DeHart Botanical Gardens located at Louisburg College is just under an hour drive south of the lake and offers a beautiful area for a 3 mile hike. Lots of pretty views along the trail in this relatively unknown nearby gem.
Dehart Botanical Gardens: https://goo.gl/maps/F1uM6keF1SY3YjzB6
Dehart Botanical Gardens: https://goo.gl/maps/F1uM6keF1SY3YjzB6