Raleigh, NC is consistently listed as one of the best places to live in America and the southeast. For a city a few hours from the mountains, my hometown has awesome dirt running trails along with the more popular paved routes. It’s not always easy to find extensive greenway trails or dirt trails in large-ish cities, but Raleigh doesn’t disappoint. Raleigh’s paved trail system is expansive, so you’ll never get bored or lack new spots to try. Also, the best dirt & single track running trails in Raleigh, NC are all pretty tame (no crazy climbs this far from the Smokies).
From Umstead State Park (home of the Umstead 100) to the various lakes and greenways around the city, Raleigh has some of the best trail running I’ve seen in a well-populated area.
Ready to get started?
Here are my 5 best running trails in Raleigh…
Want to run on soft (and sometimes rocky) dirt trails? Tap here to jump ahead to my favorite dirt & single track running routes.
Paved Running Trails in Raleigh
Raleigh has an extensive greenway system (and a handy map to go along with it). There are over 100 miles (and growing) of paved and unpaved running surfaces, most connected to each other. That means in Raleigh you can run a 5K or a full marathon without ever getting off the dedicated greenway trails.
Many of the trails have few road crossings, or none at all, so you can find a steady rhythm during your run, jog, or walk.
If you’re lucky enough to live on a greenway, you can roll out of bed for your weekend long run. If not, all of the following greenway trails in Raleigh have ample parking.
Here are the best places to run in Raleigh (paved):
1. Neuse River Greenway
- Where to park: Anderson Point Park your first time, and go north or south and make note of all the parking lots along the way. Anderson Point Park also connects to Crabtree Creek Trail.
- Raleigh Greenway Map: this greenway runs north to south on the east side of Raleigh, along the Neuse River.
- Terrain: mostly flat with some gentle, rolling hills.
- Public restrooms ✅
- Shady? This is a long trail with stretches of shade and stretches of sun.
The Neuse River Greenway is over 30 miles long and doesn’t cross many (or any? It might be zero) roads. I’ve seen almost the whole distance of the Neuse River Greenway, and it’s my favorite place to run and bike long distances in Raleigh because it’s flat, wide, and long. It also ends at the Falls Lake Dam, a scenic spot for a snack, or lunch.
You’ll find favorite spots on the trail; some stretches aren’t as well maintained as others, but I recommend exploring all of it. Watch out for copperheads!
2. Shelley Lake loop
- Where to park: there are two parking lots, this is the bigger one.
- Raleigh Greenway Map: this scenic loop is connected to all the other running routes in Raleigh.
- Terrain: mostly flat with a couple short, steep hills.
- Public restrooms ✅
- Most of Shelley Lake is shady, but there are short stretches of direct sun
Shelley Lake loop is a ~2.2 mile loop in North Raleigh that has gentle terrain, nice lake views, resident bald eagles, and connection to the larger greenway system. One of my favorite paved loops in Raleigh, Shelley Lake connects to the Crabtree Creek Trail (via the Mine Creek Trail) which runs East to West from Umstead State Park to Anderson Point Park, on the Neuse River Greenway.
3. Lake Johnson Nature Park loop
- Where to park: there are two parking lots, this is the bigger one. During less popular days and times, this parking lot near the dam (and the Walnut Creek trailhead) is great, too.
- Raleigh Greenway Map: this popular southwest Raleigh lake is connected to all the other running routes in Raleigh via the Walnut Creek Trail.
- Terrain: half flat, half very hilly
- Public restrooms ✅
- Shady? Yes! Lake Johnson is super shady.
The East Loop of Lake Johnson is a scenic ~2.9 mile loop in southwest Raleigh that is half very hilly, half totally flat. It’s a very shady running trail, only really exposed to the sun on the dam and crossing the bridge.
There are lots of benches and picnic tables, a nice boathouse with some rocking chairs, and nice views of the lake.
Lake Johnson is a spot every Raleigh runner should check out. And if you love trail running, LJ has awesome dirt trails, too.
4. Art Museum Park
- Where to park: here, lots of parking, or a pleasant 20 minute walk from Whole Foods, right here
- Scroll down here to find a park map. You can access the Raleigh Greenway system from the Art Museum Park, too.
- Terrain: rolling hills
- Public restrooms ✅
- Shady? Not very. Much of the Art Museum Park is exposed to the sun, though there are pretty trees to relax under.
Raleigh’s Art Museum Park is a 164 acre campus of walking, jogging, and biking trails. It’s a popular spot for locals to hang out outdoors and features a plethora of commissioned works of art and water features. This park is attached to the Raleigh Greenway System, too, via the Reedy Creek Trail. I like to park at Whole Foods right here and take the Reedy Creek trail (follow the pedestrian bridge over the highway) toward this park.
The one downside of the Art Museum Park is that it’s not very shady. During Raleigh’s warmer months, I stick to shady running trails on the greenway system, or around lakes like Lake Johnson.
