Day Hike F: Six Forks Road to Six Forks Road

Blue Jay Point

Distance: 3.1 miles

  • Difficulty: Moderate.
  • Camping: No.
  • Land managers: Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Volunteer Task Force Leader: Jeff Brewer, jdbrewer104@gmail.com.
  • Piggyback trail: Falls Lake Trail, a/k/a South Shore Trail.
  • Connecting trails: To Blue Jay Point County Park and to the lake.
  • Falls Lake MST Section No.: 6.
  • Trailhead/Access: Six Forks Road. Click on map below for specifics.

This stretch of the trail is full of bridges, benches and other Eagle Scout projects.

It’s a popular stretch of trail due to its location within Wake County’s Blue Jay Point County Park. Because the park’s main attractions — playgrounds, ball fields, picnic shelters — are at roughly the midpoint of the trail, you’ll see a fair amount of traffic hereabouts, especially families with small children. The southern end sees a good number of fishermen who use the parking off Six Forks for quick access to accessible water. The north end of this trail sees little traffic. No overnight camping is allowed.

This stretch probably has more benches per mile than any hiking trail you’ll ever tread. Thank a local Eagle Scout if you’re compelled to take a rest. You’ll also encounter a nice platform nestled in a cove more than a mile in, a popular spot for spring wildflower viewing. Several feeder trails offering quick to access the lake.

Plan to work in a visit to Blue Jay Point (park hours are 8 a.m. until sunset). In addition to the various recreational amenities, you’ll also find water and restrooms.

Geology Highlights: While hiking this trail section, be on the lookout for distinctive minerals:  talc, chlorite, actinolite, magnetite and serpentine. These are characteristic of the ultramafic rocks of the area.

For detailed hiking directions and parking information, download the Segment 10 guide from our Trail Guides page, using the “Primary Trailheads” section to pinpoint the location. You can also visualize the route on our interactive map.