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Buffalo Creek Greenway

4.8 ★★★★★ 21 Google reviews · Running trail in Smithfield, North Carolina · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Mixed
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Buffalo Creek Greenway's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

MixedStroller / ADATrailhead parking

What runners say about Buffalo Creek Greenway

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (21 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏃 great for running 3 mentions

“Great place to go for walks, great place to take the kids to play, great place to jog within confines of an area.”

The walking path is of satisfactory quality, blacktop deserving a four-star rating. However, it would benefit from the installation of benches at regular intervals, approximately every half mile. Google Maps depicts the entire greenway as the Smithfield Neuse Riverwalk.

★★★★☆ — Drone , Dec 2024

Great place to go for walks, great place to take the kids to play, great place to jog within confines of an area. Usually pretty quiet and laid back.

★★★★☆ — Brenda , Jan 2024

A great paved walking, running, biking trail in the middle of Smithfield!! We visited it for the first time and honestly weren’t exactly sure where to go!! The “entrance” we chose was parking near the soccer fields and the workout equipment and following the sidewalk into the woods.

★★★★★ — Abbey , Jun 2026

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 21 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🅿️ Trailhead parking 4 mentions

“The “entrance” we chose was parking near the soccer fields and the workout equipment and following the sidewalk into the woods.”

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🛣️ Paved surface 2 mentions

“A great paved walking, running, biking trail in the middle of Smithfield!”

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🪵 Boardwalk

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Stroller / ADA accessible

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Plan your run at Buffalo Creek Greenway

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
  • Websitesmithfield-nc.com
  • Phone+1 919-934-2148
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday 8 am–5 pm
Tuesday 8 am–5 pm
Wednesday 8 am–5 pm
Thursday 8 am–5 pm
Friday 8 am–5 pm
Saturday 8 am–5 pm
Sunday 8 am–5 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Buffalo Creek Greenway

650 Booker Dairy Rd, Smithfield, NC 27577

Get directions

Running trails near Smithfield

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Smithfield Town Commons Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 233 reviews

Smithfield, NC

PavedScenic

1.6 miles away

East Clayton Community Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 841 reviews

Clayton, NC

PavedShadedDog-friendly

Scenic dog-friendly park with a baseball field, a disc-golf course and multiple soccer goals.

9.1 miles away

Archer Lodge Town Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 34 reviews

Clayton, NC

LoopPavedShaded

10.8 miles away

Sam's Branch Greenway

4.7 ★★★★★ 121 reviews

Clayton, NC

PavedShadedScenic

Shaded and paved trail for biking and walking.

11.3 miles away

Clayton River Walk on the Neuse Greenway

4.7 ★★★★★ 195 reviews

Clayton, NC

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Waterfront park, paved and gravel paths popular with cyclists and dog walkers, plus birdwatching.

11.8 miles away

Municipal Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 523 reviews

Clayton, NC

LoopShadedLit

Bustling, community park offering athletic fields & courts, a fenced-in playground & picnic space.

11.9 miles away

All running trails in Smithfield, NC →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.