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.

Beautiful area for walking, especially during the fall when the leaves are changing and contrast beautifully on the water. The paths have some decent incline/decline, but of course no obligation to take the full loop. For cycling it can be a bit busy, but during non-peak hours or week days its a nice ride. Walnut Creek trail from NCSU area to get to Lake Johnson can be isolated/deserted in parts which can be good or bad - depends on your preference - but worth knowing if you are setting out alone. But a great location for good walk, jog, bike, or sit near the dam and enjoy a picnic over the water.

Lake Johnson is ... Its a place the community can go and have a beautiful space that feels like home.I have spent so much time here, walking, chatting, meditating, picnicking.....Lake Johnson is the place I go when I need sunshine and a reminder of the goodness in the world.Be patient with the construction. Its a place worth maintaining.

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.

Great place for a walk, very scenic especially during the fall. I grew up visiting this park, and still do so till this day. It offers kyacking, paddle boats and you can fish off the pier!

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 Im 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.

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.

Such a cute place! I love to come here to walk either by myself or with friends, I have always felt safe here. It isnt 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.

A wonderful walk with shaded trails- its 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 theres an overflow over the bridge. Trail also has two scenic overlooks - the first one with the nice picnic table and lovely lake view

8/22/20Just came back and walked the full 3mile loop.. loved every moment.. such a peaceful and beautiful trail around the lake Johnson .. even saw a unique yellow butterfly today8/5/20Beautiful, calm and peaceful loop.. we walked a mile and will come back soon

Great place to have a picnic and spend quality time with family. During covid they have closed the boating area, hopefully they will open soon.

Might be our new favorite trail! Easy beautiful little hike especially with these fall leaves!

Oct. 3, 2020 - Down from Maine, visiting my Daughter and her boyfriend in NC . . . They spoke highly of Lake Johnson Park in Raleigh, its 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.Heres 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 thats 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 waters edge . . . Not to worry its natural! As certain materials ( pine needles and iron, etc. ) decompose, there is at times slight oily surface. Dont drink it!

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.

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

Great paths!! There is a paved path and a natural woods path on the other side.

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.

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.

Love the view from the bridge..they are going through some construction right now so make sure you look for available parking spots in different areas rather than the main entrance. Trails are beautiful and covered with trees.

Beautiful trail! Lots of hills and nice water views, too. It is usually a full loop but part of it was closed in Sept (estimated 4-6 months to reopen)

Lake Johnson is the serene place I visited in a long time. Its 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. Its 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.

Someday youll 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.

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

Great little park for recreational activities!Great place to go Sand Up Paddle Boarding or Kayaking. They also have row boats and other things to rent out.The facilities is always clean and staff helpful. They are always courteous and kind.

I love this place. Nice easy trails. It is always a little bit busy there and parking is usually packed but it is also very relaxing to spend time at this place. Good if you like exercising and enjoy nature. I also love that you can rent a boat or a kayak. Its a family friendly place.

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

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. Ill revisit after the construction is complete.

Did the west loop. The section across the road from the parking lot was a manicured trail that was quite flat. Coming back the trail was hilly and quite a bit rougher with lots of tree roots to negotiate. A beautiful wooded trail.

Theyre doing some improvement right now on the trails but it is a beautiful walk and the trees are wonderful right now overall excellent place to just think and watch the lake

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

Great park to walk around, run, or just sit around and enjoy the nice atmosphere and nature. Good for renting kayaks as well.In the summer time, the trees provide a nice shade for the trail to make the walk more bearable than in the sun.

This is an excellent place to come for both relaxation and workout. There are miles of trails, boat rentals, and nice picnic areas. You can rent double and single kayaks, canoes, Jon boats, pedal boats and more. This park is teaming with animals. Plan to spend a couple of hours here. And it will take about an hour to hike the main trail.

