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.

Map: www.townofchapelhill.org (click on Departments/Parks & Recreation).

4. American Tobacco Trail (Durham)

Length: 7.7 miles (from N.C. 54 north to downtown Durham)

How popular is this stretch of greenway? So popular that the City Council had to change its dawn-to-dusk curfew (common to most greenways) to accommodate the vast number of bike commuters who use the ATT through Durham. For the last two years, the trail has been open until 10 p.m., and stories abound about headlamp-equipped riders dodging nocturnal critters on the trail. It's a nice trail during daylight, too, especially the stretch coming into downtown: The abandoned railbed takes you through a dense forest covered in kudzu that insulates you from the bustle beyond. Then, suddenly, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and downtown Durham appear before you. Just like entering the Emerald City.

The future: To the north, the ATT hooks into a downtown trail system that eventually will connect with planned trails up to the Eno River. To the south, a long-awaited bridge spanning I-40 will connect this stretch of the ATT with the remainder of the rails-to-trails project, 22 miles in all.

Trailhead: To the north, park under the Durham Freeway at Blackwell Street and Morehead Avenue; to the south, park in the Southpoint Crossing Shopping Center at Fayetteville Road and N.C. 54, and pick up the greenway just beyond the Blockbuster.

Map: www.durham-nc.com/pdf/trailheads_map.pdf.

5. Beaver Creek Greenway, Apex

Length: 3 miles.

Beaver Creek is the 12th man of our five favorites. It's here not so much because of what it is now but for what it aspires to be. It represents how some of the Triangle's smaller geopolitical players are making the most of their greenway resources. Today, Beaver Creek is essentially a neighborhood greenway, running through the backyards of the Pearson Farms, Dogwood Ridge, Scotts Mill and Cameron Park developments. Soon -- construction is under way -- it will extend west to Kelly Road Park and east to Jaycee Park (and by sidewalk to downtown Apex). Eventually, Parks & Rec director John Brown says, the plan is to connect the Beaver Creek Greenway to the American Tobacco Trail, making it possible to have a burger at the Peak City Grill & Bar on Salem Street, then ride your bike to a Durham Bulls game.

Trailheads: Patterson Grove Road at Olive Chapel Road.

Map: online, at www.apexnc.org (click on Park Facilities/Greenways). Also available at the Apex Community Center, 53 Hunter St.