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 the pandemic.
Head out of Dix Park, and follow the Rocky Branch and Reedy Creek Trails west to Umstead Park. This part of the ride is also know as the Art to Heart corridor (Heart to Art in this direction.) On the west side of Umstead, the route connects with the Black Creek Greenway Trail and the Cary Greenway system using the Old Reedy Creek bridge.
The return trip includes more road riding, but is largely away from busy stretches. Cutting through the SAS property is like a visit to another, better world, before wrapping around the PNC Center and following Beryl Road, then through the Ligon tunnel, and on to the Rocky Branch Trail for the return to Dix Park. Getting to the Cary system opens all sorts of doors, including the American Tobacco Trail and downtown Durham. This loop shows two good ways to make the link. The Over the Water and Through the Woods ride shows the third main route, via Dynasty Rd. Either of these rides could easily be shortened by using the Museum of Art as a point of departure.
