In 2017, Raleigh Parks and Recreation opened Forest Ridge Park on the banks of Falls Lake. The park would be somewhat of an outlier compared to other parks in the Raleigh area — rather than play structures and ball fields, Forest Ridge has trails.
Over three miles of trail, actually. And not just a greenway path or general-purpose natural-surface trails. These trails were specifically designed with mountain biking in mind. And there will soon be much more.
By 2028, the Forest Ridge trail system will more than triple in size, boasting over ten miles of purpose-built singletrack.
Forest Ridge Park
“Forest Ridge has packed a lot of value into their current 3.25 miles of singletrack trails,” Shaun King, Executive Director of the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC), told Singletracks. TORC was an early partner at Forest Ridge Park, officially working with the city of Raleigh just months after the park opened.
The current trails at Forest Ridge are beginner-rated, an intentional decision to make the first trails in the new trail system as inclusive as possible. There is one main loop trail, additional offshoots, and a bonus “lollipop” option, with the overall elevation gain/loss in the area being around 150 feet.
While the current trails are green, King also said that there is “enough flow and features to be fun for more experienced riders.” He also said that while the overall vibe of the current trails leans toward the flowy side of the spectrum, there are some rock features mixed in here and there.
Aside from the trails, Forest Ridge Park also boasts a pump track and a bike skills area. It is also fully staffed, with parks and rec personnel on site daily. We were told that the park staff is actively monitoring the trails for erosion issues and fallen logs, and keeping up with maintenance.
Adding 7.5 miles
“For the new trail project, the current scope is two additional trail sections totaling about 7.5 miles,” King told us. “The goal is not just to add mileage, but to create a more varied riding experience.”
With the existing trails serving as beginner options, the new trails will aim to step things up a bit. While King made no mention of intermediate or advanced trail ratings for the new trails, he did say they will be more challenging overall.
One of the new trails will feature significantly longer, albeit gradual, climbs and descents. Riders can also expect rollers and berms, and an overall higher level of technical features than on the existing trails.
“The other section is planned to offer an even higher level of technical riding by using the existing terrain, native rock features, and built features,” King said.
While these new trails will increase the overall skill level required at Forest Ridge, Raleigh Parks and Rec still wants to ensure solid progression across the trail system. The more technical sections of the new trails will have multiple line options, allowing riders to choose a route that fits their current skill level. As their skills and confidence increase, the option to choose a more difficult line is there.
More than mountain bike trails
All told, Forest Ridge Park will offer over 10 miles of trails, a pump track, and a skills zone when the current project is complete. But Raleigh Parks and Rec doesn’t just want the park to be a place with trails. Rather, they are actively finding ways to make it easier for newcomers to ride those trails.
Along with clinics, camps, and guided rides, Forest Ridge Park also offers loaner bikes to introduce people to mountain biking. “From TORC’s perspective, that makes the expansion especially promising because the park already has staff, programming, and a maintenance structure in place to support more trail mileage,” King said.
Triangle mountain bikers want more trails
The new project at Forest Ridge was made possible by a $350,000 grant from the Great Trails State Program in North Carolina. The program, established in 2023, set aside $25 million to enhance the state’s trail networks through expanding existing trails or building new ones.
At 587 acres, Forest Ridge Park likely has some space for more trails, which is exactly what mountain bikers in the Triangle area of North Carolina want. The area, which consists of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, has sizeable gaps between trail systems, many of which are on the smaller side.
They’ve also recently fought to keep trail systems open, winning some battles and losing others. But Forest Ridge Park is definitely a win, and King said they will be using the grant funds to have the trails professionally designed and built.
While many aspects of the project are still up in the air, TORC and Raleigh Parks and Rec hope to have the additional 7.5 miles of singletrack completed by 2028.
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