Explore the best rated trails in Chapel Hill, NC. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Northeast Community Greenway and Bicentennial Greenway. With more than 73 trails covering 252 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Deep River Rail-Trail follows the abandoned rail bed of the Atlantic and Yadkin Railroad, which began operations in 1897 and shut down in 1980. A segment of the trail travels through...
The Spring Forest Trail parallels Triangle Town Boulevard from Sumner Boulevard for only 0.5 mile north. Use caution at the crossing on Old Wake Forest Road.
Walk, run or roll; the Nancy Branch Greenway invites you to go at your own pace. The trail is flat and paved, making it easy enough for even the youngest members of the family to enjoy. Sandwiched...
Along the eastern outskirts of Raleigh, the Neuse River Trail follows the river for nearly 30 miles from Falls Lake Dam to the Wake/Johnston County line. There are several river crossings along the...
Endor Iron Furnace Greenway runs along Big Buffalo Creek on the west side of Sanford, which sits about 40 miles southwest of Raleigh. The paved trail begins at Kiwanis Family Park, which offers a...
The Downtown Greenway is a paved multiuse trails winding through Greensboro, North Carolina. The trail is close to 1.5 miles long, beginning on Spring Garden Street, with a landscaped buffer between...
The East Fork Mine Trail is an multipurpose pathway in Raleigh, NC.The trail has an asphalt surface and provides a close-to-home jaunt into nature for the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods....
The West Ellerbee Creek Trail winds along the stream of the same name. Beginning on Albany Drive in the Watts-Hillandale area of Durham, the paved trail travels through 17-acre Preserve, a protected...
At just over 7 miles, the Black Creek Greenway is one of Cary’s longest and most popular trails. The paved pathway connects several parks, schools, and shopping and dining areas. On its southern...
The Hare Snipe Trail provides access to Lake Lynn; its northern terminus follows Hare Snipe Creek from Ray Road to Wooten Meadow Park. From here the trail makes a loop around Lake Lynn, with a...
The Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail in Cary is over a shared use pathway linking residents of the surrounding neighborhoods to the other trails in their town. So while the trail itself is just a...
The Fan Branch Trail is a pave hike and bike trail cutting through the Southern Village neighborhood of Chapel Hill. It's 10-feet wide and kicks off at the Southern Community Park, which features a...
The American Tobacco Trail extends uninterrupted from Durham more than 22 miles south through Chatham County to its southern terminus in Wake County. In 2014, a bridge for the trail over Interstate 40...
The Morgan Creek Trail is named after the nearby stream and is a well-used asphalt and boardwalk trail in the town of Chapel Hill. The trail gives residents a safe connection to Merritt's Pasture, an...
Bolin Creek Trail is a 3-mile out and back multipurpose trail in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The paved trail begins at Community Center Park and heads west, then ducks under the Franklin St. bridge....
Speight Branch Greenway offers a paved, shaded route through a residential area of Cary, which lies on the western edges of Raleigh. The trail begins at Southeast Cary Parkway and travels north along...
The Wakefield Trail follows the power line from Falls of Neuse Road south to Dunard Street, just under 1.5 miles. There is a slight jog in the trail where it meets Wakefield Plantation Drive. If...
The White Oak Creek Greenway runs through Cary, a city in North Carolina’s Triangle region that also includes Raleigh and Durham. On the west end the trail connects to the American Tobacco Trail, the...
The Riverwalk Greenway is a 2-mile trail in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The shared use trail begins at Gold Park and heads east, staying close to the river for most of its length, before concluding...
The trail starts on Green Level Church Road and then heads west past suburban homes, skirting the north side of Amberly Lake. You will cross Yates South Road via crosswalk, then continue south along...
This concrete trail travels the length of Lake Daniel Park, from Friendly Avenue to Mendenhall Street. The trail sits in the shadow of overhead power lines as it parallels North Buffalo Creek. The...
Indian Creek Greenway is a hike-and-bike asphalt pathway that sits in the swathe cut by Indian Creek through residential Morrisville. About a third of the trail parallels Town Hall Road as a dedicated...
Nick's Creek Trail provides a tranquil route through scenic woodlands. The 1-mile trail runs from Highway 22 south to the Forest Creek Trail, which leads to Reservoir Park, a popular recreational...
Annie Jones Greenway provides a natural escape in the middle of the city. The trail goes through woods, and past streams for a short, though serene journey. The trail begins on SW Cary Parkway and...
The Morgan Creek Trail is named after the nearby stream and is a well-used asphalt and boardwalk trail in the town of Chapel Hill. The trail gives residents a safe connection to Merritt's Pasture, an...
The Honeycutt Trail extends from Raven Ridge Road to Strickland Road in Raleigh, NC. The trail consists of two segments: between Raven Ridge Road and Durant Road, the trail is unpaved, though...
At just over 7 miles, the Black Creek Greenway is one of Cary’s longest and most popular trails. The paved pathway connects several parks, schools, and shopping and dining areas. On its southern...
Update: As of 2017, a segment of trail between Battleground Avenue and Wellspring Retirement Community has been closed due to the construction on I-73. The Bicentennial Greenway is a 14.5-mile...
