Lake Johnson Park is one of Raleigh's best spots when you want a workout that actually comes with a view. 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. read more

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Natures finest! 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. read more

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Did you know they have a a super cute event room that you can rent? Me neither! Came here for a baby shower and was floored by the view of the lake. So beautiful. It felt as if you were floating on the lake. The trail too is so fun, lots of people and a great way to get some light exercise in. Parking can be busy during the weekend but just trail someone and you should get a spot. Get your steps in here, your body will thank you! read more

Lake Johnson Park - Beautiful view - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great spot for a walk, bike ride, fishing, or small water craft. Picnic tables too! Very nice paved walking/biking path around the lake with nice changes in terrain. This park is also on the Walnut Creek bike trail so we ride here from Raleigh city for a quick 12 mile round trip ride. I also notice new water craft for rent by WAKE RACK (see pic). read more

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I love Lake Johnson. It is where I began running. I have seen deer and bald eagles - Extremely close to me. If you want, you can cross the road (take a left right after the dam) and the trail continues to avent ferry I think. It's just wonderful and you can get 3-6 miles in walking here. Very populated and beautiful !! I think all of it is very safe except be mindful when going on unpaved part of trail as that it not nearly as populated and sometimes has some weird folks! read more

This was a great find and pretty! Highly recommend for a long hot girl walk or a picnic. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Lake Johnson was fun! Our goal was to see the sunset but we were running late so we didn't get to, thought the park was still a nice place for a date. It was chill and nice place to enjoy food and each other's company. We didn't walk the entire park, not see everything but we will definitely be back for more exploring. read more

I came here twice with my friend to walk around, we were from out of town and really enjoyed it! You can make a complete loop and the scenery is so beautiful. read more

This is a great place to hike. It's very dog friendly, as well as a few options of trails. You can do a shorter loop around 2.5 miles or up to 6 miles. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

What do I love most about Raleigh so far? The beautiful Oak Trees in abundance and all the beautiful options for a nature lover's spirit to literally run wild on all the trails. LJ is the perfect place to get your cardio in, steps, miles or whatever it takes for your self care. I work minutes from the lake so this is where I intend to spend my lunch breaks. As a native New Yorker Long Island housed many of my favorite state parks. As a new transplant here in Raleigh I was looking for a new place to call home. I stumbled upon these tranquil gem and saw many fellow Yelpers checking in. One thing I love is how quiet it is here ! I have to admit at times I started thinking about scary movies and abductions because of the silence however, it was so peaceful! I took a walk over to the lake overlook section and on my walk back I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz when she couldn't decide which way to go. Parking can be scarce. Plan to come early. I was lucky to score a spot once someone left after their hike. This is a gorgeous trail to visit. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

One of my favorite parks! Every time I visit Raleigh I always have to come to lake Johnson! I visited it during Thanksgiving break and trees were absolutely beautiful with colorful foliage. I also got lucky and got to see Raleigh Bubble man in action! read more

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By far my favorite trail since it provides an extreme incline that challenges me to push myself. I visit this park often, and I enjoy the lake view. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

My absolute favorite lake in the triangle to walk. So beautiful at every time of day. They have beautiful boat house with water for dogs etc too. read more

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Great park for enjoying the outdoors. I love that paved trails have some great hills but you can also take a trail that avoids the big hills. Staff keeps the trails well groomed which includes a leaf blower to clear the leaves. The visitor center restrooms are open during working hours and have been clean and well maintained. There is a small sandy beach which is a great play area for little if you don't mind a little sand in their shoes. It is common to see wildlife like cranes, cormorants, and even a bald eagle or two. Plenty of picnic areas and space to spread out. There is also fishing off the boardwalk but it isn't allowed on the banks. The water level seems to be lower than previous years but that may just be due to visiting at a different time of the season. read more

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Our walking group comes to Lake Johnson frequently for our weekly walks. Some of the ladies have a hard time with the high hills, but it offers us a challenge that some of the other parks do not. This is a nice, clean well maintained park with nice restrooms. There are multiple trails, but we choose the paved one that goes all the way around the beautiful lake. This is will continue to be on our walking rotation. read more

What a beautiful spot that showcases lake, flora, fauna of the area. Great trail, for walking or running or biking...and nature in it's splendor around the fall months for sure. A must stop and the fact that parking/entry is free is awesome...we've been to some preserve trails that have an entry fee that we're underwhelming at best so to see the beautiful sights here for the cost of a suntan and sore feet from wanting to keep on running the trail (hat I think is 16 miles?) is an added benefit! read more

This is my very favorite hiking spot! It is a good hour or little more hike. Staring at the hilly side and ending on the flatter side, this park offers a wooded area with a lot or room for hikers to take to the trail. A great view of the lake and restrooms at the main area. Can't say anything bad here at all! read more

