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.

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.

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.

Great place to bike, run, or walk! It was so beautiful and kept me entertained during my entire…read moreride. I also appreciate how easy it is to follow because I get lost easily. I parked at the baseball fields off of buffalo road and headed up towards the dams at falls lake, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The trail is super wide, so there's plenty of room to pass safely. Make sure to pack you own water, I didn't see anywhere to fill up.

Another wonderful experience here! The hike is just strenuous enough to get your legs working and…read moreheart pumping without being too overwhelming. The rangers also do a great job of keeping the path clean.

This is a great hike! It has wide paths that go around the mountain and a beautiful view at the…read moreoverlook point.

Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve has been on my list for a while. It's off the normal beating…read morepath. This preserve is all nature. Full of trees and hills. It can seem challenging but it's doable. The trail leads to a subdivision where you can turn around . It's a good two miles with other connecting trails to extend the miles a bit. The parking is a challenge. There is an extremely small lot off the road that's easy to miss. Plan to carpool if you're going with a group.

Lovely trails in an urban area! It wasn't long before the car sounds faded and I could only hear…read morethe sounds of nature. Out and back, I walked about a mile. Watch out for some roots, but it's mostly flat. No man-made restrooms, so "go before you go."

Enjoyed finding and driving over Falls Lake Dam. It's a nice little area, with parking, a…read moreplayground, a fishing area, and even a family cemetery. I found a geocache there, to boot!

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.

My go to Place to reflect and unwind…read more Peaceful at times is an understatement. Weekends are a lil. Crowed if the weather is nice. Bugging obviously after the rains and warmer weather.

This is a nice place to explore! I enjoyed walking and relaxing at a picnic table there. Be aware,…read morethough, that the only bathroom option is a portapotty, which is better than nothing, I guess.

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.

I think it's the coolest thing that NC has a cross-state trail that allows you to experience the…read morevast range of natural landscapes the state has to offer. This trail, as the name claims, goes from mountains to sea (the trail is best known as the MST). It's cool enough that the state has all of this, even better that a trail connects them. You could hike this 1,175 mile trail from the highest point east of the Mississippi (Mt. Mitchell) down to sea-level at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The trail passes through several state parks, national forests and national parks, not to mention some of the most significant urban centers in the state. There are paddle sections, dirt trails and paved roads - all manner of surfaces. The trail isn't even truly considered complete yet, but you can piece it together as you go. The idea has existed since the 70s and was officially added to the state park system - and the passport program - in 2000. The trail is about half the length of the AT - which it intersects at the beginning, by the way - but fits entirely in the state. It gives you a good idea of just how long it is. I actually only found out about this trail recently despite its age. This is no surprise, as it passes through the north part of the state and I've spent my entire life in the two largest cities it doesn't pass through in the southern part of the state. Somehow this just makes the idea even more novel to me. If you don't know about this trail, read up! Get out there and hike it in one of the 10 state parks it touches. Or, chances are it even goes through your city or town already and, like me, you just didn't know. It will be cool to connect with a piece of Earth that connects the entire length of the state.

An 18 segment trail from Clingmans dome to Jockey's ridge State Park. Segment 1-5 is in the…read moremountains, segment 6-10 is Piedmont, and segment 11-18 is the costal plains and OuterBanks. There is an alternate route from 11A to 16A that is 170 mile paddle route down the Neuse River. Each segments distance varies. Levels of difficulty vary from strenuous to easy. What a fantastic way to see NC. I have not Thru hiked the trail. I have only done portions of segments. I am planning on doing whole segments to complete the entire 1200 mile distance. As well as the paddle portion. Clingmans dome is the second highest point on the east coast at 6,643 feet and what an amazing view. You will cross over Mt Mitchell which is the highest point on the east coast at 6,684 feet. To Jockey's Ridge Dune the largest and tallest active dune in the eastern United States. There are section that take you down paved roads to reconnect with the trail and a couple ferry rides in the outer banks. Places to camp if you do multi day trip, but plan your stops accordingly and research the trail angels for each segment. Explore what NC has to offer, even small sections with-in a segment. And just maybe we will see you on the trail or river. Happy Hiking :-)

I was in the area and looking for a nice place to enjoy my lunch. Being in Cary frequently, I can…read morealways find a well-maintained and beautiful park close by. This Nature Preserve was super close so I paid it a visit. Wow is it gorgeous here. Even though you can hear traffic from the parking area, you are quickly whisked away into some of the best nature scenes that Cary has to offer. There is plenty of signage, so you always know where you are. There's also plenty of signage describing what's around you and how to get there. This is one gem of a park!!

I attended the Fall Salamanders Program yesterday and saw two large marbeled salamanders! It was a…read morebeautiful day for an outdoor learning experience with our salamander expert Stephanie. We hiked into the woods and she knew exactly where to look for the stunning little creatures. I have hiked the Preserve and it is lovely and a good workout with steps and small hills. There is a great visitors center with info and bathrooms too. Hemlock Bluffs is a small park that makes a huge impression. You should definitely check it out and have fun!