Plan Your Visit
Know Before You Go
Current weather
Be prepared
- Bring plenty of water, especially during the summer months.
- Bring and use insect repellent. Mosquitoes, chiggers, and ticks may be plentiful when the weather is warm.
- Bring and use sun protection.
- Check the weather. When at the park, be alert to approaching storms. Return to shore and seek shelter immediately during lightning or thunderstorms.
- Dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes for hiking.
- Wear a life jacket when in, on, or near the water. It is required for children 13 years old and younger.
Recreate safely
- Stay on designated trails when hiking, biking, or walking with your pet. Fragile plant communities may be damaged if you leave the trail.
- Exercise cautious seamanship. You may be boating in unfamiliar waters with underwater hazards.
- Pay attention to extreme heat warnings. Know the signs of heat-related illness and how to respond. Take extra breaks and wear light clothing.
Available Amenities at Each Access
| Amenities: | Bv | BW | HP | 50 | RV | SB | Sh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat Ramp | X* | C | C | X | X | ||
| Group Camping | C | C | C | ||||
| Tent Camping | C | C | C | ||||
| RV Camping | C | C | |||||
| Dump Station | C | X | |||||
| Hot Showers | C | C | X | C | |||
| Community Building | X | ||||||
| Fishing | X | C | C | X | X | X | C |
| Marina | X | ||||||
| Parking | X | C | C | X | X | X | C |
| Picnicking | X | X | X | X | |||
| Picnic Shelters | X | X | X | ||||
| Restrooms | X | C | C | X | X | X | C |
| Swimming | X | C | X | X |
Accesses
- Bv = Beaverdam
- BW = B.W. Wells
- HP = Holly Point
- 50 = Highway 50
- RV = Rolling View
- SB = Sandling Beach
- Sh = Shinleaf
Legend
- X = for all visitors
- C = for campers only
- * = Gas-motored boats are prohibited on Beaverdam Lake
Additional Information
- All North Carolina state parks are open every day of the year, with the only exception being Christmas Day.
- Park hours vary seasonally; please check the park home page for park hours.
- The park visitor center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The park information center address is 13304 Creedmoor Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
Pets must be on an attended leash of no longer than 6 feet at all times.
Please pick up after your pet when you are at the park; pet waste is not fertilizer and can put plants, other animals, and visitors at risk for disease.
Please dispose of pet waste in garbage bins and do not throw waste bags in the woods or leave them on the ground.
When sharing a trail, hikers with pets should yield to all other trail users, including bicyclists.
There is a $7 per car fee ($5 for Senior or Military) to access the park for most day-use activities, including hiking, biking and fishing.
The parking/vehicle entrance fee is charged only on weekends in April, May, and September, and daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. During other days and months of the year, there is no fee to enter the day-use accesses at the reservoirs.
Picnic tables are free to use and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
There is no Wi-Fi at other areas of the park, including the campground.
Start at one of the many access points to the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) and hike along Falls Lake. The section of the MST that runs along Falls Lake spans about 60 miles and boasts beautiful lake views.
Access points to the MST are located at:
The Beaverdam Lake section of Falls Lake is separated from the main area of the lake and does not allow for any gasoline motors. This makes it the perfect location for some paddle sports! Enjoy scenic views and peaceful time out on the water.
Bring your own equipment or rent some from the nearby Rolling View Marina.
Becoming a Junior Ranger gives kids the opportunity to learn about and explore North Carolina's beautiful state parks with their families or scout, school and homeschool groups through self-led educational activities and programs. Junior Rangers may also have the opportunity to help park rangers protect the health of the park through short community service projects.
Kids visiting the park for the day can complete activities in the guide, attend park-led programs, complete small community service projects given by park staff, participate in the EcoExplore program, and hike in the park. Doing these activities earn acorns. Upon caching 20 acorn points, Junior Rangers can receive the park's unique Junior Ranger patch.
Pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Guide at the visitor center or print your own from the documents list:
Activity Booklet
- Junior Ranger Activity Booklet (PDF)
- Activity Booklet en español (PDF)
- Activity Booklet in black and white (PDF)
Pocket Activities for Any Park
Kids in Parks hosts a nationwide network of family-friendly outdoor adventures called Track Trails. Each Track Trail features self-guided brochures and signs that turn your visit into a fun and exciting outdoors experience. Best of all, you can earn prizes for tracking your adventures!
The Beaverdam Recreation Area TRACK Trail (also called Duck Cove Trail) is a 0.6 mile hike one-way (1.2 miles round-trip). Enjoy a hike through a mixed pine forest along the edge of Beaverdam Lake that leads to a wildlife observation platform overlooking Duck Cove. Activity brochures may be found at the trailhead.
The Rolling View Recreation Area TRACK Trail (also called Neuse Bend Trail) is a 0.6 mile loop through a mixed pine forest along the edge of Falls Lake. Activity brochures may be found at the trailhead.
The park visitor center features environmental education exhibits. Native plants and animals dominate the exhibit hall, which is open during visitor center hours. Displays allow visitors to look deeper into the diversity of wildlife in the park.
The following amenities and facilities are wheelchair-accessible:
- One campsite per loop at Holly Point (four with RV electric and water hookups)
- One campsite per loop at Rolling View (two with RV electric and water hookups)
- All picnic shelters at Beaverdam, Rolling View, and Sandling Beach
- Fishing piers at Beaverdam and Rolling View
- Swim beaches at Beaverdam, Rolling View, and Sandling Beach; the community building
- The visitor center
Accessible parking and restrooms are provided at each access.