Five-Star Trails: Raleigh and Durham: Your Guide to the Area's Most Beautiful Hikes - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Joshua Kinser is a writer and musician based in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, east of Raleigh-Durham, but he spends much of his free time anchored in the Research Triangle that he covers in this book. He grew up on the beaches of Pensacola, Florida, and developed a passion for the outdoors and hiking during the many summers he spent backpacking in North Carolina. His love of travel and enthusiasm for new experiences has led him to some of the coolest jobs in the world. They include travel writing for magazines and guidebooks, exploring national parks and forests as a backcountry wildlife biology research technician, and professional drumming in cruise ship bands. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Montana's Glacier National Park, and the forests surrounding Yosemite National Park count among his job sites. His cruise-ship gigs have taken him to Caribbean islands, Australia, Japan, China, New Zealand, Borneo, and South Korea. Joshua wrote Moon Handbook's Guide to the Florida Gulf Coast, 3rd edition, and he has published more than 200 articles online for websites such as Trails.com, Ehow, and USA Today Travel. He has worked as a staff writer for Gannett with the Pensacola News Journal, and has contributed to publications that include Sail, Times of the Islands, Bonito and Estero, and Northwest Florida Business. He earned a degree in journalism from Pensacola State College in December 2010.

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Fred G. Bond Metro Park: Lake Trail
Scenery: 5 stars
Trail Condition: 5 stars
Children: 5 stars
Difficulty: 2 stars
Solitude: 2 stars

GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES: N35° 46.920' W78° 49.407'
DISTANCE & CONFIGURATION: 2.1-mile loop
HIKING TIME: 1.5 hours
HIGHLIGHTS: Bond Lake and activity field
ELEVATION: 385' at trailhead to 331' at lowest point
ACCESS: November–February: Daily, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. March: Daily, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. April–May and September–October: Sunday–Friday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday and holidays, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. June–August: Sunday–Friday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday and holidays, 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Free.
MAPS: Online at townofcary.org, at trailhead kiosks, or at the park’s boathouse and community center
FACILITIES: Restrooms, water fountains, playground, sports fields, ropes course, community center, senior center, picnic pavilions, and boat rentals
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: None on this trail, although other areas of the park and some of the other trails are.
COMMENTS: This is a very popular park in Cary, and the paved sections of the trails are very popular with bikers. To avoid collisions, be alert for other runners and bikers when walking these trails. Leashed dogs are allowed in the park.
CONTACTS: 919-469-4100; townofcary.org

Overview

Fred G. Bond Metro Park is in east Cary, 12 miles west of Raleigh. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Raleigh to the park. Fred G. Bond Metro Park is the one-stop shop for outdoor recreation in Cary. The 310-acre park has more than 4 miles of hiking trails that are focused around Bond Lake. All of the trails in the park share a centralized trailhead near the north end of Bond Lake. The Black Creek Greenway, Oxford Hunt Greenway, and White Oak Greenway all intersect at Fred G. Bond Metro Park. The park has eight sports fields, a large general activity field, a senior center, a community center with basketball courts, and an outdoor amphitheater. You can even rent a boat to take out on the lake from the boathouse located on the northeast side of Bond Lake.

The Lake Trail circumnavigates the entire shoreline of Bond Lake. It is an easy trail and great for runners. The views of the lake can at times be stunning, and the trail is well maintained and easy to follow. It is a great trail for children who are up for a 2-mile hike. The trail starts from the north end of the lake and follows along a gravel-top berm on the northwest side of the lake before entering into a dense forest. The trail often passes behind houses that line the lakeshore on the south end of the lake, and several spur trails lead from the lakeshore into the nearby neighborhood. The trail crosses a short dam on the south end of the lake before passing by an exercise station and a playground and returning to the trailhead.

Route Details

Follow the park signs to the Kiwanis shelter and park at the shelter lot. A map kiosk at the west corner of the parking lot marks the beginning of the spur trail that leads to the centralized trailhead for all of the trails in the park. Near the kiosk are restrooms and a large picnic pavilion at the north end of the parking lot. Follow the dirt path to the left (west) of the kiosk and down the short hill to the large amphitheater. The paved trail behind the amphitheater leads to the large, blue-roofed kiosk that serves as the centralized trailhead for the park.

From the trailhead turn left (southwest) and follow the Lake Trail toward the lake. You pass a large general activity field on the right. This is a great spot to picnic, fly a kite, or throw a Frisbee or football around, and most days you’ll see plenty of people enjoying this great space. Continue following the paved path for 400 feet until you reach a junction in the trail. Veer left (south), leaving the paved path and following the gravel trail up onto the narrow berm that follows along the lake’s northwestern shore. All along the berm you have excellent views of the lake, and if you are looking for an exceptionally short trail, the end of the berm is a great place to turn around.

To complete the entire 2-mile loop, follow along the top of the berm for 0.2 mile until you reach a split in the trail. Stay straight (south) and continue following the dirt path along the lakeshore. Continue on the 4-foot-wide dirt path that follows along the lake- shore for 0.7 mile. Along this section, the trail follows behind several homes before leaving the lake behind and entering into a dense pine-and-oak forest. The trail curves around to the east at the south end of Bond Lake before reaching a trail junction. Stay straight (northeast) and follow the trail through the forest and back toward the lake. Continue walking through the forest for 0.4 mile until you reach another trail junction. Turn left (northeast) onto the paved path and continue toward the lake.

The 7-foot-wide paved path rejoins the lakeshore and continues for 0.5 mile, passing a set of monkey bars on the right. When you reach the boathouse parking lot, veer right and cross the road. Continue on the paved path to the amphitheater on the right, and finally reach the centralized trailhead, kiosk, and the end of the trail.

Nearby Attractions

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve (see page 66) is 4 miles to the west of Fred G. Bond Metro Park and has almost 4 miles of hiking trails. The trails in Hemlock Bluffs are slightly more challenging than the trails at Bond Park. The trails at Hemlock traverse small hills and lead to steep bluffs with views of Swift Creek below. The park is designated to protect clusters of eastern hemlocks on the north-facing bluffs and features a nature center geared toward young children.

Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve (see page 111) is in southeast Cary, 6 miles southeast of Fred G. Bond Metro Park. The 23-acre preserve has a 1.2-mile trail that follows along Swift Creek to the bluffs.

Directions

From Raleigh follow Capital Boulevard/US 70 East for 2.2 miles and merge onto I-40 West toward Cary. Follow I-40 West for 7.2 miles. Take NC 54, Exit 290, toward Cary and follow NC 54 for 0.2 mile. Turn left onto Chapel Hill Road/NC 54 West and follow it 1.2 miles. Turn right onto northeast Maynard Road/NC 54 West and follow it 3.7 miles. Turn right onto High House Road and follow it 0.7 mile until you reach 801 High House Road and the entrance to Fred G. Bond Metro Park, on the left.