Raleigh, North Carolina is well-known for its abundance of lush, beautiful parks that offer everything from scenic walking trails and picnic areas to sports facilities, playgrounds for kids, historical sites, and more. The parks system in Raleigh aims to provide outdoor recreational spaces for all interests and ages to enjoy.
| Park Name | Features |
|---|---|
| William B. Umstead State Park | Over 20 miles of trails, lake, cabins, camping |
| Pullen Park | Pedal boats, train rides, play areas, aquatic center |
| Dix Park | Gateway Plaza, wildflowers, Grove, Ridge Line views |
| Lake Johnson Park | Trails, playground, picnic shelters, boat rentals |
| Durant Nature Preserve Trail | 1-mile loop, wildlife viewing |
| Shelley Lake Park | 2-mile loop, picnic areas, lake views |
| Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve | Rare hemlocks, 3-mile loop trail |
| Annie Louise Wilkerson, M.D. Nature Preserve | Trails, birdwatching, wildlife |
| Laurel Hills Park and Greenway | Sports courts, playground, greenway trails |
| Marsh Creek Park | Trails, playgrounds, fishing, kayaking |
| Buffaloe Road Athletic Park | Sports facilities, aquatics center |
| Walnut Creek Wetland Park | Boardwalks, educational center |
| Historic Yates Mill County Park | Gristmill tours, fishing, trails |
There are over 100 parks spanning more than 5,700 acres of parkland maintained for public use across the city. With so many options to choose from, here is a list highlighting 12 of the top parks in Raleigh that should not be missed.
William B. Umstead State Park
Name and Location: William B. Umstead State Park is located just north of Raleigh, North Carolina spanning over 5,600 acres.
History and Significance: One of North Carolina’s first state parks created in 1934, Umstead is an oasis of wilderness so close to major urban areas. Its forests and trails provide ample recreation opportunities to experience nature.
What to Expect: Hiking, biking, bridle trails spanning over 20 miles past hardwood forests, creeks, and the Reedy Creek reservoir. Educational visitor center, rental facilities, picnic areas with scenic views throughout.
Visitor Information: Park open 8am-6pm November-February, closes at 8pm other months. No entrance fees. Main visitor area has parking, restrooms, and camp store. Leashed pets allowed.
William B. Umstead State Park is one of the most popular parks in the Raleigh area. Nestled right between Raleigh and Durham, this state park spans over 5,500 acres and offers plenty of opportunities for enjoying nature in a peaceful environment.
Some highlights of William B. Umstead State Park include over 20 miles of hiking trails, a picturesque lake surrounded by quiet forests, rental cabins and a large campground perfect for weekends away, and ample picnic areas for taking in the natural scenery. Whether you come for the day or stay overnight, visitors of all ages will find this park perfect for exploring the outdoors.
Pullen Park
Name and Location: Pullen Park is a public park located in central Raleigh, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Opened in 1887, Pullen Park is Raleigh’s first public space created for recreation. Still a popular community park known for its amusement rides, gardens, and family events that uphold founder Richard Stanhope Pullen’s vision.
What to Expect: Historic carousel and kiddie boat rides. Pedal boats on a small lake. Playgrounds, walking paths through gardens, picnic facilities available to rent. Concerts, outdoor movies hosted seasonally.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 8am-8pm. Amusement rides open seasonally, weather permitting. Free general admission and parking available within park grounds.
First opened in 1887, Pullen Park holds historical significance as one of the very first public parks in North Carolina. Now spanning 60 acres near downtown Raleigh, Pullen Park offers family-friendly attractions and activities for all to enjoy.
Highlights include pedal boat rentals on the small lake, miniature train rides that take you around the park, play areas like the interactive Splash Pad, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, in addition to walking trails, gardens, and open green spaces. There is also the Pullen Aquatic Center for summertime water fun. With free admission, attractions that appeal to kids and adults alike, and cultural events held throughout the year, Pullen Park makes for a top destination in Raleigh.
Dix Park
Name and Location: Dorothea Dix Park is a public park located in Raleigh, North Carolina spanning over 300 acres.
History and Significance: Once the site of a large psychiatric hospital, Dorothea Dix Park is being transformed into Raleigh’s flagship destination park. Master planning aims to create unique environments fusing nature, arts, and 21st century amenities.
What to Expect: Currently features historical buildings, open fields, tree-lined paths excellent for walking/running. Some sporting facilities. Phased master plans underway to add gardens, playgrounds, performance spaces over the coming decades.
Visitor Information: Park open daily sunrise to sunset. Free admission and parking available at various adjacent lots. Leashed pets and bicycles permitted. Limited amenities currently, but growing.
