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Wade Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 323 Google reviews · Running trail in Wilmington, North Carolina · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Wade Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Public park with trails & a boardwalk through wetland areas, plus a playground & picnic tables.
What runners say about Wade Park
“I love the park because it serves to naturally clean our water and before it goes into the intercoastal.”
“With that said, it is a beautiful and peaceful spot.”
“Perfect amount of walking the whole park for smaller dogs too! My pups love Wade Park!”
I live right next to Wade. Walk my dog there all the time. Unique Park, as most is marsh with walkways. Lots of bird life and various plants and waterlife.
First I will say this is a small park. It takes about 2 or so laps around to get a mile. With that said, it is a beautiful and peaceful spot. It is a paved walk with a short walkway that goes over the marsh. Lots of birds and turtles to be seen!
I gave Wade Park a five-star review because of the alligator in the pond! The park itself is lovely and well maintained. The bathrooms are super clean. The path is a loop, but we took it to the Gary Shell Cross City Trail all the way to Hayburton Park. You can add on extra mileage with the cross city trail.
Very nice set of trails for a short walk or bike ride. Vast amount of evergreens, so it makes it a nice experience in the winter too. The visit I had was in mid-January. It’s nice to see and hear some wildlife during the winter and enjoy a good walk.
Trail conditions & character
“It is relatively small, but it does have bathrooms, water fountain, playground, and about 1/2 mile paved walking trail.”
“Perfect amount of walking the whole park for smaller dogs too!”
“The path is a loop, but we took it to the Gary Shell Cross City Trail all the way to Hayburton Park.”
“It is relatively small, but it does have bathrooms, water fountain, playground, and about 1/2 mile paved walking trail.”
“Not a lot of parking though but it wasn't super busy when we went so it wasn't an issue.”
“With that said, it is a beautiful and peaceful spot.”
“It is relatively small, but it does have bathrooms, water fountain, playground, and about 1/2 mile paved walking trail.”
Plan your run at Wade Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitewilmingtonnc.gov
- Phone(910) 341-7852
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–8 PM |
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