Lake Raleigh Recreation Area

On the southern side of Centennial Campus, surrounded by 96 acres of protected forest, Lake Raleigh Recreation Area offers a picturesque retreat for members of the Pack and the wider community.

Created as a reservoir for the city in the early 1900s, Lake Raleigh is a sprawling oasis less than three miles from Downtown Raleigh. The 75-acre lake and its trails are open from dawn until dusk, and there are three areas of public access.

Lake Raleigh’s recreation area sits in the heart of NC State’s Centennial Campus and offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor exploration, including walks, picnics, disc golf, fishing, non-motorized boating and watersports.

A nine hole disc golf course is accessible from the Lake Raleigh waterfront area.

Expect happier trails this summer with a new addition to the Lake Raleigh Recreation Area: a popup bike rental and coffee shop.

There are three access points for the Lake Raleigh Recreation Area:

Main Campus Drive — From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, paid parking is available at the nearby Poulton lot on Partners Way. At any other time, free parking on campus is open to the public. After 5 p.m. and all day on weekends, public parking can also be found at the waterfront.

Park Alumni Center — Free parking is available all day.

Centennial Campus Middle School — Free parking is available all day.