Outdoor activities in and around Fayetteville including hiking trails, Cape Fear River activities, biking, fishing, golf courses, and state parks.
For the full picture, start with our in-depth guide: Cape Fear River Trail: Route, Parking, Rules and Nearby Parks
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Fayetteville's main hiking and walking trail is the paved Cape Fear River Trail, which runs more than 7 miles one way and is open 8 a.m. to dusk. Cross Creek Linear Park adds 2.8 miles and Lake Rim Park a one-mile wetland trail. Carvers Creek State Park offers 3 miles at Long Valley Farm and 10.5 at the Sandhills Access, free.
Kayakers in Fayetteville can launch on the Cape Fear River at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission's free Fayetteville Boating Access Area off U.S. 301 or at Campbellton Landing on Person Street. Check the USGS Fayetteville river gage and the state closures list first, since high water closes the ramp. Beginners often start on Lake Rim Park or Hope Mills Lake, and Cape Fear River Adventures in Lillington rents boats upriver.
Fayetteville's main bike route is the Cape Fear River Trail, a paved, 10-foot-wide path running more than 7 miles one way from the Jordan Soccer Complex past Clark Park, open 8 a.m. to dusk with a 15 mph limit. It connects to the 2.8-mile Cross Creek Linear Park downtown. Mountain bikers can ride just over 11 miles of trail off the river path, Smith Lake's loops on Fort Bragg or Carvers Creek State Park.
The most popular place for fishing in Fayetteville, NC is Hope Mills Lake, a town-run, no-wake lake with a boat ramp just south of the city. Inside Fayetteville, Mazarick Park's Glenville Lake allows pier-only fishing, and the state's Fayetteville Boating Access Area on Wilmington Highway puts boats on the Cape Fear River. Fishing on Fort Bragg lakes requires an iSportsman permit.
Public golf courses in Fayetteville, NC include Baywood Golf Club near I-95, semi-private King's Grant Golf & Country Club on Shawcroft Road, and Cypress Lakes Golf Course in Hope Mills. Bayonet at Puppy Creek in nearby Raeford is a public Willard Byrd design. On Fort Bragg, Ryder Golf Course sells public tee times, while Gates Four and Highland are member clubs.