Some Lake Crabtree County Park trails set to close next month

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Some Lake Crabtree Co. Park trails set to close next month

The FAA now requires leases to be at market rate, a price that's too high for the county to afford.

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- In Wake County, several popular hiking and biking trails are set to close.

The areas shaded in orange along Aviation Parkway and I-40 will be permanently closed starting June 2.

Map of Lake Crabtree County Park next to area reclaimed by RDUAA
Map | Wake County

This closure follows the expiration of the county's lease with the RDU Airport Authority. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now requires leases to be at market rate, a cost too high for the county to afford.

Frequent trail users have expressed disappointment. Cole Clegg, a cyclist, shared, "I was very disappointed, especially because they made it happen sooner. I don't think we need much more development out here."

While the county is finalizing plans to expand trails adjacent to Lake Crabtree, the timeline for this project remains uncertain.

Lake Crabtree County Park opened in 1988 and expanded six years later to include one of the first sanctioned mountain biking trail networks in the nation.

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