The Yates Store Road Street-Side Trail in Cary is over a shared use pathway linking residents of the surrounding neighborhoods to the other trails in their town. So while the trail itself is just a...
The Walnut Creek Trails spans more than 19 miles on an east-west route through Raleigh. Only its western end, through Lake Johnson Park, is unpaved. The trail affords stunning views of Lake...
Hinshaw Greenway is a 1.7 mile north-south recreational trail in Cary, NC. The trail runs riparian forest, and acts as a conduit for children to travel safely between the play areas within MacDonald’s...
The Centennial Bikeway Connector is a shared-use path adjacent to Centennial Parkway in Raleigh. The trail, as its name suggests, links the North Carolina State University's Centennial campus to...
Sam's Branch Greenway is a short, but scenic trail in the town of Clayton, just south of Raleigh. At the Neuse River, it connects to the Clayton River Walk, which in turn connects to the Neuse River...
Greenhaven Greenway sits in the linear park of the same name. The trail mimics the course of Ryan Creek. It begins at Mystic Drive and parallels Lynhaven Drive south. After 500 feet, one branch loops...
Beaver Creek Greenway offers a pleasant, paved route in the community of Apex, a western suburb of Raleigh. Much of the trail is wooded and it connects two parks, Kelly Road Park and Jaycee Park. The...
Batchelor Branch Greenway is a short stretch of trail in northeast Cary. The trail is 0.8 miles long and 10 feet wide, accommodating uses ranging from walking and running, to biking, rollerblading,...
Hillsdale Greenway is just one in Greensboro's catalogue of greenway trails scattered in neighborhoods across the city. The concrete trail sits in Hillsdale Park, paralleling South Buffalo Creek....
The North-South Greenway is a complex of trails that link up to allow residents to cross the heart of the City of Durham without the need for a car. The South Ellerbee Creek picks up the southward...
The northernmost segment of Durham's North-South Greenway, Warren Creek Trail provides a serene hiking or biking experience and access to a neighborhood park. The trail extends between Horton Road...
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Endor Iron Furnace Greenway runs along Big Buffalo Creek on the west side of Sanford, which sits about 40 miles southwest of Raleigh. The paved trail begins at Kiwanis Family Park, which offers a...
A morning jog, an evening walk or a place to take off the training wheels, this short neighborhood path provides opportunities for that and more. Located in the Stanton Place neighborhood of Cary, the...
Sam's Branch Greenway is a short, but scenic trail in the town of Clayton, just south of Raleigh. At the Neuse River, it connects to the Clayton River Walk, which in turn connects to the Neuse River...
Trail users can always count on the Meadowmont Trail for a pleasant, scenic amble that takes you up grassy hills, through leafy woodlands and across stately neighborhoods with pretty gardens. The...
This concrete trail travels the length of Lake Daniel Park, from Friendly Avenue to Mendenhall Street. The trail sits in the shadow of overhead power lines as it parallels North Buffalo Creek. The...
The Eagle Spur Rail-Trail follows 2.2 miles of the former Durham-New Hill Railroad, from Stagecoach Road along New Hope Creek to Jordan Lake. When you're done exploring the Eagle Spur, cross over...
Rolling Road Greenway is one of Greensboro's collection of neighborhood-based pathways bringing residents close to the water bodies in their city; in this case, South Buffalo Creek. The concrete trail...
The Hare Snipe Trail provides access to Lake Lynn; its northern terminus follows Hare Snipe Creek from Ray Road to Wooten Meadow Park. From here the trail makes a loop around Lake Lynn, with a...
The North-South Greenway is a complex of trails that link up to allow residents to cross the heart of the City of Durham without the need for a car. The South Ellerbee Creek picks up the southward...
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The Buffalo Creek Greenway (also known as the Neuse Riverwalk) meanders along a wooded waterway through the heart of Smithfield in central North Carolina. It is one day hoped to become part of the...
At first glance, Swift Creek Greenway fits neatly into the mold of Cary's impressive network of pathways - it's a paved, bike-ped facility along a watercourse, which connects people to parks and out...
Bolin Creek Trail is a 3-mile out and back multipurpose trail in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The paved trail begins at Community Center Park and heads west, then ducks under the Franklin St. bridge....
The trail starts on Green Level Church Road and then heads west past suburban homes, skirting the north side of Amberly Lake. You will cross Yates South Road via crosswalk, then continue south along...
Latham Park Greenway sits nestled among the neighborhoods of Latham Park, Iriving Park and Fisher Park in Greensboro. A concrete trail runs the length of Latham Park, from North Elm Street south to...
Speight Branch Greenway offers a paved, shaded route through a residential area of Cary, which lies on the western edges of Raleigh. The trail begins at Southeast Cary Parkway and travels north along...
Walk, bike or roll around Symphony Lake via this 10-foot wide greenway. The trail rings around the lake, providing panoramic views of the tranquil water, disturbed only by its resident waterfowl. It...
The Southbridge Greenway is a charming neighborhood path in the neighborhood of the same name, on the west side of Cary, North Carolina. On any given day on the trail you will find parents pushing...
