Waterfall Hero Hikes: Cary Greenway

The Town of Cary's greenway system is the second longest in the Research Triangle area at 80 miles. The system is a network of linear open spaces with paved trails, most following along the floodplains and stream corridors throughout the town. The greenway system was established in 1980 and since the town has been protecting open space and offering connectivity to its citizens. In addition to connecting parks, shopping centers and residential areas in Cary, the greenways also connect to other state and local parks and trails.

Map:

Trails:

More than 80 miles of trails make up Cary's greenway system.

Amberly Lake Loop Greenway:

Length: 1.5 miles

Amberly Lake Loop Greenway makes a loop around Amberly Lake. It runs concurrently with Morris Branch Greenway on the north side of the lake. Yates Store Road bisects the loop and there is a connection to the Street-Side Trail.

American Tobacco Trail:

Length: 4.7 miles (in Cary Jurisdiction)

Cary manages the Chatham County portion of the American Tobacco Trail.

Bishops Gate Greenway:

Length: 1.6 miles

Black Creek Greenway:

Length: 7.1 miles

Black Creek Greenway is the longest trail in the system and is part of the East Coast Greenway. The north end of the trail is at the northeast corner Lake Crabtree. East Coast Greenway continues along Old Reedy Creek Road past 286 Property and into William B. Umstead State Park. Black Creek Greenway follows the lake shore south. Crabtree Creek Trail splits at the end of the lake. The trail continues following Black Creek to the terminus at Fred G. Bond Metro Park.

Camp Branch Greenway:

Length: 0.7 miles

Camp Branch Greenway currently runs from Ten Ten Road through the Stanton subdivision.

Cary Park Lake Greenway:

Length: 1.9 miles

Cary Park Lake Greenway makes a double loop around the lake within the Cary Park subdivision. Southbridge Greenway connects from the south and Panther Creek Greenway connects to the east.

Crabtree Creek Greenway:

Length: 2.0 miles

Crabtree Creek Greenway currently has two sections. The longer runs along the south shore of Lake Crabtree from Black Creek Greenway to Crabtree Creek at Evans Road. Crabtree Creek Greenway, part of Morrisville Greenway, picks up across the street.

There is another section that heads north from Bond Park.

Dutchman's Branch Greenway:

Length: 0.4 miles

Dutchman's Branch Greenway currently runs from Den Helder Way through the Greyhawk subdivision.

East Coast Greenway:

Length:

The East Coast Greenway is a proposed greenway trail stretching from Maine to Florida, with the section in North Carolina designated a State Trail. The trail follows the Cary Greenway along American Tobacco Trail, Whiteoak Creek Greenway and Black Greenway. Past Lake Crabtree, the trail follows Old Reedy Creek Road past 286 Property and into William B. Umstead State Park.

Green Level Church Road Street-Side Trail:

Length: 3.4 miles

Green Level Church Road Street-Side Trail is a wide sidewalk along its namesake road. The trail is currently in three discontinuous segments, but will eventually be connected.

Hinshaw Greenway:

Length: 1.7 miles

Hinshaw Greenway runs from Maynard Road to Marla Dorrel Park, crossing US-1/US-64 on a 300-foot pedestrian bridge.

Kildaire Farm Street-Side Trail:

Length: 1.3 miles

Kildaire Farm Street-Side Trail follows a wide sidewalk along its namesake between Swift Creek Greenway, passing by Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve to Dutchman's Branch.

Loch Highlands Street-Side Trail:

Length: 0.9 miles

Loch Highlands Street-Side Trail follows a wide sidewalk along its namesake between Kildaire Farm Road and Penny Road.

Morris Branch Greenway:

Length: 2.0 miles

Morrisville Branch Greenway follows Yates Store Road from New Hope Church Road for 0.4 miles then turns left to run between subdivisions along the Wake-Chatham County Line. At 0.6 miles, the trail reaches Amberly Lake and follows the north end of the lake and currently ends at Green Level Church Road. There are plans to extend the trail east to NC-55

Nancy Branch Greenway:

Length: 1.1 miles

Nancy Branch Greenway starts at Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail and runs east following its namesake upstream. At 0.6 miles, the trail crosses Green Level Church Road at a crosswalk and continues to the current end in another half mile near NC-540. There are plans to extend the trail eastbound to Panther Creek High School and westbound to American Tobacco Trail.

New Hope Church Road Street-Side Trail:

Length: 0.4 miles

New Hope Church Road Street-Side Trail starts at the American Tobacco Trail at New Hope Church Road Trailhead Park and follows a wide sidewalk on the north side of its namesake to Yates Store Road to access Morris Branch Greenway.

Northwoods Greenway:

Length: 0.9 miles

Northwoods Trail starts along NC-54/Chapel Hill Road at Northwoods Elementary School and leads just under a mile to Black Creek Greenway at Godbold Park.

Oxxford Hunt Greenway:

Length: 1.1 miles

Oxxford Hunt Greenway heads south from Bond Park and passes through the Oxxford Hunt Neighborhood and along Hoffmann Lake.

Panther Creek Greenway:

Panther Creek Greenway is one of the newest greenway trails running along the northern end of Cary Park Lake and extending eastward following Panther Creek upstream. It currently ends after passing under NC-540.

Piney Plains Greenway:

Length: 0.2 miles

Piney Plains Greenway currently connects Hinshaw Greenway to Forest Park way with plans to extend it further east.

Pirates Cove Greenway:

Length: 0.7 miles

Pirates Cove Greenway leads from Greenwood Circle to Kildonan Place with a sidewalk connector to Hinshaw Greenway.

Reedy Creek Greenway:

Length: 0.4 miles

Reedy Creek Greenway runs from Black Creek Greenway to Westongate Way, where it follows a wide sidewalk to end at Harrison Avenue. There are plans to extend the greenway eastbound in the future.

Swift Creek Greenway:

Length: 1.2 miles

Swift Creek Greenway runs from Symphony Lake along the creek between Ritter Park and Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, ending at Kildaire Farm Road.

Symphony Lake Greenway:

Length: 1.8 miles

Symphony Lake Greenway makes a loop around the lake and passing by Koka Booth Amphitheater.

White Oak Creek Greenway:

Length: 7.1 miles

White Oak Creek Greenway begins at Fred G. Bond Metro Park and leads west to the American Tobacco Trail. The last section of trail between MacArthur Drive and Davis Drive was completed in April 2020 so the trail can be hiked in its entirety.

Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail:

Length: 1.4 miles

Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail follows a wide sidewalk on the east side of the street from Amberly Lake Loop Greenway at Brookhill Way north passing Morris Branch Greenway and Nancy Branch Greenway and ending at Stonewater Glen Lane.