Bolin Creek Greenway

(12 reviews)

2.6 mi

This updated review is for the turf soccer fields. The youth Rainbow soccer league uses these for…read moreweekly practices. These are nice fields that don't really end up needing to be closed from rain since they are turf. The parking lot can get very crowded. I recommend backing into a parking spot so you can exit a little easier.

Went on a Saturday- I will say a fair number of dogs were unleashed which is never good in my…read moreopinion. We had to turn around a couple of times to avoid other dogs off leashes. The parking at the soccer field area wasn't bad but I do know it gets packed at that soccer field but there was also a playground and a couple of trails (the longest was about 1.1 miles so we did a couple). The trails were relatively easy to follow and had posts with color coordination. Overall a really close spot to me so will be visiting again. I do think the trails could be longer but overall are nice. Next time will visit the water with the overlook.

Cushion playground turf

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Southern Community Park

(13 reviews)

3.8 mi

This a really nice park with well maintained trails. They are paved and clean. If you see a walking…read moreenthusiast this park has many options for a short or long hike/walk. There's also a clean shelter for rent and a fun play area for kids. Lots of dogs walking today too. It's peaceful and relaxing here.

Nice quiet atmosphere for adults or kids, this is my go to spot for walking and getting exercise. I…read morerecommend this spot because it's safe and secluded.

Dog meeting.

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Umstead Park

4.4

(5 reviews)

0.8 mi

This is notably a place where you can find parking for the greenway trail, as well as picnic…read morefacilities, basketball courts, and a few other amenities. Despite it being slightly chilly, the parking lot did fill on the midweek day I stopped in, so it is a popular place.

Beautiful park and nicely shaded for a cooler hike. Not overly populated. It wasn't marked like…read moreother trails I've been on so compass skills were useful.

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Umstead Park

Morgan Creek Trail

2.1 mi

It's a pretty decent place to walk in there are paved areas, which is nice, but there aren't very…read moremany places that indicate trails lengths or where to go. It's not that huge that I think anyone would get lost and it's very wide open. All dogs on the trail while we went were leashed which was great. Pretty nice place for a picnic with large open grounds. No bathrooms or water that I saw but did have it's own parking lot (although small)

I usually don't like paved trails, but beggars choosers sometimes. Definitely great for wheelchairs…read moreand slow walkers. I will say there's enough natural elements to distract from the huge concrete sidewalk extending the entire length of the path, which ends up emptying into a community and another fitness path (has outdoor equipment stops) on one end and a pasture of wild flowers (mostly common milkweed for monarch butterflies) roughly midpoint. At the pasture the trail is definitely NOT paved and rather rough to navigate. If you have problems walking, be cautious, yet try experiencing it in the spring and late summer to catch glimpse of the butterflies and their caterpillars eating away before their chrysalis stage. There's a small parking lot at the beginning of the trail big enough for 20 cars. This includes a couple handicap spots. I've been there twice now on the weekend and I've lucked out to find a few spots open. Once you park DON'T head for the tempting metal bridge. Go in the opposite direction where you'll see the regulations sign. Then you'll know you're in the right spot!

Closeup of the Morgan Creek Trail sign.

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North Carolina Botanical Garden

Beautiful and peaceful, bigger than I expected. Nice place to picnic or have a wedding. Easy to…read moreget lost in the beauty.

Beautiful visits and welcoming invitations for educational events. I can't imagine not wanting to…read morevolunteer, work or provide a contribution here. The artwork is inspiring, the gardens are peaceful and the staff is friendly.

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African Diaspora Garden

Battle Branch Trail

0.9 mi

Excellent for getting a trail in the woods experience conveniently in the city. The community…read morecenter off Estes is currently closed so no bathrooms. Well maintained and we'll used.

Park your car by the community center and try to get here during day light! Its really hard to…read morenavigate through the woods that don't have any source of lighting or reflection on the trail. Moderate difficulty.

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Running!

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve

4.6

(10 reviews)

4.9 mi

This preserve is a great place to walk, jog, and bird. Although they don't allow bikes or horses…read morefor the trail - they do allow LEASHED dogs. (DO NOT HAVE UNLEASHED DOGS ON THE TRAIL- it's irresponsible regardless of how good they are) There are coyotes out there and a fair amount of wildlife. The trail we went on was about 2miles long and has water areas, the path is very obvious and there is signage. Highly recommend it- only down side it the parking lot is quite small.

Beautiful trails! We really enjoyed our hike. We had 3 kids with us and they had the best time…read moreexploring! Definitely recommend hiking shoes if it's been a bit wet out - the trails were pretty muddy the day we visited.

