Falls Lake Rolling View Recreation Area

Rolling View Recreation Area is one of several access areas that make up Falls Lake State Recreation Area.  It is at located at the end of Baptist Road north of NC-98/Wake Forest Highway in Durham County.  Rolling View has individual and group campsites, a swim beach, boat ramp, picnic areas and hiking trails, including a section of Falls Lake Trail, part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.  Rolling View Recreation Area is open 24 hours for registered campers and is open year round except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  The day use area hours vary, but is open year round.  An entrance fee is charged daily in the summer and on weekends in the shoulder season; no fee is charged to enter in the winter.

Contact Information:

4201 Baptist Road
Durham, NC 27703

Phone: (919) 676-1027
Email: falls.lake@ncparks.gov
GPS: 36.04206, -79.69832

Directions:

Rolling View Recreation Area is located off Baptist Road north of NC-98/Wake Forest Highway in Durham County.  From Durham, take NC-98 west for about 5 miles and turn left on Baptist Road.  Continue for about 4 miles to enter Rolling View Recreation Area.

Map:

Click here for an interactive map of the entire state recreation area.

Trails:

Falls Lake Trail:

Length: 1.8 miles (within Rolling View)

Blaze: White Circles

Difficulty: Moderate

Just under 2 miles of the Falls Lake Trail, parts of Section 13 and Section 14, runs through Rolling View Recreation Area.  All State Park regulations apply while within the park.

Rolling View Trail:

Length: 2.0 miles

Blaze: Red, Orange, or Blue Diamonds

Difficulty: Easy 

Rolling View Trail is a 2-mile trail leading through Rolling View Recreation Area. Starting from the campgrounds, the trail crosses Baptist Road and leads to the swim beach. At the northeast corner of the parking area, the trail continues following Rolling View Track Trail then to the group campground and ends at the boat ramp. 

 

Rolling View Track Trail:

Length: 0.75 miles

Blaze: Blue Circles

Difficulty: Easy

Rolling View Track Trail is a three-quarter mile loop through a pine forest near the Rolling View swim beach. 

 

Hikes:

Hikes in the area with detailed descriptions:

• Falls Lake Trail Section 13 Hike - A hike along Falls Lake Trail from NC-98 to Baptist Road in Rolling View.
• Falls Lake Trail Section 14 Hike - A hike along Falls Lake Trail from Rolling View to Little Lick Creek.

Points of Interest:

Rigsbee Cemetery:

Rigsbee Cemetery is located right near the entrance to Rolling View.  The blue-blazed Mountains-to-Sea Trail Rolling View Spur passes right by the cemetery.

Blog Entries:

23-Jan-2021: Falls Lake Trail to Little Lick Creek

07-Jan-2018: Frozen Falls Lake

29-Jan-2017: Little Lick Creek

External Links:

NC State Parks website for Falls Lake State Recreation Area: https://www.ncparks.gov/falls-lake-state-recreation-area/home