Since moving from Berkeley, California to North Carolina, my family -- including our high-energy…read moreBasenji -- has been on the lookout for good walking trails. Back in Northern California, we were spoiled with countless dirt trails that often allowed off-leash dogs. To our surprise (and horror ), North Carolina has no off-leash options. That said, the Ellerbee Creek Trail has become our go-to spot. While it's not ideal for our dog due to the leash requirements, it's a paved, 1.5-mile trail that's great for casual walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Coming from dirt paths, the smooth pavement is gonna take some getting used to, but we appreciate it -- especially since it rains often here and this trail doesn't get muddy are slippery. We take our dog on the trail twice a day, and we're truly grateful to have it nearby. It's not a mountain trail, but it's clean, safe, and accessible.

We tried out Ellerbe Creek trail because it's paved and great for strollers or bikes. We parked at…read morethe Rock Quarry Park lot which is near Duke Regional hospital. We loved the various scenery that the trail includes as it passes lots of little bridges, the Brontosaurus (my goal for this trail), dog parks, and the Vietnam Living Memorial. The trail wasn't too crowded save for the occasional runner or bicyclist. I found Rose L's Yelp review super helpful in terms of the different sections of the trails. We did smell a few sewage-y odors wafting up from the ground but it was only brief and not too overpowering. You can go along the trail as long as you like---we did about 1-2 miles before turning back to the parking lot.

A good place to bike, walk your dog or just plain walk/ jog. I've been through pumpkin loop and…read morecrow branch overlook and I prefer the crow branch since we never realized there was a whole retention pond to walk alongside!! Beautiful and able to see a mix of wildlife if you look closely enough and slow down. We've seen crayfish, mushrooms, even owls and deer out there. Really love this spot and glad it's close to home! It doesn't have water like drinking fountains or legitimate bathrooms is the only reason it's not a full 5 star. Otherwise I'd consider it a 4.5. There is also a small pollinator garden area that comes up on the left when starting from MLK side. Love this place.

Near the university campus, this offers a retreat for runners. The entry road is of dubious…read morequality, but it isn't that long. Some gravel roads continue to run through the area but are pedestrian only most of the time, and a series of hiking and bike trails interlace each other throughout the area. The aesthetic of Carolinian forests is distinctive and it was a peaceful environment. The trail marking could stand to be clearer and I got turned around a bit. It's definitely worth checking out the area.

Great spot to take the dog for a nice walk. Friendly neighborhood in between paths…read more It was a bit busy with people running and biking so you just have to stay alert. Maddy loved the new smells and the cooler weather!

Indian Trail park is a teeny little park in Old West Durham. However, despite its small size, it…read morepacks a decent amount of charm. The main reason I've passed through this park (don't blink because you may miss it) is that the West Ellerbee Creek trail runs into it, and I've run on that trail a time or two. In fact, it seems as though the trail brings a lot of runners, walkers, and dog walkers into this park. Aside from the running, I've also had a couple early evening picnics here as there's a sizable field that lends itself to picnicking (as well as football, soccer, frisbee, kite flying...you get the idea). Indian Trail also features a small playground, a handful of benches, and some outdoor exercise stations. So if you're looking to compete in an international monkey bars competition, Indian Trail park may serve as solid training grounds. Yup, it's not the biggest park in the world, but it's clean, well-maintained, and does what it does well!

Small trail but easy and well maintained. We went on a Wednesday afternoon and it was pretty quiet…read more It was great for me and my dog but I don't recommend if you have a hard time with stairs and steps. Not a ton of stairs but you run into them every so often with little bridges or walkways. Overall it was very enjoyable.

The trails are well-maintained, but I didn't think they were very fun. There is a new apartment…read morecomplex being built right next to the trail, so you see and hear a lot of construction.

