William B. Umstead State Park

William B. Umstead State Park is one of the largest and most historically significant state parks anywhere in the Triangle region — over 5,500 acres of oak-hickory forests, creeks, rolling hills, and man-made lakes situated in the buffer between Raleigh, NC, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The park is named after former North Carolina Governor William Bradley Umstead, who served from 1953 to 1954, and today offers miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails through some of the largest continuous forested land in the immediate Triangle area.

The park’s three man-made lakes — Big Lake, Sycamore Lake, and Reedy Creek Lake — support fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, while the extensive trail network connects the park to the broader Raleigh greenway system (including the North Carolina Museum of Art’s 164-acre Museum Park).

Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for William B. Umstead State Park before you go — or to relive the visit after.

Over 5,500 Acres Between Raleigh and Durham

Umstead State Park anchors the wooded buffer between two of NC’s largest cities — a distinction that makes it functionally unique in the state park system. Where most NC state parks are situated in largely rural landscapes, Umstead sits directly between the metro cores of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, giving Triangle residents genuine access to over 5,500 acres of protected forest and creek habitat within a short drive from either urban center.

The park’s landscape is dominated by mature oak-hickory forest — the classic climax forest type of the NC Piedmont — alongside rolling hills, small creeks, and diverse understory vegetation. The park’s proximity to major urban areas belies its genuinely wild feel once visitors move into the trail system, where the forest canopy shuts out most sound and sightlines from surrounding highways and neighborhoods.

Three Man-Made Lakes and Miles of Multi-Use Trails

The park’s centerpiece water features are its three man-made lakes — Big Lake, Sycamore Lake, and Reedy Creek Lake — each offering opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Big Lake, the largest of the three, anchors the park’s most-visited section and features a rentable rowboat and canoe area along with a boat house and dock.

The trail system is where Umstead genuinely distinguishes itself. Miles of multi-use trails wind through the park’s forest and creek habitats, supporting hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding across separate designated trail networks. The Reedy Creek Trail — one of the park’s flagship routes — connects to the broader Raleigh greenway system, including a direct link to the North Carolina Museum of Art’s Museum Park Trail. That connection makes Umstead a natural launch point (or extension) for visitors, combining an art walk with a broader outdoor recreation day.

Additional amenities include picnic areas, primitive and family campgrounds, and interpretive signage throughout the park.

The Carved Log — A Now-Removed Signature Feature

For years, one of the park’s most distinctive features was the Carved Log — a remarkable piece of public art sculpted from a massive fallen tree that stood along one of the park’s trails. The intricately carved log depicted scenes of local wildlife, native flora, and elements of North Carolina history, serving as both a striking work of art and an interpretive tool that connected visitors with the park’s natural and cultural heritage.

Unfortunately, the Carved Log has recently been removed due to decay from years of exposure to the elements. Visitors familiar with the park from earlier visits may notice its absence — a small but meaningful loss for a piece that had become one of the park’s most photographed features. Our YouTube video below preserves footage of the Carved Log from an earlier visit.

Good to Know

• Location: 8801 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27617 — buffering Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill
• Size: Over 5,500 acres of protected forest, creek, and lake habitat
• Named after: Former North Carolina Governor William Bradley Umstead (served 1953–1954)
• Landscape: Mature oak-hickory forest with rolling hills, creeks, and three man-made lakes
• Three lakes: Big Lake, Sycamore Lake, and Reedy Creek Lake — fishing, canoeing, and kayaking supported
• Trail system: Miles of multi-use trails supporting hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding across designated networks
• Notable trail connection: The Reedy Creek Trail connects to the broader Raleigh greenway system, with a direct link to the North Carolina Museum of Art’s 164-acre Museum Park
• Signature landmark (recently removed): The Carved Log — a public art piece sculpted from a massive fallen tree that stood along one of the park’s trails, depicting local wildlife, native flora, and NC history. Recently removed due to decay from years of exposure to the elements
• Amenities: Picnic areas, primitive and family campgrounds, rentable rowboats and canoes at Big Lake, visitor center
• Hours: Check the NC State Parks website for current park hours (typically sunrise to sunset)
• Best for: Hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, families with children, birdwatchers, photographers, and Triangle-area residents looking for genuine outdoor recreation without leaving the metro area
• Pair with: A visit to the North Carolina Museum of Art via the Reedy Creek Trail connection, a downtown Raleigh day at the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, a stop at Pullen Park for family-friendly amusement, or Historic Yates Mill County Park for the last working water-powered gristmill in Wake County

A Raleigh Highlight

William B. Umstead State Park is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer scale of protected wilderness sitting right between three major metro cores. Walking through 5,500 acres of oak-hickory forest with Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill just minutes away — knowing that this specific parcel of land has been protected as public parkland since long before the Triangle became the fastest-growing economic region in NC — offers a genuinely rare kind of urban-adjacent outdoor experience.

The trail system is what makes the park especially rewarding. The wonderful Reedy Creek Trail connection to the North Carolina Museum of Art’s Museum Park gives Triangle residents a genuinely unique art-and-nature loop, while the mountain biking and horseback riding networks give the park a versatility few other NC state parks can match. Between the three lakes and the miles of multi-use trails, Umstead delivers one of the most consistently rewarding outdoor experiences anywhere in the Triangle region.

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Resources

William B. Umstead State Park Website

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