ALL NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS: GENERAL STATUS OF FACILITIES AND GUIDELINES WHEN VISITING PARKS
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 - 2:15pm |
Trails
Current status of facilities at Falls Lake State Recreation Area
Starting Friday, May 22nd, the following Falls Lake areas and facilities will be open as part of Phase 2 of North Carolina State Parks' reopening plans:
ROLLING VIEW: family camping, boat ramp, hiking access, restrooms/bathhouses open, beaches closed
HOLLY POINT: family camping, boat ramp (campers only), restrooms/bathhouses open, beaches closed
SHINLEAF: hike-in camping, hiking access, restrooms/bathhouses open
HIGHWAY 50 BOAT LAUNCH: boat ramp, restrooms open
BEAVERDAM: boat ramp (non-gasoline powered only), hiking trails, mountain biking trails (weather-dependent), restrooms open, beaches closed
Entry fees are being charged for open areas as of Thursday, June 18. Open areas may be operating with limited capacity and will close once capacity is reached. Cleaning bathrooms will take longer than normal due to disinfecting procedures. Trash cans will not be available at the campsites, so campers will have to take their own trash to the dumpsters.
SANDLING BEACH: closed
BW WELLS: closed
Campers must have reservations to camp, but reservations for available campsites may be made on the day of arrival up to 9:00pm. Campers may make reservations by calling toll-free 1-877-722-6762 or through our reservation website.
All beaches, group campsites, the community building, playgrounds, and the park office are closed. Picnic shelters are not available for rental. Park visitors are not allowed in closed areas. Phase 3 (date still to be determined) will include reopening the remainder of closed areas and facilities. Visit https://www.ncparks.gov/open for more details on our reopening plans.
Hikers can still access and hike the entirety of the Falls Lake section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail by parking at any of the trailheads where the trail crosses a road. Please ensure that your vehicle does not block a gate or the roadway.
Please check with our partner agencies about the status of their access areas on Falls Lake:
US Army Corps of Engineers
NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Wake County Parks
Raleigh Parks and Recreation
Bike trails:
Contact the park
falls.lake@ncparks.gov
Addresses
GPS: 35.9938, -78.6595
Hours
Operating season
OPEN TODAY
Contact the park
919-676-1027
falls.lake@ncparks.gov
Addresses
Visitor center
13304 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 36.0116, -78.6888
Beaverdam
14600 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 36.0362, -78.6850
B.W. Wells campground
1630 Bent Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 35.9861, -78.6315
Highway 50
13900 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 36.0216, -78.6902
Holly Point campground
14424 New Light Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 36.0100, -78.6575
Rolling View
4201 Baptist Road
Durham, NC 27703
GPS: 36.0085, -78.7291
Sandling Beach
14601 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 36.0423, -78.6984
Shinleaf campground
13708 New Light Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
GPS: 35.9938, -78.6595
Hours
►
- November to February:
8:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
8:00am to 9:00pm
- September to October:
8:00am to 8:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
- Not all day-use areas are open year-round. Please check the park's operating season schedule for dates.
►
- All campground gates have 24-hour access when the campground is operating.
- Please check the park's operating season schedule for dates.
- Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
►
- September 3, 2019
to April 11, 2020:
Open Monday to Friday:
8:00am to 5:00pm
closed on state holidays
- April 12, 2020 to
September 7, 2020:
Open daily:
8:00am to 5:00pm
Operating season
List of trails
Mountain Biking
Enjoy riding your mountain bike through Falls Lake State Recreation Area! A total of 14.3 miles of trails through a variety of terrain are open for single-track mountain biking. Located in the Beaverdam area, the park offers three loop trails totaling a distance of 6.5 miles of easy/intermediate riding, as well as a 6.5-mile trail for advanced riding.
The trails close for wet weather. Call the park office or visit Triangle Mountain Biking to check on the trail's status.
Hiking
The Falls Lake Trail follows the entire south shore of the lake, traveling over 50 miles and following the white blazes from the shore of the Neuse River below the Falls Lake Dam all the way to the Eno River and beyond. A portion of the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea State Trail, the trail connects many recreational areas and provides camping stops for backpackers at Shinleaf and Rolling View. Portions of the trail travel through state parkland, where all state park regulations apply. The remainder of the trail travels through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission game lands. For your safety, wear blaze orange while hiking this trail during hunting season. The Falls Lake Trail can be easily accessed at the Falls Lake Dam information center, Blue Jay Point County Park, Shinleaf access, the Falls Lake park office and Rolling View access. Learn more about the MST at the North Carolina Trails website.
Other hiking opportunities are available in Beaverdam, Sandling Beach, Rolling View and Shinleaf recreation areas. There are also trails available for campers only at Holly Point and B.W. Wells campgrounds.
B.W. Wells Long Loop Trail (campers only)
Location: B.W. Wells access
Description:
This trail is an extension of the B.W. Wells Short Loop Trail for those desiring a longer hike. Notice the foundations of old home sites that are still visible.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
1.40 miles
loop
1.40 miles
loop
Difficulty:
moderate hike
moderate hike
Blaze:
red diamonds
red diamonds
B.W. Wells Short Loop Trail (campers only)
Location: B.W. Wells access
Description:
This loop trail connects group campsites from one end of the campground to the other. Enjoy lake views as this trail winds along parts of the shoreline – watch for osprey or bald eagles!
Surface: natural surface
Length:
0.80 miles
loop
0.80 miles
loop
Difficulty:
moderate hike
moderate hike
Blaze:
blue diamonds
blue diamonds
Beaverdam TRACK Trail – Duck Cove Trail
Location: Beaverdam access
Description:
The Beaverdam TRACK Trail is a 0.6-mile hike one way (1.2 miles round trip). Enjoy a hike through through a mixed pine forest along the edge of Beaverdam Lake that leads to a wildlife observation platform overlooking Duck Cove.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
0.60 miles
one way
0.60 miles
one way
Difficulty:
easy hike
easy hike
Blaze:
orange circles
orange circles
Fox Trot Trail
Location: Beaverdam access
Description:
Hike through pine and upland oak-hickory forests that have been periodically burned with prescribed fire. If you hike quietly, you may see a white-tailed deer or grey fox!
Surface: natural surface
Length:
1.50 miles
loop
1.50 miles
loop
Difficulty:
easy hike
easy hike
Blaze:
orange circles
orange circles
Holly Point Trail (campers only)
Location: Holly Point access
Description:
This trail runs between the Holly Point boat ramp and campground loop 2, but parking is only available at the boat ramp. This trail is for registered overnight campers and their guests only. This trail travels from the campsites in loop 2 through pine and upland hardwood forests; goes past loops 3, 4, and 5; and the amphitheater to the boat ramp parking lot.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
1.10 miles
one way
1.10 miles
one way
Difficulty:
moderate hike
moderate hike
Blaze:
red circles
red circles
