No playground here, but, every single park doesn’t hafta have one. :) This is more of a nature park with a beautiful lake, walkways all around it for walking, jogging, running, bicycling, or walking your dog. There’s a hundred foot beach area with sand, right next to the visitor center and bathrooms, and a bridge on the other side of the building. The lake continues on the other side of the road. You can take canoes, rafts, or kayaks out on the water. Tons of trails back through the woods.

Great place to walk! Enjoy the lake and feel like you are in the woods. The trail is asphalt so perfect for stroller, bikes, anything with wheels. Path is wide so traffic can travel both ways easily. There is a bridge across the lake that you can fish from. We really enjoyed our walk!

This is a perfect evening or morning walk around the lake. The trail is easy and only a few miles. The walk is through green woods around the lake. You can either run, walk or bike through this trail. Whatever you do it will leave you feeling good at the end of your day. Highly recommended. I loved taking evening walks here.

Well maintained, and offers multiple trail surfaces including paved and mulched. Nice, clean, and informative waterfront center. They have kayaks, paddle boards, and other watercraft available for rent. The main lake trail is paved and can get somewhat busy, especially on warm summer days. For a more quiet walk I recommend the "West Loop".

I love this place! This beautiful park has several trails for everyone, you can ride your bike,run, walk or hike around it. You’ll encounter vegetation and tall trees and hang out by the lake and enjoy the sunset on one of its benches. Signs around the park are very helpful and maps are clear and easy to read. Every season brings a new landscape! Spring and summer allow you to see magnificent trees and colorful flowers, while fall displays the falling foliage covering the floor and more animals can be seen enjoying the fresh breeze.

Lovely spot for a walk, run, bike ride, or hammock. The hills are steep at about 2 miles in but everything is fully paved. Great place to bring you dog! Clean restrooms and there’s a pretty accessible boat ramp and a bridge with fishing. Easy parking lot as well. Highly recommend.

Stumbled upon this great place while driving on the freeway. So glad we decided to pull over and take a little hike! Has a cute bridge that's great for photos and nice trail along the lake's edge.

There is something for everyone - you can have a picnic, kayak, fish, paddle board, bike, walk/run. Swimming is not allowed though. The lake trail is a little over 3 miles. Definitely a great place to be outside in Raleigh. The parking lot does get full during weekends, which is something to worry about. We loved the rocking chairs in the shade near the front office. You can sit there for hours and take in the lake views.

It is a great place for a walk or bike ride. It had a paved path all the way around the lake and even has a more natural trail that goes right up the edge of it. Nice place to go with family or as a couple. I do enjoy a morning walk by my self. I always feel comfortable there.

Amazing view!!! You just have to find the hidden spots 🤭 great trail put a good pair of shoes so you won’t get tired 😌

Nice reservoir. Not allowed to swim, but you can rent boats (lol) or bring your own since there are 2 ramps. Plenty of parking lot, long pavement trails, beautiful surrounding. There’s a beach, some shelters and lots of hammock hangers!

Love this place! Parking is a little less but the walk around the lake is really nice.

Beautiful park for spending time and have fun here. This park has a nice small beach, kayak ramp, picnic areas, shelters, a great bridge above the lake for fishing, walking and photography. We had a wonderful walk on lake trail, we walked on paved and unpaved areas of this trail, it has beautiful scenic points. On weekend this park gets very busy sometimes there is parking problem but they have some option to park near some areas. Some hammock lovers were enjoying this beautiful nature. A walk, bike ride, run through green woods feels soothing.

Awesome park offering shaded jogging / walking trail around a picturesque lake. The concrete paved jogging trail is ~3 miles while the unpaved trail portion of the trail is ~2 miles. The paved jogging trails are wide enough to accommodate two people in each direction (4 total across the trail) or one bike and good amount of up and down elevation for runners. The unpaved trail is pretty easy going out but not clearly demarcated, especially after a rain and does have a bunch of roots in some areas.

This place is great for a date, alone time to walk, kids can enjoy the "beach-like" area and you can bring your dog! The scenery is absolutely breathtaking day or evening. First lake/park I feel in love with after moving from PA. Parking, however, it's TIGHT!

It's a beautiful park with so much to do. The trail has a lot of uphill and downhill slopes that make for a good workout.

