NC Research Triangle

The Research Triangle is an area in the Piedmont of central North Carolina including Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.  These major cities make up the three points of the triangle, but the Triangle also includes smaller towns such as Cary, Wake Forest, and Hillsborough.  The Triangle is sometimes referred to as Research Triangle due to the density of institutions of higher education, including North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and others, and the concentration of high-tech, biotech, and pharmaceutical firms in the region.

Map:

The following map shows locations and links to places for hiking and outdoor adventures in the Triangle.

Cities and Towns:

Raleigh

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and one of the three points of the Triangle.

1. Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve
2. Capital Area Greenway
3. Durant Nature Preserve
4. Forest Ridge Park
5. Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve
6. Lake Johnson Park and Nature Preserve
7. Lake Lynn Park
8. Shelley Lake Park

Durham

Durham, the Bull City is another of the points in the Triangle.

1. American Tobacco Trail
2. West Point on the Eno

Cary

Cary is a suburb of Raleigh and the largest town in North Carolina.

1. American Tobacco Trail
2. Cary Greenway
3. Fred G. Bond Metro Park
4. Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve

Clayton

Clayton is located in Johnston County just east of Raleigh.

1. Clayton Greenway

Knightdale

Knightdale is a suburb of Raleigh east of the city.

1. Knightdale Greenway

Morrisville

Morrisville is a suburb of Raleigh and is home to RDU airport.

1. Morrisville Greenway

Wake Forest

Wake Forest is a fast-growing town in northern Wake County.

1. Wake Forest Greenways

Counties:

Orange:

Orange County is home to Chapel Hill and UNC.

Orange County Parks:

1. Hollow Rock Nature Park
2. Little River Regional Park & Natural Area
3. Seven Mile Creek Natural Area

Wake:

Wake County is home to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina.

Wake County Parks:

1. 286 Property
2. American Tobacco Trail
3. Blue Jay Point County Park
4. Crowder District Park
5. Green Hills County Park
6. Harris Lake County Park
7. Historic Yates Mill County Park
8. Lake Crabtree County Park
9. Robertson Millpond Preserve
10. Sandy Pines Preserve
11. Turnipseed Nature Preserve

State Parks:

A number of North Carolina State Parks are found in the Triangle region.

1. Eno River State Park
2. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
3. Lower Haw River State Natural Area
4. Falls Lake State Recreation Area
5. William B. Umstead State Park

Army Corps of Engineers:

There are two Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the Triangle area with hiking and outdoor recreation opportunities.

1. B. Everett Jordan Dam
2. Falls Lake

Museums:

1. North Carolina Museum of Art

University Areas:

Duke University:

1. Duke Forest

Louisburg College:

1. de Hart Botanical Gardens

North Carolina State University:

1. Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial Forest
2. Lake Raleigh Woods

Private Nature Preserves:

Classical American Homes Preservation Trust:

Classical American Homes Preservation Trust manages Ayr Mount and Historic Occoneechee Speedway near Hillsborough.

Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association:

Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association protects lands in the watershed of Ellerbe Creek, a major tributary of Falls Lake.

• Glennstone Nature Preserve

Eno River Association:

The Eno River Association protects land in the Eno River basin and has one nature preserve open to the public.

• Confluence Natural Area

North Carolina Botanical Garden:

• Penny's Bend Nature Preserve

Tar River Land Conservancy:

• Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area

Triangle Land Conservancy:

Triangle Land Conservancy is a local non-profit that works to conserve land in the Triangle region.

1. Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve
2. Brumley Nature Preserve
3. Flower Hill Nature Preserve
4. Horton Grove Nature Preserve
5. Johnston Mill Nature Preserve
6. Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve
7. White Pines Nature Preserve