Dogs love to drink and cool off in it, Thai dogs are highly trained and with collars just in case so don't if your dogs aren't trained

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Duke Park

4.1

(13 reviews)

10.7 mi

We enjoyed visiting this playground. The Toddler playground has three slides and is the perfect…read moresize for the little ones. It's partially shaded by the nearby trees. There's no benches but parents can sit on the concrete brick wall. The bigger playground is a short walk away. It has two big slides and a few little ones. It's perfect for all ages. There is open green space pretty close by. There are a few benches and even picnic tables around the playground area. However, there is almost no shade in the immediate area. There is an indoor bathroom facility near the big playground. They also have conveniently located trash cans. Parking is mostly along the road and a few spaces near the toddler playground.

We stayed at a dog-friendly AirBnB over Thanksgiving and found this nearby dog park. The parking…read morelot was a little difficult to find as the ground was covered in leaves, but we figured it out. This was one of the most fun and nostalgic dog parks I've ever been to - the entire dog park has obstacles and materials made from old McDonald's playgrounds, like from the 80s and early 90s. It was a blast from the past and very fun to identify which items I remembered. The pups both loved the park - there were tennis balls everywhere and it was surprisingly clean.

Broken chain steps

Broken Chain Bridge

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Homestead Park

3.9

(16 reviews)

2.0 mi

Came here to watch my Granddaughter play soccer. Nice soccer fields, artificial turf. Looks like a…read morenice park walking through it to get back to the soccer fields. They have great amenities in making this a wonderful park. But.....way too much debris all over the park. Everywhere you looks you could see litter and it looks like it has been there for awhile. I understand people at times throw their trash anywhere when done with it. Too bad for that way of thinking. But.....the park division should monitor the park for debris and dog poo on the artificial soccer fields. There is a sign that says no dogs on artificial turf, but who reads anymore. I seen at least 8 dogs on the field and one at the far end doing his business , off the leash, no owner in sight to pick up the poo.

Be super careful. I took my dog there today and she got attackEd right at the entrance when she was…read moretrying to get in. The owner couldn't control their dog and when I was finally able to get the attacking dog off my dog the owner did nothing and her dog again got a hold of my dog while we were trying to leave. once I was able to get the dog off my dog again. I took my dog away from the park to check her injuries (and mine from have to put fingers in that dogs mouth) while doing so the owner left without waiting to address the situation. what a mess. oh and while all this was happening. Two other dog owners just sat and watched.

This is old school - no high-faluting security gates here!

Homestead Aquatic Center (Credit Ellen C.)

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Park paved trails

Carpenter Park

4.1

(7 reviews)

12.6 mi

Went here with my boyfriend! This is a clean open park that's very good for a short walk, they also…read morehave bathrooms and tennis courts as well as a children's play area 10/10 recommend it's also in a very nice area :)

Came here recently with the family and had a good time. The playground was pretty small, but there…read moreweren't too many kids playing on it either so that was OK. We didn't get the chance to explore most of the park but everything looked nice from a distance :) There were a LOT of people playing pickleball too. I'm not sure if there are multiple parking lots, but the one we parked in was quite small but still had a few open spaces. Overall, would definitely consider coming back here, especially on my own so I can walk around and explore a bit more.

Map and rules of the park

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Fantasy Lake Adventure Park

4.1

(24 reviews)

34.8 mi

I was nervous at first by the price, but I quickly learned it is money well spent! This place is…read moreawesome if you want to reawaken your inner 12 year old. I could spend all day jumping from the highest points or going down the many slides!

I have been wanting to go to Fantasy Lake since last year and I finally got to go…read more We reserved a 2 hour slot and got there 25mins before our start time to get changed and settled. The obstacle course is really fun for both kids and adults. The slides were my favorite part. They also have scuba diving on the end side of the lake. The only negative I will call out is that they don't have a water fountain or a filling station. I get that they allow outside food and drinks but for an outdoor water park, having a water fountain/filling station is a bare minimum.

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Sandling Beach at Falls Lake

(6 reviews)

21.1 mi

The beach is spotless, with no trash anywhere. You'll see a few hair ties and bottle caps, but…read morenothing major. The sand is coarse because of scattered pebbles and bits of wood, so bring floppers for comfort. The water is clean and safe. Two large buildings are available for changing and showering. Picnic tables sit under the trees, and grills are open for cooking. The park has multiple trails, a children's playground, and it's dog‑friendly for walking. Entrance fees: $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors.