I love to go for a walk at Lake Johnson park with my family meeting new friends always😊🐕👩‍👧‍👦. It does has some hills while walking around the trail but it's a beautiful view🏞

Very nice park with clear trails to walk. The only downside was the parking. The parking lot is oddly formed and congested so it’s a one way in, one way out type of situation. The second parking area that’s connected by the bridge helps to keep you connected to the location even if you do have to go a bit further up to find a space, which was my predicament. Depending on what day you visit, parking can be extremely tight so I’d suggest planning ahead to be on the safe side. Beautiful views from the bridge, and lots of bird action if have the patience to find them. I located a great blue heron in the trees and got some really nice shots of it. I don’t own a kayak or boat, but the water looks nice and calm.

Would've been nicer if the parking lot and most of the trail were open

It was shockingly busy, but I suppose covid has been hosting all of the stir-crazy people in Raleigh. For the most part, I observed good social distancing practices. There were signs up to remind people to do so. The walkways were very nice, and I'm glad that they were wide enough to grant space between us and passersby. The views were beautiful, and the lake was lovely. Would love to come back and go kayaking next time.

So many activities to do here that I love. I have kayaked, ran on the trails, fished, and paddle-boated. They even have a nature trail that has signs that say what species of tree or bush you are looking at. Staff is nice and there is parking on both sides of the bridge. They also have a map of the trails and how long each is.

Absolutely gorgeous park. We recently moved here from Idaho and the Australians have mentioned several times on their This is Raleigh pages that they love this place, so we decided it would be the first park we check out. We walked around and for the first time in two decades, I got to go to a park with real leaves and not just pine needles. It was wonderful and a Great Blue Heron even stopped to say hi. I also deeply appreciate that it was paved so we could go with my daughter's wheelchair.

(Translated by Google) Very good place to run (Original) Muy buen lugar para correr

This park is big, I mean really big. Lots of trails are available on both sides of the road and those are kind of moderate trails with ups and downs. Not recommended for small kids and old people. Parking space is somewhat less and it will be hard to find a slot if more people showed up however there might be more parking spot in the park. Lake is beautiful specially for sunset photography. Overall a good place for family and fitness freaks.

This is a great place to kayak/boat around and you can rent one at the dock. I always go during the weekday when it's not busy. Once you get out on the water you'll catch a cool breeze as you move along. Highly recommended.

Quiet, largely shady trail around the lake that can take at least two hours. Has benches along the path at a few places. Was disappointed that the water was barely visible half the time. The welcome center has covered areas with a couple of comfortable rocking chairs overlooking the lake, and that was bliss. Parking is free and not on level ground.

Beautiful well maintained walking trails! Will definitely go back to explore more! Parking was a little tight where we were, but it was a beautiful day!

Love the trails , options for easy and some tough parts , calm waters with fishing , kayak and boat option during summer and the deck with rocking chairs and a lovely beach . Enjoy the walk on the connecting bridge or simply have your tea coffee from the shop on the deck .

Nice place for a walk/jog. Well kept paths, and great views. Do note that some parts of it are steep and could be challenging for a few, so avoid them when you see the sign for it if you can't handle steep paths. But I have seen old folks, pregnant women and kids take the path, so you should be good.

Really pretty lake and area to walk at! My wife and I really enjoyed coming here to walk at the bridge. Next time we will walk the trail around the whole lake. Great area!

Really nice park. Wish I had more time to explore and stay longer! I wanted to walk around the lake and check out lookouts and everything.

Great area to walk or run with a view! It is a very popular spot so expect other people to be around always, but it is not usually super busy except on the weekends. The view is always picturesque and beautiful. It is a paved walking trail and it is super dog friendly! The big loop is about 3.0 miles and there are hills on the second half of the loop. Very nice and well kept area.

It's nice but the trail doesn't have view of the lake and it's a lot of hills. More like a hiking path not walking.

One of my favorite parks in the Raleigh area. Great lake trail. Great scenery.

Lake Johnson is a great place to walk. I always do the 2.8 mile walk with my mom and my dog. It is a little hilly in the back but it is a good workout! There are many other dogs so watch out if you have a dog that does not like other dogs.

The place is one of the popular places in and around Raleigh. Located at midst of lush vegetation, the place offers a nice retreats from a busy day. Best part about Lake Johnson is that there are two trail to walk. One is a small one and other trail is about 3-4 Miles. I didn't tried the trail but talking to locals I feel that is something one should try. The best time to visit the place would be in evening. And if you like fishing don't forget to grab your fishing rod.

