Go Walk

Ten Miler Coming Up – Take a Look at the Fun!

https://capstoneraces.com/tar-heel-10-miler/traffic/

October 7 is Walk to School (practice) Day with your Family!  Here Are Great Ideas To Enjoy Walk to School Day 2020 – The Practice

1- GET OUT THERE: Get out for a walk (or bike ride) with your family! Can you take a trip around your neighborhood? Or take a walk to hunt for chalk art or signs created by others near you? Share a photo of your family or a location on your route with the tag #GoChapelHill.

2- SHARE: Do you have safety concerns with walking or biking around your neighborhood? Send information to goch@townofchapelhill.org

3- TALK: Hold a five-minute interview with family members about their experience walking or biking. Tag with #GoChapelHill and send to goch@townofchapelhill.org .  Look into online resources and biking and walking activities encouraged by your state or community transportation departments and advocacy groups

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Maps

Chapel Hill Bike Facilities and Greenways

UNC Campus Map

Carolina North Trails Map

Carrboro Bike-Ways Map

Orange County Parks and Trails Map

Saturday, June 6, 2020 is National Trails Day

Since 1993, National Trails Day has recognized the benefits that local greenways and trails provide for recreation, while promoting the wide variety of services trail systems offer. Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation traditionally celebrates National Trails Day on the first Saturday in June with a trail walk and tour of one of our greenways.

This year we have developed a Virtual Trail Walk Challenge called #CHTrailsChallenge that highlights our 9+ mile paved greenway system, an interconnected system of bike and pedestrian corridors to many of our community parks, neighborhoods, retail and educational centers.  Our greenways provide recreational benefits as well as a number of public art experiences created by Triangle-based artists.

Will you accept our challenge to go the distance? We challenge you to walk, run or ride all 9+ miles of Chapel Hill’s paved greenways from June 5 through June 12, 2020. Those who complete the challenge will be entered in a drawing to win one of five prize packs valued at $100 each. While you’re enjoying the greenways, be sure to snap a photo of yourself appreciating one of our many public art experiences and post your photo to social media using #CHTrailsChallenge.

Completing the #CHTrailsChallenge includes logging your progress as you traverse in full the following greenways. Five winners will be drawn randomly from those that complete their challenge entries. To complete your entries for each greenway below, and to read more about the public art experiences, go to National Trails Day Virtual Challenge

  • Fan Branch and Morgan Creek Trail connector is 2.5 miles long to Merritt Pasture, accessible from two large parking lots at Southern Community Parks and Culbreth Middle School.
  • Bolin Creek and Tanyard Branch Trail connector is 1.9 miles, accessible from Umstead Park as well as a trailhead off Caldwell Street adjacent to the Northside Elementary School.
  • Meadowmont’s greenway, a 10-foot wide paved is 2.8 miles and starts at Rashkis Elementary School and ends at the western side of NC 54.
  • Lower Booker Creek Trail has a 10-foot wide 1.2 mile section that connects adjacent neighborhoods to the Eastgate Shopping Center.

Check out this Promotional Video introducing the challenge!  You can find more information about greenways and trails here.

While you seek to enjoy the outdoors, it is important that you are conscious of your personal space and respect the space of others. Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation staff posted signs along the greenways to remind residents of the six feet minimum spacing to keep distance from others.

Morgan Creek Open Again – March 25th!

Our contractor has finished work to repair a safety issue on the section of the Morgan Creek Trail just west of Merritt’s Pasture. The completion of the work means that there is now access to the entire trail and Merritt’s Pasture.

Walking Chapel Hill

Before you get in your car to make that quick trip to the store or to the bank, consider taking a walk.  Chapel Hill is dedicated to promoting health and sustainability and is making improvements to the sidewalk system and other pedestrian infrastructure.

Walking Health Benefits

Walking is beneficial to your health.  Below are 5 health benefits of walking for your next errand instead of driving.

  1. Reduces risk of heart attack
  2. Helps manage blood pressure
  3. Reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  4. Helps manage weight
  5. Helps manage stress

Walking for short trips is also another easy way to reduce the number of cars on our streets and the pollutants that accompany them.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Involvement

Chapel Hill’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, adopted by the Town Council in 2004, guides the creation of a network of greenways and sidewalks that connect employment centers, commercial districts, transit stops, institutions, and recreational destinations.  Follow the links below for more information about the plan and how to be a part of the town’s efforts to improve our pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

Chapel Hill also has a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board that you can be a part of.

The Chapel Hill Pedestrian Facilities Map–Please click the image for a larger version.