Lake Johnson Greenway

Lake Johnson is a beautiful place, with a fun feeling on weekends. There are lots of people renting kayaks, enjoying the lake views from rocking chairs on a spacious patio, and walking the shady, paved 3 mile loop trail. Come early or wait a little while to find parking (there are two lots).

If you can't walk the whole loop, chose the north side (away from Highway 40) for a more peaceful walk. So, if you start facing the boathouse, go left to get to the quiet part of the walk, NOT over the pedestrian bridge. Over the pedestrian bridge takes you to the noisy part of the walk. This north part of the loop also takes you closer to the water, for nicer views. It's better to just walk the north part and then turn around rather than do the loop, because the last half will be noisy and overly hilly.
You can also extend your walk or run by including the unpaved path on the west side of the lake. 
Bring a picnic or snacks as there are some lovely picnic tables along the trail, with sweet vantage points over the water. Kids can play on the small sandy beach where the kayaks are rented out. There are vending machines for drinks and snacks.

Directions

Lake Johnson is located at 4601 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606. Parking is free.

Click on map for interactive view