I discovered this park shortly after moving to Raleigh and I greatly enjoy it for long walks. There are two walking loops around the lake, one is 1.6 miles and the other is 2.8. I did the longer one the other day and it was so peaceful and quiet! I spotted bikers, joggers, and other walkers with dogs. I parked at the 4601 Avent Ferry location. There are bathrooms here, as well as snack/drink machines, a nice shaded spot with rocking chairs overlooking the water and a place to rent small boats. While walking through the woods, I spotted some picnic pavilions with grills. This would be a great spot to consider for an outdoor party! There is also the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center at Lake Johnson, which you can rent for private events. There is a posting with prices near the restroom and it all looked fairly affordable to me. Awesome place! read more

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Lake Johnson is one of my favorite lakes in the Raleigh area to visit and walk. At the beginning they have a nice boat house where you can rent kayaks to take onto the water. The main trail is paved and has about 2-3 larger hills. Also plenty of picnic shelters if you were to do a family picnic. Depending on when you come, parking could be scarce. Overall, a fun place to hang out with family or walk your dogs. read more

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I had not been on a paddle boat for years prior to our daughter/mom outing. We needed a break from a rough week and this excursion was exactly the activity to help us to destress. The views on the lake are relaxing and paddling along is a lot of fun. This will be an activity we will look to do again in the spring. Employees were friendly in assisting us with the rental, life jackets, and getting us situated on and off the paddle boat. Very nice park! read more

Lake Johnson Park - View from a paddle boat - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

A great place to catch the fall colors, this park has various paved and unpaved trails surrounding a small lake, including a nice footbridge across the middle of it. Somewhat infuriatingly, the visitor center and its parking was closed off when I visited, and the other immediate parking lot was small and full. There was plenty of additional parking at the nearby community center, and to be fair, if you're going to be making a loop, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference where you park. read more

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I came here on a late Sunday afternoon in August (During COVID-19 Pandemic) and found the park & trails pretty busy. Definitely way busier than it was before the pandemic, but it's all in good spirit! Never did it feel "overcrowded", considering the trails are big enough! The entire paved trail around lake johnson is approximately 3miles long, give or take. This is a great trail for adventurous people! There are plenty of paths going off the paved trails. Do be careful, however, as some of these paths can get rough and unsafe. Definitely not for beginning hikers, but definitely ones that love to do a little exploring and sight seeing. I found one path that branched off from the paved trail, that led me to a little creek with a tiny waterfall! Nothing spectacular, but it was definitely a fun thing to find! There is plenty of things to do, see, and explore here for everyone that loves to get outdoors and enjoy nature. Pros: Paved trail, good exercise, plenty of photo-op spots, great sights, and a lot of fun for the adventurer in you! Cons: If you have issues with steep inclines/declines, might not be the best. Parking is minimal on side by welcome center, but there is parking across the big bridge! read more

Lake Johnson Park - Beautiful tiny water fall/spout off the hiking trail - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I visited this location on a Wednesday afternoon with one other person. These are my thoughts and observations. - The park is clean and well-maintained. - The scenery is gorgeous. - It'll take you about 1 hour to leisurely stroll the longest trail. - It was crazy busy I when I visited. It was difficult to find parking and the paved trails were horribly crowded. I think this can be partially attributed to the state parks being closed due to COVID and people having nowhere else to go. - The bikers are annoying. I wish they had their own trail to ride instead of sharing with pedestrians. - The unpaved trail isn't nearly as busy as the paved one. I think you're allowed to mountain bike on it. Overall the park is beautiful but too crowded for my taste. read more

Lake Johnson Park - The paved trail. - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Favorite place to walk, run or just chill on the boat house deck in a rocking chair! Quarter mile markers to help motivate you, benches to relax and calming views. There are always birds to watch and in warmer months, turtles and fish are plentiful! One side is flat(ish) and the other has respectable hills. Asphalt around the dam path, about 2.3 miles. You can add the picnic loop (.4 miles) to get yourself to 3 miles. A picturesque bridge crosses the lake close to the boathouse and you can fish from it. If you want something different or longer, cross Avent Ferry Rd. The path is hiking on one side and soft pine straw on the other. Approximately 2 miles. Parking is available in 4 places: the boathouse (usually full during popular times), across the bridge, also can be full, the Thomas G Crowder center, and a small lot off Lake Dam Road below the dam. I love this place! I usually walk/run alone and I've always felt safe on all the paths. People are friendly, lots of kids and dogs and they now have hammock ties! read more

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Stunning views beautiful jog... went everyday when I was in NC. There's a paved and challenging route or a more wooded scenic dirt trail. Do both, but the dirt path is a bit harder to jog and is more for hiking. The paved trail has steep inclines challenging your endurance. Loved! read more

