Uncovering the Secret of Lake Raleigh: A Hidden Oasis

Talk about a hidden gem. Nestled at the edge of North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus, Lake Raleigh is a 75-acre oasis that you could easily miss. Those who do discover it though will find a tranquil and quiet recreation area, where kayak paddles kiss the water and enthusiastic morning joggers trace the shoreline.

Whether you’re a student looking for solitude to study or you want to escape the siren sounds of downtown, Lake Raleigh is the ultimate escape.

It took us 6 years of living in Raleigh before we even knew that Lake Raleigh existed, now it’s one of our favorite lakes in Raleigh. Since then, we have walked the lake trail many times and love going stand up paddle boarding there. We love how when you paddle across the lake to the lily pad section, it feels like you’re somewhere in Florida in the Everglades, not three miles from downtown Raleigh!

If you’re thinking of visiting Lake Raleigh, either to get out on the water or stroll around it, here is everything you need to know!

About Lake Raleigh

Located in the heart of NC State University’s Centennial Campus and surrounded by 96 acres of protected forest, Lake Raleigh is an oasis for NC State students and the general public. It’s not one of the biggest lakes in Raleigh at only 75 acres, but it’s so peaceful and far from overcrowded (although popular with NC State students), which makes it a hidden oasis in the city.

It’s much quieter than our favorite lake nearby, Lake Johnson, and we basically had it all to ourselves when paddle boarding – there were a few other people fishing and kayaking, but it felt pretty secluded. 

We are making our way around all the best paddle boarding spots in the Triangle, and this one is a gem – there’s an easy launch spot at the boat ramp for non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks/canoes/paddle boards. Positioned on the southern side of Centennial Campus (the jetty and car park is near the James B. Hunt Jr. Library if that helps with your bearings), Lake Raleigh Recreation Area offers a picturesque retreat nestled between college buildings, residential space, and the on-campus StateView Hotel.

It was created as a reservoir for the city of Raleigh in the early 1900s, and is located less than a 10-minute drive from downtown. It offers opportunities for walks, picnics, disc golf, fishing, and kayaking/paddle boarding. Its trails are open from dawn until dusk. 

Things to do at Lake Raleigh

Boating, kayaking and SUP

Non-motorized boats are allowed on Lake Raleigh, and there is a designated launch area by the parking lot. Unfortunately, there isn’t anywhere to rent a watercraft, but you can bring your own and use the launch spot. Lake Raleigh is now one of our favorite places to go paddle boarding.

Hike the Walnut Creek Trail (Lake Raleigh Trail)

The paved Walnut Creek Trail follows the northern perimeter of Lake Raleigh for about 1.5 miles (about half the lake) and extends in both directions. The Walnut Creek Trail is part of the greater Capital Area Greenway System (over 100 miles of paved and unpaved trails) and this trail around Lake Raleigh connects to the Neuse River Trail (0 mile marker), Little Rock Trail, Rocky Branch Trail, and Lake Johnson East and West Loops for a total length of 15.6 miles – I’d love to bike the full length one day. See our list of favorite trails.

It does not loop around the lake (see map) but it’s fully paved and flat and is just a nice place to go for a leisurely walk or run/bike ride and escape campus life for students, or escape city life for the wider community.  When looking at the jetty, head to the right along the path towards Avent Ferry Rd and you’ll pass the North Shore residential complex, and cross a nice bridge for photo opportunities, and forestry and wetlands area.

Walk to the left for nice lake views and past the Centennial Disc Golf Course before coming to the tunnel under Main Campus Drive.

Cycle the lake

You can’t cycle the full loop of the lake but the Walnut Creek trial runs along half of it. There are also small mountain bike trails on the opposite side. If you don’t have your own bike, you can find bike rentals from the Bike Library’s popup bike rental available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am to 6:00pm at the greenway shop on the Walnut Creek Trail. They also have a tune up service for your bike and (so they say) local coffee from The Left Hook.

We have cycled the Walnut Creek trail a couple of times from Lake Johnson into Downtown Raleigh. You can see more in our guide to riding the bus in Raleigh (as we used it to return!) and the video below:

Go fishing

Fishing is allowed from the two jetty’s or from non-motorized boats. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Statewide fishing regulations apply. In North Carolina, anyone age 16+ must have a valid fishing license—either an Inland Fishing License or a Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL)—depending on where you fish. Details here.

Watch a sunset over the lake

Lake Raleigh is also a nice place to watch a sunset – on our list for things to come back for a sunset paddle, or maybe a sunset picnic!

Play a round of Disc Golf

There is a 9-hole disc golf course on the shores of Lake Raleigh, with the first hole located at the entrance to the lake on Main Campus Drive. It’s free to play, just bring your own disc. It has a good mix of narrow and open holes, with some more challenging sections around holes 2, 6, and 8.

Things to know before you go

• Lake Raleigh and its trails are open to the public from dawn until dusk.
• No swimming or wading allowed.
• Dogs must be kept on a six-foot leash.
• No alcohol permitted.
• No overnight camping.
• No smoking, only in the parking lots.

Parking & Access Points

• The small parking lot does require a NC State parking permit (Mon-Fri), but we went on a weekend. The small carpark down near the jetty was full, so we unloaded our paddle boards and then parked up the hill on Campus Shore Dr.
• Main Campus Drive — From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday-Friday, paid parking is available at the nearby Poulton lot on Partners Way. At any other time, free parking on campus is open to the public. After 5 p.m. and all day on weekends, public parking can also be found at the waterfront.
• Park Alumni Center — Free parking is available all day. The Park Alumni Center is open to the public for lunch and dinner on weekdays.
• Centennial Campus Middle School — Free parking is available all day.