Battle Branch Trail

The Battle Branch Trail is a great place for a weekend nature walk. The trail is unpaved with lots of branches and rocks, making for a great place to train for trail running (I used it to train for Tough Mudder) but make sure to watch your step! I love taking my dogs here for a walk on weekends when I don’t have time to head out to somewhere a little longer and more challenging. Once you get started on the trail, there are a couple different paths you can take but there is a map to guide you along. I like the options because staying lower near the creek will give you a relatively flat walk whereas taking the higher path will give you some hills, depending on what you’re looking for. In the summer, when all the trees are nice and green, it’s easy to forget that you’re still in Chapel Hill and so close to home!

On Chapel Hill’s greenways site, I noticed that Bolin Creek links to Battle Branch (1.5mi one way), totaling a 6mi distance (out and back). So I headed out on Saturday to give it a try. What I didn’t realize is that, in converse to Bolin Creek, this trail is rugged, natural, and unpaved. That said, it’s beautiful! Nicely canopied, with lots of interesting terrain and stair steps built into the steeper climbs. In the winter, the trees are sparse, so neighboring houses were clearly visible on part of the path, though I didn’t think it detracted much from the nature-​y feel. There were a few families and lots of dogs (unleashed dogs!) on the trail, which made it crowded for crossing in certain areas. But I was mostly surprised by the number of other runners! With scattered leaves and twisty roots, it’s not my ideal; but there were some people really beasting out on it! Keep an eye out for the small white signage which indicates the pedestrian path. Not paying attention, I ventured off a few times accidentally and found myself on driveways, side roads, and dead ends!