Forest Hills Park

Forest Hills is an average park overall but it’s my experience there that makes me hesitant to return. They’ve got trails for running, a public pool, playground (with a gazebo and picnic benches close by), four square court, tennis courts, splash pad and plenty of field room for kickball games, dodgeball or ultimate frisbee. They even have some traveling events that use the park: the annual frisbee golf tournament – they bring all their own baskets, pickup soccer games and the random social sports teams that uses the grassy areas.
You also have the opportunity to rent out the covered picnic space and fields (although it’s not required). Parking is a problem for a lot of people, the main lot is very small. However you can park across the street and walk over or if you turn left on East Forest Hills Blvd. there is additional parking. The down sides are the playground isn’t shaded, kids should wear shoes even when venturing into the slap pad so as not to burn their feet. Also please watch out for the slides on hot days! The street the park is off of is also a busy road, while it’s away from the play ground it’s parallel to the parking lot – so keep an eye on your kids. And while the surrounding neighborhoods seem good, this park can definitely bring in an interesting crowd. Unfortunately I visited the park on the wrong evening last year, a high school gathering of two of the local rival Durham schools were meeting. We went to play in the field so it didn’t seem like a big deal even though the young crowd looked a little worse for wear. However about an hour after arrival a fight broke out and multiple gun shots were fired. By some miracle no one was hurt but a few friends I was with as well as other park patrons had car windows broken and I wouldn’t be surprised if people needed therapy after the scary incident! Overall I’d say the park is safe during the day, just be on the lookout and leave if something/​someone seems suspicious.

Forest Hills Park is one of those overlooked gems here in Durham. It seemingly does not offer much, but what it does offer is pretty great and that includes wide open fields, a playground, decent tennis courts (that are lit!), a large picnic shelter complete with grills, a community pool, and reasonably easy access to the American Tobacco Trail. How’s that for amenities? I think this park gets overlooked because it is essentially primarily spacious, undeveloped fields rather than well-​defined sport fields or sprawling, man-​made webs of playground equipment. But what exactly is wrong with that? I’ve been to this park numerous times to play touch football, toss a frisbee, pretend like I know how to play tennis, and just sprawl out and read a book, and have been glad I did so each time. This is truly a great community park, and writing this makes me think I should visit there more often!

I drive by Forest Hills Park every morning on my way to work. Early mornings following evening rain in Spring and Fall, a thick white fog circles the roots of the trees and covers the ordinarily verdant grass from view. I long to photograph someone on a morning like that, in that beautiful and eerie quiet.
When I’m not just passing by, I use the tennis courts here, but usually only when those at Garrett Road and Southern Boundaries (both slightly closer to my house) are filled up by league night.
The courts here, of which there are three, I believe, are pretty decent, and of course don’t really compare to Garrett (my favorite public courts, and walking distance of my house), but just ever-​so-​slightly less bumpy than Southern Boundaries. Tree roots, you know; they’ve got a mind of their own. The nets could use a replacement: they all seem to sag in the middle. There’s a backboard here for solo hitting. Score!
What I like perhaps most about Forest Hills is its position right on University, one of the loveliest and busiest neighborhood streets in Durham. I like feeling like I’m both part of this quiet, historical neighborhood, and also part of the action of downtown.
The gravel parking lot here is rather dusty and left my car coated in a fine layer of white-​gray powder.
There are two very spacious and well manicured fields here, too, on which you’ll often see folks playing Frisbee and soccer and such. It’s a great place for on-​leash dog walking as well. I’d never let my dog go off-​leash, because I’m terrified that he’d dash out onto University and meet certain death. University is quite a challenging place to a be a pedestrian.
Here you will also find a community pool, a clubhouse, and a picnic shelter. Right now there is rather a lot of construction going on here, and I can only imagine it means vast improvement of the facilities, many of which are looking a bit rundown. I look forward to seeing what these changes bring!

On those rare occasions when I find myself in the right company in this part of Durham, Forest Hills is my go-​to park for a game of Frisbee. It’s not grand or overly spacious, but it serves the needs of the community and has a welcome amount of open space. I’ve also played tennis here a couple times and I was pleasantly surprised with the upkeep of the tennis courts, they’re in great shape.

The Forest Hills park is a nice, spacious park adjacent to the Forest Hills neighborhood. They have four nicely cared-​for tennis courts, and a bright, colorful up-​to-​date playground with swings, slides — even some tetherball poles (so retro!). Perhaps this park’s best assets are its large fields — one next to the playground and one across University Drive. Wide, flat, and open — they’re ideal for a pickup soccer game, or just for bringing a group of people and a Nerf football out for some fun. There’s a sizeable picnic shelter, with grills and trash/​recycling. There’s also a small swimming pool. It’s fenced in, but I assume it’s open to the public.