Once the site of a mental health facility spanning over 300 acres, efforts began in 2014 to transform Dix Park into Raleigh’s own version of Central Park in New York City. Ambitious plans are still underway to redevelop Dix Park into a dynamic park with spaces for arts and culture, reflecting its position in the state capital, along with conserved green space, beautiful gardens, and recreational areas.
Current highlights at Dix Park include access from Centennial Campus with the scenic Gateway Plaza and Creekside Park, the stunning Dix Park Meadow with wildflowers and room to roam, the peaceful Grove gathering space shaded by oak trees, and views from the high Ridge Line looking out across Raleigh. As plans progress in phases, Dix Park promises to become an iconic park and shared space for community activity.
Lake Johnson Park
Name and Location: Lake Johnson Park is located in south Raleigh, North Carolina spanning over 200 acres surrounding a reservoir lake.
History and Significance: Created in the 1970s damming a creek, Lake Johnson provides popular water recreation like pedal boating, fishing, trails, and picnic facilities nestled in the heart of Raleigh’s bustling technology research park area.
What to Expect: Paved loop trail circling lake, accessed from multiple entry points. Fishing piers, grassy picnic grounds with shelters to rent. Nearby indoor sporting facilities, splash pad, gardens, and playgrounds. Scenic views.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 5am-9pm. No entrance fees. Parking lots, restrooms available around lake. Leashed pets allowed on trails, pedal boat rentals offered.
For an easily accessible park right near downtown Raleigh offering a mix of natural scenery and paved trails, Lake Johnson Park is a go-to option spanning over 130 acres. As its name suggests, the park centers around a lake surrounded by towering pines, soil paths, and wooden bridges that makes you feel far from the city hustle and bustle just minutes away.
In addition to the miles of walking paths enjoyed by joggers and families, Lake Johnson Park also has a large playground, picnic shelters, fishing areas, canoe and kayak rentals, and access to the Neuse River Greenway Trails for even more exploration by foot or bike. With both paved and unpaved trails options, it caters to all interests for getting outdoors and into nature while still close to downtown amenities.
Durant Nature Preserve Trail
Name and Location: Durant Nature Preserve Trail is located in north Raleigh, North Carolina spanning over 120 acres.
History and Significance: Protecting rare undisturbed piedmont habitat, Durant Nature Preserve’s trails opened in 1989 demonstrating a commitment to balance conservation, restoration and access to nature amid development.
What to Expect: Over 5 miles of rustic hiking/walking trails through woodlands, wildflower meadows, spring-fed creek, stands of mountain laurel. Scenic views from ridges over Raleigh skyline. Dirt trails may be muddy.
Visitor Information: Free access, open daily 8am-5pm November-February, 7am-8pm other months. Roughly 75 parking spaces at trailhead. Pack gear for rustic hike, pets on leashes allowed.
For those looking for a short hike on an unpaved wooded trail without having to leave the heart of Raleigh, the Durant Nature Preserve Trail is a perfect hidden gem. Located right next to Durant Middle School and spanning just over 9 acres, this nature preserve feels worlds away yet is easily accessible.
The soft surface 1-mile loop trail winds through quiet woods, across a wetland boardwalk, and around a peaceful pond. Benches are available for resting and observing wildlife like turtles, butterflies, birds, and more that call this preserve home. As a smaller neighborhood park in north Raleigh, the Durant Nature Preserve Trail offers a refreshing break from the bustling city with an easy woodlands walk or jog.
Shelley Lake Park
Name and Location: Shelley Lake Park is a public park located west of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Constructed 1989-1994 to mitigate runoff into the watershed, Shelley Lake Park transformed wasteland into a scenic urban oasis with spring-fed lake. Hosts community events and walking/running competitions.
What to Expect: Paved 2 mile loop trail around lake popular for walking, jogging and biking. Benches, lawns for picnics, wildfowl habitat. Offers fishing, canoes/kayaks for rent seasonally. connected to greenway trails.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 5am-11pm. Free access and parking available at multiple nearby lots. Public restrooms, water fountains available along the trail.
Nestled close to downtown by North Hills is the scenic destination of Shelley Lake Park. Encompassing 25 acres circling the focal Shelley Lake along with connecting to adjacent parks and greenways, Shelley Lake Park contains paved recreational paths, wooden bridges over wetland areas, open grassy spaces, and charming views across the lake to gazebos perfect for photos.
In addition to the popular 2-mile loop enjoyed by walkers, joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers, highlights include shaded picnic spots and play areas for kids. And inside North Hills are restaurants, shops, and amenities making Shelley Lake not only a peaceful natural retreat but also a convenient urban park connected to bustling city life.
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
Name and Location: Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve is a 148-acre park in western Wake County, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Permanently protected forest featuring rare rocky slopes, creek, and habitat. Trails built by volunteers enable visitors to experience these Piedmont ecosystems first-hand since opening in 1998.
