If this route was a musical variation of the Over the Water and Through the Woods route, you would still recognize the tune, but the harmony would be different enough to capture your interest. The middle part of the route, from Bond Park to Lake Crabtree is the common material while the outer sections represent… Continue reading Over the Water Take Two 35.8 miles
Category: Dirt and Gravel Rides
Umstead Park
Umstead Park is a State Park, and an excellent link between the Raleigh and Cary greenway networks though it is not technically on either system. Save for the occasional jet overhead, the din of highways and commerce is absent, though quite nearby. Packed gravel roads and trails are shared by hikers, runners, bikers, and horseback… Continue reading Umstead Park
Howling Cow Ice Cream Run 12.4 miles
Just south of town, a parallel universe with huge agricultural fields traversed by dirt roads awaits the adventurous cyclist. This scenic ride has the feel of rural farmland even though it is only 4 miles from the center of Raleigh. The route turns at Lake Wheeler Rd., just a stone’s throw from the Howling Cow… Continue reading Howling Cow Ice Cream Run 12.4 miles
Williamson Preserve
The Williamson Preserve is a relatively new trail-riding spot that straddles the Wake/Johnson county line just off the Neuse River Trail between mile marker 27 and 28. There is parking off Mial Plantation road if you want to schlepp your bike by car. To add some variety to your greenway ride, you can access the… Continue reading Williamson Preserve
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