On October 21, crews closed part of South Lakes Greenway for boardwalk repairs. Two days later, on October 23, officials from Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs cut the ribbon on the Alston Ridge Greenway extension. That trail now runs a full mile, partly on new boardwalk, from Alston Ridge Park to Bass Lake Greenway in Holly Springs. So for the rest of 2026, Fuquay-Varina's newest walking mileage leads across the town line, and one of its in-town connectors is partly offline. If your usual route was South Lakes, the trail you walked in September has moved, and it may have moved farther than you'd expect.
Two boardwalks, opposite directions
Both October changes were boardwalk projects, and they happened the same week.
The new one belongs to the Alston Ridge Greenway. The town describes the extension as 2,400 feet added to the existing trail. Together they make one mile from the trailhead across from Alston Ridge Park to Bass Lake Greenway, with "a mix of paved and boardwalk sections and an environmental overlook." Town staff from both Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs came to the ribbon-cutting, along with representatives from the NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Cardinal Civil Contracting, and community members.
The closed boardwalk is on South Lakes Greenway. The town's closure notice says a portion of the greenway closed starting October 21 and is expected to reopen in early January 2027. The closure map estimates the repairs at 75 days and says the marked section is "closed to all pedestrians" until the work is done.
Seventy-five days from October 21 lands in the first week of January. That means the closure runs through Thanksgiving, the December holidays and New Year's weekend, which covers most of the season when people take extra walks with visiting family.
The new mile starts at a StoryWalk
Alston Ridge Park, at 6850 Hilltop-Needmore Road Extension, is the Fuquay-Varina end of the new trail. The town calls it "a quaint neighborhood park" with a 0.4-mile paved walking loop, a playground and a picnic shelter.
The park also has a StoryWalk, presented by the Fuquay-Varina Junior Women's Club with the Town of Fuquay-Varina and the Wake County Public Library. The books rotate every two to three months. If your family last read it over the summer, there's probably a different book posted now.
The greenway itself is 10 feet wide, with asphalt and boardwalk sections and what the town's park page calls an "environmental lookout area." At one mile each way, it makes a two-mile out-and-back from the Alston Ridge trailhead. Add a lap of the park loop and you're past two miles before you get back to the car.
The far end is what makes this trail different from the others in Fuquay-Varina. The extension links the Alston Ridge Greenway to Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, connecting what the town calls "two growing greenway systems." Once you reach Bass Lake Greenway, you're on Holly Springs' trail system and in Holly Springs' park.
That also puts the lake end of your walk under Holly Springs' park rules and hours. Before a late-afternoon walk toward the lake, check with the Town of Holly Springs through its Bass Lake Park page. The sun sets early this time of year.
What's offline at South Lakes, and what it normally connects
South Lakes Greenway closed at a bad time because it does a lot of linking. The town's greenway page says it offers 2 miles of walking and biking and connects to the Park Depot Trail, the South Lakes and Meadow Brook communities, and Old Honeycutt Road Park. Parking is listed at 1324 Old Honeycutt Road off Hwy 55 and at Old Honeycutt Park, 101 Fitness Drive.
The closure covers a marked portion of the trail. On the town's map, the closed sections are shown in yellow and red, with Main St, NC 42 and Hwy 55 labeled for reference. If you walk out of the South Lakes or Meadow Brook neighborhoods, look at the map before you leave the house. It's the quickest way to know whether your loop still works or ends at a barrier halfway through.
Old Honeycutt Road Park is still a solid starting point either way. Its paved walking track is only 0.23 miles, but the park has parking, restrooms, a playground, tennis and pickleball courts, and picnic shelters. If your outing was more about the playground stop than the miles, it may not change much.
Where the South Lakes miles can go until January
If you count on South Lakes for real distance, you can still get it elsewhere in town. Here's how the options compare, using the town's own facility listings:
| Trail or park | Distance listed by the town | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
| South Lakes Greenway | 2 miles total, portion closed into early January 2027 | Links Park Depot Trail, South Lakes, Meadow Brook and Old Honeycutt Road Park |
| Alston Ridge Greenway | 1 mile each way from the Alston Ridge Park trailhead | New boardwalk, environmental overlook, ends at Bass Lake Greenway in Holly Springs |
| Hilltop Needmore Town Park | 5 miles of paved trail across three trails | 143 acres with ponds, trails that vary in difficulty and elevation |
| Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park | 2-mile nature trail | Overlooks and bridges in a 28-acre park |
| Old Honeycutt Road Park | 0.23-mile paved track | Restrooms, playground, tennis and pickleball courts |
Hilltop Needmore Town Park has the most paved mileage on that list, and it's the closest match for someone who used South Lakes for a long run or bike ride. Its three trails add up to 5 miles of paved walking, jogging and biking trail, which is more than twice what South Lakes offers when it's fully open. The trails also vary in difficulty and elevation, so you can choose your hills on any given day.
Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park suits a different kind of walk. Its 2-mile nature trail matches South Lakes' full length, and the town describes overlooks and bridges along the way. For anyone who liked the boardwalk sections at South Lakes, this trail and the new Alston Ridge mile both offer something similar while the repairs go on.
The Alston Ridge Greenway works best when the destination matters more than the distance. Two miles round trip won't replace a long Hilltop Needmore run. It's the only trail on the list that starts in Fuquay-Varina and ends at a lake in the next town.
Before you head out
Each park has its own rules, and they're easy to overlook on a short visit:
- Hilltop Needmore Town Park is open seven days a week, sunrise to sunset. All pets must be on a leash, and owners clean up after them.
- Cyclists at Hilltop Needmore should keep to the posted 10 MPH speed limit. Helmets are recommended for cyclists and skaters, and the rules ask everyone to keep right and pass on the left.
- Bass Lake Park is managed by the Town of Holly Springs, so check its park page for hours.
- South Lakes Greenway's reopening target of early January 2027 is an estimate. The town's notice is the place to check for updates.
Until the South Lakes repairs are finished, Fuquay-Varina's newest boardwalk walk starts at the StoryWalk in Alston Ridge Park and ends a mile later on Bass Lake Greenway in Holly Springs.
Whether you're out on Alston Ridge, Hilltop Needmore or South Lakes once it reopens, Hendren Realty Group knows these trails and the streets around them because we live and work here too. If you ever want to talk about what being near a greenway or park means for your own home, give us a call for a free home consultation and valuation. We're happy to help, even if you just want to know which trailhead is closest.
