Realtors call the area inside the Raleigh beltline the ‘Magic Kingdom.’ Ride this route, which generally traces the beltline perimeter on the greenways, and judge for yourself. The longest road segment of this route is the link between the Crabtree Creek Trail, and the Rocky Branch Trail near Dix Park. Raleigh Blvd has a nice… Continue reading Magic Kingdom Loop 17.9
Author: Craig Brown
Carter Finley tunnel under Trinity Rd.
The Carter Finley tunnel is a whimsical addition to this list of structures and connectors. Completed in 2018, it helps thousands of people walk across a busy Trinity road for 6 or 7 times a year (more if you count Canes games) For those other 359 days a year, Trinity isn’t that busy, so a… Continue reading Carter Finley tunnel under Trinity Rd.
Varsity Greenway
This .6 mile greenway intersects the Walnut Creek Trail at Lake Raleigh on the NC State Centennial Campus, and leads north to a dead end in the woods! Near the north end of the trail though, there are connections to the streets of Centennial Campus. From there, links to Dix Park and Rocky Branch Trail… Continue reading Varsity Greenway
Cary Short Loop 26.1
This loop turns at Lake Crabtree, so shows two good routes to that park, where connections can be made to the Cary system. The northern side of the loop is slightly longer and uses the packed gravel roads in Umstead Park. The southern leg crosses the SAS campus – itself a place of serenity during… Continue reading Cary Short Loop 26.1
Richland Creek Trail
Beginning near the PNC center this 3 1/4 mile section of the Richland Creek Trail follows the creek bed as it traces the edge of Schenck Forest to Reedy Creek Rd. near Umstead Park. The tunnel under Wade Avenue is one of the longest in the greenway system and features a tricky egress on the… Continue reading Richland Creek Trail
Ligon Rd. Tunnel
While this tunnel is not on a greenway, it affords a great way to get from the Method neighborhood, or even Lake Johnson, to points west of the beltline via Beryl Rd. Ligon Rd. connects directly with the Rocky Branch trail at Gorman St. and makes for an easy ride through NC State campus, past… Continue reading Ligon Rd. Tunnel
Wade Ave. underpass
The Wade Ave. underpass isn’t on any named Raleigh Greenway. In fact, there is only about 100 yards of asphalt in this little handy connector. This trail offers a safe passage under Wade Ave. and affords the cyclist a straight shot to downtown Raleigh from Five Points via West St. The Layered Croissanterie on West… Continue reading Wade Ave. underpass
Trashfish R.I.P
Near the intersection of Walnut Creek Trail and Little Rock Trail this Trashfish sculpture was a ‘reconfiguration’ of trash culled during a clean up of the nearby Walnut Creek. The trashy materials ranged from plastic grocery bags to car tires, and even an old VHF antenna that bore a striking resemblance to a spine. The… Continue reading Trashfish R.I.P
Washington Elementary Tunnel
The Rocky Branch Trail crosses under Dawson and McDowell Streets near Washington Elementary School. Eight feet high and ten feet wide, the tunnel paces out at about seventy five yards. Not the place one would expect for a mural, especially given the fact that it only takes about twenty seconds to pass through on a… Continue reading Washington Elementary Tunnel
Lake Lynn and points north 30.3 miles
Finding greenway trails in the the northern part of the city can be tricky. This route crosses Glenwood/US 70 at a the busy intersection with Ebenezer Church Rd.. North of that point, the neighborhoods are relatively quiet, and many roads have designated bike lanes. This route has some hills! Three legs form this lopsided triangle.… Continue reading Lake Lynn and points north 30.3 miles