Rocky Branch Greenway

I live near downtown, but I don’t love running on sidewalks all the time – especially Raleigh’s sidewalks, which can be really bumpy, uneven, and easy to trip. And, there are a lot of lights, which can mean a lot of stopping/​waiting. Therefore, I was thankful to learn that the Rocky Branch Greenway – part of the Triangle’s wonderful trail system – goes within a half mile of most parts of downtown Raleigh! It is a 3.5 mile trail from south of downtown through NC State’s campus. You have to cross several roads, including Western Boulevard at a stop light. Parts of it are wooded (passes through part of Pullen Park), part of it are along the NC state athletic facilities, part of it is along Western Boulevard itself (my least favorite stretch), part is near neighborhoods/​apartment complexes, and one stretch is in front of a grassy green at the Dorthea Dix campus.
I would caution against running it at night because the wooded parts aren’t well lit and there are several tunnels. Although parts of this trail can be boring and it isn’t very long, it’s still nice to have a trail so close to an urban area. And, it is easy to connect from the ends of the Rocky Branch Greenway to other parts of the Capital Greenway – e.g. from the NC State side you can easily get to the Reedy Creek Trail and from the Wilmington Street Side you can get to the Walnut Creek Trail just by going a block up the road (there are signs). I can’t imagine doing a longer run from downtown without using it!
If you’re curious, here’s a link to a Wiki with a lot of information and pictures:
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