Today’s 90-Second Escape: Exploring the Neuse River Trail

Looking for yet another way to take advantage of the gorgeous fall weather? We stumbled across this Escape from 2013 on the Neuse River Trail, the 28-mile run of greenway from the Falls dam south to the Johnston County line (with another 5 miles into Clayton).

At the time, the trail was a link or two shy of completion; today, you can ride the whole ribbon with but one road to cross (a sleepy country two-lane). Learn more about the trail here.

A great fall escape, as you’re about to see.

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Triangle voters showed once again they love their greenways and are willing to pay for them.
Bond packages in Raleigh and in Wake Forest both passed yesterday by landslide margins, providing funding for two key greenways.

• In Raleigh, 68 percent of voters approved $92 million in parks bonds that include $4.4 million for a 3-mile stretch of greenway linking the Crabtree Creek Trail with Umstead State Park.
• In Wake Forest, two-thirds of voters said yes to $4.6 million for greenway construction.

Here’s why both projects are significant:

Raleigh

For more than a decade, the 3-mile connection between the Crabtree Creek Trail and Umstead State Park was in legal limbo, caught in a kerfuffle between the quarry that owns most of the land, the city and local homeowners. When the greenway access part of the dispute was resolved last year, it paved the way for including the project in yesterday’s bond package.
Why is this 3-mile stretch especially important?

The resulting 17-mile Crabtree Creek Trail will link Raleigh’s Neuse River Trail, the backbone of Raleigh’s greenway system, with Umstead State Park via Crabtree Creek. Utilizing 13 miles of bike & bridle trail in Umstead, it will then be possible to connect with Cary’s Black Creek Greenway, which links with Cary’s White Oak Greenway, which is a couple miles shy of linking with the American Tobacco Trail. The Neuse River Trail links with another 5 miles of greenway into Clayton.

What’s that mean to you, the walking/running/bike riding consumer?

• It will be possible to ride a bike on path prohibited to motorized vehicles from Clayton in Johnston County to downtown Durham.
• The 15.6-mile Walnut Creek Greenway also connects to the Neuse River Trail, running west to N.C. State’s Centennial Campus and, with a short sidewalk connector and road connection, on to Lake Johnson. That means you could ride from Umstead to Lake Johnson on greenway via the Crabtree Creek/Neuse River/Walnut Creek trails, though a faster greenway route would be to catch the Reedy Creek Greenway out Umstead and pick up the N.C. Museum of Art and Rocky Branch greenways to the Walnut Creek Trail and Lake Johnson.
• With the Crabtree-to-Umstead connection and a few short road hops, we will have roughly 150 miles of innerconnected, off-road, mostly paved, bike-friendly trail in the Triangle.

The Raleigh bond package also includes $2 million to correct a hiccup on the Crabtree Creek Trail at Lassiter Mill Road that has long vexed walkers, runners and bikers along that stretch.

Wake Forest

As the Neuse River Trail is the spine of Raleigh’s greenway system, so is the Smith Creek Greenway to Wake Forest’s.
Currently, there are two segments to the Smith Creek Greenway:

• 1.15-mile stretch running from Burlington Mills Road south across the Neuse River to Raleigh’s Neuse River Trail (see above).
• 0.63-mile stretch that runs from Heritage Lake Road south through the Smith Creek Soccer Center to Rogers Road.

Yesterday’s bond money will fund a link between the Smith Creek Greenway ending at Rogers Road with the Heritage High School/Middle School/Elementary School complex, then east along Sanford Creek to Mill Bridge Nature Park. That construction will include 2.4 miles of greenway trail and 1.25 miles of sidewalk and multi-use path in the vicinity of Heritage Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, and will link with 0.85 miles of existing greenway along Sanford Creek. The town is also using $3.4 million in federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality grant money on the project.
The project will result in a roughly 4-mile stretch of continuous paved path that, as the town notes, “will connect major activity centers in Wake Forest.”
Eventually, the plan is to build 2.5 miles of greenway linking the two stretches of the Smith Creek Greenway with the Neuse River Trail.

