While the park offers boating, hiking, picnicking and fishing (no swimming), we think mountain biking is the best bet. The park is open 7 days a week and because it's pretty close to both downtowns, it can get crowded.
Expect wooded trails and nice scenery. In terms of the terrain, there is ample singletrack, but the level of difficulty is mild, good for beginners. The Highland Trail is the main biking route and it consists of 5 loops with the longest being 1.7 miles and the shortest .5 miles. However, you can add distance by taking your ride to Umstead Park via the Old Reedy Creek Road byway (via Black Creek Greenway. If you're at Crabtree you'll find the byway at the SE end of the park just off the Lake Creek Trail.
If you are elsewhere and looking to hook into the Highland Trail, it can be accessed from Cary's Black Creek Greenway or Umstead Park by using a section of the Lake Trail which is near I-40. If you are connecting, Black Creek Greenway is a 3.5 mile asphalt path. The termination point of this Greenway is just before Godbold Park at NW Maynard Rd. Parking is available.
To get to Lake Crabtree: Go toward RDU airport on I-40 and exit Aviation Parkway South. Park entrance on left. Park in first gravel lot and you'll see main trail entrance across lot.
Click the link to see a map of Crabtree Trails.
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