Where To See Fall Colors In Raleigh & The Triangle Region

It’s that time of year again when the weather has cooled and the trees are starting to showcase those vibrant Fall colors we all love. But where is the best place to see Fall colors in Raleigh? Where can I gaze upon the most incredible Fall foliage in the Triangle region? Well, you’re about to find out!

Fall is our favorite time of year. We love how our beautiful oak trees offer rich tones in contrast to the evergreen pines that surround them. Their beauty a little salve for the irritation I feel about the winter months coming earlier than they are wanted. 

Don’t you just hate how quickly Fall comes and goes? With leaf peeping season lasting only a few weeks, you had better lace up your boots, grab your warm jackets and check out these places to catch the very best of the Fall colors of Raleigh. Also note the best time to see Fall colors is in mid-October until early November but can also start to turn from late September.

We also have a free Fall Bucket List PDF for members of our email community. You can grab yours by filling out the form below. We send updates and insider tips including our fresh finds and happenings for the week every Friday. 

1. Wake County Lakes

The lakes in Raleigh are the perfect place to see Fall foliage, as many of them are surrounded by trails for hiking or biking. During the Fall you can still paddleboard or kayak on them as well, and since Fall tends to be quite dry in Raleigh, the water is still, turning into a mirror to reflect the firey colors on its surface. 

We love seeing the Fall colors on the lakes. The reflections in the water really amplify the colors! It’s two for the price of one. The best time to see the peak colors is in the morning and evening golden hours!

The following lakes would make for the perfect place to stroll around during Autumn. We don’t have any Fall pictures for most of these lakes, but we can envision them being just as wonderful this time of year!

Lake Johnson

Our favorite lake in Raleigh, especially in the Fall, is Lake Johnson in Southwest Raleigh. Enjoy the colors on a 2.8 mile loop walk, while fishing from the bridge, or paddling on the water.

It’s especially beautiful at sunset, when the golden sun casts it’s glow over the red leaves – it would be the best sunset in Raleigh in Fall, hands down. Read our guide to Lake Johnson, then click play on the video below to see the beauty of Lake Johnson in the Fall

Bond Lake, Cary

The 2-mile nature trail at Bond Lake mix of paved and unpaved natural woodland setting is it loops around hugging a picturesque lake. There are also greenway trails running in and out of Bond Lake, as well as a kid’s playground, sports fields, and a boathouse. There are often Fall events on, like the Pumpkin Flotilla in late October. Read our guide to Bond Lake.

Apex Lake

Another easy Wake County lake to enjoy the Fall Colors is this 160-acre Apex Community Park is just 2.5 miles from charming downtown Apex. The Lake Pine Loop is a 2-mile fully paved loop around the lake that is good for all fitness levels and accessible year-round. There are also fishing piers, athletic fields, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, picnic areas, and playgrounds

Lake Lynn, Northwest Raleigh

The Lake Lynn Trail is a paved 2.8 mile loop that follows the perimeter Lake Lynn. There are beatuiful views throughout. This trail is part of the Hare Snipe Creek Trail and the greater Capital Area Greenway system. Read More: Biking the Lake Lynn Trail.

Shelly Lake, North Raleigh

Another place to see the Autumn colors is Shelley Lake in North Raleigh. An easy 2-mile paved trail loops around the 53-acre lake, and there’s a lovely wooden dock which juts out onto the lake, offering you a 180 degree view of the forest fringing the shoreline. Read More: The Shelley Lake Loop Trail.

Jordan Lake, South of Raleigh

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is especially beautiful during leaf-peeping season, particular around sunset. You may even still have warm enough weather to enjoy swimming with the colors as a background. 

Lake Crabtree County Park, Morrisville

We’re enjoy exploring the hiking trails, bike trails, and greenway trails of the 520-acre Lake Crabtree, which is quite spectacular with Fall colors. We have enjoyed standup paddleboarding here and have walked part of the lake loop trail during the Fall. It’s one of the prettiest trails to walk in Raleigh in the Autumn months.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area, North Raleigh

Falls Lake is flanked by the beautiful Autumn colors in vibrant yellows, oranges and reds. Get out on a boat or paddle board, go fishing or hike many of the trails. 

2. Umstead State Park

More than 20 miles of hiking trails with Fall foliage await you in Raleigh’s very own state park. Most of the deciduous trees in Umstead State Park are native species, which can lead to spectacular Autumn hues. The trails close to water will be the best for Fall colors. Consider the following hiking trails which take you to the most dense foliage spots:

• Sal’s Branch Trail will take you through the woods to a golden view of Big Lake.
• The Sycamore Trail will take you along Sycamore Creek surrounded by yellow forests! 
• We love the Loblolly Trail and its hidden Davis Pond. We haven’t seen it in the Fall yet, but we know with those reflections it will be WOW.
• The Company Mill trail is one of the longest in the park so will give you the most Fall color views.
• Here is our full guide to the Umstead State Park, hiking trails and more.

