Prepare the sunblock and throw on your shades to visit some outdoor gems in the Fayetteville area you might not know about. 

The Cape Fear River Trail is a 10-foot wide path that spans seven miles. The trail features wooden bridges, including one covered bridge. 

Along the trail are signs explaining the wildlife and plant life found in the area, which includes more than 700 species of plants and trees, and 150 species of birds. 

The trail is open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Parking to access the trail is available at J. Bayard Clark Park & Nature Center, 631 Sherman Drive. 

Here are five other places where you can explore the outdoors: 

Arsenal Park, at Myrover Street at Arsenal Avenue, is the site of the remnants of a United States Arsenal in Fayetteville. Following North Carolina's secession from the Union in 1861, the Confederacy used the arsenal to produce rifles, ammunition, and gun carriages, Union troops, led by Gen. Williams T. Sherman, destroyed the facility in 1865, according to the Museum of the Cape Fear. 

Attractions at the park include Civil War Trails by the "ghost" tower, extant ruins of the southwest tower and extant ruins of the arsenal's machine shops. 

Monday through Saturday Gillis Hill Farm, 2701 Gillis Hill Road, offers self-guided walking tours for $3. Activities at the farm include walking through the property, viewing the restored farm buildings, seeing and feeding the animals, and enjoying the swings and yard games. 

Visitors can also enjoy a frozen sweet treat at the farm's ice cream shop 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

Sweet Valley Ranch is located on more than 300 acres at 2990 Sunnyside School Road in Fayetteville.

The ranch has various seasonal attractions including Dinosaur World in the summer, Springtime Adventures, which features go-karts, and a festival of lights in the winter. 

 Zipquest — Waterfall & Treetop Adventure, 533 Carver Falls Road, is a reservation-based attraction featuring a treetop zipline excursion. The attraction offers both day and night reservations. 

The attraction lies within Carver's Falls, a 72-acre forest in the Sandhills, named after the waterfall nestled in the heart of the property. 

J. Bayard Clark Park & Nature Center, 631 Sherman Drive, offers nature and recreation programming for educators, groups, individuals and families. The nature center's museum features exhibits and free viewings of live animals. 

The park has unpaved trails for those interested in walking and jogging. 

Staff writer Akira Kyles can be reached at akyles@gannett.com.