Most recently updated September 21st, 2022
Lake Crabtree County Park is arguably the best in-town alternative to a trip to the beach for a quick fix of sand and time on the water.
In my opinion, any park where you can take your kids to paddle or even just watch the sun on the water is a big bonus – especially when you don’t have to drive more than 15-20 minutes to get there.
While Bond Lake and Symphony Lake are also centrally located, they don’t have nearly the size or water access afforded by Lake Crabtree.
I grew up on a large natural lake in Minnesota, with sailboats in the summer and snowmobiles, skis and ice-fishing in the winter.
So lakes make me feel good – and I logged a lot of hours on the Open Play field on the shore of Lake Crabtree when my daughter was little.
These days I spend more time hiking the 6 mile Lake Trail loop than flying kites. But you could do both!
Located in a forested area between Cary, Morrisville, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Lake Crabtree County Park offers visitors a 520-acre flood-control lake adjacent to a 215-acre wooded site, with 16-plus miles of trails, picnic areas that are perfect for outdoor games, boating, geocaching and catch-and-release fishing.
The park also houses two playgrounds, a garden, a boat dock, a fishing pier, rentable kayaks and sailboats, sand volleyball court, and an observation tower that kids love to explore!
The large open playing field beside the lake is perfect for touch football or flying a kite.
Lake Crabtree County Park’s main entrance is of off Aviation Parkway. On its other sides the park is bordered by I-40 and the northeastern shore of Lake Crabtree.
Admission is free. The park is open daily, from 8am until sunset.
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Lake Crabtree County Park History
About the Lake
Lake Crabtree was originally built by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1989 to alleviate flooding in Cary, Raleigh and surrounding areas.
They started by damming the Crabtree Creek. Crabtree Creek,a tributary of the Neuse River, lies within a flood plain that is prone to flooding, even after just a moderate rainfall.
The Park Land
Wake County’s goal is to preserve 30 percent of it’s land area as parks and open space.
In keeping with that goal, in 1985 the county took out a 40-year lease on 33 acres to create Lake Crabtree County Park, the first county park to be established in Wake County, NC.
In 1994, the Airport Authority and the county amended the lease to add the 149 acres that are between the first 33 acres and the on-ramp to eastbound I-40.
That amendment increased the park’s footprint to 215 acres (in addition to the lake), which is it’s current size.
Uncovering History
During the park’s trail construction and renovations, staff found Native American projectile points dating back to the Archaic Period.
Indications are that this land – like that in Umstead State Park – was used for hunting and possible settlement by humans for at least the past 5,000 years.
By the mid 19th Century, the original native population of the Piedmont had long since given way to yeoman farmers of English, Scots-Irish, and German ancestry.
The Tenant Farm
Small farmers, both landholding and tenant farmers, made up the bulk of North Carolina’s population until about one hundred years after the Civil War.
The remains of a tenant farm, including a tenant house, stone-lined well and tobacco ordering pit, are located in the park. Rows of daffodils still bloom beside the walkway leading from the road to the house.
Based on aerial photographs taken in the 1930’s and the handmade bricks from the chimneys, this home site probably dates back to the mid-late 19th Century.
You can view the home site and learn more about tenant farming on your visit to the park.
Water Sports at Lake Crabtree
Lake Crabtree is ideal for water sports such as fishing, sailing, rowing and paddling.
The park has a boat rental facility open from early May until late September, if you want to get on the water for a few hours. They rent canoes, kayaks, sailboats, and paddle boats.
If you want to bring your own boat, you can do that, too.
The park has a year-round public boat launch, which includes a two-lane boat ramp and a car-top canoe/kayak launching area.
NOTE: Only human, wind and electric-powered watercraft are to be operated on Lake Crabtree. No gas-powered motors are allowed.
Sailing
Community sailing is a favorite activity during the summer at the Park.
Since 2016, Lake Crabtree has been home to the NC State University Sailing Team. The RTP High School sailing program is also located at Lake Crabtree and hosts interscholastic regattas on site.
NC STATE SAILING CLUB
The Sailing Club is NC State’s oldest club organization, founded in 1954. It’s mission is to foster the love of sailing to all students at NC State and to grow the campus sailing community.
One of the most popular activities of the Sailing Club is the weekly cruise known as the “Friday Flotilla” every Friday afternoon at Lake Crabtree County Park during the sailing season.
The NC State Sailing Club competes in regattas, or races, that are held anywhere from Boston to Miami.
Whether you already know how to sail or want to learn, the club offers a safe and fun environment to brush up on your sailing skills or to learn new ones.
Learn to Sail and Club activities are open to full-time NC State students both undergrad and graduate.
RTP HIGH SCHOOL SAILING
The RTP High School Sailing team also holds weekly Practices at Lake Crabtree.
During practice, sailors learn how to rig and furl 420 sailboats, gain experience with boat-handling and racing skills/tactics, and discuss rules.