Videos: Umstead Park Trails

Watch the video to see the different trails in Umstead State Park

3. Wake County Greenway Trails

There are 104 miles of Greenway trails and 28 individual routes in the Capital area Greenway system. You’ll find even more trails in neighboring towns and counties. Basically, wherever you live, there’s a greenway trail. And with the deciduous trees abundant throughout the city, expect Fall foliage along them all. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Walnut Creek: This greenway trail connects some of our favorite Raleigh areas: Lake Johnson, Lake Raleigh, Dorothea Dix Park, and Downtown Raleigh. 
• Art to Heart: A very unique Raleigh greenway trail, it takes you from the NC Museum of Art, along several different greenways into Downtown Raleigh passing through NC State, Pullen Park and Dorothea Dix. You may like this ebike tour of the Art to Heart which shares history and ghost stories along the way! Use code THISISRALEIGH for 10% discount.
• Crabtree Creek: This 15-mile trail connects the east and west of the city and passes through North Hills. We have down a small section alongside the creek in north Raleigh near Mordecai Beverage Co and from Kiwanis Park to Lassiter Mills. We saw deer and a hidden waterfall … sort of! (see our reel here)
• The Neuse River Greenway Trail: this 30-mile paved, greenway stretches from Falls Lake in North Raleigh to the Wake County line in southeast Raleigh.
• American Tobacco Trail: Catch the train to Durham and then ride back along this 23-mile rail trail built on an abandoned railroad corridor. The trail stretches from the western edge of Apex passing through Wake, Chatham and Durham Counties on its way to Downtown Durham. Check out this winery at the end of the trail in Apex.
• White Oak Creek Trail: The 7.38 miles White Oak Creek Trail begins at Bond Lake, and passes through woodlands, over wetlands and through Cary neighborhoods before finishing with a connection to the American Tobacco Trail.

4. Raleigh Parks & Preserves

Looking for a more sedentary way to experience the Fall colors in Raleigh? Pack a picnic, and your bocce set, and head to any of the wonderful parks in Raleigh. Some may have easy walking trails or even Fall events to further enjoy the season. 

Don’t forget the squares in Raleigh as well. They have many oak tress so colors will be bountiful. It’s the perfect place for a lunch break if you work downtown.

Dorothea Dix Park

Dorothea Dix Park is one of the best places in Raleigh for a picnic and city skyline view. Even better with the leaf changes. You’ll find Fall events like Falling for Local taking place in October as well. Here is our guide to Dorothea Dix Park and the free guided Dix Park tour we highly recommend!

Historic Yates Mill County Park

Historic Yates Mill County Park is one of the early parks to see color change, with its Yellow Poplar trees. There is an easy loop trail around the pond to enjoy the Fall colors.  When finished head over the road to NC State’s own creamery, Howling Cow ice cream. It’s the best ice cream in Raleigh and 100% local and made from the cows you can see in the pastures. Read More: Guide to Historic Yates Mill County Park

Ann & Jim Goodnight Museum Park

Bring a picnic and enjoy the fall leaves among the sculptures in the 164-acre NC Museum of Art’s Museum Park. The park connects art, nature, and people and features temporary and permanent public art installations by international artists, miles of recreational trails, and a terraced pond.

Pullen Park, Downtown Raleigh

Pullen Park has been the city’s favorite park since 1887. It’s the first public park in NC and the 5th oldest amusement park in the US. Younger kids will especially love visiting here in the Fall with the carousel, pedal boat and train ride soaking up all the colors. Read our guide to Pullen Park.

E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest

Residents of Wake Forest can enjoy exploring the A 117-acre Joyner Park. There are three miles of trails, an amphitheater, a pecan grove & some old farm buildings.

J.C. Raulston Arboretum , NC State

Of course, what better place to see Fall colors than at an arboretum? The J.C. Raulston Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed botanical garden, which is administered by NC State University. It includes 10 acres of gardens with over 6,000 types of plant

Durant Nature Preserve, North Raleigh

There are five miles of trails in the 237-acres of Durant Nature Preserve. Enjoy the Autumn colors with a hike along a stream, through hardwood and pine forests, through wetlands, and alongside two lakes.

