Wilmington runs about 40 parks, the 250-acre Greenfield Park and the 15-mile Gary Shell Cross-City Trail. Parks and Recreation: 910-341-7852.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts come from Wilmington Parks and Recreation’s Parks and Trails pages and the park pages linked below.

The City of Wilmington runs about 40 parks, from pocket parks downtown to the 250-acre Greenfield Park, and a growing network of paved trails led by the 15-mile Gary Shell Cross-City Trail. Find any park or trail on the city’s Trail Locator Map.

Who to call

  • Wilmington Parks and Recreation: 910-341-7852
  • Empie Park and the tennis complex: 910-341-4631
  • Halyburton Park: 910-341-0075
  • Official page: Parks and Trails

The big parks

Park Address What is there
Greenfield Park 1739 Burnett Blvd. 250 acres; trails around Greenfield Lake, an outdoor amphitheater, boat and kayak rentals
Halyburton Park 4099 S. 17th St. 60 acres, about 70% left natural; a 1.3-mile paved loop, nature and events center, playground, picnic shelter
Empie Park 3405 Park Ave. Off-leash dog park, the 24-court Althea Gibson Tennis Complex, basketball, playground, two picnic shelters
Anne McCrary Park 4000 Randall Parkway Trail parking on the Cross-City Trail
Riverfront Park 10 Cowan St. Downtown park on the Cape Fear River where the city holds its big events

Greenfield Park

Greenfield Park wraps around Greenfield Lake, a cypress-lined lake with trails around it. The park also holds the Hugh Morton Amphitheater at Greenfield Lake, the Greenfield Grind skate park and a fragrance garden, and the city lists boat and kayak rentals on the lake. Call 910-341-7852 to check rental days before you go.

Halyburton Park

Halyburton is mostly gently rolling sandhills, a habitat the city says is rarely found in the coastal Carolinas, and the city is restoring longleaf pine on 45 acres with controlled burns and wiregrass planting. A 1.3-mile paved, accessible path circles the park and links to the Cross-City Trail. The park also has an apiary, grills, picnic tables and restrooms. Picnic Shelter 1 is closed after a fire. The Nature and Events Center runs programs, including birding trips; see things to do this month.

Empie Park

The dog park is fully fenced, with separate areas for large and small dogs, water and waste stations and shade. It is free and open dawn to dusk; children under 12 are not allowed inside. The Althea Gibson Tennis Complex has 24 lighted hard courts and a clubhouse; courts are free on a walk-up basis or can be reserved for a fee.

Trails

Gary Shell Cross-City Trail: 15 miles, paved and off-road, for walkers and cyclists, from James E.L. Wade Park to the Heide-Trask Drawbridge at the Intracoastal Waterway, through Halyburton Park and Empie Park, according to the city’s trail page. It passes near the Cameron Art Museum, UNCW, Independence Mall and the Landfall Center and will form part of the East Coast Greenway from Maine to Florida.

  • Parking: Halyburton Park, Empie Park, and Anne McCrary Park on Randall Parkway between Independence Boulevard and Kerr Avenue.
  • Restrooms: Halyburton Park and Empie Park.
  • Map: Cross-City Trail map (PDF).

The Riverwalk runs along the Cape Fear River downtown past Riverfront Park. The city also lists walking and biking routes on its Walking and Biking page.

Downtown and neighborhood parks

Smaller city parks include 1898 Memorial Park (1018 N. Third St.), Bijou Park (209 N. Front St.), Claude Howell Park (200 S. Water St.), Bicentennial Park (206 N. Fifth St.), Beaumont Park (101 Wayne Drive), Bulluck Park (2013 Market St.) and Cameron Park (245 Southern Blvd.). The city’s full list, with a filter for playgrounds, dog parks, boat ramps and splash pads, is on the Parks and Trails page.

Reserving a shelter

Picnic shelters at Empie Park and other parks can be reserved online through Wilmington Parks and Recreation; call 910-341-7852 for help.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Cross-City Trail in Wilmington? The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail is a 15-mile paved, off-road path for walkers and cyclists from Wade Park to the Heide-Trask Drawbridge at the Intracoastal Waterway, passing through Halyburton and Empie parks.

Is there a dog park in Wilmington, NC? Yes. Empie Park, 3405 Park Ave., has a free, fully fenced off-leash dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs, open dawn to dusk. Children under 12 are not allowed inside.

Where is Greenfield Lake Park? Greenfield Park is at 1739 Burnett Blvd. The 250-acre park has trails around the lake, an outdoor amphitheater and boat and kayak rentals. Call 910-341-7852.

Where can I play tennis for free in Wilmington? The Althea Gibson Tennis Complex at Empie Park has 24 lighted hard courts that are free on a walk-up basis; courts can also be reserved for a fee.

More: getting around Wilmington, farmers markets and history and landmarks.