It's a pretty decent place to walk in there are paved areas, which is nice, but there aren't very…read moremany places that indicate trails lengths or where to go. It's not that huge that I think anyone would get lost and it's very wide open. All dogs on the trail while we went were leashed which was great. Pretty nice place for a picnic with large open grounds. No bathrooms or water that I saw but did have it's own parking lot (although small)

I usually don't like paved trails, but beggars choosers sometimes. Definitely great for wheelchairs…read moreand slow walkers. I will say there's enough natural elements to distract from the huge concrete sidewalk extending the entire length of the path, which ends up emptying into a community and another fitness path (has outdoor equipment stops) on one end and a pasture of wild flowers (mostly common milkweed for monarch butterflies) roughly midpoint. At the pasture the trail is definitely NOT paved and rather rough to navigate. If you have problems walking, be cautious, yet try experiencing it in the spring and late summer to catch glimpse of the butterflies and their caterpillars eating away before their chrysalis stage. There's a small parking lot at the beginning of the trail big enough for 20 cars. This includes a couple handicap spots. I've been there twice now on the weekend and I've lucked out to find a few spots open. Once you park DON'T head for the tempting metal bridge. Go in the opposite direction where you'll see the regulations sign. Then you'll know you're in the right spot!

I'm part of a cycling meetup, and today they hose to meet here. My GPS said it would take 90…read moreminutes to get here via Third Fork Creek trail. It took 30. Park has loads of tennis courts, a ball field with good seating/stands, and lots of shaded parking.

Not quite ready to head back to the hotel room and maybe needing a little walk to help my excessive…read moredinner digest, I headed to Southern Boundaries and found a good spot to enjoy their walking trails. The large park features a baseball/softball field, basketball courts, tennis courts and some spots for sitting in the shade. The walking trail, at least the part of it that I enjoyed, was smoothly paved. [Review 11834 overall, 1616 of 2019.]

Saw this hiking trail on instagram and couldn't wait to explore it! Plenty of parking, and a nasty…read morebathroom without a sink. Use the bathroom before you come. The hike is hard! There are so many rocks and a steep incline. It took us about 1.5 hours to complete the hike and we had small children with us. Once you make it to the lookout it's stunning! You have to climb a ton of stairs but it's worth it.

Trails are amazing. The original trails at the Pine Hill Trailhead were awesome enough, but the…read morenew trails just down the road at the Oak Hill Trailhead are just has great. The map doesn't how it, but the trails do connect to give the option of hiking from one tailhead to the other. There are 4 campsites at the Pine Hill Trailhead area. I car-camped for one night recently and really enjoyed it. Before you camp here, you should know ahead of time that there are no showers or plumbing restrooms or vending machines. The restroom is non-plumbing as has no running water. However, there is a very nice water-pump on the other side of the parking lot from where the restroom is. This is a very rough-in-it campground, at least for now. There are nice tent-pads, fire pits, and picnic tables at all spots except #4. At this spot there is only parking and the tent would go directly on the ground. Sites 1, 2, and 4 have room for smaller camping vehicles. Site 3 has a pretty small parking area with room for 1, or maybe 2 vehicles if they are both small. A camper-van would fit but nothing bigger. Each campsite has a little distance of woods between them so there is some privacy. A walk from the campsites to the restroom at the parking area is necessary, but you can drive to it during the night easy enough. I just had to take the front windshield privacy visor out. There are no lights anywhere except what you bring for yourself, so it is pitch-dark at night. If you are OK with this type of camping and are looking for great hiking and quiet and relaxation, you should love it. If you need plumbing and lights or other amenities, this site is not for you. So don't forget to bring water or a container for the pump, a cooler for drinks and snacks, and a flashlight!

This section of the Neuse River Trail can be jumped on and off in a number of places. There's…read morepublic parking up by the dam, or if you're lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with a connecting trail, you can walk or bike to it. Once you are on it, it's easy to forget that ever how far you go, you have to turn around and go back. This is a linear trail through nature along the Neuse and it's really easy to lose yourself in the miles!

Great place to run, fish, hike, skate board, walk, play, bike, and just have fun. This trail…read moreconnects all the way down to crabtree, and out to Knightdale. I don't know how many miles this trail is going to be when it is done, but I have heard over 30 miles. I go here 3 to 4 days a week to run, there is never many people here so no worries about being run into by others. Here is the web site to get more info about this trail http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecDesignDevelop/Articles/CapitalAreaGreenwayTrailSystem.html Look for the Neuse River Trail map on the right side of this web page