North Carolina State Parks

Falls Lake

13304 Creedmoor Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587 · (919) 676-1027 · E-mail

Hours of relaxation await you at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. Just moments away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Falls Lake is a great way to escape urban life. With a 12,000-acre lake and 26,000 acres of woodlands, Falls Lake State Recreation Area offers a choice of recreation areas—Beaverdam, B.W. Wells, Highway 50, Holly Point, Rolling View, Sandling Beach and Shinleaf.

Fishing, boating and swimming are only a few of the activities awaiting you on the water. On land, you can enjoy walking, mountain biking or camping along a portion of the state's Mountains-to-Sea Trail. From recreation to environmental education, no matter what you are looking for, you are sure to discover it at Falls Lake.

Boating

Highway 50, Rolling View and Beaverdam recreation areas have boat-launching ramps. Only boats with non-gasoline motors are allowed in Beaverdam. B. W. Wells and Holly Point provide similar services for campers only.

At B. W. Wells, campers who bring their canoes have access to the water on Old Weaver Trail at the north end of the lake. Sandling Beach also offers a beach to launch non-motorized watercraft, but paddlers must carry canoes across the beach to the water by hand.

A privately managed concession near Rolling View State Recreation Area, offers boat launching, slips and mooring, as well as a snack bar, equipment rental, supplies and gasoline.

Camping

Family camping: With more than 300 sites, pitch your tent or park your RV at Falls Lake. Many sites offer water and electric hookups. Showers, restrooms and dump stations are located nearby.

Holly Point offers 153 campsites, 89 with water and electric hookups. Centrally located washhouses and a comfort station are nearby. Similarly, Rollingview offers 80 campsites with water and electric hookups for RVs and 35 campsites for tents and trailers. Rolling View and Holly Point campsites include picnic tables, outdoor grills and tent pads.

Campsites are available on a first-come basis for a fee. Sites may be reserved for a stay of a week or longer at least two weeks in advance. The maximum stay in the park is two weeks.

For people who desire a more primitive camping experience, Shinleaf offers tent camping in hike-in sites. Shinleaf is closed for the winter and will re-open in spring.

Rolling View and B. W. Wells (reservations only) have special areas for camping clubs and groups. At B. W. Wells, 14 group campsites have a centrally located shower house, and each site accommodates up to 35 people. Each Rolling View site accommodates up to 30 people and offers four sites with drinking water, picnic tables and fire pits. Both campgrounds have picnic tables, benches, grills, water and a campfire ring. Showers are centrally located. For reservations, contact the park.

Cycling

Enjoy riding your mountain bike through Falls Lake State Recreation Area! A total of 13 miles of trails through a variety of terrain are open for single-track mountain biking. Located in the Beaverdam area, the park offers three loop trails totaling a distance of 6.5 miles of easy/intermediate riding, as well as a 6.5-mile trail for advanced riding.

Fishing

Bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie—as well as numerous artificial reefs and fish shelters, and continuous stocking programs—attract anglers to Falls Lake. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission regulations apply.

Hiking

Falls Lake Trail will eventually travel the entire south shore of the lake. A portion of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the trail will connect two recreational areas and provide camping for backpackers. Portions of the trail travel through state parkland where all state park regulations apply. The remainder of the trail travels through N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission gamelands. For your safety, wear blaze orange while hiking this trail during hunting season

A one-mile loop trail at B. W. Wells passes the naturalist's home and an interpretive area. Short trails at Rolling View and Sandling Beach allow a closer look at the aquatic environment.

Picnicking

All recreation areas offer picnic sites with outdoor grills and tables. Drinking water is located nearby. Sandling Beach, Rolling View and Beaverdam have picnic shelters of various sizes with drinking water and restrooms nearby. Highway 50 offers picnic tables, grills, trash receptacles and nearby restrooms.

Use of picnic shelters is free on a first-come, first-served basis; a fee is charged to reserve a shelter. For more information or for a reservation form, contact the park office.

Swimming

Sandling Beach, Rolling View and Beaverdam provide sandy swim beaches with nearby restrooms and changing facilities. Holly Point offers swimming for campers only. Supervise children closely and outfit them with personal flotation devices when they are in or near water.

For more information visit: North Carolina State Parks - Falls Lake State Recreation Area