Capital Area Greenway System

There is no single greenway parking lot. Choose an individual trail and trailhead first, then use Raleigh's Greenway Explorer to locate official parking near that route. The Explorer also identifies restrooms, bike repair stations, parks, and other amenities. Never improvise parking in a neighborhood, business, or apartment lot.

The best entrance depends on the trail and destination; the Capital Area Greenway has many trailheads rather than one gateway. Start with a named route such as Neuse River, Walnut Creek, Crabtree Creek, Reedy Creek, or a lake loop, then select a documented trailhead close to the distance and amenities you need.

Some trailheads and connected parks have restrooms, but many trail segments do not. Use the Greenway Explorer to find the nearest documented restroom and check the host park or building hours. A restroom marker does not guarantee it is unlocked after hours, during winterization, or during maintenance.

Capital Area Greenway trails are open from dawn to dusk daily. Connected parks, parking gates, restrooms, museums, and neighboring jurisdictions can follow different schedules. Plan enough time to return to your trailhead before dusk and do not rely on trail lighting for a late return.

Yes. Raleigh's public greenway trails are free to use. Costs may arise for parking at a connected destination, bike or scooter rental, transit, an organized event, or a museum, pool, program, or other facility reached from the trail. Check the destination separately.

Many paved segments can support wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and Raleigh presents the network for those users, but the system is not uniformly accessible. Trail grade, pavement condition, curb transitions, bridge approaches, flooding, construction, and natural-surface segments vary. Verify the exact trailhead and segment rather than relying on the system-wide label.

The City's current public trail list describes 28 trails totaling more than 100 miles. Other planning documents may use larger figures because they count newer construction, connectors, proposed routes, or open-space holdings differently. For trip planning, use the current named-trail list and each route's stated mileage.

No. The Capital Area Greenway is Raleigh's local and regional network and does not provide a continuous trail to Charlotte, about 160 road miles away. Raleigh trails connect with nearby systems and long-distance routes such as the East Coast Greenway and Mountains-to-Sea Trail, but those do not turn the city network into a Raleigh-to-Charlotte greenway.

Use the mobile-friendly Capital Area Greenway Explorer for nearby trailheads, parking, restrooms, repair stations, dog parks, playgrounds, and parks. It is an amenity-finding tool, not turn-by-turn navigation. Use the downloadable City map or a navigation app alongside it for route planning and confirm closure alerts before leaving.

The trail speed limit is 10 mph. People riding bicycles, skating, or skateboarding must yield to pedestrians, keep right except to pass, approach cautiously, and call out before passing on the left. Slow further near children, dogs, blind corners, bridges, wet pavement, and crowded trailheads.

Yes. Dogs must remain on a leash no longer than six feet, keep to the right with their handler, and owners must remove pet waste. Greenways are shared transportation and recreation routes, not off-leash areas; use a designated public dog park when off-leash exercise is the goal.

Check Raleigh's greenway status and alerts before every longer trip, particularly after storms. Many routes follow rivers, creeks, and floodplains, so water, mud, debris, bridge work, or construction can close a segment. Never cross a barricade or moving water; choose a documented detour or another trail.

For maintenance, damage, fallen trees, or non-emergency trail issues, use Ask Raleigh or call greenway maintenance at 919-996-4115. For an immediate threat, serious injury, fire, or crime in progress, call 911 and provide the trail name, nearest mile marker, bridge, street crossing, park, or visible landmark.