Forest Ridge Park Raleigh

Forest Ridge Park, along the serene shores of Falls Lake in Wake County, stands as a 587-acre haven opened in 2017 that seamlessly blends natural beauty with family-friendly recreation. This City of Raleigh gem offers an array of activities, including easy hiking trails ranging from 1/3 to 1.5 miles of natural or gravel paths, a beginner-friendly 3-mile mountain biking loop that's fast, flowy, and dotted with gentle hills and rooty sections, and shoreline fishing spots perfect for casting lines during park hours. With picnic pavilions, a Visitor Center, and sustainable landscaping, it’s a family-friendly haven for outdoor adventure in the Triangle region.

Contact Information:

2100 Old NC Hwy 98
Wake Forest, NC 27587

Phone: (919) 996-5800

Directions:

From I-540 in north Raleigh, take exit 14 for Falls of the Neuse Road and go north.  In 3.1 miles, turn left onto Old Falls of Neuse Road.  Go 2.6 miles, and turn left on Keith Store Road.  In 0.3 miles, make a sharp left onto Old NC Hwy 98 and go 1 mile to enter the park.

Map:

 

Trails:

Forest Ridge Park has hiking, multi-use and single-track mountain biking trails.

Boulder Creek Trail:

Boulder Creek Trail is a 1-mile partial loop splitting off from Ridgeline Trail with creek crossings over a rocky tributary.

Mountain Bike Trails:

There are over three miles of singletrack mountain bike trails with scenic views of the lake.

Old 98 Trail:

Old 98 Trail follows the road past the gate down to the lake.

Peninsula Trail:

Peninsula Trail is a multi-use gravel road leading down the peninsula.

Peninsula Point Trail:

Peninsula Point Trail is a short hiking trail that extends Peninsula Trail down to the lake.

Ridgeline Trail:

Ridgeline Trail is a 1.2-mile loop that follows a ridgeline above the lake.  It splits off from Rocky Point Trail.

Rocky Point Trail:

Rocky Point Trail is a 0.6-mile loop that leads out to a rocky point in the lake with very scenic views.

Shoreline Trail:

Shoreline Trail makes a 3 mile loop following the shoreline of the peninsula.

Wild Comfrey Trail:

Wild Comfrey Trail is a short trail from behind the visitor center to the disk gold course.

Wildlife:

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora) is a unique plant that lacks chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis, which gives it a distinctive pale, waxy, or ghostly white appearance.

Blog Entries:

18-Oct-2020: Williamson Preserve

External Links:

Raleigh Parks and Recreation website: https://raleighnc.gov/places/forest-ridge-park