Sandling is a man made beach within Falls Lake State Park. They charged $10 for the holiday…read moreweekend entrance fee. Sandling is accessible to the fire pits for barbecuing and is very small. Perfect for families and small children. You can access the beach on Creedmoor Rd. This was the perfect place for a convenient beach day 4th of July weekend. It saved me the 4 hour trip to Bear Island. I arrived early around 10:30 a.m. and there were no crowds. We camped out near the showers and bathrooms. This park is perfectly lined with trees in abundance. Perfect for barbecuing. We enjoyed our morning picnic and the water was very relaxing. I appreciate how clean the sand area was and the garbage was well organized as well. I brought my mother who is 72 and I had concerns about the proximity of the restrooms and showers and overall access. I was relieved to discover how convenient the beach access was for those with mobility impairment and disabilities. There are no pets allowed and no alcohol permitted. I watched the park rangers escort someone with a pit bull to the parking lot to return home and a woman was asked to dump out several beer cans. You have been warned. They run a tight ship here. I plan to return throughout the remainder of the summer months.

View of the beach from the sand. (Cloudy at this time)

Lake Beach

Beachfront

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Exchange Swimming Pools

(6 reviews)

0.9 mi

The Exchange Pool saved our Covid Summer! Our family has been going to Exchange Pool for two…read moresummers now. A great family atmosphere. The Exchange Pool went above and beyond during the 2020 summer with Covid precautions. Clean, careful, and professional. I look forward to returning 2021.

It's the little pool that could. Yeah, it's not exactly luxurious and if you are used to…read morehigh-falutin' pools like at the Tennis Club you might not be exactly impressed but it serves a vital purpose for the community and with reasonable memberships you can be okay that there isn't a snack bar and upscale amenities or a baby pool WITH a fountain. It's been home for the Cyclones , a local swim-team for kids preschool-12th grade, which keeps them conditioned, learning and honing their strokes and developing team building skills. This experience has been invaluable to many in the community. They have ample room for adult swimmers during adult swim. The kids all look like they are having a great time whenever I have been there.

Putt Putt Golf & Games

(8 reviews)

23.8 mi

Amazing greens! This place is clean and entertaining! It has 2 courses and we will return to play.read more

Such a cute putt putt golf course. My husband & I have come here on a couple of date nights. We…read morealways have a lot of fun & it is very affordable. Plus the staff is always very friendly!

Arcade/gameroom

View of front course #2

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Gameroom/arcade

Piedmont Wildlife Center

4.7

(3 reviews)

3.7 mi

This place was closed during COVID and recently hosted their first public event in June 2023. We…read morestopped by and had to fit our car into a tight spot in the limited parking area. Bring good shoes since you have to traverse some grassy/muddy trails to get to the actual center. We signed some waivers and walked around to see some of the birds and other animals inside the cabin. It looks like they have summer camps and other activities for kids. It was interesting but did not take a lot of time. There are also some old, historic buildings that you can peek into. It was free to visit but we left a donation.

We did my son's 5th birthday party here and it was a huge hit! The kids met 5 animals, then went…read moreto see the birds and played outside. They all loved it. Also it was all outside which is what we wanted.

Otus, the Eastern screech-owl at Piedmont Wildlife Center

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Bolin Creek Greenway - parks - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Bolin Creek Greenway also viewed

Carolina North Forest

4.2

(11 reviews)

A good place to bike, walk your dog or just plain walk/ jog. I've been through pumpkin loop and…read morecrow branch overlook and I prefer the crow branch since we never realized there was a whole retention pond to walk alongside!! Beautiful and able to see a mix of wildlife if you look closely enough and slow down. We've seen crayfish, mushrooms, even owls and deer out there. Really love this spot and glad it's close to home! It doesn't have water like drinking fountains or legitimate bathrooms is the only reason it's not a full 5 star. Otherwise I'd consider it a 4.5. There is also a small pollinator garden area that comes up on the left when starting from MLK side. Love this place.

Near the university campus, this offers a retreat for runners. The entry road is of dubious…read morequality, but it isn't that long. Some gravel roads continue to run through the area but are pedestrian only most of the time, and a series of hiking and bike trails interlace each other throughout the area. The aesthetic of Carolinian forests is distinctive and it was a peaceful environment. The trail marking could stand to be clearer and I got turned around a bit. It's definitely worth checking out the area.

Battle Branch Trail

Excellent for getting a trail in the woods experience conveniently in the city. The community…read morecenter off Estes is currently closed so no bathrooms. Well maintained and we'll used.

