Falls Lake Trail

Falls Lake Trail is a continuous, marked foot route along the southern shore of Falls Lake, forming a major segment of the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). Expect a long hike with multiple signed sections rather than a single short out-and-back.

The route is blazed with official white circle markers intended to keep you on the Falls Lake Trail corridor across its full length. The mapped tread is a designated path with natural dirt surface.

For planning, treat the Falls Lake portion as seven designated sections. Section 1 runs from the Falls Lake tailrace area at Falls of Neuse Road to Raven Ridge Road; Section 2 continues from Raven Ridge Road to Hickory Hill Road; Section 3 runs from Hickory Hill Road to Possum Track Road.

Section 4 continues from Possum Track Road to Bayleaf Church Road, followed by Section 5 from Bayleaf Church Road to NC 50. Section 6 runs from NC 50 to Rolling View Recreation Area, and Section 7 continues from Rolling View Recreation Area to Highway 98.

In terms of trail character, the Falls Lake Trail portion is designed around shoreline travel: it dips in and out of coves and spends extended stretches along the lake. The same MST segment also includes local geology highlights, including exposed rock areas and evidence of an ancient fault zone along the route.

Where the trail route crosses mixed ownership, planning helps—some sections involve transitions between state-park land and other game lands, and access rules can vary by section. Hunting is allowed on some portions, and conditions for staying on designated trails and using approved camping areas are part of responsible use on the MST segment.

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