They make sure everyone gets time in a boat, though it may be limited by the number of sailors present.
Team members’ skill level ranges from novice sailors to kids who have grown up sailing and racing.
The program continues to grow, and teams from other individual high schools have joined. Newcomers from any area high school are welcome!
The sailors compete against other high school sailing teams in the southeast, by entering South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association (SAISA) regattas.
As a great bonus everyone gets to watch the sailboats while hiking or biking the Lake Trail or Crabtree Creek Greenway.
Fishing
Fishing is another very popular pastime at Lake Crabtree. An accessible fishing pier and platform provide stationary fishing spots for everyone. (Fishing is permitted in designated areas only.)
The park also offers a Tackle Loaner Program through the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, if needed.
NOTE: Any person 16 and older fishing in public waters MUST have a fishing license. Children under 16 years of age must be with a licensed adult to fish.
Free Fishing Day
Each year on July 4, North Carolina celebrates Free Fishing Day. Come out to Lake Crabtree and test your hand at catch-and-release fishing.
This is the one day of the year when anyone can fish in NC public waters without having a fishing license.
Park staff will be available to teach you the basics of casting and what types of fish are in the lake. All equipment and bait is provided. You can borrow one of the Park poles or bring your own. (Ages 5 and up.)
NOTE: Wake County has a catch-and-release-only policy at Lake Crabtree and Crabtree Creek.
Biking and Hiking
Lake Crabtree County Park is centrally located and part of a larger network of green space that includes Umstead State Park, the Black Creek Greenway into some of Cary’s other parks, and the new Crabtree Creek Greenway.
A system of hiking and biking trails cross the park, with the one most used (especially by hikers) hugging the lakeshore.
That trail – the Highland Trail – connects the park entrance to the Black Creek Greenway-Old Reedy Creek Road intersection, near an entrance to William B. Umstead State Parkand is used by both bikers and hikers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Lake Crabtree trails are closed when they are flooded or muddy. Call ahead to see if they are open. (Please respect park rules and don’t ride or hike on closed sections.)
Biking
Lake Crabtree County Park singletrack is by far the most popular place for beginner riders in the Triangle. It’s central location is also very convenient for getting in a weekday ride if you work in RTP.
When the county first leased the 149-acre section, mountain biking was a fairly new sport in the region.
Riders wanted a place where they could build trails that would challenge them with changes in elevation, sharp turns, roots, rocks and gravel.
They also wanted trails with a natural slope that drains water so the trails would dry out after rain.
Some years ago, Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC), a mountain-biking group, got a grant of nearly $56,000 from the Federal Highway Trust Fund’s Recreational Trails Program to help give riders just that.
Members donated thousands of hours of labor and raised additional grant-matching donations for improvements.
Today, thanks in part to TORC, a system of 16 miles of hiking and biking trails cross the park.
Hiking and Biking Trails
In addition to the Highland Trail, there are some connector trails, the Old Beech Trail, the Lake Trail, Crabtree Creek paved greenway, and the Pump Track (for mountain bikers).
Most of the trails are used by both hikers and bikers, unless indicated for specific use.
Pump Track
Thanks to the amazing efforts of park staff and volunteers, Lake Crabtree Park is home to the first public pump track in the Triangle area. The pump track is located near the intersection of Connector A and Loop 1.
A pump track is a series of rollers and berms for mountain bikers. It’s intended to teach beginners how to pump their bike over ups and downs on a trail.
Once that’s learned, a biker can accelerate their bike without pedaling. The pump track is not really intended to be jumped, since that defeats the purpose of the track.
Highland Trail
This trail is open for both bikers and hikers. The trail is shared for a short way alongside the lake shore, and then splits off with separate trails for hikers and bikers.
Hikers can access the Highland Trail at the Old Reedy Creek trailhead, hike alongside the lake and across the park to the Lake Trail trailhead, then continue around the lake to the Crabtree Creek Greenway and Black Creek Greenway to create a 6-7 mile loop back to Old Reedy Creek trailhead.
Highland Trail Loops has six loops for mountain bikers.
These trails are short but both beginners and more advanced riders can enjoy them. There are some good downhills and a lot of switchbacks for practicing technique.
Old Beech Trail
This is a very easy, flat, and very short (0.5 mile) walk. This trail is lined with white sand and has lots of tree coverage. The trail is made partly of boardwalks and partly of well-maintained gravel path.
This easy short trail would be fine for little kids.
If you are an avid hiker, it would not be very interesting for you, unless you’re shepherding a kid or two.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Crabtree Creek Sewer Rehabilitation project, affecting hiking routes in Lake Crabtree County Park and Umstead State Park , is still posted to affect trails through the Spring of 2022. (See notice below.)
But Spring 2022 has come and gone, and if you’ve tried to hike these trails – especially the Lake Trail! – like I have, you know construction is still affecting these routes.
