Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Great place to bad the shore fishermen are such freaking pigs who leave line and garbage all along the area
Fine then take their rods and reels Pigs

It was a nice campground. Clean, not one drop of litter at the site. Plenty of things to do. Large and private site. No complaints there. Rather unusual nitpick though… the rangers, who I was warned in other reviews are very… shall we say, PROACTIVE… are hassling people over traffic violations in the campground.
I was stopped for not wearing my seatbelt. Of course, I WAS wearing my seat belt, I just had taken it off because I was nearing the campsite.
Nice that the rangers are there when you need to complain about some inconsiderate people but it’s sort of a blessing and a curse if you know what I mean. I noticed other people getting pulled over too. Inside the flippin campground! (pics)

Beautiful park.
Stayed four nights there at Holly Point campground. The campground has excellent, well-​maintained campsites. Picnic table, fire ring, hanging pole. All the sites are nicely spaced with ample privacy. Despite hilly terrain, sites are level.
The bathroom facilities were average. Toilets cleaned frequently, but sinks not in full working order. The showers slightly below average. During my stay, the men’s was blistering hot, while women’s was cool, with no ability to adjust.
Enjoyed hiking the Holly Point trail.
Plenty of beach opportunities throughout park. Impressed that park offers easy access to life jackets at main beach.
Will likely return during future visits to area.

We just moved to the area and were in search of a fishing spot with a kid friendly area for our 20 month old to roam around. We decided Falls Lake might fit that criteria. After driving around a bit we found some spots, but not for the whole fam, then we came upon Sandling Beach. It was perfect! Not too crowded and you could fish as long as it wasn’t in the designated swimming area. They had a playground, bathrooms, picnic tables and grills scattered around for your dining pleasure. It was really nice. I could see it getting crowded in the summer months. My little one really enjoyed the little paths and playground. As far as the fishing goes, there was too much boat traffic. No biggie though! We will definitely be back to catch some rays and swim once it warms up. That water is COLD!!! Burr

Decent beach… Very close to Raleigh and Durham. Does get very noisey when there is a lot of boats/jetski’s near-​by.
Noise level is HIGH. If you are looking for a serene atmosphere without a ton of people, motorboats, music, etc then the beach is not the spot.

Falls Lake is the premier day-​trip vacation destination and one of our favorites places to visit for a bit of R&R. There is so much to offer at this breathtaking nature extravaganza a mere 40 minutes north of Raleigh!
We’ve stopped in for a relaxing afternoon on the beach, grilling with friends for special occasions, weekend-​long camping trips with group of families, and have even participated in fascinating guided tours!
There are several beaches that offer swimming, playgrounds and picnic shelters… Rolling View offers hot showers. There are wonderful trails that lead off from the beaches, so there is plenty of opportunity to explore!
The camping facilities are excellent. Most sites have a water source close by with trashcans, easy access to restrooms, and even beach and boating access. We have particularly enjoyed the group sites which allows for multiple families to pitch tents or park RV’s without feeling too cramped. These sites are more private, which is great for groups of kids that want to play hide-​n-​seek until dark!
I believe that reservations for individual camping sites are plentiful, but group sites need to be booked months in advance.
I would also recommend a guided tour or event. They might not be readily available, or they just might be posted closer to event time, but we went on a fascinating guided tour of migrating birds with special access to the private trails for species preservation. We had the opportunity to see unique habitats built especially to attract and support a variety of birds and other wildlife.
Bring a a boat and fish until your hearts content! Hike, swim, grill, or just lay in the sand for a bit of sun. Falls Lake has it all!

My High School reunion weekend included a picnic at the Falls Lake State Recreation Center — Beaverdam section. Entrance is clearly marked on Hwy 50.
The picnic shelter reserved for us had ample room for us to eat and enjoy our conversations. The lake was a short walk and a lovely view. Shelter had its own designated parking area plus restrooms. Facility was neat, well maintained, and clean.
During the season, there is a charge for every vehicle that enters the park. While I wasn’t thrilled about paying $ 6 to enter the park, I believe the charge is necessary for park upkeep.

Biking Perspective:
I was only here to do some biking and the trails were pretty good. It is less groomed than Lake crabtree, more trees the need to be scaled over, but nice long rides on rolling easy ridges. You also get some nice views of the lake during the ride. The ride is almost completely wooded. There wasn’t anything super technical or downhillish hill here.
FYI it costs $ 6 per car just to enter the park, unless you have pass.
I think i saw a beach area during the bike, which might be worth checking out in the heart of summer.

