Review of Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area, Wake Forest, North Carolina

 

Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area, Wake Forest, NC

After my wife and I sold our home at the end of August 2020, we headed down to Wake Forest, North Carolina.  This would mark the beginning of our early retirement.  We wanted to spend time with my brother in law and his family, who we haven’t seen in over a year.  It was during this visit that we discovered this fantastic recreation area.

Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area is a man made reservoir located in the upper portion of the Neuse River Basin, nestled near North Carolina’s bustling Triangle Area.  The reservoir covers nearly 12,500 acres of water and is surrounded by 25,500 acres of public land.  

The lake stretches 22 miles upstream to the confluence of three rivers: Eno, Flat, and Little Rivers.

Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area boasts hiking trails, fishing, water sports, biking, wildlife viewing, etc.

See my notes below when visiting the Recreation Area:

  • The main entrance to the Recreation Area is accessible from the Falls of Neuse Road.  There is an entrance fee from April thru September.  You can either park at the entrance to the Recreation Area, then walk into the area, or drive to the dam.  The jogging/walking trail is paved and it winds through the woods leading up to the Falls Dam.  
View from the top of the Falls Lake Dam
  • Another entrance you can take is by parking at the Falls Lake Tailrace Parking area on Old Falls of Neuse Road.  This area does not charge an entrance fee.  Look for ‘The Bike Guy’ at the entrance to this parking lot.  This parking lot is fairly small by comparison to the main entrance area.  If you arrive early enough, you should be able to find a parking spot.  Expect to walk a little to get to the Falls Dam.
  • The visitor center area is a good place to start your exploration.  Park your car there, then walk towards the lakeshore.  There are multiple hiking trails that meander off of the visitor center that’ll take you to the lakeshore.  This was my favorite thing to do there!  Even on a hot summer day in August, the breeze off of the lake provided an awesome respite from the heat.  Trees also help in providing shade...
View from the lakeshore

Our Pomeranian enjoying his hike at the Falls Lake Dam
  • If you’re parking at the ‘Falls Lake Tailrace Parking Lot’, look for the ‘Upper Neuse Greenway’, which is a multi purpose paved trail that is 27.5 miles long.  Greenway offers scenic views of the Neuse River, winding Boardwalk area through wetlands, historical sights, and agricultural fields.
View of the Neuse River from the Upper Neuse Greenway

  • You can rent a bike from ‘The Bike Guy’ on Old Falls of Neuse Road.  They are a full service bike shop that rents and repairs bikes.  You won’t be disappointed by the views on the Greenway!
If you’re visiting the Raleigh area of North Carolina, please visit the Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area.  You’ll enjoy it like we did!

Tip:  If you get hungry after exploring/hiking, my favorite restaurant in Raleigh area is ‘Secrets Cajun Kitchen’.  You can’t go wrong with Cajun shrimp boil, fried fish po-boy, or shrimp etouffee.  They also offer lunch specials Mondays thru Fridays.

We hope you enjoyed our trip notes to the Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area, in Wake Forest, North Carolina!  Thank you for reading!


Jake

Wandering Money Pig 


Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Ocean City, Maryland’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Bushkill Falls and Grey Towers.’

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 natural attractions in Las Vegas’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Zion National Park’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Vdara Hotel’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Chateau at Coindre Hall’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Oyster Bay’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Ocean Casino Resort’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Wildwood Park and Fort Hunter Mansion’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Ottawa’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Fiore Suite and classic room at the Borgata’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 places with awesome views near Harrisburg, PA’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Quebec City, Canada’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 quintessential places to visit in New York City’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Ricketts Glen State Park, PA’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Beaufort, NC’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Vernon, NJ’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Harrisburg, PA’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 things to do in Montreal, Canada’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Review of Falls Lake Dam Recreation Area, Wake Forest, NC’.

Please click here if you missed our ‘Top 3 parks to visit in Bogue Banks, North Carolina’.


Please check out our YouTube channel ‘Wandering Money Pig’ showcasing our travels and our Pomeranian dog! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kl9f4W9sfNG5h1l-x6nHw


Popular posts from this blog

AirBNB horror story: How we got a refund from AirBNB due to a noisy neighbor…

Image
  Letchworth State Park, NY My wife and I (and our Pomeranian Toby) have been slow traveling since our early retirement last August.  We rely on AirBnB or Vrbo when we travel, and this past April was no exception. We chose a monthly rental via AirBNB in the month of April, in a town called Claysburg, Pennsylvania.  The rental was a studio unit that has a bed, a futon, full kitchen and a private bath. On the day of our arrival (April 1st), we were greeted by snow falling at the condo.  It was a beautiful sight to behold! We checked in with no problems and slowly settled in.  The next three days were uneventful.  We did our usual unpacking, then we went shopping for food from a nearby supermarket the following day.  We enjoyed the sights nearby and were having a good time at a new location. By Monday of the following week, our luck had changed for the worse.  The neighbor upstairs did what sounded like to us, either deep cleaning and renovating! We heard loud music blasting, while heavy
Read more

Review of Fiore Suite and classic room at the Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ (New Jersey)

Image
  Classic Room at the Borgata, Atlantic City My wife and I have been going to the Borgata hotel and casino since its opening 18 years ago thanks to my dad.  My dad had a loyalty/player’s card which allowed free hotel stays (comped rooms).  We couldn’t resist free hotel rooms when my dad asked if we wanted to go! Fast forward to now. I now have a loyalty/player’s card that I use to take my parents to the same hotel for free.  Funny how roles switch...My dad used to treat us to free rooms, so now I’m treating him...Favor returned! Borgata Hotel & Casino was built in 2003 to huge fanfare when it opened.  Costing then $1.1 billion, it rivaled the best hotels in Las Vegas and New York City.  It features 2000 rooms, outdoor / indoor pools, a spa, a buffet, 3000+ slot machines, and many high end restaurants. Since its opening, it added the Water Club (a boutique hotel) in 2008 at a cost of $400 million, which added another 800 rooms to the available room capacity.  The casino is located
Read more