It’s possible to put together a very pleasant run in downtown Raleigh, and adjacent North Carolina State University. Rather than a specific route, design your own run, using some of our recommendations below. These are all accessible from a centrally located downtown hotel, or the Convention Center.
Downtown. Good sections near the stately Capitol, using some of the streets surrounding it. We also like E. Hargett St. and E. Martin St., heading west toward the NC State campus, which goes by pretty Moore Square and Nash Square.
Oakwood Neighborhood. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and known for its Victorian architecture. Lovely neighborhood streets for running, just east of the Capitol. Enjoy the residential streets bound by E. Franklin St. to the north, E. Edenton St. to the south, N. Person St. to the west, and N. Talbot to the east.
Rocky Branch Trail. Heads west from downtown, paralleling Western Blvd. toward the NC State Campus. About 1.5 miles, to Pullen Park. There are some nice trails around the park and a small pond.
NC State Campus. Can easily put together a few miles around the campus. Central campus has some pleasant paths. On the east end of the NC State main campus lies Pullen Park. You can run around its 1.25-mile perimeter, and at a little lagoon at its southern tip you can access about 3 miles of greenbelt bike trails along Western Boulevard that stretch from the park to the southwest corner of downtown. Immediately south of NC State’s main campus spreads the nearly-twice-as-large NC State Centennial Campus. Here you can combine loops of 1-, 2-, and 3-K on grass (training circuits for the Wolfpack track and cross-country teams) for longer distances. The 2-mile-long Centennial Parkway Greenbelt borders the eastern edge of campus.
It’s possible to put together a very pleasant run in downtown Raleigh, and adjacent North Carolina State University. Rather than a specific route, design your own run, using some of our recommendations below. These are all accessible from a centrally located downtown hotel, or the Convention Center.
Downtown. Good sections near the stately Capitol, using some of the streets surrounding it. We also like E. Hargett St. and E. Martin St., heading west toward the NC State campus, which goes by pretty Moore Square and Nash Square.
Oakwood Neighborhood. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and known for its Victorian architecture. Lovely neighborhood streets for running, just east of the Capitol. Enjoy the residential streets bound by E. Franklin St. to the north, E. Edenton St. to the south, N. Person St. to the west, and N. Talbot to the east.
Rocky Branch Trail. Heads west from downtown, paralleling Western Blvd. toward the NC State Campus. About 1.5 miles, to Pullen Park. There are some nice trails around the park and a small pond.
NC State Campus. Can easily put together a few miles around the campus. Central campus has some pleasant paths. On the east end of the NC State main campus lies Pullen Park. You can run around its 1.25-mile perimeter, and at a little lagoon at its southern tip you can access about 3 miles of greenbelt bike trails along Western Boulevard that stretch from the park to the southwest corner of downtown. Immediately south of NC State’s main campus spreads the nearly-twice-as-large NC State Centennial Campus. Here you can combine loops of 1-, 2-, and 3-K on grass (training circuits for the Wolfpack track and cross-country teams) for longer distances. The 2-mile-long Centennial Parkway Greenbelt borders the eastern edge of campus.
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Essentials
Can start anywhere downtown
All options accessible from downtown hotels, Convention Center.
Large park between Raleigh and Durham, with 20+ miles of trails. The 13 miles of 'bridle path' trails offer gentler, shaded running. Also some great trail running opportunities. Two separate entrances, leading to different trails.
Pleasant, paved 2-mile trail around Lake Shelley, located 7 miles north of downtown. Water views a good part of the way. For a longer run, there are additional trails at the north and south ends of the lake.
33-mile paved greenway located south from Falls Lake Dam to Clayton. Closest pass to central Raleigh is 9 miles east, at Anderson Point, which is about Mile 19 on the trail. Good to pick your spot. It's well signed. Gently rolling.
An art run! A 1 mile loop trail passes by several outdoor pieces and sculptures. Then, connect to the 4-5 miles other trails in the area. A good opportunity for something different.
Pleasant lake 5 miles west of Raleigh, with running trails around its perimeter. Paved 3.5 mile loop, or 5.4 mile loop incorporating 1.9 miles of unpaved trails to make a 'figure eight'. Good shade options.
Pretty park 10 miles west of Cary with 4.2 miles of trails, a lake, amphitheater, rope course, and athletic fields. We've mapped a 2-mile route around Bond Lake and a 2-mile loop of interior trails.
The 160-Acre Apex Community Park is a pleasant spot for a 2-3 mile run in the Cary area, 20 minutes west of Raleigh. The highlight is the 2-mile paved trail around the lake, part along the water, and part in the woods.
There are 18 miles of paved, dedicated jogging trails in the center of Research Triangle Park, near The Frontier and RTP Headquarters. Many loop options available, and a good map. Fairly shaded.
One of the prettiest campuses in the USA and wonderful for running. Enjoy the Georgian-style east campus or the Gothic west campus. Run up to the Duke Chapel, do the 3.7 mile Al Buehler Trail loop trail, and don't miss Sarah Duke Gardens in spring!
A 5k Parkrun in Southern Boundaries Park, which is 4 miles south of Durham. The course is all off road. It's a mostly flat two loop lollipop course on the Third Fork Creek Trail.
One can stitch together a really nice run in Chapel Hill, incorporating the festive downtown, the pretty UNC Chapel Hill Campus, and the Battle Branch and Bolin Creek Trails, which together are 3 miles one-way.
22+ mile rails-to-trails path that starts in downtown Durham and heads south. The first 14 miles are paved. A fairly flat, easy to follow run. Good option in the Durham/Duke/Chatham area.
3 miles of lovely paved trails in this Wake Forest park. Meadows, stone walls, pecan groves, and restored farm buildings. A lovely mix of open and shaded, with excellent signage and interpretive information.
Two lovely parks in the Holly Springs area, linked by an off-road connector trail. A loop around Bass Lake is ~2 miles, and the paved trails around Womble Park are ~ 1 mile. Full route of both parks is ~5.5 miles.
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Essentials
Can start anywhere downtown
All options accessible from downtown hotels, Convention Center.
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!