The post How yesterday’s greenway votes in Raleigh, W.F., affect you appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Content from Old Salem

All that said, here’s a short slideshow from Old Salem and a list of five urban walks where you can get an eyeful of color in the next few days:

1. Old Salem, Winston-Salem. From north-to-south, Old Salem, the Moravian community dating back 250 years is a half mile long and three blocks wide. Toss in the graveyard and cemetery and you’ve got a good two-plus miles of streetwalking (so to speak). You’ve also got a lot of great color, with an emphasis on brilliant orange sugar maples.
Plan a visit by starting here. 

2. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro. Guildford Courthouse is known for vicious Revolutionary War battle fought here on March 15, 1781. Two and a half miles of trail — some paved, some a foot-friendly natural surface — take you to key battlefield sites as well as through a mature hardwood forest bright with fall color.
Plan a visit by starting here.

3. Bollin Creek Greenway, Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill is ripe with fall color, making just about anywhere you walk a delight in fall. Bollin Creek is a little extra special, in part, because like many greenways it follows a floodplain/drainage where older, grander trees are more prevalent.
Plan a visit by starting here.

4. Neuse River Trail, Raleigh. At 27.5 miles, the Neuse River Trail offers lots of paved parking through a riparian corridor, where trees have been spared from the development that dominates nearby. Short walks, long walks are all easily accommodated here.
Plan a visit by starting here.

5. McAlpine Creek/Campbell Creek greenways, Charlotte. This 4.1-mile path, most of which is paved, is centrally located yet offers a quick escape into a colorful, floodplain forest. Part of the Carolina Thread Trail.
Plan a visit by starting here.

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A settlement reached earlier this week between Raleigh and the owners of a quarry along Crabtree Creek means the city can finally proceed with a 2- to 3-mile extension of the Crabtree Creek Trail into Umstead State Park. The extension will create a roughly 18-mile paved greenway along Crabtree Creek from Umstead to Raleigh’s 28-mile Neuse River Trail.
“It’s the last missing piece,” Vic Lebsock, Raleigh’s senior greenway designer, said this morning.
The Crabtree extension had been held hostage in a battle between the city and local homeowners and Hanson Aggregates, which owns the Crabtree Quarry. Local residents didn’t like the blasting required to mine the rock; Hanson had a lot more rock it wanted to mine. (Read more about the settlement here.)
The settlement ends a 20-year dispute and clears the way for design to begin on a trail that Lebsock says has its “difficult aspects.” Foremost among them: On the east end the trail will need to climb up from Crabtree Creek to avoid a stretch of land Hanson will be allowed to quarry for about another 40 years.
“We’ll need to design-in switchbacks and make the trail handicap accessible,” Lebsock says. The  greenway will climb for about a quarter mile along Duraleigh Road, then follow a ridgeline across to Richland Creek, where switchbacks will again be employed to take the greenway down to Crabtree Creek. From there, the greenway will continue to Umstead.
There is currently no funding for the project, estimated to cost about $3.5 million. But that appears to be a temporary concern.
Lebsock says he’s currently pulling together “residual funds” from other greenway projects to fund the design element. He expects the design to begin by summer, with construction possibly beginning by summer 2015.
“That would be really aggressive,” says Lebsock. But if it happens, the trail could possibly be done by the end of next year.

Another project amid the building boom

Aggressive, too, considering Raleigh is in the midst of a greenway building boom. Consider:

• Walnut Creek Trail “We completed this extension last week,” Lebsock says of the 4.5-mile extension greeenway along its namesake creek, creating a continuous trail from Rose Lane to the Neuse River Trail. The Walnut Creek Trail now runs about 12 miles, from the Neuse River Trail west to Lake Wheeler Road. Eventually, it will run through N.C. State University’s Centennial Campus and connect with Lake Johnson, a distance of 15.6 miles.
• Neuse River Trail Just 0.8 miles is all that remains to be finished of the 27.5-mile Neuse River Trail, the spine of the Raleigh greenway system. Raleigh’s City Council awarded a contract for this stretch in January, construction is expected to begin this spring, the missing link is expected to be finished in August, says Lebsock.
• Honeycutt Creek Greenway This 5.6-mile stretch will create another vital link in the Raleigh greenway system, joining the Mine Creek Greenway (and greenway extending south around Shelly Lake and to the Crabtree Creek Trail) with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake. Construction began last spring, the trail is expected to be finished in July.
• Crabtree Creek Trail This 4.1-mile extension will join the east end of the existing Crabtree Creek Trail with the Neuse River Trail at Anderson Point Park. Trail users will then be able to run/walk/bike/skateboard 14.6 miles to Lindsay Drive, where the trail currently ends. The aforementioned extension into Umstead will result in an overall run of 17 to 18 miles, says Lebsock.