5. House Creek Trail
- Where to park: here at Whole Foods. Cross the street to access the greenway at the intersection of Wade Avenue and Ridge Road
- Raleigh Greenway Map
- Terrain: starts out with a steep downhill, then mostly flat. For an out and back run, you’ll end on a shady, steep uphill
- Public restrooms ✅ at Whole Foods
- This is a pretty shady trail, but it’s long so there are stretches of direct sun.
The House Creek Trail is very well connected. It runs north for a few miles before it turns into the east-to-west Crabtree Creek Trail. From there you can take it west to Umstead State Park, or east for a dozen miles or so to the Neuse River Greenway. House Creek is a regular trail I run and walk, sometimes before I do my grocery shopping. You cannot run out of paved trail to run if you choose House Creek.
I park here across the street from the greenway and next to Whole Foods. This is also a great place to park if you want to walk over a huge pedestrian bridge to access the Art Museum Park (see above). Per usual, check out the Raleigh Greenway Map to plan your run or walk.
6. Lake Raleigh, NC State Centennial Campus
- Where to park: this parking lot on Lake Dam Road
- Raleigh Greenway Map: this lake is on the Walnut Creek Trail on NC State’s Centennial Campus.
- Terrain: very flat
- Public restrooms ✅ porta pottys in the small parking lot
- Shady? The Walnut Creek Greenway is super long. Some stretches are shady, and some aren’t. Around Lake Raleigh, it’s not very shady.
Lake Raleigh is on NC State’s lovely Centennial Campus, sitting about 2 miles from Lake Johnson on the 12-mile-long Walnut Creek Greenway. Parking right at the lake can be tough (it’s a small lot and only open to the public outside of school hours), but if you park here at Lake Johnson on Lake Dam road and head east on the greenway, this lake will be just over 2 miles from your car.
So run from lake to lake! And if your running plan calls for more than 4 miles, the Walnut Creek Greenway runs right past Lake Raleigh for another ten miles (and is quite flat).
7. American Tobacco Trail
- Where to park: so many places to park along the trail, but I usually start here at South Point Mall in Durham (you’ll see lots of cyclists getting started or finishing a ride), taking the trail south into a rural section of the path.
- AllTrails Map
- Terrain: flat
- Public restrooms ✅ at multiple parks along the trail
- Shady? This is a shady running trail, though it’s long enough that you’ll have some sunny stretches
The ATT is a 22+ mile long rails to trails project running through Durham, Wake county, and Chatham county. A short drive from Raleigh is well worth this long, flat, smooth, and well-maintained trail. Much of it is paved, but there’re some crushed gravel sections, too.
The popular Tobacco Road Marathon is on this popular running, walking, and cycling trail. I did my first 25 mile run here because of how long and even it is!
Dirt Running Trails in Raleigh, NC
8. Company Mill trail (5.8 miles), Umstead State Park
- Where to park: Harrison Avenue park entrance
- Link to a park map
- Terrain: easy-moderate. Easy hills with a few short, steep climbs.
- 636 feet of elevation gain (AllTrails link)
Company Mill trail is a moderate 5.8 mile loop trail in Umstead State Park. It’s easy to get to and has plentiful parking just off the highway (but is still quiet). It crosses gentle streams with plenty of tree cover, and you’ll likely see others using it.
Per usual in the southeast, the trail is home to plenty of rocks and roots, so trail shoes are recommended. And while Company Mill trail is super easy to follow, it twice crosses bridle trails. Umstead is a large park; use these bridle trails to get deeper into it if you’re feeling adventurous.
I’ve seen all sorts of wildlife on this trail, and while I think it’s one of the best running trails in the area for our leashed furry friends, make sure you keep an eye out for copperheads.
I give the Company Mill trail five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for its medium length, exciting terrain, and natural beauty. Plus, it’s quite easy to get to and you’ll feel safe throughout your run.
9. Lake Johnson Nature Park trail (4.2 miles)
- Where to park: Lake Dam Road parking lot (east side of lake) or Avent Ferry Road boathouse
- Link to a park map
- Terrain: easy-moderate. Easy hills with a few short, steep climbs.
- 636 feet of elevation gain (AllTrails link)
At Lake Johnson, there is an east loop and a west loop. Both of these loops overlap at the pedestrian bridge next to Avent Ferry Road. So, there are basically three loop options: the east side of the lake (east of Avent Ferry Road), the west side of the lake, or the entire lake loop.
The east side of Lake Johnson can be run totally paved, but where the hills begin, you’ll see plenty of trail offshoots. Half of this loop is extremely hilly and has a troublesome reputation with southwest Raleigh runners.
The loop on the west side of the lake is shorter, but entirely trail. If you park at the boathouse on Avent Ferry Road, you’ll cross the road for access. Half of this course is totally flat, soft, and straight. It’s a fun place to do speedwork with a nice pine needle and dirt landing. The other half is quite hilly with a few stream crossings and nice views of the lake.
