West Raleigh Outdoor Activities

Dead Broke Farm's name derives not only from the cost of owning horses, but also from the terminology for teaching a horse to wear a saddle—known in the industry as “breaking a horse to ride.” Trainers stable “dead broke,” or thoroughly saddle-trained, horses, alongside more spirited animals on the 110-acre farm. They also house steeds saved through their horse-rescue program, with more than 70 of their mounts avoiding fates in slaughterhouses and other undesirable ends since 2004.

Horses show off their trotting chops during farm trail rides, carrying riders on explorations of the rolling hills and whispering creeks scattered across more than 10 miles of bridle trails cut through woods populated by deer, cranes, and other wildlife. Private rides allow for more personalized routes and can incorporate stops at scenic ponds for proposals or more challenging terrain for advanced riders. Instructors also schedule horseback-riding lessons, teaching balance through rides over undulating terrain rather than through exercises such as riding a horse that is riding a seesaw.

Paddle Creek’s picturesque launch settings makes it an ideal jumping-off point for river excursions in single and tandem kayaks and canoes or atop a standup paddleboard. The staff of outdoor enthusiasts helps everyone from novice to advanced paddlers select their ideal vessels―for rental or purchase―and even recommends areas of interest. In addition to equipment rentals, the adventure spot offers lessons as well as self-guided tours.

There are numerous times in life when it’s not appropriate to storm off to the mountains for adventure and stress relief. Work, family, and co-dependent penguins often keep us committed to life in one place. The climbing center at Vertical Edge provides all the challenge and fun of actual mountain climbing without the distance and dangers of a real rockface. Under the skilled tutelage of trained instructors, you'll get a lesson on basic climbing techniques, including the fine art of belaying another climber (to avoid such accidents as witnessed on playgrounds when itinerant sumo wrestlers attempt to see-saw with toddlers). After your lesson, you can stick around the massive facility and belay or climb for as long as your want, then return for any full additional day with equipment and admission included. With over 8,500 square feet of climbable surfaces to choose from, including a bouldering cave and 20 leadable routes, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities available.

In Paintsburgh City, warriors use a rundown embassy and unoccupied police station for cover as they dodge opposing armies. Friendships have been put aside for the day as teams stealthily move about the 20,000-square-foot ghost town, aiming their CO2-powered paintball guns to hit targets and score bragging rights. The elaborate city is one of several scenario fields that make Xtreme Kombat's paintball and training facility a draw for both recreational players and professional law-enforcement and military personnel seeking challenging training environs. In addition to Paintsburgh's watchtowers and wrecked vehicles, the other themed fields—with names like Fort Massacre and Death Valley POW Hills—combine imaginative storylines with wooded landscapes, obstacles, and freelancing ghosts. The complex's fields are also illuminated for after-dark play.

Triangle Rock Club's, awarded with the 2013 Pinnacle Business Award, state-of-the-art facility houses more than 9,000 square feet of expertly crafted terrain with upward of 100 routes. During small-size classes, drop-in sessions, and rock-climbing camps, novice and seasoned climbers scale freestanding boulders, dodging manmade obstacles while gripping the wall's slanted surface. Founded by two former Marines, Triangle Rock Club offers customers a large fitness center where guests can complement climbing's full-body workout with weights, kettlebells, squat racks, and spontaneous arm-wrestling matches. Other amenities include a climate-controlled interior and a lounge with WiFi and an HDTV.

From the very first tee shot over a lake to the pond protecting the left side of the 18th green, the course at River Ridge Golf Club pits players against the physical and psychological challenges brought by omnipresent water hazards, including the Neuse River that intersects the course on several holes.

Architect Chuck Smith’s 1997 design weaves course play through a 6,740-yard gauntlet furnished with a plush carpet of bermuda-grass fairways and rough that gives way to fast-moving G-6 bent-grass greens. The course's signature 5th hole rewards golfers who keep their tee shots on the fairway with a short-iron approach that must clear a large pond and any caddies sunbathing in the large greenside bunker.

As a semiprivate club, membership at River Ridge unlocks a slew of benefits not available to the general public. Though the practice area—composed of a driving range and putting and chipping greens—is open to everyone, only members may make use of the locker rooms, club storage, and handicap program provided at the clubhouse. Additionally, members are granted access to special events, tournaments, and PGA pro Tim Cockrell’s lessons, which help players calibrate putting strokes and find their swing after a long time away from the game to search for their favorite golf ball that got lost in the Neuse River.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Total length of 6,740 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 72.2 from the back tees
• Course slope of 138 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard