Historic rail-trail and multi-use greenway

American Tobacco Trail

New Hill-Olive Chapel trailhead is about 4.2 miles straight-line north of the museum; use a separate drive and do not walk active or preserved track

The American Tobacco Trail turns the former New Hope Valley and Durham & South Carolina corridor into a 22-mile public route from rural New Hill to downtown Durham.

The place

About American Tobacco Trail

The American Tobacco Trail is a 22-mile public rail-trail across Wake, Chatham, and Durham counties. Its southern Wake County trailhead at New Hill-Olive Chapel Road is the most relevant extension of a North Carolina Railway Museum day. The trail is independent of the museum, and travelers must drive between the two legal public entrances rather than following preserved or active track.

The railroad relationship is unusually direct. The corridor began as the New Hope Valley Railroad concept and became the Durham & South Carolina route serving tobacco agriculture and Durham industry. The Army Corps of Engineers relocated the railroad to higher ground before Jordan Lake filled. The surviving bypass became today's preserved New Hope Valley Railway; much of the abandoned former corridor became the trail.

Wake County manages 6.5 miles of crushed-granite-screening trail, while Cary maintains the 4.7-mile Chatham section with a paved and granite-screened dual surface. Wake County describes its surface as wheelchair-accessible, and the New Hill and White Oak trailheads have accessible parking and ADA-compliant waterless restrooms. That does not make every mile, bridge, grade, or weather condition accessible to every visitor.

The current Wake page carries a postponed-closure alert for a planned Wimberly-to-White Oak construction closure. Because the dates are explicitly subject to change, travelers should recheck the alert on the day they choose a segment. Trail users also share the corridor with cyclists, walkers, dogs, runners, and horses, and portions adjoin Jordan Lake Game Lands during hunting season.

What stands out

Follow the former railroad north

The southern trail preserves the old corridor while the museum operates on the higher relocation built around the Jordan Lake project.

Choose a Wake or Chatham surface

The Wake screening and Chatham dual-surface sections support different distances and users; choose the trailhead and turnaround before starting.

Read the landscape

Bridges, cuts, grades, tobacco history, wetlands, and traces of the former right-of-way extend the train ride without claiming a rail connection.

Plan access honestly

Accessible lots and published surfaces help, but weather, distance, bridges, gates, horses, and construction still require an individual plan.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a North Carolina Railway Museum trip

Ranked first for railroad continuity. The New Hill-Olive Chapel trailhead is about 4.2 miles straight-line north of the museum and the official driving instructions say the route crosses New Hope Valley Railway tracks before reaching the lot. Pair the trail before a later ride or after a morning departure only when daylight, weather, gate time, and the chosen rider's endurance allow. Never use the rail line as a walking connection.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • Grounds hoursWake County publishes 8 a.m. to 30 minutes before sunset, seven days a week; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
  • Closest relevant trailheadUse New Hill-Olive Chapel at 1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road. Its gate follows posted hours; no overnight parking or roadside overflow is allowed.
  • SurfaceWake County uses crushed granite screenings and calls the section wheelchair-accessible. Chatham County uses paved and screened parallel/dual surfaces in places.
  • Accessible facilitiesNew Hill and White Oak publish accessible parking and ADA-compliant waterless restrooms. Benches are within 400 yards of each Wake trailhead and then at intervals.
  • Water and restroomsNew Hill has a waterless restroom but no drinking water. Bring water. Wimberly has drinking water and a portable toilet; facilities can change.
  • Current alertA planned Wimberly-to-White Oak closure was postponed, with revised dates not yet published. Recheck the live page before choosing that section.
  • Shared useBicyclists yield to all users and pedestrians yield to horses. Keep pets on a six-foot leash and use care on bridges and around equestrians.
  • Game landsSome Wake/Chatham sections adjoin Jordan Lake Game Lands. Check seasons, stay on the trail, and consider visible clothing.
  • Train connectionThis is a separate drive from the museum. Do not enter railroad property, walk track, or treat a trail ticketless visit as part of the excursion.

Continue the corridor story

Add North Carolina Railway Museum

Compare the trail's former valley alignment with the preserved railway's higher bypass, using separate public entrances and a separate drive.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

Is the American Tobacco Trail part of the museum?

No. Wake, Chatham, and Durham public agencies manage the trail. It shares railroad history with New Hope Valley Railway but has separate entrances, rules, hours, and liability.

Which trailhead best fits a train day?

New Hill-Olive Chapel is the southern trailhead and strongest history connection. It is at 1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road, a separate drive north of the museum.

What are the trail hours?

Wake County publishes 8 a.m. to 30 minutes before sunset, with closures on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Is the Wake County trail wheelchair-accessible?

Wake County calls the crushed-granite surface wheelchair-accessible and publishes accessible lots/restrooms at New Hill and White Oak. Assess the actual distance, weather, grades, and rider.

Are there restrooms and water at New Hill?

New Hill has an ADA-compliant waterless restroom and no drinking water. Bring water. Restroom unlocking and locking follow the posted trailhead day.

Is a section currently closed?

The page says a planned Wimberly-to-White Oak closure was postponed and revised dates will be shared. Check the live alert before travel rather than relying on the earlier date range.

Can I walk from the museum on the railway?

No. Use public roads and the designated trailhead. Never walk the preserved railway, cross railroad property, or assume excursion track is a trail connection.

Who else uses the trail?

Walkers, runners, cyclists, dog walkers, wheelchair users, and equestrians share Wake County's section. Follow yield rules and use extra care around horses and on bridges.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-15. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.