Now that’s more like it!
I am a california girl and these NC muddy lakes scare the crud outta me! If I can not see the bottom I am not going in, and if there isn’t sand under my feet I am also not going in!
This place is massive and has great areas to walk, swim, bike, picnic, grill, etc.
We spent almost all of our last summer here with the dogs because it is pretty nice and not as far away as the ocean!

Speedo Time! Here is your Beach!!! If you want the «Beach» (better Swimming and Lookalota) part of this Park Go to the Entrance that says: «Sandling Beach Recreation Area» then follow the signs… There is LOTS of Parking!
Men’s Room is Large and was Very Clean today! Counting me there were only 5 people on the Beach, though it was a Thursday Morning…
Nice Shaded area with Picnic Tables and further in the Park there are Sheltered Picnic Areas!

Metal Detectorist:
Be aware your not allowed to Detect even at the Swimming Beaches of Falls lake.
So lame of the park officials. Not disturbing anything but sand.

4 stars.
We stopped by here for camping one night midweek. The park was largely empty, the bathrooms clean and there was plenty of kindling at the site — something that makes the experience pleasant. Most of the sites have gravel so using a tent can be a bit rough and pokey on the back. There are some sties that have a decent amount of grass that makes for a softer bed — look for those if you like to use a tent.
The park is large and can be confusing — make sure to look at the map and figure out which «neighborhood» of the park you want to visit/​stay at. When the park closes for the night, it really «closes» and you are locked in so make sure you have all of your supplies.
The «high schooler» staff is extremely friendly and helpful (or bored and excited to do something). The park ranger left customer service to be desired — he seemed busy in his own world and did not seem to notice or care that we were looking for help.
There is a lot to do at this park, so much that I think there should be separate Unilocal entries for each of the «neighborhoods» of the park.
We will be revisiting and now that we are more familiar with the layout, services, and what to expect, are looking forward to our seconding camping trip of the season.
Have fun, be safe, enjoy yourself, and be a good neighbor!

Thank you, Falls Lake, for bringing some beauty to a small portion of I-​85.
So I had to commute via 85-​South on a pretty regular basis for a year, and my favorite part of the drive (ok, so there wasn’t much competition) was passing over Falls Lake as it was remarkably beautiful and serene (especially in the early morning hours and when the sun was setting). Aside from the drives over the lake, I have been frequenting Falls Lake for the better part of two and a half years now primarily for hiking and swimming.
With respect to hiking, I’ve mainly taken the portions of the Mountains-​to-​Sea Trail that traverse the park. This trail makes for pretty good hiking as it usually is very sparsely populated (there have been numerous times where I haven’t passed anyone), goes through a range of environments (from grassy fields to pine forests to lakeside), and is quite the manageable hike but not too easy. The trail is also pretty well marked, though there are some portions where it’s easy to go off track if you’re not paying attention. On a side note, I usually come away from the MST with at least a few ticks on me! (if it’s tick season, of course) So you may be best served by wearing pants, bright colored clothing, and checking yourself after hiking this trail if you’re not a fan of tick bites. If you are a fan of tick bites, well then I don’t really know what to tell you aside from the fact that you may want to seek some professional help. I’ve also hiked the short trails at Sandling, Holly Point, and Beaverdam, which are just that – short (but nice!).
As far as swimming goes, there are man made beaches at Sandling Beach, Rolling View and Beaverdam. Clearly hitting up the beach here isn’t the same as going to the shore, but these beaches offer a nice local alternative if you want to get in some sun and sand. The beaches are not huge, and can get pretty crowded on summer weekends but generally no one is piled on top of you. There are also numerous picnic tables and grills up a bit from the beaches if you so desire to partake. There are not any concession stands, nor are there any lifeguards, so be sure to bring your own grub and personal Hasselhoff. The beaches are always well-​maintained, and the bathrooms are not the most glorious things in the world (ie, often no soap or paper towels) but then again you’re at a state park!
Though I cannot vouch for the experience myself, there are also numerous mountain biking trails through the park and quite a few campsites as well (including some primitive camping sites which I am looking to hit up).
Yes, there is a $ 6 admission charge per car that is charged daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day as well as on weekends and holidays in April, May and September. But that is pretty darn cheap if you ask me, and it goes towards maintaining these parks that we love! Plus if you’re a true frequent flyer here, you could always opt for the $ 50 annual pass and maybe save yourself some cash!
So next time you’re driving through the Wake Forest area on I-​85, take a moment to enjoy some nature and check out Falls Lake!