A great place to be outside!! The entire greenway loop is between 3-4 miles long, with the regular lake trail being a little over 3 miles, and the “scenic route” sections add almost another mile. You can walk, run, or ride the whole way. There are several challenging hills on the right side of the loop towards the long bridge, with a speed limit for bicycles to keep everyone safe. There are plenty of benches as well as mile and 1/4 mile markers along the way. If you feel the need to explore, there are countless dirt paths throughout the lake that cross over creeks and logs that will take you through off-road sections to amazing elevated views of the lake. The front office desk is available during the day for drinks and boat rentals during certain times of the year.

This community pool is great! My kids love it. The kiddie pool is a hit with my youngest. Always a great time with my family.

I love Lake Johnson Park. So peaceful!

Perfect paved 2.7 mile walk, almost completely shaded. Yes, there are hills but they're very doable. Can't believe I didn't know about it sooner!! Restroom was clean and cool - staff we met there was friendly and helpful period was able to take my own stand up paddle board out after the hike and had a great time!

Lake Johnson in North Carolina is a serene oasis for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. With its picturesque lake and lush greenery, it offers a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The well-maintained trails are great for hiking, biking, and jogging, and the peaceful atmosphere is perfect for relaxing picnics or fishing. Overall, Lake Johnson is a must-visit destination for those seeking tranquility and natural beauty in the heart of North Carolina.

Update: Great place for photography. By the pier there rocking chairs to enjoy the view. I come here to walk and run. Scenery is beautiful and it has enough room to go around people.

Beautiful park. It was fairly quiet. Trails were nicely kept. People were walking, jogging, cycling or just hanging out by the water. Toward the back (near the main road) there are some decent hills.

Lake Johnson is a great park with a nice walking path that goes all around the lake and in the summer it offers boat rentals. There is a variety of wildlife and it is a great spot to view the sunrise or sunset, the parking can get a little crowded during popular times though.

An excellent place to hiking, running and fishing . They have a rental boat . Good place for children's and adults.

(Translated by Google) One of Our Favorite Parks 😉 (Original) Uno de Nuestros parques Favoritos 😉

Very beautiful park

Nice place to go for a walk or run with lots of native plants and decent birding! Lots of trails aside from the main loop (part of which is currently closed), so it’s easy to avoid crowded if you go on some of the unpaved trails. The park does get very crowded on nice days and there is very limited parking, so that’s something to be aware of. The Thomas G. Crowded Woodland Center usually has plenty of parking, you can access the unpaved trails behind the building.

A bit crowded but beautiful nonetheless.

Nice place to take your family, I usually go on a bike.

Awesome place to relax and enjoy the scenery!

Trails here can be actually hiking through the woods! There are also loss of paved paths

Lovely cement pad circle track park that encircles Lake Johnson. Parking is limited, so arrive early and be patient when looking to park. The trail goes around the lake and features a few branches. There are picnic shelters available. Additionally, there are canoe and kayak rentals available to explore the lake with as well.

Really beautiful shady park with gorgeous treeline and large lake. Has both facilities and bathrooms and snack machines and benches if you want to have a picnic. Would definitely suggest for a beautiful spring or winter day.

This park is excellent for spending some time outside on a hike, bike ride, or a run. The path is plenty wide for a lot of people to be on at the same time. The trails are also covered in pine straw/leaves which make it easy to walk on. There are trees everywhere that provide some nice shade. The only downside to this park currently is the lack of parking. They are working on one of the parking areas which dramatically reduces the space to park. They’ll be finished soon so it won’t be a problem. Overall the park is a great trip into the outdoors but easy enough that it is family friendly.

Nice scenic park good for walking

Very nice ! Beautiful walking trails and picnic spots. Nice place to bring your dog and relax!!

So beautiful here. Parking was a little tough to get into, just tells you it's a popular place. The paths are gorgeous. Good 3 mile walk or so. Restrooms and pavilions available.

Great park! Their main parking lot, directly next to the park was closed for renovation, so I had quite the trek, lugging my kayak to the beach area for launch. I'll revisit after the construction is complete.

Someday you'll see a scene in nature here like, simply amazing! Pretty sky, nice atmosphere and all that. Something like which will definitely be a good memory.