Robertson Millpond Preserve, Wendell

A Fall experience with a difference awaits in this cypress swamp near Wendell, in East Raleigh. Bring your own kayak, canoe, paddle board. The 1.15 mile trail is marked by numbered buoys guiding you through the cypress swamp. You will feel like you’re in Florida. Read our guide to paddling the Robertson Millpond Preserve here.

Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve, Wake Forest

Walk around the u-shaped nature preserve surrounded on three sides by the Neuse River. The 150 acres of pastures and woodlands offer great natural beauty, abundant wildlife and rich heritage. This was once private land owned by a medical doctor and his family. They sold to the City of Raleigh in 1994 so it could become a public park. Today, Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve contains almost connected to the Neuse River portion of the city’s greenway trail. 

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, Cary

We love the three easy walking trails in Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. This is a little pocket of serenity that will make you feel like you’ve been dropped in the mountains. Thanks to the north facing bluff face, eastern hemlock trees thrive here in this cooler, shadier spot. This is the only place to see them outside of the NC mountains. You get beautiful foliage in the Fall on its leaf-covered pathways. We love the Swift Creek trail. Read our guide to the Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary

Beyond Wake County

There are several state parks and gardens beyond Raleigh in the Triangle and neighboring counties. Here are few you can explore in an hours drive or less.

Eno River State Park, Durham

A popular place for many Triangle locals to visit for hiking, fishing, canoeing, waterfalls, and swimming is the Eno River State Park. What better time to explore it with the cooler Fall temperatures and vibrant colors. 

The Eno River flows through Durham for 33 miles before eventually spilling out into Falls Lake . The river winds through hills and bluffs with shrubs and pines with plenty of beautiful views along the trails. The Eno is one of the state parks along North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham

The Fall colors in the Duke Gardens in Durham are pretty spectacular. It’s not just a place for leaf peeping. There are a range of Fall classes and activities. Why not learn about Autumn plants for your gardens, celebrate Fall Harvest Festival, or participate in a Japanese Tea Ceremony?

Note: We’ve seen magnificent gardens around the world, and we think Duke Gardens are pretty special, especially since they are FREE! Just another reason to love living in Raleigh and the Triangle. Read our guide to the Sarah P Duke Gardens

North Carolina Botanical Garden, UNC Chapel Hill 

The North Carolina Botanical Garden is operated by the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. This free conservation garden is one of the largest native plant botanical gardens in the Southeast. There are numerous ways to enjoy the Fall season with free public tours and hikes throughout the botanical gardens, Piedmont Nature trails, Coker Arboretum and Battle Park.

Every Fall they host the Sculpture in the Garden exhibit, featuring 75 installations by nearly 50 local artists. They also have a popular Fall plant sale. 

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

An easy day trip to the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Hillsborough (15 miles northeast of Durham) offers a beautiful leaf peeping opportunity. At 350ft higher elevation, it’s the highest point between Hillsborough and the Atlantic Ocean.

There are three miles of trails that will take you through oak forests, along the Eno River, and to views from the overlook. News on the street is this is quite the epic sunset spot! While here visit, downtown Hillsborough, which is meant to be beautiful in the Fall with its multitudinous deciduous trees.

Raven Rock State Park, Lilington

Less than an hour from Cary near Lillington in Harnett County is Raven Rock State Park, a popular destination for fall foliage views. Hiking trails will take you through a 150-foot bluff with views over the Cape Fear River. There’s an abundance of hardwood trees showing off their Autumn colors. 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been looking up “Fall colors near me,” and coming up with zilch, we hope that you found what you are looking for in this guide. With the cooler temps, Fall is the perfect time for hiking and biking, which we think is the best way to appreciate one of nature’s most brilliant shows. And we hope this guide helps you realize you don’t need to go far to enjoy beautiful Fall colors.

Although, the best place for you to see the Fall colors would of course be Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah National Forest, and Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina mountains. We have a guide on Fall getaway ideas from Raleigh.

But, if you can’t make a road trip out to the Blue Ridge Mountains, try these nature places in Raleigh and beyond instead. We’ll be out exploring the colors, so follow our adventures on Instagram, so you don’t miss our discoveries. 

More Fall Inspiration In Raleigh

Need more ideas for things to do and places to go in the Fall? Here are some other helpful guides!

• Places to celebrate Oktoberfest
• Pumpkin Patches and corn mazes near Raleigh
• The best Fall festivals and events in Raleigh
• A guide to the NC State Fair
• Things to do in Raleigh in the Fall
• Things to do for Halloween in Raleigh

Which of these places are you most excited to visit for Fall colors? Can you think of any others? Let us know in the comments.