Yesterday I went out again the see if I could hike all the way around the lake on the Lake Trail again, in spite of the continuing construction.
Good news! As of this writing, the trail is passable all the way around the lake, from the Old Reedy Creek Trailhead, along the White Oak Greenway, and along the blue-blazed Lake Trail through the woods back to the trailhead parking.
That said, there are portion of the Lake Trail on the Black Creek Greenway side that are still closed off.
But the best news is… the wildflowers are back! Yay!! 🙂
All the above said, detour and construction notice signs are still posted.
So you can hike, but be aware your hike length and trail access points may still be impacted due to possible detours.
The Lake Trail and Crabtree Creek Greenway
The Lake Trail trailhead can be found beyond a grassy area near the Old Beech Trail parking lot.
At first, follow the grassy path to the trailhead marker.
The trail then becomes a series of boardwalks over sometimes wet areas.
Next follow the lake loop counter-clockwise along Aviation Parkway, where the trail is only a thin dirt path above the rip rock next to the lake.
After about .25 mile, take a wooden staircase into the woods, where the trail uses multiple boardwalks.
After walking through a few grassy clearings, the trail converges with the new paved Crabtree Creek Greenway, which runs along Aviation Parkway and Evans, behind some well-maintained office parks.
You’ll see Great Grey Herons, seagulls and other wildlife as you walk along. The other day, we saw a Bald Eagle flying above the lake.
After going left on the greenway, crossing a couple of small bridges, and walking about 2.25 miles, you’ll reach the new bridge which spans the lake all the way over to the black asphalt Black Creek Greenway.
OLD LAKE TRAIL
Just before you reach the bridge, you’ll see a wooden footbridge to the right of the greenway.
If you cross the bridge, you’ll take a natural path up the hill and through the woods. (NOTE: This bridge is currently closed. See construction info above.)
The trail winds around for about .5 mile along the shore of one of the lake’s inlets, using natural dirt trails, board walks and wooden steps.
The trail ends at another boardwalk bridge that connects you back to the Black Creek Greenway about .5 mile further away from the Old Reedy Creek Trailhead, closer to the turnoff to the trails in North Cary Park.
Black Creek Greenway
If you go to the left off of the Crabtree Creek bridge, the loop goes along the paved Black Creek Greenway about 1 mile up to the Old Reedy Creek Trailhead before it finally cuts back into the park (on the left) via the Highland Trail.
(NOTE: There is currently ongoing construction on this end of the Black Creek Greenway.)
To the right from the bridge, the Black Creek Greenway continues past the boardwalk bridge connection to the Lake Trail (see above) then to W. Dynasty Drive and beyond to other parks and greenways in Cary.
(You can see a complete description of those connections here.)
Events at the Park
In addition to hosting it’s own events Lake Crabtree County Park is home to local school events and other special community events.
For example, since 2012, Lake Crabtree County Park has been a host venue for a very special event: the Valor Games Southeast.
VALOR GAMES
The Valor Games Southeast is a three-day adapted-sports competition for veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities. This year, due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, it was hosted a little differntly.
In 2022, Lake Crabtree County Park joined with the Department of Veterans Affairs and community and corporate partners for the 10th consecutive year to host this event.
The Valor Games is designed as an introductory competition for those facing life for the first time with a disability, as well as for those continuing to live daily with a disability.
National coaches and experts in each sport are available during the event to help athletes with any concerns.
All interested athletes must register and meet set registration requirements.
Park Events
There are a lot of organized events going on at the park for both kids and adults.
Events include children’s programs, adult classes, and even volunteer opportunities in all seasons.
Be sure to look at the park’s Event Calendar, to see what’s coming up.
NOTE: Some events require pre-registration. You can do that on the park website, from the Calendar.
I hope this post has inspired you to find your own favorite things to do at Lake Crabtree!
If you have any questions, drop me an email and I’ll reply as soon as I can.
If you’re looking for some travel pointers or ideas for your next adventure, check out my Travel Resources page.
To read about more local and national hikes, check out my Hiking Destinations page.
Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ
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LJ has spent much of her free time as a single Mom – and now as an empty-nester – hiking in the US and around the world. She shares lessons learned from adventures both local and in exotic locations, and tips on how to be active with asthma, plus travel, gear, and hike planning advice for parents hiking with kids and beginners of all ages. Read more on the About page.
Just discovered your blog–thanks for all the great tips! We are new to the area and looking for outdoor things to do with our kids. We drove to the NC Zoo and I was looking for more info on the alpaca farm I saw en route, and that’s how I found your blog, and there is so much more good stuff here! Thanks so much for all of this research and information!
Thanks, Ruth! I’m glad you found me :-). There really is so much to do around here, it’s hard to write about everything – but I’ll try. Enjoy the alpacas, and check back again for more ideas. LJ