The Umstead connection

What will happen when Crabtree Creek Trail reaches Umstead?
“The interesting conversation now is what to do with Umstead,” says Sig Hutchinson, current chairman of the Wake County Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee, a past president of the Triangle Greenways Council, and the Triangle’s leading greenway advocate.
“It’s just a trail on the other side of Ebenezer Church Road,” Hutchinson says of where the paved Crabtree Creek trail will meet the gravel Umstead bike and bridle trail, “and there is no doubt that this is going to be a major communing route  … .”
Umstead and its bike and bridle trail serve as a key greenway hub. To the south, the Umstead trail links with the Reedy Creek Trail and additional Raleigh greenway that run through Meredith College, N.C. State University and the Dorthea Dix property before meeting the Walnut Creek Trail. And to the west, Umstead’s bike and bridle trail links with Cary’s Black Creek Greenway, which runs 7.1 miles to Bond Park — and a connection with the White Oak Creek Greenway, which nearly links with the 20-mile American Tobacco Trail, which is one official bridge opening away from running into downtown Durham.
But back to Raleigh.
With all that work in progress, all those key links pending, it seemed reasonable to ask Lebsock if the new Crabtree Creek extension to Umstead was much of a priority.
He laughed.
“It’s number one now.”

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To view an interactive version of the Crabtree Creek Trail extension map, go here.

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1. Paddling with others is more fun;
2. It’s safer, and;
3. From a purely selfish standpoint, paddling with a party makes setting up a shuttle a whole lot easier.

Usually.
Like most folks, I’m excited about the near completion of Raleigh’s Neuse River Trail, a 27.5-mile greenway following its namesake river from the base of Falls dam south to the Johnston County line. (The missing link, a 3/4-mile stretch below Horseshoe Farm Park is scheduled to open early next year). And, like most folks, I’m excited for the cycling/running/walking potential the greenway offers.

But I’m also excited because the greenway offers a great shuttle option for paddling the Neuse. With the greenway paralleling the river, there’s no more direct shuttle option. If you’re a runner/paddler, you get your daily run in with your paddle trip. If you’re a cyclist, you get a nice ride in as well.

Along the 27.5-mile stretch, the city of Raleigh has five official canoe/kayak access points. That is, accesses designed specifically for putting in and taking out. Accesses with parking and designed for easy access and egress from the river. There are also two unofficial access points that offer adequate, safe parking and manageable access for your canoe or kayak.

The arrangement of seven access points allows for all sorts of trip permutations.

Say you’re neither a runner nor a cyclist, but you do like a good walk. Put in at the Millburnie Dam Access and take out at the Poole Road Access for a 3.5-mile paddle and shuttle walk (which can be knocked out in an hour at a brisk pace). Training for a marathon? The 9.1-mile shuttle run from the Auburn Knightdale Road Access downstream to Covered Bridge Road gets your moderate training run out of the way, then gives you time for a nice, long, mellow paddle. And cyclists can get in an 18-mile ride heading from the Buffaloe Road Access down to Covered Bridge Road. (In planning your greenway shuttle, just remember that missing 3/4-mile link below Horseshoe Farm Park.)
Below are the specifics on each canoe/kayak access and the pertinent info you need to set-up a greenway shuttle. We’ve also included an interactive Google map showing the greenway and access points to further assist in setting a people-powered shuttle. And, of course, you can use this information to plan a monotrip: a bike ride, a run, a hike.

Note: the Neuse is a dammed river that is usually runnable, even in summer. To make sure, though, check the U.S. Geological Survey gauge at the dam here, then consult Paul Ferguson’s “Paddling Eastern North Carolina” to find out whether the gauge bodes well for a trip.

