grass (usually me). I appreciate all of the doggie poop bag stations, and there are several bathrooms located off the trails. I give this park 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up because I'm generous.

Love it!! This is our third year enjoying kayaking with friends and family. The staff is amazing,…read morefriendly, and welcoming. The equipment is always in good condition and the process is very well organized. I love that you can email them and they respond quickly! Looking forward to next year's adventure!! i recommend them 100%!!

Absolute WORST experience I've had in a very, very long time. After being checked in, my family…read more(three children and 3 adults) went down to get our floats, got in the water and started to float (no staff was there to help or assist like any other rafting or float place I've been), the staff said it would take about 5 hours (it took 6) - the wind was against us that day and I had to essentially pull us the entire 2 miles - all the while being blown back in the opposite direction. There was brush all along the bottom of the river slowing everyone down. When we finally got to the end, we had to ask someone that happened to be fishing where the exit ramp was. No signage, no staff to help, but a missed call from the front office asking where we were. When we finally got up the ramp, I called and they seemed annoyed and surprised we were 20 minutes after the last group. The driver was quiet and acted mad that he had to come get us, upon check out the lady up front said we had to pay a fee because we were 20 mins "late" (no mention of this in person or anywhere physically visible) - how in the heck can we help the river being low and the wind working against us? $300 plus $60 late fee turned our trip into a nightmare. They need staff in the water guiding/assisting, which they don't have, in case something does happen. Main takeaway - DO NOT GO HERE. It's terrible and the staff seemed annoyed that they even had to be there. JUDGING FROM THE REVIEWS, THEY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK - actually scan thru and read them, but read the RESPONSES from Cape Fear River Adventures as well - GO TO "LOWEST" up top under "SORT BY" and read them ALL - these are normally buried so far down that people don't see them. Many reviews are super similar and it's definitely obvious that they don't take criticism well AT ALL - keep that in mind too! STAY AWAY. This place gives Lillington a bad name.