For the most part, I believe trails should be treated like a nice wine: savored and not rushed. But every once in a while you find one that begs to be consumed with abandon.
Two years ago we published five trails that we found to be especially speed-friendly, in large part because of their generally rockless and rootless treat. Today, we double the list, adding five more that we feel fit the bill.
It started as a mellow saunter, progressed to an up-tempo hike, then, on a modest downhill, evolved into a trot. It was one of my first hikes at the Triangle Land Conservancy’s new Brumley Forest property near Hillsborough, and the absence of rocks and tree roots coupled with the gentle flow reminded me of my bygone days of being able to run a 10-minute mile on trail.
For the most part, I believe trails should be treated like a nice wine: savored and not rushed. But every once in a while, you find one that begs to be consumed with abandon. Here are five trails/trail networks where speeding is understandable and should be tolerated.
1. Brumley Forest
Hillsborough
7.5 miles
Multiple trails
There are about 15 miles of trail at Brumley Forest, half of which are open to mountain biking and have the best runner mojo. Wood Duck Way is a nice warm-up, connecting to the lengthy — 4.2 miles (more if you aren’t paying attention) — Springhouse Loop. You’ll find a few, brief rocky spots, engineered for the enjoyment of mountain bikers, but they break up the run with some focused tip-toeing. Throw in the whoop-de-doing Buckeye Loop and you’ve got 7.5 miles of fast, foot-friendly fun.
More info here.
2. Pilot Mountain State Park
Pinnacle
Mountain Trail/Grindstone Loop
6 miles
Two reasons to run this loop. First, it eschews the crowds that frequent the top of Pilot Mountain, where you can wait 30 minutes for a parking spot, and once you’re on the trail, you’re constantly dodging hikers. (You can begin this loop from the lonely Surry Line Road Access.) Second, it has it’s challenging moments (read: climbs) but none are severe and none last long. Plus, you’ll be spending your time in a nicely shaded hardwood forest, especially important on a summer run.
More info here.
3. Hagen Stone Park
Pleasant Garden
3.5 miles
Chatfield Trail
To indicate how threat-free most of this trail is, it’s one of the most popular cross-country courses in the region. It’s noted for its passing lanes, its push-me-but-don’t-break-me climbs, and its overall flow. As for the half mile or so that’s not part of the course, if you start from the gravel lot just inside the front gate and run clockwise, you’ll get it out of the way first, while you’re still fresh.
More info here.
4. National Whitewater Center
Charlotte
30 miles (with smaller runs easily doable)
Multiple trails
This multi-use network is shared by runners and mountain bikers, but the wide trails (in most spots) make it work for both. A traditional rating system for the mountain bikers makes it easy to see whether a trail is easy, intermediate, or holy-cow-how-did-I-wind-up-here? hard. Designed with mountain bikers in mind, the trail has good flow, and the compacted surface minimizes slippage. One caveat: while you don’t have to pay the Whitewater Center admission fee to run, you do have to pay to park: $5 a day, $40 a year.
More info here.
5. Harris Lake County Park
Holly Springs
5 miles
Peninsula Trail
The true joy of this hike isn’t the smooth running surface, or the absence of elevation. Rather, it’s the ever-changing scenery that makes this 5 miles fly by. You’ll run through a swamp, amid the longleafs of a pine savannah, along the lake, past a disc golf course — you’ll even catch a glimpse of the nuclear reactor over yonder. That smooth trail surface lets you enjoy the views and allows your endorphin-energized brain to emphasize the pure enjoyment of the run.
More info here.
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Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video or slide show of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb.
Today’s 90-Second Escape: Let the Fall Hiking Season Begin
Man, what a weekend in the Triangle! Saturday, we awoke to temperatures in the 50s under clear, dry skies. A perfect day to kick off our GetHiking! Triangle program http://greatoutdoorprovision.com/event/feat-event/sept-tri-gethiking/ with a hike on the Company Mill Trail at Umstead State Park. Sunday was a near repeat of Saturday weatherwise, so we headed down to Harris Lake County Park for a hike on the 6-mile Peninsula Trail, one of the Triangle’s under-appreciated hikes, in my book.
Check out 90 seconds from that trip, and prepare to get inspired for the fall hiking season ahead.
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On the second day of winter we got out for a couple hours in the woods, taking advantage of cloudless skies, 40 degree temperatures and ideal hiking conditions on the Peninsula Trail at Harris Lake. Chances are you’ve got time in the next week to get out and explore; check out our short slideshow, then run with your inspiration.
Or hike.
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Monday (or in this case, since yesterday was the July 4 holiday, Tuesday) — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast, especially come summer. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease this trying transition from out-in-the-Sun-day to Mon-I-wish-I-were-back-in-the-sun-day, we’re running a new feature every Monday, at least during the summer, called 90-Second Escape. Essentially, it’s a 90-second mini-movie of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s out in the sun. Because there’s a good chance you might want to make such an escape yourself, we’ll include a resource list with each escape showing where and how to make it happen.
Today’s 90-Second Escape: Paddling Umstead State Park’s Big Lake.
I’m a regular at Harris Lake County Park’s Hog Run mountain bike trail: eight miles of prime single-track. But frankly, I hadn’t hiked the Peninsula Trail since the park opened more than a decade ago.
My loss.
Not only has the trail grown from its debut 3-mile loop to 6, it takes in some surprisingly diverse terrain. Starting out from the main parking lot, the trail takes you past alligator-weed-covered swamp and in-and-out of reedy wetland coves. Completing the coastal feel is a pine forest dominated by loblollies but seeded with a growing longleaf population. Then, after a couple miles, the trail goes Piedmont on you, meandering through a hardwood forest with brief climbs and descents.
You’ll get a better feel for the trail on today’s 90 Second Escape. Afterward, learn more about the trail by visiting the Harris Lake County Park Web site.