Be advised that as of today (10/18/2020) several parking lots and the north part of the trail were closed, which I was NOT aware of, so that made it pretty frustrating. Aside from that, beautiful trail but extremely busy. Honestly, given how busy it was, it's not really worth it and I probably won't be coming back for that reason.

Lake Johnson is the serene place I visited in a long time. It's a quiet and very beautiful lake in west Raleigh. Lots of greenery, blue clear water, birds and ducks swimming at the bank of lake, people going for walk or taking babies or pets out, people canoeing or kayaking on weekends, nice breeze, open fresh air and quite and picturesque place. This can be the description of Lake Johnson. I go there once in a while to see the beautiful sunrise at the lake. There are benches at the walk way where people jog or walk in the morning. It's a perfectly relaxing place. There are couple of condominium communities next to lake. People often take walk in the woods surrounding the lake too. There is place to park the car. This is a highly recommended and must go place.

Beautiful Lake side view. We usually go for 3 mile walk here. Boating is available. Parking will be little difficult. Trails are always busy. Good location for walking. There is a dam in the mid of the trail.

The trails are amazing and hilly!!! Great if you're a beginner working out and want a good walk and great if you're an experienced runner!!!!

Bigger late for the area, could use more parking

A wonderful walk with shaded trails- it's pretty hilly terrain so the best way to go is to the right from the parking lot facing the lake. Also parking get filled really fast especially over weekend- so there's an overflow over the bridge. Trail also has two scenic overlooks - the first one with the nice picnic table and lovely lake view

Oct. 3, 2020 - Down from Maine, visiting my Daughter and her boyfriend in NC . . . They spoke highly of Lake Johnson Park in Raleigh, it's worth your time for a relaxing outdoor experience! Started in 1952, this 500 acre (300 acres in another source) park hosts a variety of perks & outdoor pleasures! Park entrance is free ! There is amble parking, in several lots. The main parking lot fills up fast, so go on their website to locate the other parking lots. We parked over at the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center, next to the Johnson Park Swimming Pool. Here's a list of the Lake Johnson Park perks: *5 miles of easy trails ( some paved) *Tree identification signs *Easy to read Trail Map *Boat rentals (seasonal) *Fishing ( NC regulations & licenses) *Picnic Tables and some charcoal grills *Pavillion available for events *Swimming Pool *Beautiful Lake ( no swimming) *Loads of trees for Bird Watchers *QR Fit Trail ( 6 stations) *Info Kiosk available & restrooms **Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center ( another review - located in park) To sum it all up, this is a good half day well spent with family and/or friends outside on a day that's not too hot, you do need to cool off but not in this lake ! Note: You may notice a bit of an oily substance near the water's edge . . . Not to worry it's natural! As certain materials ( pine needles and iron, etc. ) decompose, there is at times slight oily surface. Don't drink it!

Beautiful

Great place to walk and jog safely! Beautiful scenery and well maintained!!

Great lake with a nice decent size trail paved and unpaved. I jog there every weekend.

Clearly marked trails, a paved trail and several woods trails with beautiful lake views. Can kayak or fish here. A few parking lots look around for a spot in peak times.

A very nice place for a good walk along the lake.

Great place to walk or run and be near nature. There are designated places to hang your hammock, shelters for a picnic, and a boat ramp to launch your paddle boards. The pave loop around the lake is about two and a half miles.

It was a nice walk but around the lake it really smells like a sewer

Well paved three mile lake trail and other trails. Dot worry about going out there if mercury soars. The lake and other trails are mostly under shade. Also seen people fishing and boating.

Very calm and green place to spend good quality time kayaking in lake or taking a walk around the super green trails. Loved it. Parking space is limited. Have to go around 3 times to find a spot.

Very nice beautiful place for hangout, walk, bicycle rides, running 😀

Love this walk

Beautiful place to clear your mind

Such a cute place! I love to come here to walk either by myself or with friends, I have always felt safe here. It isn't a huge place, but enough that you can escape from the city and get some good nature vibes. They also allow paddleboarding and kayaking which would be fun.

This is a beautiful place with nice trails and so much green around the lake. Sunset is beautiful from this location

There was some paving going on which tripped me up a little bit, but I love this place.

Best place for trial walking. Kids usually love the boating here. The bridge walk is awesome during sunset.