Neuse River Trail paddle access
Click on map for an interactive version

View Neuse River Canoe Access & Shuttles in a larger map

1. Falls Dam Access
Location: 12098 Falls of the Neuse Road. From I-540 take Falls of the Neuse Road Exit 14. Go 3 miles and just before crossing over the Neuse River turn right on a marked paved road that ends at the access point.
River section: 10.5 miles
Bike shuttle: 10.5 miles
Car shuttle: 10.9 miles
Paddle: Long stretch with a few riffles. Rentals and shuttle available through nearby Paddle Creek.
Greenway: Popular stretch backing up to the Bedford at Falls River neighborhood on the north end. Ends near Buffaloe Road Athletic Park. Note: a 3/4-mile stretch of this stretch between the WRAL Soccer Complex and Horseshoe Farm Park is under construction with an expected completion of early 2014.

2. Buffaloe Road Access
Location: 4901 Elizabeth Drive. From I-440/Beltline take U.S. 64 East Exit 11B. Go 2 miles and turn right on Buffaloe Road. Travel 3.6 miles and just before crossing the river turn right on Elizabeth Drive, which ends at the access point.
River section: 3.5 miles
Bike shuttle: 3.5 miles
Car shuttle: 5.8 miles
Paddle: Includes a long backwater stretch from the Milburnie Dam. Oh, yeah, the dam: a 10-foot dam is 3.5 miles downstream. Portage on either side is iffy; the city does not maintain portage walkways. A good candidate for an out-and-back trip.
Greenway: The backwater stretches make for some mellow passages past standing water.

3. Milburnie Dam Access
Location: 1101 Old Milburnie Road. From I-440/Beltline take U.S. 64 East Exit 13B. Go 2.7 miles and just after crossing the bridge over the river turn left on Old Milburnie Road. Travel 0.2 miles and turn left on Loch Raven Parkway. Travel 100 yards and turn right onto a gravel road which leads to the river access downstream of the dam.
River section: 2.0 miles
Bike shuttle: 2.0 miles
Car shuttle: 2.5 miles
Paddle: Class I rapid shortly into the trip and a Class II at certain water levels just above the takeout at Anderson Point.
Greenway: Includes stretch of original Neuse River Trail, which opened in the mid 1990s. Access, on east side of river, is linked by footbridge to west side of river.

4. Anderson Point Access
Location: 20 Anderson Point Drive. From I-440/Beltline take U.S. 64 East Exit 13B. Go 2.1 miles on New Bern Ave. Turn right on N. Rogers Lane. Continue until you reach a stop sign; go right to stay on N. Rogers Lane. Turn Left on Robbins Drive. Take the first right on Anderson Point Drive. Turn left into a small parking lot before crossing the bridge over HWY 64 into Anderson Point Park. At the end of the parking lot is a gravel road leading to the river access.
River section: 1.5 miles
Bike shuttle: 1.5 miles
Car shuttle: 3.0 miles
Paddle: Short run.
Greenway: Pay attention to signs in Anderson Point Park; passage can be tricky. Will pass over Crabtree Creek and future connection with Crabtree Creek Greenway.

5. Poole Road Access
Location: 6501 Poole Road. From I-440/Beltline take the Poole Road East Exit 15. Travel 2.4 miles and turn left on the gravel road best before crossing over the river.
River section: 3.1 miles
Bike shuttle: 3.1 miles
Car shuttle: 5.1 miles
Paddle: A riffle or two, overall easy passage.
Greenway: Short stretch with a bit more up and down than the rest of the trail

6. Auburn Knightdale Road Access
Location: Unofficial access where Auburn Knightdale Road crosses the Neuse. From U.S. 70 just east of I-40 go left on Auburn Knightdale Road. Go 3.2 miles; access parking is on the right, before crossing the river.
River section: 10.0 miles (approximately)
Bike shuttle: 9.1 miles
Car shuttle: 16.8 miles
Paddle: Long stretch that departs development and meanders through farm and pastureland.
Greenway: Includes the lone stretch of the 27.5-mile Neuse River Trail that departs from the river’s banks, taking an upland route through pasture.

7. Covered Bridge Road
Location: Unofficial access where Covered Bridge Road crosses the Neuse. From U.S. 70 in Clayton go north on Shotwell Road. After less than a mile, go right on Covered Bridge Road. River access is just past the river, on the right.

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