This year, National Take A Hike Day falls on November 17, 2020 and I am taking this opportunity to share with you some of our favorite places to take a hike! Why do we like to hike? The answer is simple, it’s a free, family-friendly activity that allows us to connect with nature in a fun way.We have always loved nature but 2020 has been a year that we have enjoyed this ideal social distancing activity so much more! Per Black People Who Hike, there is also health benefits to hiking. If you live in the Raleigh, NC area, here are 4 Places To Enjoy #NationalTakeAHikeDay !
Durant Nature Preserve
At 237 acres, Durant Nature Preserve is one of our favorite parks to enjoy the great outdoors. This massive, mostly undeveloped park has it all! A Butterfly garden, plentiful picnic areas and two lakes. We love taking a hike down to the fresh water stream to see all types of aquatic life in it’s original habitat. We have also spotted white tail deers! They have a multitude of mountain biking and hiking trails that are easy to moderate. If you like raw nature, then this park is for you.
Durant Nature Preserve8305 Camp Durant RdRaleigh, NC 27614
Green Hills County Park
A park at a former landfill may sound weird but Wake County has made it work! Green Hills County Park is located off of Durant Rd near the recycle center. Wake County grassed over the mound and managed to have zero smelly emissions, so no worries for your senses. They built a 2 lane paved road that is 1 mile in diameter. One lane for walkers or bikers and the other lane (separated by a curb) for cars. The most unique aspect (besides building a park from a closed landfill) is visitors can hike up a steep gravel trail to THE top of the landfill, which also boasts the highest point in Wake County for a 360 degree view of ALL of Wake County. They have a few picnic tables and grassy area up there to spend some time. My husband likes to do some power jogs up and down the trail and so do others. This is indeed an awesome park to visit!
Green Hills County Park
9300 Deponie DriveRaleigh, NC 27614
Falls Lake
Conviently located off of Falls Of Neuse Road, lies Falls Lake. This park is part of a 22 mile lake system that runs through northern Wake County. It is actually maintained by the state and US Army Corp Of Engineers, this man made lake is full of boaters, fisherman, paddle boarders and anything else you can do on the water. The Falls of Neuse entrance leads to the massive dam. You can hike various trails, paved and unpaved throughout this wonderful area. They have a great information center with maps that provide not only hiking but camping and boating information as well. We have hiked a portion of the famous NC “mountain to sea” trail which descends to the lake. Falls Lake is one of the most beautiful outdoor places to hike!
Falls Lake Visitor Assistance Center
11405 Falls of Neuse RdRaleigh, NC 27614
Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park
We love hiking and learning and there is no better place to do both than at Annie Louise Wilkerson,MD Nature Preserve. It’s namesak, Annie Louise Wilkerson was a pioneering doctor in the Raleigh area for 52 years who bequeathed the 157 acres to the city with the stipulation that the land remained undeveloped and be a place of learning. There is an education center, a whimsical “troll/fairy trail for kids (grown kids also) and a great perimeter pond trail that we love to hike around. Butterflies, grasshoppers, birds and ladybugs abound everywhere! The Pond Trail is mostly low cut grass so running while hiking is encouraged! This is just a special happy place for the whole family to enjoy.
Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preseve Park
5229 Awls Haven Dr.Raleigh, NC 27614
For more informaton on the above listed parks or to discover somewhere new to explore nature, check out Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources | City of Raleigh and Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space. Thanks for reading and I hope you are inspired to enjoy the many ways to connect with nature on #NationalTakeAHikeDay (and everyday) in Raleigh,NC!
👀 Watch my YOUTUBE video which recaps some of our favorite moments/views at Durant Nature Preserve, Green County Hills Park, Falls Lake and Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park.
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