Falls Lake Trail

Falls Lake Trail is the easy, foot-traffic section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along the southern shore of Falls Lake, used to link long-distance hiking across North Carolina’s Piedmont and reservoir country. The route is signed with white circle blazes.

This trail runs as a continuous hike route through the Falls Lake area and is broken into seven designated sections. The sections progress from the Falls Lake tailrace/Falls of Neuse area toward highway crossings and access points around the lake’s southern shoreline.

Section 1 runs from Falls Lake tailrace at Falls of Neuse Road to Raven Ridge Road (5.5 miles). From the eastern end near the dam/tailrace area, the hike settles into the lake-dipping character of the rest of the Falls Lake corridor.

Sections 2–3 connect Raven Ridge Road to Hickory Hill Road, then Hickory Hill Road to Possum Track Road. These stretches are designed as links between road-adjacent access points, letting you break the long route into manageable chunks.

Section 4 goes from Possum Track Road to Bayleaf Church Road. Section 5 continues from Bayleaf Church Road to NC 50, keeping the same long-distance corridor structure between successive access roads.

Section 6 runs from NC 50 to Rolling View Recreation Area, followed by Section 7 from Rolling View Recreation Area to Highway 98. Treat this as the backbone for planning through-hikes or choosing a single section as a day hike.

For navigation, plan to follow the designated trail tread and stay on routes marked by the white circle blazes; unofficial paths can intersect, especially near lake edges. Camping is restricted to designated campgrounds on the overall corridor.

More information: Map, Falls Lake Day Hike A, Mountains-to-Sea Trail - Falls Lake South Shore Trail Section