What to Expect: Over 3 miles of hiking trails ranging easy to difficult past old-growth forest, scenic views, unique geology like “the bluffs”. Seasonal waterfall, access to creek. Educational signage about site’s natural assets.
Visitor Information: Free access, open daily 7am-7pm November-February, 7am-9pm other months. Roughly 75 parking spaces at main trailhead lot. Pack supplies for rustic hike; pets allowed on leashes.
For those seeking a longer hike on an unpaved wooded trail showcasing unique natural features, Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve can’t be beat. Spanning over 100 acres protected for conservation by the Nature Conservancy, this preserve contains rare hemlock bluffs, a steep gorge along aiming Crabtree Creek filled with diverse plant and animal life delighting visitors.
The 3-mile loop trail takes you up and down varied terrain, from floodplains to ridgetops, crossing creek tributaries along the way. With towering hemlocks, wildflowers carpeting the forest floor in spring, warbler migrations in spring and fall, salamanders hiding under decaying logs, and lucky sightings of deer or foxes, Hemlock Bluffs transports you into another world right in the heart of Raleigh.
Annie Louise Wilkerson, M.D. Nature Preserve
Name and Location: Annie Louise Wilkerson, M.D. Nature Preserve Park is located in Raleigh, North Carolina northwest of downtown.
History and Significance: This 50-acre former tree and plant farm was purchased by the city to create Raleigh’s first nature preserve honoring African-American female physician Dr. Wilkerson. Opened 2006, it protects unique Piedmont ecosystems.
What to Expect: Over 2 miles of natural surface trails meandering through wetland, forest, meadows, creekside habitats perfect for birdwatching. Photogenic bridge over creek, gazebo with interpretive panels about site’s ecology.
Visitor Information: Free access, open daily 8am-5pm November-February, 7am-8pm other months. Parking available at lot on Sawyer Drive. Pack supplies for natural trail hike, pets permitted on leashes.
Formerly known as the Neuse River Nature Preserve, this park was renamed in 2020 after the first African-American woman doctor in Raleigh, Dr. Annie Louise Wilkerson. Spanning over 70 acres in southeast Raleigh, this nature preserve offers a peaceful landscape of forests, meadows, wetlands, and over 2 miles of trails to delight nature lovers.
Visitors can choose from either hard-surfaced or natural trails, including a 600-foot boardwalk crossing the wetland area. Benches along the way provide ideal birdwatching spots, while meadow openings offer opportunities to observe butterflies, frogs, turtles, and small wildlife. As one of the few nature preserves in southeast Raleigh, the Wilkerson Preserve provides easy access to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors for neighborhoods nearby.
Laurel Hills Park and Greenway
Name and Location: Laurel Hills Park and Greenway is located in north Raleigh, Wake County spanning 150 acres.
History and Significance: Acquired in 1989 saving rare Carolina saddlebag ecosystem, Laurel Hills Park has since expanded into a heavily used recreation destination protecting natural resources while offering public amenities.
What to Expect: Wooded hiking, mountain biking, equestrian trails. Community garden, amphitheater, sports fields, playgrounds, picnic shelters, disc golf course. Connected to 8 mile scenic greenway loop around Wake Tech campus.
Visitor Information: Park open daily sunrise to sunset. Free admission, parking available in multiple designated lots. Restrooms, water fountains onsite. Bike rentals nearby, leashed pets allowed.
Located in north Raleigh, Laurel Hills Park and Greenway contains something for everyone, from sports fields and courts for recreational play to winding greenway trails for strolling surrounded by nature. Recreational facilities include basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, volleyball courts, and a large playground structure.
Adjacent is the 1.3-mile Laurel Hills Greenway connecting further along the Raleigh greenway trail system for walkers and bicyclists to enjoy. The wooded segments take you over bridges past wetland areas filled with birds while meadow openings allow more sunlight in to fuel lush vegetation. With both recreational spaces for activity plus options for peaceful meandering, Laurel Hills meets a range of interests for an afternoon outside.
Marsh Creek Park
Name and Location: Marsh Creek Park is a public park spanning over 260 acres in western Wake County, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Opened in 2000, Marsh Creek Park protects wetlands, serves wildlife conservation efforts, and provides 5+ miles of trails showcasing piedmont ecosystems while facilitating community wellness through recreation.
What to Expect: Paved and natural surface loop trails suitable for walking, running and mountain biking. Observation decks over marshes, ponds, seasons creek. Open meadows, picnic shelters, sports fields and courts, play areas.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 8am-6pm November-February, 7am to 9pm other months. Free entrance, parking lots near trailheads. Restrooms available seasonally.
