Southern Boundaries Park

Southern Boundaries is a great, well rounded park. Whenever I’m there, I see it being used mostly for their tennis courts (which is houses eight) and baseball fields (two separate fields with field lights). It also has three basketball courts, a picnic shelter with tables, water fountain and bathrooms. PLUS, my favorite thing, greenway access to Third Fork Creek Trail, a 7 mile, there and back, one way trail, which starts at Southern Boundaries Park and goes to Garrett Park.
The park has a large parking lot, although it does get crowded during summer baseball season, and I always feel safe leaving my car there when I’m going for a longer run (I’ve never had any troubles). And take note, although the Durham Parks and Rec website says there’s a playground, there’s NOT! Apparently, there used to be a playground at the park, but it’s since been removed. This is definitely a more adult friendly or specific activity park, not as child friendly, but I’m still a huge fan (thanks to the greenway access, tennis courts and parking facilities).

I mostly use the tennis courts at Southern Boundaries when all of those at Garrett Park (basically walking distance from my house) are taken up by league players and it’s too dark to play at the unlighted Jordan High courts. It seems league nights (varying from season to season, but seem to be most Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings) end a bit earlier here than the crowd that gathers Garrett, and there are a few more courts here as well.
I think this is a great city park. There are nearly always folks here enjoying themselves. Tennis players, little leaguers, basketballers, family reunions, summer cookouts, you name it. Here there are eight tennis courts, three basketball courts, a youth baseball field, picnic tables and a small picnic shelter, plus water fountains and Greenway access. All courts and fields are lit, making night matches and games a breeze. I especially like the two tennis courts that are housed in a separate fenced area than the six main courts.
My main complaint with the tennis courts is that they are not in what I’d call disrepair, but rather in some place between completely rundown and well maintained. There are straight ridges running parallel to all of the court markings, which make it harder to see the lines, and much easier to fall on your arse. I’ve lost many a point because for a split second my foot got stuck in some weird crack.
However, the nets are in good condition, seem to be regulation height, and loose enough to be forgiving, but tight enough not to sag. The surface plays a little slower than most hard courts to which I am accustomed and, of course, aforementioned cracks and ridges do often detrimentally (depending on what side you’re on, I reckon!) affect the ball’s spin. Balls mis-​hit over the fence are relatively easy to recover. The park is surrounded by trees, but the forest is not so dense that your ball will disappear (unless, of course, you really knock it into orbit).
The park is hidden, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t even know it existed! I don’t think the address comes up on Google Maps, either (don’t confuse Third Fork Drive with Third Fork Trail), so use «Southern Boundaries Park, Durham, NC 27 707» when looking up directions. From MLK Pkwy, headed away from Hope Valley Rd. and toward S. Roxboro St., take the first left onto Archdale Dr. (very close to Hope Valley Rd.), then a right on Oak Ridge Blvd. Look for the brown «City Park» signs. Southern Boundaries is located kind of at the end of the line (you’ll know what I mean when you see it).