The Sandy Creek Trail cuts a leafy course through Sandy Creek Park, stretching between the park entrance and Pickett Road. It is asphalt-paved, relatively flat and suitable for a variety of uses,...
The Snelling Branch Trail is just under 1 mile and links Shelley Lake with Optimist Park. The Snelling Branch Trail, which runs east and west, joins Mine Creek Trail north of Shelley Lake. The...
The Fan Branch Trail is a pave hike and bike trail cutting through the Southern Village neighborhood of Chapel Hill. It's 10-feet wide and kicks off at the Southern Community Park, which features a...
Really great trail, we pulled the Burley on our bikes with our two year old. There are a couple play parks to stop at along the way, plus we ended up at the science center where there were paddle boats, playgrounds, lots of fun for kids. My app said I went about 12 miles, it was all fairly shaded and the lake was beautiful. Highly recommend for hiking with children.
This trail is beautiful and provides connection to multiple awesome trails that provide a more woodsy experience. Palmetto Trail is my personal favorite, but all are very nice! The trails off of this one provide varying challenge levels.
We had a great family bike ride: 4 adults and three kids, started at the Dunn end of the trail and rode to Erwin and back. The section in downtown Erwin is nicely incorporated into a block of downtown that included an excellent bakery. Great cookies to fuel the ride back to the car. Trail is pretty flat, long low grades. Surface is compacted gravel. There are some roads to cross so we had to keep close to the kids. Enjoy
I really got into biking a few months back and have already come to realize how fortunate I am to live less than ten minutes from this trail. It has become my go-to place for riding, as I usually hit it two or three mornings each week and then go for a longer ride on it once almost every weekend.
Thus far I have ridden about 20 of the northernmost miles of the trail; I park near the trailhead by Falls Lake and head south from there before turning around and heading back. One of the things I've really come to appreciate about this trail is that it has virtually no street crossings. The only one I've hit is at Anderson Point Park, and even there you only have to cross the entrance to a seldom-used parking area.
The Neuse River Greenway Trail is beautiful and features numerous scenic crossings back and forth across the river. It is well-maintained, clearly-marked (with mileage markers every quarter-mile) and offers many areas to stop and rest, including some with restroom facilities. It can get a little busy at certain points on the weekends, but users are generally friendly and courteous and I've never found it too crowded to ride at the pace I want.
An added benefit is that the trail offers connections to numerous other trails that are part of Raleigh's excellent and frequently-expanding greenway system, including the Walnut Creek, Crabtree Creek and Abbotts Creek Trail. Once I reach my goal of riding all 27.5 miles of it, I look forwarding the exploring these connected trails.
We just discovered this trail and had a very enjoyable morning riding our bicycles. Be careful with the entry though, there is a steep hill at the end of the access point and it’s hard to see because of the fence. Unfortunately I was not able to stop in time so I could walk my bicycle down and it was not a fun ride down. I’m pretty bruised up from it. We will definitely go again but walk our bicycles for the first bit from now on.
Great trail for new cyclists. Not intimidating and enough natural elements to get you use on the bike. Inclines to practice braking and getting use to riding at high speeds. I will be back.
I rode 30 miles on Neuse River Trail today. It’s a beautiful, scenic ride. I ride it frequently and it’s never crowded, but it’s always nice to pass walkers, other cyclists, runners and strollers.
My neighbor and I have ridden the entire WCT from Lake Johnson to the Neuse River Trail and back a dozen or more times. It’s fully paved and twists and turns along Walnut Creek. Much of it is shaded. We’ve found it to be less congested than the Neuse River and American Tobacco Trails. The trail is generally well maintained. The signage leaves a bit to be desired - but with almost everyone carrying a smartphone it’s easy to find your way if you take a wrong turn. One word of caution - stay away after a rainstorm! The trail has dozens of boardwalk sections that literally become slick as ice when damp. My neighbor and I (both seasoned cyclists) have each fallen on the wet boardwalks. It’s easy to see lots of scarring on the boardwalks, particularly on the curves - from pedals and chainrings making contact with the wood when someone crashed. I wish the city could apply anti-skid coatings of some kind - particularly where the decking is scarred. Also, after a major rain storm, the longer tunnels and several sections of the trail become covered in silt, in some places, 6 inches deep. It’s a bit nasty riding through a dark tunnel through 1 or more inches of slick, sucking mud. The city does a pretty good job clearing things up, but it may be several days or even weeks before they get to the whole trail. All things considered, it’s a pretty good trail. I will continue to ride it unless I seriously injure myself on the boardwalks.
As others have commented , this paved Greenaway is not smooth due to many humps and bumps from tree roots. Lots of cracks and difficult to tell when a crack is a bulge or just a crack. Nice Scenery, not too difficult, but if you go, Be Careful and go slow!
We ride this trail on our bikes weekly. It’s true the eastern portion is closed to bikes, but there is about 2.5 miles open for very nice biking. It’s best to start at Gold Park in West Hillsborough. This trail can be busy at times, but it is shaded most of the way with great views of the Eno River.
Last week fiance broke his wheel hitting a bump. The day i hit a bump broke my pedal near gibson park.
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