Leesville Community Park
Rate this placeNearby: Lake Lynn Park Brookhaven Nature Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Leesville Community Park is a popular outdoor destination located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Summary
The park spans over 130 acres and offers a variety of activities for visitors of all ages. It is open year-round and is free to enter.
One of the main draws of the park is its extensive trail system, which includes over 6 miles of paved and unpaved paths for hiking, biking, and jogging. The trails wind through wooded areas and around a beautiful lake, offering picturesque views and opportunities for wildlife watching.
Other popular activities at the park include fishing, boating, and picnicking. The lake is stocked with a variety of fish, including bass, catfish, and crappie, and visitors can rent boats and kayaks to explore the water.
Leesville Community Park also boasts several sports facilities, including soccer and baseball fields, tennis courts, and a disc golf course. A playground and picnic areas with grills make it a great spot for families to spend a day outdoors.
Interesting facts about the park include its history as a former dairy farm, and the fact that it is home to a rare species of freshwater mussel called the Carolina heelsplitter.
The best time of year to visit the park depends on the activities you plan to do. Spring and fall offer mild temperatures and beautiful foliage for hiking and outdoor sports, while summer is a great time for boating and fishing on the lake. The park also hosts several events throughout the year, such as a summer concert series and a holiday lights display.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
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|---|---|---|
William B. Umstead State Park
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Durant Nature Park
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Blue Heron Campground
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Osprey Nest Campground
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Bootleg Point Campground
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Shortleaf Pine Campground
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Lake Lynn Park
Brookhaven Nature Park
Shelley Sertoma Park
RDU Observation Park
Varnell Park