Azalea Falls
How many Raleigh natives would be surprised to learn we have waterfalls within city limits or rare mountain laurels? Thanks to a generous land donation near Azalea Drive by David and Judy Tung, the City of Oaks Foundation can now protect over nine acres of north-facing slopes overlooking Crabtree Creek. This preservation effort safeguards stunning views for both neighbors and visitors.
This property, named Azalea Falls for its scenic floral collections and steep slopes, has been registered in the North Carolian Registry of Natural Heritage Areas, with the NC Department of Environmental Quality having surveyed the area and concluding:
“WHEREAS, this area possesses the following natural values, justifying its recognition by the State as an outstanding part of the natural heritage of North Carolina:
The Neuse River Basin Crabtree Creek Aquatic Habitat supports several rare aquatic species, including the freshwater mussels Atlantic Pigtoe (Fusconaia masoni), Triangle Floater (Alasmidonta undulata), Creeper (Strophitis undulatus), and Notched Rainbow (Villosa constricta). Crabtree Creek also provides habitat for North Carolina Spiny Crayfish (Orconectes carolinensis). Historically, other rare aquatic species were known from Crabtree Creek, including Neuse River Waterdog (Necturus lewisi), an aquatic salamander endemic to the Neuse and Tar River basins in North Carolina, and Mimic Shiner (Notropis volucellus).
The registered area consists of land in the floodplain and 300-foot riparian zone of Crabtree Creek, as well as 200-foot riparian zone buffers on a tributary to Crabtree Creek. The existing natural character of the registered area provides protection for the aquatic habitat by having stable forested soil which limits erosion, filtering water that flows through, and providing shade and organic material input to the stream. Additionally, the registered area contains high-quality, but not extensive, examples of Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest and Piedmont/Coastal Plain Heath Bluff natural communities.”
The Foundation is collaborating with the City of Raleigh to provide public access to this property through an extension of the Capital Area Greenway System. This Crabtree Creek West Greenway Extension will not only connect visitors to the natural beauty of the area but also serve as a crucial link in the greenway system, connecting Raleigh’s trails to Umstead Forest and beyond.
Completed in the late summer of 2024, the greenway extension is now open and visitors can, especially on autumn days after the leaves have fallen, see some of the spectacular views on this property.
Please note: This area surrounding the greenway trail is private conservation land, not part of a public park, and is not open to visitors at this time.
