American Tobacco Trail

I've lived by the Tobacco Trail for the past 4 years and it's one of my favorite things about Durham. When I worked in downtown Durham, I used the trail to commute to and from work. It's also great on the weekends for running or getting some exercise.

It used to be a railroad so there's no more than a 10-20 degree incline (which is awesome for biking since there are so many hills in the area). Also, it's completely paved from downtown to Southpoint and it's all asphalt (not concrete) which is great for running/walking. It's also nicely shaded for most parts.

There are some things worth noting though. It does go through some sketchy neighborhoods but as long as you're not traveling on it during the daytime though, I think it's fine.

Also, they're building a bridge over I-40 to connect the northern part of the trail to the southern part of the trail. It was supposed to be done already but they've delayed the grand opening until late 2013/early 2014.

If you're in Durham though, I highly recommend checking out this landmark!

OK. This trail saved my literal life, lol.

I was staying at a nearby hotel and experiencing 12h work days with my team. We love to see it, the hustle, the grind, the capitalism on a j-curve. However, the hotel gym was covered in glass where anyone could see me jiggling and perishing and I do my best jogging outside. I asked my local coworker for a running recommendation and he suggested this trail, saying basically I wouldn't be alone, for better or worse, there are always people on this trail. I needed to be AWAY from work, to clear my head, to improve my mental health and as a bonus, get a little cardio in for my heart.

It starts conveniently near the stadium and idk how far it goes because I only did 3mi (1.5mi out and back). I'm somewhat of a nervous, anxious person and I worried mainly about getting stabbed (Portland, OR represent!), being preyed on by wildlife (some of the this-used-to-be-an-old-railroad slices thru the hills made me think of trails where I grew up that had cougars occasionally spotted with the seldom bear).

But this trail was so beautiful! The leaves were orangey, there were so many people walking well-behaved dogs and I never felt lonely or at risk. I ran with both headphones in around 7am at a brisk 28 degrees and found the trail wholly lovely. Something I noticed that I loved (and normally don't see, especially in my regular neighborhood route) was the distance marking every .25 mi. It was really nice to know I didn't have to keep looking at my watch to see my distance, I always knew within a 1/4 mi how far out I was from the start.

Anyone visiting Durham would enjoy this I think, for walking or jogging, unless you're really looking for something more isolated. If I find myself in Durham again, I'd absolutely do my jogging here, unless it was humid because I live in the PNW and the humidity does not suit my temperament.

At first, I thought the trail would be inundated with tobacco products but learned that it was just the name. The trail goes on forever! We walked for two hours. The scenery was nice and trail was super safe during the day. Highly recommend this trail! There's a lot of trees, bushes, plants, flowers. Some people bike, walk, skateboard, or rollerblade.

After riding the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville, SC, the Little Sugar Trail in Charlotte, NC and the Neuse River Greenway Trail in Raleigh, NC, the American Tobacco Trail was a bit of a let down. I biked from Fayetteville Road to Downtown Durham, and I was disappointed with the trails upkeep, how poorly it was marked, how often it crossed streets, how often the crossings were rather precarious, and the trail just had a less pleasant vibe than others. The people on the path were all quite friendly, and there were several very pleasant sections, but overall I felt it could have been better.

I would never take children to bike on the section I rode because of the number of places you had to cross streets. And what was most shocking was that at the end of the trail, the American Tobacco Campus, we were unable to find bike racks.

I love walking on the American Tobacco Trail and there are plenty of entrance points along this 20+ mile stretch. I have also biked on the trail and on some parts near Apex you will see horses. I have parked at the White Oak entrance in Apex and most recently in Durham in Fayetteville Street. I have always wondered where the bridge that crosses 40 goes and just found the entrance near the intersection of 54 and Fayetteville Street. The path is paved and bikers and runners did a good job of announcing "on your left". You pass residential parts and there are a few cross walks where you need to press the light to alert the drivers. All in all, it was a great walk on a pretty fall day and easy to park and navigate.

If you're looking for a nice trail this is it! It's paved...you can walk, run, ride your bike, or skate on it! The trail is pretty long but you can get off and enjoy the restaurants and other stores along the trail. It's perfect to bring the kiddos or walk your dog!

Not the heart of the Triangle, but definitely a major artery., providing easy access to nature, enjoyable exercise, and now convenient transport.

I currently exercise on the trail more than once a week and previously commuted to work via the ATT. It's enjoyable at any speed and any mode of transport.

Be sure to consider/research amenities and restaurants just off the trails, a concept that I hope spreads.