I mountain bike quite a bit so the Beaver Dam area of the Falls Lake State Recreation Area is the area that this review focuses.
I’ve ridden all the trails here more times than I can count. The west and south loops are my main focus, but I’ll continue on to the inner and outer if I’m feeling frisky. The south loop is the real gem here, it’s about 8 miles long with the «drop zone» included. It’s a good mix of hill climbs with rewarding down hill runs. You get good views of the lake and I rarely have a spin around it with out seeing some sort of wild life. Do take note this is not a beginner trail, you need to be in decent shape and have decent trail riding skills to make it around in one piece. I just use the west loop as a connector from the parking lot to the south loop, it’s fairly unremarkable on it’s own. The inner and outer have some fun parts but are very root-​y so prepare to be shaken up.
There are bathrooms and a place to fill up on water (well) along with picnic tables at the parking lot. You can easily ride down to the lake beach after your ride if you so choose.
There is a $ 6 entrance fee during the summer months, the (very kind) lady at the gate usually leaves around 5 so you won’t be charged if you intend to head over after work. If you’re like me and ride weekends too a season pass will set you back $ 50.

I went here several times over the summer and I’m looking forward to going back. I’ve only gone to Sandling Beach, but it’s quite beautiful, and much larger than I expected. They even have nice sand for a lake, if you can imagine that.
The parking lot is huge and they have two bathhouses on either side of the lake. Amongst the trees are grills and picnic tables, but not many, so definitely get there early if you plan to grill out. Some people even hang up hammocks, which seems like an awesome idea. You can bring your own floats and toys, etc., and it’s a great way to spend some time on a beautiful day. I believe it’s about $ 7.00 a carload, so not bad if you have a few people. No concessions, so you’ll need to bring your own. The biggest pitfall, and the reason it only has 4 stars for me, is the condition of the bathrooms — just really, really bad. I would say that’s what I would expect, but at Umstead Park, the bathrooms are quite clean and nice.
This place is really big and there’s much to explore. Definitely put it on your to-​do list now that the weather is getting nicer. (fingers crossed!)

I’ll write more after experiencing more of the park, but for now I’ll focus on the spot I’ve been to a couple of times now: Sandling Beach.
Sandling is a man-​made beach on a Falls Lake. There’s ample parking and grassy areas on the two sides of the sand, with grills there for your enjoyment. (For what it’s worth, I haven’t yet been to Sandling and found those grills not being used, so you probably need to get there pretty early to snag ‘em!) With the actual beach more than 2 hours away, Sandling is a great alternative when you’ve had enough of your community pool and staring at your neighbors in their swimsuits. It’s a VERY family friendly place — good fun for all ages.
There’s not an admission fee for the beach per se, but there is a $ 6 parking fee for your car. The good news, however, is that if you hang on to your receipt you’re able to leave and come back… very helpful should you run out of soda, etc. I make a point of saying «soda» because, sorry folks, alcoholic beverages aren’t permitted! (Although I’d be shocked if someone told me that festive beverages have never been cleverly smuggled in.) No pets are allowed on the beach either… however, I have seen folks camp out on the grass that butts up to the sand with their dogs, and they just tie ‘em off when they want to go into the water for a few.
Folks with kids, take note: There’s no lifeguard present, but since it’s a lake, there are no waves to contend with… nor are there sharp shells on which the kiddies can cut their feet. There are also life jackets provided right on the beach for your use.

We came here for a little kayak trip. Getting the kayak down to the water was tricky, but once we got in, we found it to be a good, calm spot. It’s a big lake, so there’s plenty of room to paddle around even with bigger, faster boats around. There aren’t too many places to dock and we sadly realized the beach-​looking-​area was not a place where you were supposed to enter the water.

Falls Dam Recreation Area feels like an alien world to me. The coolest thing to do is to walk out on top of the dam on a gray windy day — you can really feel the power of our ability to alter the landscape.
There’s a trail that goes around the shore of the lake here, but it’s usually not very well kept and is always not that scenic. It’s a good place for mountain biking, though.
I have bad associations with the spillway area because one time when we were little my brother dropped his hot-​dog down there by accident, and for some reason that was the saddest thing I could imagine at the time… so that’s what I think of every time I think of Falls Dam.