I give Lake Johnson five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ because I get to run basically the entire shore of a big lake. It has various terrain and a couple nice places to soak in morning lake views. Also, you can easily run scenic trails or scenic paved routes. Plus, it’s one of the best places in Raleigh to catch the sunset!
Confused? Just park here at the boathouse and start running! Also, save the park map on your phone.
10. Sycamore Trail (7.2 miles), Umstead State Park
- Where to park: right here, at the end of Umstead Parkway off of the Highway 70 park entrance
- Link to a park map
- Terrain: easy-moderate
- 610 feet of elevation gain (AllTrails link)
Sycamore Trail is a gentle 7.2 mile loop trail in Umstead State Park. You have to drive deeper into the park on gravel roads to reach Sycamore, but it’s well worth the effort. This park map will help.
Just like Company Mill (#5 on this list), Sycamore Trail is a shady, well-maintained, gentle trail. Very popular for locals to run and hike!
Being in the city (Raleigh is so fortunate to have this park), views and scenery in Umstead aren’t what you’ll get in the mountains, but the closeness of nature is well-worth spending time here.
I give the Sycamore Trail five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for its decent length, being a loop course, and ease of access for those close to the north side of Umstead State Park.
11. Falls Lake Trail (60 miles), Wake Forest – Durham, North Carolina
- Where to park: lots of parking along the 24 segments, but I prefer Falls Lake Dam
- Link to a park map
- Terrain: easy-moderate
- Unknown elevation gain/loss over the 60 miles, but the trail is gentle.
When people talk about running trails near Raleigh, the 5,500+ acres of Umstead State Park are mentioned most. With its many popular trails and ample bridle path, it’s no wonder. However, just north of Raleigh is Falls Lake State Recreation Area.
Falls Lake is a massive recreation area with a lot of cool trails, but the Falls Lake Trail, part of the 1,175 mile Mountains to Sea Trail, runs for 60 miles in one direction on the south shore of the lake. Most people do sections of this trail (obviously), but it’s incredible that this metropolitan area has a 60 mile continuous hiking/running trail.
The trail runs from Penny’s Bend in Durham County to the Falls Lake Dam in Wake Forest (just north of Raleigh). The 60 mile trail is broken into 24 sections, each with some parking at a trailhead. My favorite place to park is at Falls Lake Dam, but AllTrails has plenty of info on the other segments of the trail.
The Neuse River Greenway from Falls Lake Dam
If you park at Falls Lake Dam, you’d head north along the Mountains to Sea Trail (here called Falls Lake Trail), but you could also take it south on some wonderful, mostly flat, paved greenway that is the Neuse River Greenway (also part of the Mountains to Sea Trail, just heading the other direction). The Neuse River Greenway runs for a scenic 33 miles away from the dam to the town of Clayton, a favorite of mine for paved running. It’s wide and flat with very few road crossings.
The Neuse River Greenway also has tons of connections to other greenways like the Crabtree Creek Trail and the Walnut Creek Trail. If you live near one of these greenways, you could run or bike all the way to Falls Lake Dam!
For more info on the awesome Mountains to Sea Trail, check out their website here.
Falls Lake Trail gets an obvious 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for being Raleigh, NC’s longest singletrack, continuous running trail. Keep these resources handy if you’re exploring this park: Raleigh Greenway Map, Falls Lake Trail map.
12. Loblolly Trail (6.4 miles), Umstead State Park
- Where to park: Harrison Avenue park entrance
- Link to a park map
- Terrain: easy-moderate
- 679 feet of elevation gain (AllTrails link)
The Loblolly Trail is named for the towering loblolly pine trees that pour pollen onto Raleigh every spring, and it’s my personal favorite running trail in Raleigh (maybe because it’s the first place I ran trails when I moved to Raleigh!). Loblolly is accessible from the same parking lot as the aforementioned Company Mill loop trail, so if you’re looking for a higher mileage run or hike, this parking lot will make the transition between the two very easy.
Loblolly (like a lot of trails in Umstead State Park) crosses bridle trails a couple times, so it’s easy to explore the rest of the park. Just take a turn onto the rolling gravel hills designed for gravel bikes, horses, and Park Ranger access.
Just over 10 kilometers, Loblolly is a fun out-and-back trail to race, or you can follow it forward into Schneck Forest. With some clever planning and utilizing the bridle trails, you can also easily turn this trail into a loop. Tap here to check out a park map and plan your run!
Loblolly gets five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ because it’s a popular trail with easy parking and lots of opportunity to explore the park further. Also, the name is fun to say.
Happy running! Let me know in the comments if I missed your favorite trail or path to run around Raleigh. And when you’re finished with your run, head to one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Raleigh to refuel.
