Waterfall Hero Hikes: Falls Lake Trail Sections 20 & 21 Hike

Sections 20 & 21 of the Falls Lake Trail is about 2.5 miles from East Geer Street to Red Mill Road in Durham County. As an out-and-back hike, it's 4.8 miles round trip or half that for a shuttle hike.

Length: 2.4 miles (shuttle)/4.8 miles (out and back)
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
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.
Trailhead GPS: 36.06337,-78.78671 (E Geer Street) / 36.05931,-78.81688 (Red Mill Road)

Directions:

Section 20 trailhead is along East Geer Street. From Durham, get on I-85 north and go about 6 miles to exit 183 for Redwood Road. Turn left on Redwood Road and then immediate left on East Geer Street. Go 0.5 miles to a pullout on the left just before the end of the road.

To arrange a shuttle, turn around and drive 2.1 miles. Turn right on Red Mill Road and drive 1.1 miles and pull over on the right just before the bridge over Ellerbe Creek.

Map:

Hike Description:

Section 20 starts running between East Geer Street and I-85 below a billboard.

At 0.2 miles, the trail descends below another billboard and crosses under the interstate through a tunnel.

The trail follows a gravel road for a short ways then turns right to follow a singletrack path. After a while, the trail runs through a powerline clearing then comes out on Redwood Road. Turn right and hike along the road to the end at the intersection with Tom Clark Road at the start of Section 21. The trail follows a gravel road then turns right to descend and cross railroad tracks.

After crossing the tracks, the trail runs around the perimeter of Newcombs Lake.

Once around the lake, turn right through a swampy area near a "mountain" of trash.

The trail continues through the swampy area for about a half-mile to Red Mill Road, just before the bridge over Ellerbe Creek. Right before reaching Red Mill Road, look for an old Fiat car that a tree has fallen on.