Falls Lake Trail Section 11 Hike

Section 11 of the Falls Lake Trail is over 5 miles from Creedmoor Road/NC-50 to Boyce Mill Road in Wake and Durham Counties.  As an out-and-back hike, it's 10.4 miles round trip or half that for a shuttle hike.

Length: 5.2 miles (shuttle)/10.4 miles (out and back)
Estimated Time: 2 to 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Must be on a leash
Features: Lakes, Creeks, Forest, 
Crowds: High
Warnings: Part of the trail passes through game land where hunting is permitted.  Wear blaze orange during hunting season.  Crossing Laurel Creek can be difficult if the water is up.
Trailhead GPS: 36.01240,-78.68914 (Creedmoor Road/NC-50) / 35.99104,-78.71965 (Boyce Mill Road)

Directions:

Section 11 trailhead is along Creedmoor Road/NC-50 just before the bridge over Falls Lake.  From I-540 in North Raleigh take exit 9 for Creedmoor Road.  Go north on NC-50 for 6.7 miles and pull over on the wide pull-off on the right, just before the bridge.

To arrange a shuttle, turn around and go south on NC-50 for 1.6 miles and turn right to get on NC-98 west towards Durham.  Go 2 miles and turn right on Boyce Mill Road, which becomes gravel.  Follow 0.6 miles to parking just before the gate.

Map:

Hike Description:

Carefully cross Creedmoor Road and pick up the trail at a kiosk.  The trail follows a cove and turns right at a powerline clearing in 0.4 miles.  Go a short ways through the clearing and go right to head back into the woods.

The trail follows the shoreline closely, crossing a couple small tributaries.  The second has a nice new footbridge.

At 1.2 miles, the trail crosses into Durham County and there are nice views of Rolling View Marina at about 1.7 miles.

The trail then enters another cove and begins following an unnamed tributary upstream.  There are some nice cascades on this tributary.

At 2.8 miles, the trail intersects the Old Creemoor Trail network and again at 3.6 miles.  At around 4 miles, the trail passes by an old farmstead with several old buildings still standing.

The old tobacco barn is the most intact structure from before the lake along the trail.

Another barn isn't in such good a shape.

There's also the foundation of what looks like some type of animal pen - maybe for chickens or hogs.

After this, the trail crosses several more small tributaries before reaching Laurel Creek.  In normal water levels, it's fairly easy to rock hop, but in high water, the crossing can be difficult.

Just after the crossing is the remains of an old shed.

The trail follows an old roadbed that is prone to flooding.  There is an old barn off the trail to the left.

After the barn, the trail turns and gradually ascends, ending at Boyce Mill Road at 5.2 miles.  If you shuttled, the shuttle will be here; it not, turn around.

External Links:

Mountains-to-Sea Trail website: https://mountainstoseatrail.org/the-trail/segments/falls-lake-day-hikes/fallslake-dayhike-10/