Feature image: A community garden sits at the center of the SITES Silver Beech Bluff County Park in Willow Spring, North Carolina. Photo credit: Art Howard Photography.
This article was published in full on USGBC+ on Nov. 24, 2025, as "SITES-certified Beech Bluff County Park revitalizes rural Wake County." Read the full article.
North Carolina is known for its places of natural beauty, particularly the Great Smoky Mountains in the west and the Outer Banks in the east. One of its best-kept secrets, though, is the charm of the central piedmont, home to several state and county parks serving both the citizens of the Triangle and Triad urban areas and residents of rural farmlands and pine forests.
Encompassing Raleigh and nearby areas, Wake County in particular has been managing a rapidly growing population that strains the capacity of existing parks and recreational facilities. Even before the rush outdoors that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted, the county was seeing nearly 1.3 million visits per year by outdoor enthusiasts—motivating leaders to begin acquiring additional parkland for residents to enjoy. In November 2017, Wake County initiated the master plan process for what would eventually become th SITES Silver Beech Bluff County Park.
Beech Bluff doesn't benefit only Wake County residents, though. It sits at the far southeastern edge, close to the lines of the more rural Harnett and Johnston counties, where residents have considerably fewer public parks. A former farm of more than 300 acres in Willow Spring—population 15,000—now offers fields, woods and wetlands for community recreation in a coherent, integrated visitor experience. The park's environment includes winding paths through forest and meadow habitats, including accessible trails, overlooks and a creek. A playground, public art and paved paths skirt a large field next to a dedicated agriculture demonstration area.