Length: 2.9 miles (6 overall)

Here's a new greenway that's quickly making lots of people's list of favorites. "We have received more calls on that stretch of trail," says Cary parks planner Joe Godfrey. "People are raving about it. They love the boardwalks." Those would be the two boardwalks totaling 1,700 feet on the 2.9-mile stretch of White Oak Creek Greenway from Davis Drive west along its namesake creek to Green Level Church Road. Also worthy of the love is the pastoral setting of this stretch, cutting a particularly wide swath through a field of knee-high grass. Take advantage of its quiet, bucolic charm now, Godfrey advises: I-540 is scheduled to cut through here in the not-too-distant future.

The future: Eventually, the White Oak Creek greenway will extend west to the American Tobacco Trail and east to Bond Park, where it will connect with the Black Creek Greenway, which connects with Lake Crabtree, which connects with Umstead State Park, which connects with the N.C. Museum of Art Trail, which connects with the greenway at Meredith College -- where it ends. For now.

Trailheads: Minimal roadside parking off Green Level Church Road just south of Green Level West Road and at Davis Drive Park south of Waldo Rood Boulevard.

Map: Recently revised (2008) map available; call 469-4082; online, www.townofcary.org.

2. Middle Crabtree Creek Greenway, Raleigh

Length: 2.1 miles

"Middle Crabtree Creek has been open for a couple years," says Raleigh greenway planner Vic Lebsock, "but a lot of people don't know about it yet." That may be wishful thinking on Lebsock's part. In fact, a lot of people do know about this stretch of greenway -- part of the 11-mile greenway that runs along Crabtree Creek from Milburnie Road almost to Duraleigh Road -- because a chunk of it (a 200-yard stretch of elevated boardwalk near Capital Boulevard) has been out of commission since August. But the greenway went back into service last week, and now strollers and bikers can travel from Kiwanis Park on Noble Road downstream through forest (ignore the industrial eyesore between Wake Forest Road and Atlantic Avenue) and a sizable urban wetland -- penetrated by boardwalk -- that's a favorite with Triangle birders.

The future: Within the next few years, Lebsock expects the greenway along Crabtree to link with the Neuse River to the southeast and Umstead State Park to the northwest.

Trailheads: Kiwanis Park at Noble Road (just off Wake Forest Road) on the northwest, Crabtree Boulevard at Raleigh Boulevard to the southeast.

Map: 890-4330.

3. Bolin Creek Greenway, Chapel Hill

Length: 1.5 miles.

Maybe it's because it's in pedestrian-happy Chapel Hill. Maybe it's because it finds peaceful escape in an extremely narrow -- but lushly sylvan -- corridor. Whatever the reason, this may be the most diversely utilized stretch of greenway in the Triangle. Walk its length at any time during daylight and you'll likely see students toting backpacks, parents pushing (or running behind) strollers, cyclists getting some miles in, inline skaters and a host of other users. Says Chapel Hill Parks & Rec's Bill Webster, "Bolin Creek is without a doubt the most popular greenway we have." Be sure to check out the unique plant identification stations -- painted on the sides of concrete sewer accesses.

The future: Expect a half-mile extension of the greenway from Airport Road, its current terminus, west to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Trailhead: Chapel Hill Community Center, Estes Drive at Franklin Street.

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