We finally checked out the American Tobacco Trail, one of the places in Durham with paved bikeable trails! After reading other Yelp reviews on safer vs. sketchier stretches of the trail, we decided to start out on Saturday morning at the parking lot near Southpoint Mall, off of Fayetteville road. The parking lot there can hold about 10-20 cars or so; we were able to find a space easily. From there we biked south 6 miles and then 6 miles back to the parking lot.

The trail is well-marked although at a few parts of the beginning that wrap around Kroger and the shopping center we had to kind of guess where the trail continued. I like that the trail has varied scenery and a few benches or areas to rest along the way too! It crosses the main road only twice or so where you have to keep an eye out for cars. Otherwise it's a separate paved 2-laned trail.

Since it's still a bit cold outside there weren't too many people out on the trail, but we did run into a lot of running groups, joggers, and bicyclists. I can see how the trail might get a little congested when it gets warmer. The terrain is mostly flat with a few hilly areas, and the part near Southpoint even has a few lamps.

A helpful map of the trail: http://www.triangletrails.org/pdfs/ATT_map_page1-2015.pdf
http://www.triangletrails.org/pdfs/ATT_map_page2-edited.pdf

We'll be back on a longer bike ride next time!

The American Tobacco Trial is a great walking, running, and biking spot in the Triangle Area. The pavement is kept in very good condition with no pot holes or rough spots whatsoever. It is clearly marked with lanes so you don't have to worry about people clogging the middle of the trail. It runs right beside our house so we take our dogs on runs and walk almost every week and they love it. They also love being able to be social with other dogs. The only problem is that some people can be rude and stuck up on the trail if they think you are doing something wrong or if they think you don't belong there.

NOTE: The previously free parking under the Durham Freeway adjacent to the trailhead has apparently been closed. You will now have to pay for parking on the street (2 hours max) or at the American Tobacco Campus South Lot, $11.25 for the whole day. Weekends may be cheaper or free.

I have biked this trail end-to-end and back a couple of times. It is a nice trail, paved for about the northern 2/3ds or so. There are multiple road crossing in Durham as to be expected. As others have noticed, the Durham section seems a little sketchy, but if you are used to big cities, it is no big deal. It is well marked, although the area around where it crosses I-40, and around the mall near there it goes along the road and between some apartments and a strip mall. This is where the rail bed was obliterated when I-40 was built. The southern end is more rural, for now, although large residential developments are being built all along this section of the trail, except the gamelands and close to Jordan Lake. Not a destination ride, but one of the few multi use paths in NC over 20 miles long.

As far as running trails in Durham, American Tobacco Trail is by far my favorite. Mostly paved and with no sharp hills since it used to be a railroad track. The trail runs through all Durham's "major attractions" (Southpoint to Downtown and beyond). I usually jump on the trail between Cornwallis and MLK and run left or right. I love that the trail is mostly shaded, paved and has no major hills (on some days I just can't do hills, I'm not an expert runner yet people!) I usually see a lot of people biking the trail, especially during prime "get to work" and "get out of work" hours. There are flashing yellow lights that you can hit to let pedestrians cross busy roads and crosswalks over all busy roads as well where the trail cuts through. Depending on where you hit the trail, you may have to cross over roadways every 1-1.5 miles, but again, all dependent on where you pick it up.

Along my run, there are several "branch offs" of the trail as well. For example, I have a real hesitation to run past Fayetteville Street when I'm alone, believe me when you see it you'll know why. It just gives me severe warning signs and memories from last years "incidents". But then I'm left in a dilemma as to where to go next. Luckily, ATT has an offshoot on Riddle Road that leads all the way into RTP and offers a seemingly safer path. If you live in Durham, you'll have heard some horror stories about runners getting mugged on the ATT. I NEVER run the trail at night or dusk because of this (plus the trail technically closes at sunset). However, I often run the trail by myself during the day, just keep your wits about you, I always carry my phone. Also, I have seen police patrolling the trail in golf carts, usually heading towards the Fayetteville intersection (glad to know that my instincts aren't skewed) and I've heard since the attacks last summer security has gotten tighter. The only other downside of the trail are lack of water stops and bathrooms. While there are a handful scattered around the trail, make sure you take necessary precautions before your run. And just get out there and DO IT! ATT is a great trail for beginners and intermediate training alike and the mile markers every .25 miles are always kept fresh!

NOTE: If you don't live close to or on the ATT, the best place to start is at the beginning. Begins right downtown underneath the highway, across from the Bulls stadium. Park in the parking deck at American Tobacco Campus! Also, if you have a YMCA membership, you can shower up and change at the YMCA too!