This place is located only a few minutes out of town. I happen to come by it on a really gorgeous day. From what I understand it has a bike/walk trail that goes around the lake. Quite a few people were walking around it on the day I came by.

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

A nice place for a nature walk. The parking lots can be challenging at times. Beautiful scenery to look at!

Great trail. If walking on the paved side, make sure the bridge temperature isnt too hot for your dogs paws in the summertime!

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.

Parking is super tight and limited .. plan to check all the parking areas

Lake has been one of my favorite park destinations for years. The dock over the lake is ideal for some quiet reflection time time if youre the early bird type such as myself. The trail is challenging no matter your fitness levels.

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, its not really worth it and I probably wont be coming back for that reason.

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

Lake Johnson Mews exceeded my expectations in every area I had. I am extremely satisfied with living here, especially now that I know how prompt the maintenance is to respond to any issues. Great place for the value!

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.

Love this park. Busy 99% of the time. One trail is paved, other is just dirt but both offer their own challenge for being so short. Love walking pets here.

This is such a beautiful park! Its very clean and well-maintained. The trails are well marked and easy to walk, and the lake is absolutely stunning. I love the walking bridge that crosses the lake to get to the boathouse!

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

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

One of the most beautiful parks in the area. Two great loop trails to choose from. One paved and the other a hiking trail.

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

So my girlfriend and I came down here on vacation from New York State. We were staying in Cary North Carolina and decided to come check out this park because it had some good reviews. This was a very beautiful Park and loved the hike around the lake. The boardwalk was really cool to walk and crossed and seen tons of wildlife was really cool as well. I definitely would recommend this place to other people

Great walking park with paved path throughout the woods . The west loop is 2.8 miles and has some pretty steep hills . Your legs are going to get a great workout going up and down the hills. If you start out going across the bridge, you are going to be going uphill for awhile and then hit some pretty steep hills and it levels off towards the end. They actually have steep grade warning signs at some of these hills .Very scenic and you can kayak too!

Great place for walk and jogging. The trail contains ups n downs, good for burning calories. Parks has grilling options, shades, shelters. Perfect place for picnic with friends and family. You can do there kayaking, boating and fishing. Park entrance is free but for water activities you need to buy tickets.

Beautiful lake with long, challenging trails for walking, jogging, or biking. Fishing is allowed from the bridge.

Nice place for a run/walk. Parking can be a little difficult, so you might have to find other options. I only found one restroom that was open, but it was clean. There are summer programs and boat rentals.

Well maintained, can be crowded but big enough that it doesnt matter much. Some paved walkways, some trails. Hilly in places. Good for running though be careful on trails.

Trails were abundant and very well groomed. The bathroom facilities were large, well maintained, and very clean. Really cool structure for relaxing next to the lake and beach. Plenty of fishing options and cheap boat rentals! Dog friendly!One thing - if you have a large SUV or truck, the parking lot might give you some trouble as its pretty tight. Overall though we loved it!

Its a beautiful park. With many off shoot trails to keep you busy. Great place to run, a few less options for bikes but thats understandable. Only complaint is while on the paved part, it can get crowded. And many people that go dont seem to be that specially aware. You can also go paddle boating so thats neat.

Met up with my son & grandson there to go fishing for the first time and they caught atleast one baby Bass, so they had a great time. The walking trails are really nice too.

Wouldve been nicer if the parking lot and most of the trail were open

This place has serious potential but the trash cans smelled so bad and there were so many people who dont care about social distancing. Its just mismanaged

Awesome place to relax and enjoy the scenery!

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

Walking trails, fishing spots, canoe and small boat rentals, snack machines, cold drink machines, rest rooms...cool spot to get out for workouts, fishing, boating or just to see nature

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

Great. The leaves were really in full color!

Great place to get back to nature. Respect the park and the park staff, leave no trace!

