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 77 trails covering 266 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 Mine Creek Trail consists of five distinct segments: Bent Creek (paved), Inman Connector (unpaved), Ironwood (paved), Lake Park (unpaved), Sawmill (unpaved) and Shelley Lake (paved). The segments...
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...
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...
Go by yourself, with a friend, or with man's best friend - just get out onto one of Cary's paved greenway trails. The Northwoods Greenway is a good option - it's just under a mile long, but it travels...
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...
Beginning at E. Martin Street, the Little Rock Trail heads south through Chavis Park, running parallel with Chavis Way. The park features rock outcroppings, swimming pool, baseball diamond, shelters...
The Simms Branch Trail boasts several areas of large loblolly pine and connects Falls River to Durant Park. Watch for wildlife, including plenty of deer and maybe some beaver. You'll find a small...
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...
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...
Shannon Hills Greenway is a concrete path along Ryan Creek in Greensboro, NC. The trail begins in Shannon Woods Park on Vandalia Road. Across Rehobeth Church Road, the trail enters Shannon Hills Park,...
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 Dunn-Erwin Rail-Trail traverses 5.3 miles of the Aberdeen and Rockfish (previously Durham & Southern Railway) corridor in Harnett County, North Carolina. It connects the downtown areas of Dunn and...
Green Hope School Greenway is a meandering collection of shared-use paths through Cary's Highcroft neighborhood. While the trail provides space for locals to get outside for fitness or fun, it also...
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...
Most of the short and sweet Baileywick Trail runs through Baileywick Park in the oakwood neighborhood of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina. The 50-acre park has two baseball diamonds, picnic shelters,...
The 2.2-mile, paved Louisburg Bike Trail runs from S. Main Street to Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC). At the Main St. end, you'll find the trail at Depot Street Hill, just south of the Tar...
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...
Sam's Branch Greenway is a short, but scenic trail in the town of Clayton, just south of Raleigh. The trail forms a paved ribbon through the woods along Sam Branch. The first phase was 1.25 miles...
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 Stadium Drive Trail is a component of Durham's North-South Greenway, a series of ped-bike trails crossing the city of Durham. The trail is an important connector; it links the Warren Creek Trail...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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,...
The Northeast Community Greenway is 1.2 miles of paved hiking and biking pathway. The trail is a safe place that Greensboro residents can get outside and into nature. On a given day, you will be in...
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...
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 Mine Creek Trail consists of five distinct segments: Bent Creek (paved), Inman Connector (unpaved), Ironwood (paved), Lake Park (unpaved), Sawmill (unpaved) and Shelley Lake (paved). The segments...
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...
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...
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 Creekside Park Trails—all paved and interconnected—span about 3 miles in Archdale and lead to residential areas and important points in the community. The mile-long Cedar Trail section of the...
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 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...
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 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...
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The nearly 12-mile paved Riverwalk Trail, also called the “Riverwalk on the Dan,” is part of Danville’s expanding network of trails. This scenic path-way along the Dan River connects industry,...
The short Libba Cotton Bikeway is built along an active rail spur right-of-way: the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. The bikeway connects Carrboro's central business district to just west of the UNC...
Beginning at E. Martin Street, the Little Rock Trail heads south through Chavis Park, running parallel with Chavis Way. The park features rock outcroppings, swimming pool, baseball diamond, shelters...
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...
The Third Fork Creek Trail offers a paved 3.5-mile route through southwestern Durham. The trail begins at Southern Boundaries Park and continues through a pleasantly wooded corridor to its end at...
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...
The Creekside Park Trails—all paved and interconnected—span about 3 miles in Archdale and lead to residential areas and important points in the community. The mile-long Cedar Trail section of 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...
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 Lower Booker Creek Trail is a paved neighborhood trail in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The neighborhood trail cuts through the woods around Booker Creek, providing a natural escape for neighbors...
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 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 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...
Sam's Branch Greenway is a short, but scenic trail in the town of Clayton, just south of Raleigh. The trail forms a paved ribbon through the woods along Sam Branch. The first phase was 1.25 miles...
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 House Creek Greenway Trail is a 2.8-mile-long paved trail that runs from Crabtree Valley Avenue near the intersection with Blue Ridge Road (near the McDonald's) until it meets the Reedy Creek...
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...
Opened in August, 2014, the Mingo Creek Trail connects the town of Knightdale from Mingo Creek Park to the Neuse River Trail, just north of Anderson Point Park in Raleigh. Along its 3.4-mile paved...
The Mine Creek Trail consists of five distinct segments: Bent Creek (paved), Inman Connector (unpaved), Ironwood (paved), Lake Park (unpaved), Sawmill (unpaved) and Shelley Lake (paved). The segments...
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...
It’s a very nice family friendly trail. If you’re walking with kids just remember however far you walk out is how far you have to walk back. There are a lot of shady spots to stop and take a break. Very safe feeling trail.
I really enjoyed this hike. I started at Honeycutt Park on the paved portion. Went north to the end. If you want to go farther, cross the road and there is another trail to the left. Saw three deer, tons of squirrels, and some fish in the creek. Some short steep hills and bridges across the creeks. Part of the trail is in a hunting zone, so wear orange in hunting season.
The bumps are being worked on. Thankfully we chose to use our gravel bikes. Beautiful waterside sectionsDon't skip the National Military Park.
Reedy creek is not a part of this trail so don’t expect a water feature. I suppose it serves as a link from town to Umstead park. Traveling from the park I lost the trail completely at the art museum. No signage and this is a problem with other trails in the area, especially with long stretches along roads on the sidewalk. You better have your trail link app up and running to navigate. I did and I still lost the trail
This is a perfectly fine connector, but there's no real reason to ride it unless you want to ride to somewhere it connects to - either one of the small number of neighborhoods it connects to, or riding to a hockey or football game. And I'm not sure if the latter have bike parking, although as close as this trail goes to the stadiums, it would make sense if they did.
I rode the entire trail today, starting from the Stephen Stroud Way parking area. Although there are technically other options to connect than Stephen Stroud Way, it's quite low-traffic when events aren't going on, and I'd recommend that option. You can also take that road the other way to get to the stadiums, and there's a short connector for that purpose a bit to the north of the trail parking area.
Once you're on the trail, going south, it connects up to a Wendy's, a gas station, and some residential areas, and the Raleigh School, which appears to be a preschool. It ends at Chapel Hill Road. Like most roads in the area, there is greenery to the sides of Edwards Mill Road most of the way. It still kind of feels like a trail to nowhere, though.
Going north, you'll cross past Wade Avenue (pretty okay, really), and then up a steep hill to Reedy Creek Road, with a fair amount of traffic to keep you company, and less greenery than the southern section. Then it connects to the Reedy Creek Trail.
Condition-wise, the trail is good, so if it's extended or made a bit more scenic with greenery or public art, it could eventually become a 4-star trail.
Currently, however, the only reason to try it if you don't live along it is to see NC State's stadium and PNC Arena, or go to a game there. It's good for that. Or if you're really craving Wendy's.
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.
Paved shady trail with several long boardwalks over wet areas. Highlight includes area with turtles year-round. Cut-offs to several residential neighborhoods if want a longer ride.
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.
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