Lake Johnson Park - Vibrant colorful Flowers near the lake - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

1000% Nice and shaded in the summer The hills are, UGH!, a workout. Absolutely a must do. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I'm a big fan of Lake Johnson Park and have been since I've moved to Raleigh. The trail is long and has some great views of the lake, ideal for an afternoon stroll or run. I also love the boathouse and used to always go picnic there when I lived close to NC State. Parking can be a bit iffy if you enter through the main entrance but I frequent the park just for the trail so I prefer the second lot which is usually less crowded. I'm not sure about now, but pre-COVID times, they had events and fun things happening often as well as a concessions stand. Bathrooms have always been clean from my experience, too. Definitely nothing fancy but a solid spot in my opinion. Wish I lived closer by these days! read more

Absolutely gorgeous area! My husband and I just moved to NC and have been wanting to do more outdoor activities. Great path to follow that wraps around the entire like and into the woods. Will definitely be visiting here again. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine: Parking: 3 Location: 5 Decor/ambiance: 5 Customer Service: na One of the nicest parks in the RDU area! Here you can experience a nice picnik, then take a run around a 3 mile trail and finish that off with a cool down canoeing experience. There is more things to do as well. My favorite amenity of this place is the 3 mile track that runs around the lake. On a scale of 1-10 I'd say its a 9. The hills are a challenge so come prepared lol. Parking is a challenge here, they do have 3 different parking lots but its never easy trying to park. I suggest the lot off of Lake Shore Dr. read more

This part is so peaceful with lots of different trails and scenery. If you want a hike on the paved trails then go here because you will definitely get a workout in. I enjoyed the bridges and lakes as well. You can rent and participate in kayaking on the lake as well. Nice place to take your dog and family or if you just want a self care experience. read more

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Came here on a weekday afternoon around 3:45PM, plenty of parking and also quite a few cars. Loop was fine, lake was alright, nothing too special. Pretty flat aside from one or two spots but definitely manageable. Didn't see too many people, although did pass some runners and walkers. read more

Beautiful clean park. Lots of trees so we had great shade. Easy walking paved trails and very dog friendly

I do the trail to walk (some brave souls skate and run as well), and it doesn't feel like overwhelming. They have parking, sitting by the dam is simply beautiful. They have a good number of benches to rest and the scenic loop is nice. Even though it was humid today and sunny, the trees around and the breeze makes it much better. Also OMG THE DOGS you get to meet. My heart goes out to them. Considering the Kayak option before it ends in October. read more

Lake Johnson Park - Parks Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Loved the hike around the lake. Beautiful, calm and clean. Funnily enough mu dogged dragged me into the lake midway through the loop.

Lake Johnson is a beautiful park and one of my favorites around the area! Rent a paddle boat or canoe/kayak, go fishing on the boardwalk, go hiking on a trail or have a picnic! There is tons to do which makes this park a great way to spend a beautiful day! read more

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A beautiful park and lake located in Raleigh but close enough to Cary. In my opinion, the trails are better for walking versus running. I prefer parking in the parking lot on Avent Ferry before crossing the bridge. The main parking lot by the lake is usually full, save yourself a headache. The park is clean and well kept. Note: If you are planning on bringing a dog, please be sure to pick after your dog. I'm sure your dog would do the same for you too. read more

Lake Johnson is such a beautiful and calm spot, especially during less busy hours like 11am-4:00pm. The trail is great and kept in good condition and there are great spots for picnics, and taking pictures. There's also portions that are flat and low impact as well as hillier areas so you can kind of build your route around that. It's also super pet friendly (leashes and poop bags required). read more

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We did the entire hike around the lake thinking it was only gonna be a few miles, but it turns out it was quite longer due to its changes in elevation. We had a lot of fun and will go more frequently! read more

In accord with all other reviews - parking is somewhat of a nuisance during peak hours (anytime the weather is nice). I got lucky today and caught someone as they were leaving. However, this place is peaceful.. calming.. and good for your mental and physical being. It took me about a two mile walk in to get where I wanted to be (bring a beach towel if you want to relax by the lake, I did). Nice spot for people who want to walk, bike, meditate, jog, etc. I'd like to come back and do the paddle boats. Very pet friendly - saw lots of dogs on the trail and by the lake (enjoying the water). read more

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A 3-mile loop around the lake on asphalt pavement makes for a moderate level walking experience with some challenging inclines and declines. Trail is between mostly wooded views but there are some scenic overlooks along the way. Great for dog walking, fishing off the bridge, and cycling too. Kayaks, canoes and peddleboats for rent. Nice deck overlooks the lake with some picnic tables and rocking chairs along with restrooms and a rentable conference room. There are also natural trails there. Parking can be tricky on busy days. read more