Park your car by the community center and try to get here during day light! Its really hard to…read morenavigate through the woods that don't have any source of lighting or reflection on the trail. Moderate difficulty.

West Point on the Eno

4.6

(18 reviews)

Beautiful, easy to walk up piece of lake it's usually pretty busy when it's hot they have a lot of…read morewildlife and places to sit They're not too far from a couple of places to eat (pizza, Chinese, grocery store) Great location for a picnic

Love the hiking paths at West Point in the eno! There is a few shelters and a bathroom!…read more During the summer you will find families swimming in the river The old mill is open some days with a guide to answer any questions!

American Tobacco Trail

4.4

(51 reviews)

A quality rail to trail project, this outdoor attraction adjoins some other parklands, and is far…read moreenough from the downtown of any of the nearby metropolitan areas to be relatively quiet and safe and to offer some interesting views of the countryside. Having said that, it's long enough that there are sections of it for which the verdict is apparently different. Everything was in good condition when I visited, though water fountains in the neighboring park were shut off for the winter.

At first, I thought the trail would be inundated with tobacco products but learned that it was just…read morethe name. The trail goes on forever! We walked for two hours. The scenery was nice and trail was super safe during the day. Highly recommend this trail! There's a lot of trees, bushes, plants, flowers. Some people bike, walk, skateboard, or rollerblade.

Al Buehler Cross Country Trail

4.4

(45 reviews)

I happened upon this trial 15 years after the last time here! This was a go to spot during school…read morehere and remains just as beautiful as it was then! The loop is a little less than 3 miles and has some good ups and downs. The 2 parking lots to the East start up on the hill, with the main downhills shortly after starting. The path goes along the golf course and is well manicured. Hardcore runner, causal walker, or something in between, this is a great place for some time outside!

There are a couple of parking lots to this trail. The one closest to the campus at least appeared…read moreto require a campus parking permit; Duke is quite stingy about parking for all the open space that's theoretically available. The restrictions end at 5, which perhaps explains the rush at 5:10 or so when I arrived. The trail was a loop around the golf course and various other facilities, which was verdant and had some interesting signage about the ecological development of the area. There were some snakes and other creatures on the trail despite it being relatively busy with human activity.

Eno Quarry

(11 reviews)

This is a relatively easy trail with some fairly consistent inclines. From the parking lot to the…read morequarry and back is about 1.9 miles, so a decent hike that shouldn't take too long. We went in the winter when there were no leaves on the trees and only one other car in the parking lot. We also went in the late afternoon and didn't realize that they closed a 5:30. We got to the car at 5:31 and there was a ranger waiting. We apologized profusely and promised to pay better attention next time. The hike is nice but the quarry is absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth the walk. I know that this is a popular spot in the summer but I truly cannot imagine swimming here as it doesn't exactly look safe. I need to go again soon because I bet it's lovely right now with all of the leaves changing colors. You will not regret making this hike!

Starting at Eno River Pleasant Green access, you can access the Laurel Bluffs trail which will take…read moreyou out and around the Eno Quarry. The trail is 3.2 miles total and there is good shade throughout, with the quarry as the perfect spot to cool off midway point on the hike. The trail was relatively easy with some minor inclines and tree roots to keep an eye out for. If you go on a weekday you'll have the trail to yourself, though I have yet to have a problem finding parking at the trailhead on weekends.

Battle Park

3.8

Battle Park is right in the heart of Chapel Hill and UNC. We were just in Chapel Hill for the day…read moreand decided to explore Battle Park on our way to the Gimghoul castle. Battle Park is a small urban park - very forested - and quite beautiful! Worth exploring if you're in the area! And a great place for runners!

LOVED IT. MY FIRST YIME HIKING. Beautiful day beautiful hike. Moderate to easy trailread more

Anderson Community Park

3.9

(21 reviews)

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.

Decently large and well-maintained park near Carrboro. There are a few small hiking trails but they…read moreare a bit overgrown. Nice, new tennis courts are available, and a couple small playgrounds, but not much else. You can fish in the lake, but it's small and murky. Beautiful nature but if you're looking for trails, try elsewhere!

Charles Herman Wilson Park

Nice park for kids, my daughter attended a third birthday there. Lots of things for smaller kids to…read moreplay on.

This park is so pretty, with beautiful hiking trials to roam. I have come here several times with…read moremy partner, and we love this space! It also has a great park and tennis court area, where we often see members of our community gathered. I love coming to this park. It's a local gem.

Southern Community Park