Carolina North Forest

UNC’s Carolina North Forest offers a tranquil reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the two towns it is sandwiched between, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The Forest itself is a bit less crowded than are some other local hiking or biking spots, and it offers a respectable amount of both double and single track trails (some sites note that you could mountain bike 20 miles within the trail system here). Regardless of the exact amount of mileage that this forest boasts, the trails are largely technical in nature with roots, rocks, drop offs, etc. So whether you are running, hiking, or riding your bike, you had better be paying attention! (and watch out when your weary feet aren’t clearing roots like they were at the beginning of your run or hike)
The trails are largely well maintained, but are clearly subject to erosion from heavy rain falls and the like. Though the trails are also relatively well marked, there are a ton of different routes and loops offered so it’s probably best to print out and bring a trail map when you visit.
The inaugural «Race to Sustainability 6k» trail run was recently held at this site, and the forest provided a perfect venue for a trail run. Hopefully, this event shall become a yearly tradition. Regardless, I know I’ll be looking to visit Carolina North more regularly!