The American Tobacco Trail: New Hill-Olive Chapel Road to Wimberly Road Section

The American Tobacco Trail is a recreational trail that traverses through Wake, Chatham, and Durham counties for 22 miles. Because it is a former railroad corridor, the trail is wide with a fairly level grade, and each section of the trail – from one trailhead to the next – offers its own natural diversity. Along this section of the American Tobacco Trail (New Hill-Olive Chapel Road to Wimberly Road) the rise and fall of White Oak Creek, wildflowers, and changing leaves give the trail a different look at every visit. Much of the trail is lined with pines and a beautiful mix of hardwood trees that provide welcome shade until later in the afternoon.

 This section of the trail begins at mile marker 0 (within the Wake section mile markers) at the parking lot on New Hill-Olive Chapel Road in Wake County. From there it covers 3.5 miles to the Wimberly Road parking lot. The first section is a sandy, packed granular surface that is wonderfully void of rocks, roots, or other tripping hazards, and markers are posted every half mile to help you track your time and distance. This New Hill parking lot accommodates horse trailers, so it’s not unusual to encounter a horse and rider on this section of the trail, in addition to the more numerous runners, walkers, and bicyclists. Signs are posted at bridges and tunnel entrances to remind pedestrians and bikers to allow horses to cross bridges and exit the tunnel first.

This section of the trail also offers a variety of manmade enhancements that add to its safety and enjoyment for everyone. There are, for example, signs posted along the trail to aid in identifying poison ivy and local snakes. Signs also explain proper etiquette for yielding the right-of-way: bikers yield to pedestrians and both yield to horses. Also, a few signs provide friendly reminders to alert others when passing. A sign near one trailhead describes the impact of beavers on a particularly marshy area, several bluebird houses are fixtures along this part of the trail, and benches provide a place to sit and relax.

The trail route itself offers amazing variety for just 3.5 miles, spanning three sturdy bridges, passing under Highway 64 through a short tunnel, crossing three streets, and skirting the backyards of a few houses and one water treatment plant. The trail even parallels a driving range where you may hear the whack of a golf club on a ball as you pass. Wildlife is abundant along the trail in the woods on either side. You are almost guaranteed to see and hear birds and squirrels in the trees and undergrowth. Occasionally, you may spot a deer in the woods or even crossing the trail. Excellent trail maintenance prevents the trail itself from being overgrown with weeds or debris that might attract wildlife closer than you’d like.

On any given day on this or any other section of the American Tobacco Trail, you may see speedy cyclists, families with young kids gingerly trying out their training wheels, friends catching up on a leisurely stroll, dog walkers, serious and not-so-serious runners, horses and their riders ambling along, and anyone else just looking to get outside and move. The next time you’re thinking about a place to walk, run, or ride, consider the American Tobacco Trail – whether you go a few hundred yards or 22 miles, you’re sure to enjoy it!