Piney Wood Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Piney Wood Park offers a diverse outdoor experience, uniquely combining a modern, varied playground for children of all ages (including a dedicated toddler area) with extensive facilities for dogs (fenced, with separate small and large dog sections) and active sports (multiple Pickleball courts, large soccer field). It's a place where both kids and 'fur kids' can run and play in large areas.
Key Highlights
- ✓Modern playground equipment with a wide variety of climbing options: twisty slide, spiderweb rope climbing, curved mountain rock-climbing wall.
- ✓Dedicated small kids playground specifically for one-year-olds.
- ✓Fenced dog park with separate sections for small dogs (under 30 lbs) and larger dogs, noted for well-behaved pets.
- ✓Amazing Pickleball courts nestled in trees, and a very nice soccer field.
- ✓Large open areas for both kids and dogs to run and play together.
Standout Features
- ⭐Extensive, modern playground equipment with diverse climbing challenges.
- ⭐Two-section dog park (small and large dogs) where dogs are well-behaved.
- ⭐Multiple high-quality Pickleball courts.
- ⭐Large, well-maintained soccer field.
- ⭐Beautiful, wooded park setting.
- ⭐Ample parking available, even during mid-afternoon visits.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Exercise caution and supervise children closely on the playground, specifically inspecting equipment for potential entrapment points due to a reported incident.
- →Plan ahead for no restroom facilities; there are no public bathrooms on site.
- →If visiting for the playground, allow extra time to locate it as it's situated deep in the woods.
- →Bring your own water bottles and snacks as there are no food or drink facilities mentioned.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Reported unsafe spot on the playground where a child got their elbow stuck, suggesting potential equipment hazards.
- ⚠No public restrooms available; parents report needing to find alternative solutions (e.g., 'crawl under a bush').
- ⚠Littering reported in some areas of the park, specifically near the playground.
- ⚠Playground can be difficult to find initially, as it's 'in the middle of the woods' (one reviewer had to look around for a few minutes).
Price & Value
As a public park, access to all facilities (playground, dog park, sports courts) appears to be free, offering excellent value for a diverse range of activities.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., wheelchair access for playground, sensory-friendly features) were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not explicitly mentioned, but as a public park, it is highly likely that outside food and drinks are permitted. No on-site food vendors were referenced.
🚗Parking Info
- •Ample free parking available, with one reviewer noting 'plenty of parking' during a mid-afternoon visit.
👥Crowd Levels
- •One review suggests that mid-afternoon visits have 'plenty of parking', implying it might not be overly crowded during those times for general park use, though no specific crowd levels for the playground or dog park were detailed.
🛡️Safety Features
- •A significant safety concern was reported regarding an 'unsafe spot' on the playground where a child got an elbow stuck. No proactive safety features (e.g., staff supervision, first aid station) were mentioned.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If having readily available public restrooms is a critical requirement for your family.
- • If you are highly sensitive to potential safety hazards on playgrounds without prior inspection, given a reported incident.
- • If you prefer highly visible, easy-to-find playgrounds, as this one is 'in the woods'.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Pickleball Tournament
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 30, 31, and June 1
Not specified
Utilizes all 12 pickleball courts from 8:00 A.M.- 9:00 P.M.
🍎Food Policy
- • Grills available at picnic shelters, implying food preparation and consumption are allowed in designated areas.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • General DPR 'Park and Trail Safety and Etiquette' guidelines are available (details not provided in content).
📅Booking Policy
- • Picnic shelter rentals are available.
- • Athletic field/court rentals are available.
- • Pickleball court reservations are available.
- • Courts 9, 10, 11, and 12 can be reserved for league play, individual play, lessons, and organized drilling groups.
- • All 12 pickleball courts can be reserved for tournament play on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- • Tournament play must adhere to designated times for court lights.
- • Booking requests for programs, activities, sports, classes, and events should be received at least 21 days prior to the start date.
🚗Parking Information
- • Parking Lot available.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 3 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Kendal T-D
2 weeks agoMy dogs and kids love this place! They had large areas for them to run and play. And the other dogs played very well. My kids enjoyed bringing the fur kids to Piney Wood dog park!
Veronika Kalatsei
2 months agoMy kids love this playground, but there is an unsafe spot where my daughter got her elbow stuck. She just hung on her elbow and screamed for me to save her. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and said that a lot of kids litter in this area. It looks cool, but it turns out it is not safe at all. there is no bathroom here, so I had to crawl under a bush😶
John Martinez
8 months agoI had my first Pickleball experience at this park last week! The pickle ball courts are amazing! What a fun game! It’s a beautiful park with the Pickleball courts nestled in the trees. The soccer field is also very nice! I went in the mid afternoon timeframe and there was plenty of parking. I will definitely be back the next time I’m in Durham!
Dan Thompson
3 years agoNice little playground in the middle of the woods. Had to look around for a few minutes before I was even able to FIND it, LoL. It was around 30° but my little guy still had fun on this playground. Very modern equipment and LOTS of variety of ways to climb and play on things. Has a twisty slide, spiderweb rope climbing, abs a curved mountain rock-climbing wall. Of course there’s a small kids playground too for the one-year-olds. Great park! There is also a fenced in dog park here as well!
Janice Poleon
4 months agoSuch a great Dog Park. There is a section for smaller dogs, under 30 lbs and the other section for larger dogs. Everytime we have gone the dogs are well behaved and play together. It's nice.