City: Raleigh, NC

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (919) 571-4170

Address: 8801 Glenwood Ave.

Description: Crawling along I-40 in rush hour traffic between Durham and Raleigh, commuters can take comfort as they pass the signs for Umstead State Park. They may be stuck in traffic at the moment, but a wooded oasis is just a turn off the highway. Only the planes taking off at RDU shake the quiet in the deepest parts of Umstead’s 5,579 acres, located in the midst of the Triangle between I-40 and U.S. 70. The park has two entrance points, the Reedy Creek entrance off I-40 and the Crabtree Creek entrance off U.S. 70. Within the park, 20 miles of trails are dedicated to hiking, and 13 miles are reserved for mountain bikers and horseback riders. Boaters and anglers can rent canoes and rowboats for a float on Big Lake, in the northwest corner of the park, or picnic beside it. The park has 28 tent and trailer campsites, two primitive campsites for groups, and two group campsites with dining halls and bathhouses. Reservations are required for group sites. One of the most popular walks in Umstead is the Company Mill Trail, a hilly 5.8-mile trail that takes hikers to the densest parts of the hardwood forest. It is popular with both hikers and runners. About a mile in, you can stop at the Company Mill site along Crabtree Creek. An old millstone recalls the park’s earlier days, when European settlers had moved in to farm and log the land. By the early 20th century the soil was depleted and logging had taken a toll on the forests. In 1935, the federal and state governments bought the land that was to become the heart of the park and relocated its residents. Civil Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration workers built the original park structures. At first, the land was divided into two parks, Reedy Creek for African Americans and Crabtree Recreational Area for whites. In the 1960s, the two parks were united under one name and equal access was granted to everyone. Admission to the park is free. The park is open daily from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. November through February; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. March, April, September, and October; and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. May through August. The Crabtree Creek gate opens at 7 a.m. daily. Umstead is closed on Christmas Day. Boathouse hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Boat rental is $5 for the first hour and $3 every hour after that.