If you’re looking at an old map and scratching your head over the whereabouts of Randleman Regional Reservoir, no, you are not going crazy: It may well not be there. This is a new lake, a new park, the later opening just over three years ago.

Despite its modest size — 90 acres — the reservoir has a number of paddling pluses. For one, it’s long and narrow: those 90 acres cuddle up to a lot of tree-hugging shoreline. Another big plus: only human powered boats (that’s you, kayakers and canoeists) and boats with little electric motors are allowed north of NC 62. That’s not a huge percentage of the lake, but again, this lake is long and skinny so there’s a fair bit of peaceful paddling to be had. (Plus, south of NC 62 power boats may go no faster than 25 mph.) And because the lake is managed by the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority and is a source of drinking water, the lake is well protected, enhancing the experience for you and for local wildlife,.

A couple things to keep in mind. One, the park has curious hours. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (with a handful of exceptions). It’s also closed for all of December, January and February. And there’s a launch fee of $5 for human-powered craft.

Back on the plus side, the fishing is pretty good. And it boasts our favorite lake rule: “Unreasonable noises are prohibited.”

More info

Access

Getting there from downtown Greensboro
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Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 20 minutes from downtown Greensboro
Time to complete: 1-2 hours
Address: 6309 Southwest Park Dr.
City: Greensboro
State: N.C.
Zip: 27407
Latitude: 35.5570
Longitude: 79.5238