Soak up The Fun: 7 Recreational Lakes in the Raleigh Area

You don’t have to drive to the beach for a day on the water! These public lakes offer places for boating, fishing, kayaking and jet skiing.
by Addie Ladner | photography by Geoff Wood

Summertime brings wind in your hair, sun on your skin, toes in the sand and, hopefully, some dips in the water. Lucky for us, the Raleigh area has some lovely lakes that offer a range of recreational water activities. One of the largest is Falls Lake State Recreation Area in northwest Wake County. It was formed in 1981 by the Army Corp of Engineers as a flood control and freshwater source and offers over 12,000 acres of water and 175 miles of mostly undeveloped shoreline, which makes it popular for both recreation and nature-gazing. Visitors can access the lake by walking the trails or through one of its seven boat launches, from which they can take in the diversity of wildlife that lives along its banks, including turtles, bald eagles, herons and osprey. “Falls Lake might be one of the most underutilized lakes in North Carolina,” says Randy Geist, a captain for Motor-Boatin’ recreation rental company, noting that even on peak days, there’s ample space to zip around the water, set up anchor by a shore or canoe through its bays.

Geist says their pontoons are particularly popular for friends or families in July. “Groups come over with packed coolers, we have music on the stereo and just get on out there,” says Geist. “Everyone returns to the dock happy.” By contrast, the smaller Lake Crabtree County Park — which doesn’t allow motorized vessels — tends to attract visitors looking for quieter, more solitary water activities. This 520-acre reservoir near Raleigh-Durham International Airport can be accessed easily from hiking paths or one of its boat access points near the pavilion at the boathouse. One popular way to enjoy it is by kayak or canoe, which folks can rent for free. “It’s very family-friendly and appealing for folks not as comfortable on the water,” says park manager Drew Cade. The lake also attracts sailing groups, including high school and college teams, looking for calm, accessible waters with just enough wind. “Even though we have an airport and I-40 nearby, this feels like a fun respite from the rest of the world,” Cade says. From stand-up paddleboarding to tubing to sailing to chartering a ski boat, read on for the great recreational options on lakes in the Raleigh area.

Bond Lake

About 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh in the Fred G. Bond Metro Park, this lake is run by the Town of Cary. Here, you can rent kayaks, pedal boats, paddleboards and sailboats or bring your own to the public boat launch; note that no gas-powered vessels are allowed (carync.gov).

Falls Lake

Falls Lake State Recreation Area is about 45 minutes from downtown Raleigh. In addition to three designated swimming areas, there are numerous drop-in spots for kayaks or speedboats. You can also rent chartered pontoon and speed boats, jet skis, tubes and fishing boats through Motor-Boatin’ at Falls Lake (motor-boatin.com) or pontoons and jet skis throughBBB Boat Rentals (bbbboatrentals.com).

Jordan Lake

The anchor of the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Jordan Lake offers more than 13,000 acres of water about 30 miles west of downtown. Nine access points offer spots to swim, put in a boat or hike or camp near the water. It’s especially popular for fishing and spotting bald eagles. Visitors can rent kayaks and paddleboards through WakeRack (wakerack.com).

Lake Crabtree

Near Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the quiet Lake Crabtree County Park has an access spot for playing in the water and offers double and single kayaks, pedal boats and stand-up paddleboard rentals in two-hour increments for free on a first-come, first-serve basis; motorized vessels are prohibited (wake.gov). It’s also popular for leisure fishing, as you can cast a line from the platform near the boathouse. If you don’t have your own, rent rods, reels and other supplies through the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Tackle Loaner Program (ncwildlife.gov/fishing).

Lake Johnson

Lake Johnson Park, just 10 minutes southwest of downtown, offers a tranquil 150-acre lake surrounded by over 300 acres of woodlands. Access points include the Waterfront Center and Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center, as well as two trailheads. Visitors can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards via WakeRack lockers near the Waterfront Center (raleighnc.gov). A pier parallel to Avent Ferry Road is also a popular fishing spot.

Lake Raleigh

A hidden gem for nature lovers, this lake on North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus is great for people who want an easy access spot to bring their own canoes, kayaks or stand-up paddle boards. There isn’t an official swimming access, but there are plenty of spots to tuck in for a picnic, as well as a fishing pier (centennial.ncsu.edu).

Lake Wheeler

Less than 20 minutes south of downtown, Lake Wheeler Park offers shaded, sandy spots to relax near the water, as well as a canoe drop-in spot and personal boat launch (raleighnc.gov). Small motorized boats (with the exclusion of jet skis), skiing and tubing are allowed, but swimming is not; visitors can also rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards via WakeRack (wakerack.com).