Falls Lake is a man-made reservoir situated in Wake, Durham, and Granville Counties. The 28-mile lake serves as the primary source of drinking water for the city of Raleigh and surrounding communities.

Namesake

The name of Falls Lake comes from a once whitewater portion of the Neuse River, a series of rapids located upstream of where Raleigh's Falls of Neuse Road crosses the river. While most of the rapids were submerged under the lake when Falls Dam was constructed, some of the rapids still surround the bridge.

History

Recreation

Adjacent to the lake is the Falls Lake Recreation Area, a 5,035 acre state park located along NC 50 north of Raleigh and provides amenities such as camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking.

Forest Ridge Park, a 587 park owned by the City of Raleigh, is a partially completed park that provides playgrounds, hiking, biking, and large open spaces. It is located on Old NC Highway 98 near Wake Forest.