Lake Lynn Raleigh

Lake Lynn is a 52-acre Raleigh city park in  northwestern Wake County near Glenwood Avenue in the Research Triangle region.  The lake is surrounded by a 2.2-mile trail of paved greenway and wooden boardwalks that is part of the Capital Area Greenway.  In addition to the lake and trail, there is a community center with a playground and athletic fields.  Crabtree Watershed Dam #22b was constructed in 1976 to dam the Hare Snipe Creek for flood control.  The building of the dam created Lake Lynn, which is now used for both flood control and recreation.  The park was established in 1996.

Contact Information:

7921 Ray Road
Raleigh, NC 27613

Phone: (919) 870-2911
Fax: (919) 870-2912

Directions:  

There are two entrances to Lake Lynn - the north entrance off Ray Road and the south entrance off Lynn Road between Ray Road and Leesville Road. Both have paved parking lots with ample room for visitors.  The north entrance has the most parking and has direct access to the community center with restrooms and the athletic fields and playground.  There is also limited street parking at approximately 7609 Glenharden Dr with a short access path to the lake.  Additionally, there are also numerous paths to enter from the surrounding subdivisions and apartment complexes.  Use the map below to generate customized directions to the parking lots at either entrance.

Map:

The map shows the greenway trails in the default layer.  Community Center amenities are shown on a second layer.

Trails:

The trail around the lake and connecting trail are part of the Capital Area Greenway.

Hare Snipe Creek Trail:

Length: 2.3 miles
Surface: Paved trail

Hare Snipe Creek Trail begins at Wooten Meadow Park and follows Leesville Road north to Lynn Road and then into Lake Lynn Park.  At Lake Lynn, the trail follows the west shore of the lake and then follows the connector trail to the Community Center.

Lake Lynn Trail:

Length: 1.9 miles
Surface: Paved trail

Lake Lynn Trail makes a 2-mile loop around the lake.  See Lake Lynn Loop Hike for a detailed description of the trail.

Hikes:

Lake Lynn Loop Hike is a 2.2-mile hike around the lake.

Community Center:

The community center, built in 1996, is one of the newer recreation centers and provides various spaces available for rent to the public.  It has a gymnasium with two basketball courts, a meeting room, a dance studio, and an art room.  All of these are available to the public for rent.  There is also a weight room with a monthly membership fee.  Visit the park's website for information about rentals.  The community center also has public restrooms and serves other community functions, such as an early voting site.  Outside amenities include tennis courts, a baseball field and batting cage, a playground, bocce courts, and a picnic area.

Wildlife: 

Lake Lynn provides habitat for a number of different species of birds and wildlife and so the boardwalks that skirt the many coves along the lake provide an excellent opportunity for wildlife viewing.  The lake is also home to many fish and fishing along the shore is a popular activity (with a valid NC Fishing License).

Birds:

Lake Lynn is an excellent place for birding.  See Lake Lynn Birding for some of the species that can be found here.

Reptiles and Amphibians:

Snakes, turtles frogs and other herps can sometimes be seen along the trail and near the shore.  See Lake Lynn Reptiles & Amphibians for some of the species that can be found.

Mammals:

A number of mammals are also found around the lake.  White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are very common and may emerge from the woods and walk through the shallow water.

Eastern cotton-tailed rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) are frequently found eating vegetation around the park.

External Links:

City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation website: https://raleighnc.gov/places/lake-lynn-park