Falls Lake Trail

Falls Lake Trail is a long-distance, foot-traffic hike along the southern shore of Falls Lake, serving as a major segment of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). The full route is about 60 miles and is marked with white circle blazes.

The trail is typically hiked as a through-route, but it’s also broken into seven named sections for day-hike planning. The section breaks start at Falls Dam/Tailrace Area and then step through road crossings and access points along the lake shore.

Section 1 runs from the Falls Dam/Tailrace Area to Raven Ridge Road (5.5 miles). A longer day plan can pair section progress with nearby MST connections: the Falls Lake Dam/Tailrace area provides access to the Neuse River Trail corridor; at Raven Ridge Road, Raleigh’s greenway system connects onward through other linked trails.

Section 5 runs from Bayleaf Church Road to NC 50 (3.7 miles). Roadside parking is available before the gate, with guidance not to block the gate; the route heads into the woods and follows rolling ground before reaching the lake-side area near the next road connection.

From Section 5, the trail continues with additional lake-shore segments through to Rolling View Recreation Area and onward toward Highway 98, keeping the same MST through-hike identity as it passes successive road and access points.

The primary tread is dirt, and the foot route is designated for hiking (no bicycles, no horses). Hikers are expected to stay on designated trails marked by the white circle blazes, and to camp only at designated campgrounds where applicable on this MST segment.

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