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I was wondering if anyone knew of any long trails that we could run or bike? For running, it would be nice to be able to do at least 5 miles. For biking, it would be nice to have it paved and off-road so we can take our kids in the bike trailer.
I was wondering if anyone knew of any long trails that we could run or bike? For running, it would be nice to be able to do at least 5 miles. For biking, it would be nice to have it paved and off-road so we can take our kids in the bike trailer.
My favorite trail to run on is the Company Mill trail in Umstead. My understanding is that it is about 6 miles long. You get to it from the Harrison exit on I-40. Just go in that entrance to Umstead and continue straight to the parking lot at the end of the road. The trail is down the hill to the right of the restroom building.
The first part of the run will take you down the hill to the big bridge over the creek. Once you get to the other side of the bridge, it's a big loop. You can either go right or left and you will return back to the bridge.
The trail is wide and shady. . . . but watch out for roots. I tripped and fell twice the last time I ran there.
For biking, I would think that the Black Creek greenway would be nice. You can start at North Cary Park on Norwell, go down the hill, and take the greenway over to Lake Crabtree. Once you get to Crabtree, go across the spillway, over the bridge at I-40, and that will take you into Umstead. You can then take the gravel road all the way through Umstead to the other side and connect in with the Raleigh greenway system. . . .which I believe can take you downtown to the museums.
America Tobacco is great for both. The Umstead carriage roads are also good options, although be aware there are some serious hills in spots that might be tough with a bike trailer.
For running, I always enjoy running around the paved lake trails in the area since they are always loops. You can add more miles just by adding loops. Shelley, Lake Johnson, Apex Community lake, Lake Lynn, etc. These are also good for slow family bike rides.
The Falls Lake Trail is over 26 miles long with plenty of options for a good trail run. The trail is generally well-marked with white blazes as it is a part of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
A couple of combined trails which I frequent for running are the Pump Station and Laurel Bluffs Trails in Eno State Park. Pump Station is a 1.5 mile loop which connects to the 2.5 mile (each way) Laurel Bluffs Trail. Both mostly follow the river, but include some good climbs up bluffs to keep it interesting. Out and back on Laurel Bluffs + the Pump Station loop makes for a solid 6.5 mile outing. These trails will also be a part of the NC MST, but are not yet officially blazed as such.
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