Marsh Creek Park resides within the scenic Neuse River Corridor, spanning 588 acres of diverse natural habitats perfect for a day immersed in nature just minutes from downtown Raleigh. Visitors can choose from nearly 5 miles of trails from easy to challenging winding through pine forests, floodplain swamps, rolling meadows, and along marshy creek banks.
Some trail highlights involve towering Tulip Poplar trees, abandoned farm roads, remnants of long-ago homesteads like old chimneys, in addition to diverse birds and woodland creatures that call this park home. With options for fishing, playgrounds for kids, restroom facilities, and sandy beaches of Marsh Creek for launching kayaks and canoes, Marsh Creek Park contains something for visitors of all ages and interests seeking natural beauty and adventure.
Buffaloe Road Athletic Park
Name and Location: Buffaloe Road Athletic Park is a large public park in northwestern Raleigh, Wake County spanning over 250 acres.
History and Significance: Opened in 2000, Buffaloe Road Athletic Park provides essential facilities for youth and adult sports. Its size and amenities help meet the needs of Raleigh’s rapidly growing population.
What to Expect: Twenty-one multipurpose fields for soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball, softball with lighting and scoreboards. Concessions building, playgrounds, walking trail around perimeter of park grounds.
Visitor Information: Park open daily sunrise to 11pm. No entrance fees. Ample parking near most field complexes and walking trail. Restroom facilities onsite.
For those seeking spaces in Raleigh parks catering to active recreation and sports, Buffaloe Road Athletic Park is a top destination spanning over 150 acres. Located in north Raleigh, facilities feature 13 baseball/softball fields, 8 tennis courts, 4 basketball courts, 5 volleyball courts, a disc golf course, greenway access, wooded cross country trails, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and more.
The Aquatics Center is another highlight, containing 3 pools plus a bathhouse open during summer months for swim lessons, team practices, daily lap and recreation swimming, special events, and pool parties. With extensive facilities to play team sports or work on individual skills spanning outdoors and indoors, Buffaloe Road Athletic Park provides year-round opportunities for staying active on the courts, fields, trails, and in the pools.
Walnut Creek Wetland Park
Name and Location: Walnut Creek Wetland Park is a scenic park preserving urban wetlands in east Raleigh, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Constructed 1989-2000, the wetland park balances public green space needs with stormwater management and wildlife habitat conservation. Boardwalks and bridges allow visitors to experience the beauty of preserved wetlands.
What to Expect: Over 3 miles of pavedwalking trails and boardwalks looping through marshy cypress-tupelo ecosystem. Observation decks over wetland, flowering shrubs like swamp rose attract birds and butterflies.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 8am-6pm November-February, 7am-9pm other months. Free access, parking available at lot on Stack Road.
Found within Walnut Creek Park spanning over 250 acres is the Walnut Creek Wetland Park, containing a rare wetland environment now preserved and maintained as an educational nature park for visitors to explore and learn. Meandering boardwalks take you through field, stream, and forest habitats, home to diverse native plants plus birds, butterflies, turtles, and frogs.
Highlights include spotting beaversbusy maintaining dams and lodges, hearing frogs croaking by twilight, observing turtles sunbathing on logs, delighting in native wildflowers and grasses swaying in meadows, spying woodpeckers hard at work, in addition to barn swallows, kingfishers, herons, and songbirds flitting from tree to tree. With an on-site education center providing classes and summer camps, Walnut Creek Wetland Park connects people of all ages to this unique ecosystem.
Historic Yates Mill County Park
Name and Location: Historic Yates Mill County Park sits on over 180 acres in Wake County, Raleigh, North Carolina.
History and Significance: Yates Mill, a 175-year-old gristmill listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is restored and open for tours demonstrating a lost way of life. The park provides educational and recreational opportunities.
What to Expect: Tour the operational gristmill, visitor center with interpretive exhibits. Over 4 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails, lake for fishing, picnic shelters, community garden plots on site. Various historic and nature programs offered.
Visitor Information: Park open daily 8am-5pm November-February, 8am-7:30pm other months. Free access, parking available near mill and various trailheads. Leashed pets allowed.
Historic Yates Mill County Park centers around the historic Yates Mill still operating as a functioning gristmill since 1756, the centerpiece of this scenic park located on the south shore of Lake Wheeler in Raleigh. In addition to tours of Yates Mill powered by the pond’s water wheel, the park contains historic buildings and structures to explore plus educational exhibits detailing the site’s history over nearly 300 years.
Recreational opportunities include fishing on Lake Wheeler, paddling in a rental canoe or kayak, hiking and biking on trails threading through tall pines shading the 172-acre park, meadows filled with wildflowers, and diverse wildlife. For a peek into a working gristmill straight from the 1700s churning cornmeal along with experiencing preserved natural scenery from centuries ago, Historic Yates Mill County Park offers a uniquely memorable experience.