The Neuse River Trail traverses about 28 miles of the Neuse River, although as mentioned for much of it there are trees on both sides. Still, it's not just a 28 mile corridor of trees. There are many turns, a surprising amount of overall elevation gain (though less surprising once you've ridden it), and those thick, tall, lush Southern forests that just don't seem to grow in the North. And the whole way, you could be forgiven for thinking the state capital must be 100 miles away. Most if not all if the trail is in Raleigh, but I may well have seen more buildings along trails in remote sections of West Virginia than on this trail. The Neuse River does have more *people* on the trail... but aside from a few crossings under busy roads such as I-540, it feels impressively remote.

Signage is generally good, but I agree with other reviewers that more signage around where to find amenities would be helpful. I found water and restrooms at the Buffalo Road Aquatics Center, and restrooms at my starting location of the Horseshoe Farm, but neither is visible from, signed from, or particularly near the main trail. For food, I wound up hopping in my car when I passed my starting point in the opposite direction and finding some options a mile or so north along US-401. There may have been bikable options, but I'll never know.

One other note is that the Bike Guy bike shop the TrailLink itinerary mentions is still there, at the northern end of the trail, but is closed Mondays. Since I rode on a Monday, I can't speak to what they offer.

Overall, this trail makes for a good centerpiece of a trip to Raleigh with a focus on cycling, and between it, the American Tobacco Trail, and Raleigh's other "creek" trails, I think it's quite feasible to make a very good cycling-centric trip to the area. However, if you're looking purely for a super-scenic touring trip, the rural options to the north - Virginia Creeper, New River Trail, and Greenbrier River Trail - are yet more scenic.

This is a nice Trail for a long walk or short ride You definitely need to be riding a mountain bike a road bike Because the trail is very bumpy Lots of shade on this trail with those hot days.

I have biked from the PEC to Chimney Rock, and it is very peaceful.

It has become part of our life, we spend few hours every week in it.

It was a nice way to end our Sunday/weekend! Plenty of cyclists but still enough room to walk with my partner and my doggie!!!!

We started our ride at the grandly named Falls of Neuse. From our parking spot atop the Falls Lake Dam, we walked our bikes down a steep dirt path to the northern trailhead. There, the Neuse River Greenway Trail extends 27.5 miles south on a paved surface that zigzags alongside and occasionally, over the river.
We were immediately struck by the beauty of this trail; the near-constant view of the water and the alternately lush forests and bright sunny fields. The rolling pavement and the wide grass aprons were well-maintained and white railed fences lined many of the sharper turns on the trail.
The Neuse River trail is part of the larger Mountains-to-Sea hiking trail that extends across the entire state of North Carolina. It’s also a popular tubing area and we could hear the sound of rafting parties (and partiers) drifting lazily down the Neuse. At times, we had a clear view of the tubers from the bridges that spanned the river – including the shortest extension bridge we’ve ever seen.
The trail skirted the edge of only a few neighborhoods and there were neither any intersections, nor places to buy water or snacks. Midway, we took a water break at a large beach-like area where swimmers and picnickers could be seen on the far shore of the river.
After this really enjoyable ride, we drove to downtown Raleigh where we'd heard there was a great bike-themed brewery.

We embarked upon the asphalt/concrete path that led out of downtown (right at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, where we later watched 4th of July fireworks) and soon, we were winding through long, shaded stretches of woods that led south for the next 22.6 miles. With a name like The American Tobacco Trail, we had anticipated cycling past old fashioned general stores with carved Indian statues and former tobacco farms and barns. But no. We call this and rail-to-trails similar to it “Zen” trails because, with little visual variety, they can be described as either tranquil and serene, or boring. These trails range from flat to slightly rolling but they never have more than a 3-4 degree incline because that was the steepest railroad engines could handle at the time the tracks were laid.
It seemed for the first 6-8 miles of the ride, we passed through traffic intersections about every quarter mile, which meant waiting at lights every five minutes or so. Only one or two of the intersections appeared to have shops nearby for buying water or energy bars, so it’s best to plan ahead. Four miles prior to the end, the pavement stopped and the path became a mixture of grass, gravel and clay. On the map, we seemed to be nearing Jordan Lake, and there were swampy areas on either side of the trail, but that was the extent of the water view. With the exception of the many intersections, it was basically tree-lined the entire length – which did make the temperature perfect on an otherwise steamy summer day.
We rewarded ourselves with a short drive to an excellent brewery in downtown Durham.

For such a short trail, this one is enjoyable. The trail is all concrete and has a few hills, especially going under the roadway. With a skate park and ball fields along one side and a creek along the other, this is a nice neighborhood trail. I visited the trail in mid February with temps in the low 50s, and the trail was well used. Park at the skate park.

This is a very decent trail. It would be very nice in the summer as it is mostly shaded and a good portion of it runs along the creek. As it is very close to downtown Durham, you will see many backyards and apartments along the way. It is relatively flat and is paved asphalt the whole way.