Buckeye Trail 2007 Report 1a Crabtree Blvd to Milburnie Road

Buckeye Trail 2.75 Miles. (The Milburnie Road hill section 1.25 miles)

Background:

Raleigh, North Carolina visitors and new residents may be aware of the wonderful park system known as the "Capitol Area Greenway."

The "Capitol Area Greenway" is a project in process. Started in March 1974 by a forward thinking city council, it has a master plan to make sure that there is open space accessible to all residents of the city. The "Greenway" is being built one trail, one park and one community area at a time.

The city boasts more than 50 miles of trails connecting many of the more than 3000 acres of city park land.

Today the city is well underway on its project to create links between the greenways and to realize the original plan. Many of the trails still need to be connected. Those trails that have been connected create wonderful off-road access to many parts of the city for bikers, hikers and runners.

The majority of the trails have been built along the many creeks and streams that flow through the hills of the city. This creates an ecology friendly environment within the neighboring subdivisions.

The greenways provide access to naturalists, hikers, bikers, birders, fishermen, wild flower enthusiasts, bird watchers, nature lovers and, based on the carvings in many beech trees, just plain lovers. There are special trails for deep wood enthusiasts and mountain bikers. Most greenway trails connect to the city's extensive network of bike routes.

Buckeye Trail - 2007 Report 1a Crabtree Blvd to Milburnie Road.

Directions to the trail:
Take New Bern Avenue South to Milburnie Road.
Take a right onto Milburnie Road to Chatham Lane.
Take a right onto Chatham Lane to Crabtree Blvd.
Take a left onto Crabtree Blvd.
You can park on the street. The playground will be on your right.
Take the paved trail to the right, going past the 1 ½ mile marker.

Alternate:
The trail starts at Milburnie Road across from Shanta Drive. If you feel comfortable leaving your car here, you can enter the trail from Milburnie Road. (I personally find it too remote.)

The Buckeye Trail: From Crabtree Blvd to Milburnie Road.

This portion of the trail that follows the Crabtree Creek from Oak Park to Milburnie Road is less than ¾ miles long. It is different from the other ten or so miles of along the creek as it climbs a ridge rather than following the creek. At either end of this trail you are near the creek, but during your climb and descent, you are at a distance from anything resembling a creek.

It is a steep climb from the 1 ½ mile marker to the top of the ridge. It is a beautifully forested walk with ample shade. You can hear birds and squirrels in the woods as you climb on the smooth, well paved surface of the trail.

You will know that you are at the mid point right after you pass a city pumping station on your right. This is the only building visible from this end of the trail.

Shortly after passing the pumping station, adorned in chain link and barbed wire, you will begin a steep descent back to the level just above the creek bed. It is a nice forested walk with an opening onto a small forest field as you approach Milburnie Road.

It lacks the occasional park bench that is found on the North Raleigh trails. It can be a beautiful walk in the fall as the leaves are changing their colors.

Recommendations:

Bikers: Yes, provided hills are desired. This trail connects to a city bike route on Crabtree Blvd.

Hikers: Yes, this end of the trail is a pretty climb and can be quite tranquil.

Older Walkers: No, this end of the trail lacks park benches.

Very Young Walkers: No, this end of the trail lacks benches.

Baby Strollers: No, unless you need the exercise. This end of the trail lacks park benches for resting.

Roller Skaters: No. Going up would be onerous. Coming down could be very dangerous.

Picnickers: No. This part of the trail lacks facilities. The park on Crabtree Blvd. has tables.

Runners: Yes. This trail has just the right hill size for hill work on pavement.

Birders: No. Limited visibility makes it hard to visually see birds. The other end of this trail is a better choice.

Downsides:
This trail lacks adequate park benches along this portion.
This trail lacks defined parking on the Milburnie Road side of the trail.
The lack of benches makes this trail unfriendly for older and very young city residents.

Upsides:
The trail is in well maintained condition for the paved trail.
This trail takes the hiker through a part of the environment not seen on most other city trails.

This is one of the few trails climbing one of the ridges in the city.
This portion of the trail has only one visible building, a pumping station.
This trail is always in the shade during the hottest part of the year.

The trail at Milburnie road begins one of the longest nearly contiguous greenway trails, crossing east to west from the eastern edge of the I440 beltline to the northwest edge near Oak Park Rd.