Lake Johnson is one of my favorite places to go running. You can easily choose a 3 or a 5 mile loop. It does have several significant hills. It’s a well maintained park; kayaks are fun to rent in the summer and super affordable. Because it’s such a great place, it definitely fills up on nice weather days and weekends, so be prepared to hunt for parking. Be aware there are 3 parking lots to choose from!

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.

Great active lake with trails and a nice beach. Does have a bit of population on it. Nonetheless beautiful for a stroll by the water.

Wonderful park with fantastic walking path or wooded trails to hike. What a gem in Raleigh!

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

Perfect place for family picnics and parties. It also has a great track around the lake for running or walking dogs.

Great place for a walk around the lake on a brisk day. Lots of people out and about with dogs and kids too. Good for bike riding as well as long as its not too crowded with walkers and runners.

I walk or run here almost every week and love it! I typically do the paved side, but have also done the other side with trails as well. Both of them are nice. There are two parking lots, but they tend to overflow. I’ve seen people bike, run, walk, and fish along these trails. There are some hills once you get over the south side of the bridge so beware if you are planning to push a stroller or have kids with you.NOTE: police officers ticket cars quite often that park on the side of the road that aren’t in the lots. They’ll write dozens at a time. Don’t do it just because others are. There’s supposedly an overflow lot north further on Avent Ferry so keep this in mind and look it up if both lots are full!

Well kept trail and isn’t usually too busy. The trail is paved and a great distance.

Good place to walk. Great views of the lake. Good up and down trails for aerobic exercose.

Nice place for a walk..

Its such a beautiful place! I go often as possible and each time gets better! Its family friendly including pets.

Such a pretty well kept area, not too busy with people.. great views for us and the doggo. Mostly walked on paved trail where all dogs were leashed.

Great walking paths. Be careful. I’ve run across copperhead snakes on the trails 3 times over the years.

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

Its just beautiful and teaming with wildlife! The sunsets are amazing here as well! It is a very peaceful place to relax and enjoy the wildlife!

A very comfortable walk everyone should walk now and then.

Perfect place to spend a beautiful summer day.

Beautiful space, we had a great time

Had a lot of fun, we used the Jon Boat to paddle, and then we used a regular petal boat. Prepare to die of heat if its sunny and hot. Make sure to bring cold water with you.

Great place to run or walk. It’s a bit hilly but the scenery is amazing. Gets dark really quick just after sunset so get your fitness in before the end of the day.

Its a great park for a few more walk or run! The trails, both paved and unpaved are well maintained and the lake is a nice natural seclusion from the city. I come here with my dogs and enjoy the peaceful getaway.

Great hiking and you can choose a simple walk around the lake on blacktop or a longer hike via an extension that is mostly hiking trail. The blacktop around the lake can get a little crowded especially on weekends but still a very nice walk with a few steep hills and amazing views of the lake. Great family walking destination pretty much any time of year. Nice bathrooms and eating area are a plus.

Very scenic trails. One should try the trail on the opposite side of the usual trail. It isnt paved but you feel more close to the nature here.

Love this park. Has great shaded trails that are awesome for when its super sunny. Plus being near the lake is very calming

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

Beautiful park with paved running trails. Surprisingly busy in the afternoon on weekdays.

What a gorgeous spot. Perfectly situated with massive running and biking trails, a cool bridge, fishing spots, boat rentals, kayaks, and plenty of space for everyone.

Im a photographer, so this place is perfect for taking quality pictures, i also exercise here. It has amazing views, awesome picnic spots and a great place to walk your pets!!! Instagram: @Houdinator

Somehow boring place but tranquil and beautiful

Great view and feel especially when the sun sets. They are very particular about security. Great fun water activities for family. Nature trails available with great view of the lake. If you are lucky, youll see some ducks and exotic birds.

I enjoyed fishing there. It was fun! I just wish that I had somewhere to sit...

Nice park with trail around the lake and good facilities. Even though here are a lot of spots, parking can be tough on nice days

Love the scenery and hike trails. Parking can be a little tricky.