With a beautiful afternoon and a nearby park that I’d never visited, I went to check out the trails at Forest Ridge.
The trails at Forest Ridge Park are a mix of old logging roads and gravel paths. A three mike loop is used by beginning mountain bikers as well as hikers.
The park itself is fairly young, less than 2 years old. Its entrance is at the end of old NC 98, a deceptively rural area less than 10 miles from the densely populated state capital. The park borders the huge Falls Lake Recreation Area, a favorite destination for outdoor lovers in central N.C.
At this park, there’s a few short trails (.2 mile to 1.25 mile), easy to navigate on foot or bike. Fishing and watercraft are permitted, but there is no swimming or wading allowed at this park’s lake front.
Two nice covered picnic shelters and a playground are near the entrance, as well as a staffed welcome center, restrooms and an indoor classroom facility.
Of the natural areas I’ve visited along Falls Lake, Forest Ridge has the fewest amenities and is the most primitive. The simplicity actually makes its appealing, but it will not be a destination that will likely draw avid boaters or mountain bikers given the limited features compared to others nearby.
Still, it may be just enough, when getting back to nature is what is needed. In a matter of minutes the frenzy of city life can be temporarily left behind at Forest Ridge Park along Falls Lake.