Verified July 2026 by Nina, a Raleigh mom.
The best family sections of the American Tobacco Trail are the paved, stroller-friendly northern stretches in Durham, particularly the Solite Park trailhead with its playground and restrooms. Confident riders seeking a quieter, rural experience can access the packed crushed-gravel southern end via trailheads in Chatham and Wake counties near Apex.
The American Tobacco Trail, which everyone around here just calls the ATT, is the trail I send friends to when their kid is finally off training wheels and ready for a real ride. It is a flat, wide rail-trail built on an old railroad bed that runs roughly 22 miles from downtown Durham, near the Durham Bulls ballpark, south through Durham, Chatham, and Wake counties. The thing that makes it work for families is the surface: about the first 16 or so miles are paved and smooth, which is what you want when you have a wobbly five-year-old or a jogging stroller. I will tell you honestly which parts to do with little kids, which trailhead actually has a playground and real bathrooms, and the stuff I wish someone had told me the first time.
The quick version
The ATT is one long trail, not a loop, so you ride out and turn around. Plan your distance as half-out, half-back.
The Durham end is paved and the most stroller and beginner friendly. The far southern end (Chatham and Wake counties) turns to packed crushed gravel.
It is free. No entry fee, no parking fee at the trailheads I know of (confirm if a specific lot has changed).
Dogs are welcome on a leash. Wake County's section specifies a 6-foot leash and asks you to clean up.
Mile markers run along the trail roughly every quarter mile, which is genuinely handy for telling kids "just two more markers to the snack."Best sections for families
You do not need to ride the whole thing. Most families do an out-and-back of 2 to 6 miles total and call it a great morning. Here is where to actually start.
The Durham end, near the Durham Bulls
This is the paved, urban introduction to the trail and where I'd start a first-timer.
Best for: beginner riders, scooters, and strollers. Flat and smooth.
Where it starts: the northern end of the trail is in downtown Durham near the corner of Morehead Avenue and Blackwell Street, across Morehead from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Parking: there is trail parking under the East-West Expressway off Morehead Avenue. Downtown Durham parking can be busy on event days, especially when the Bulls are playing, so go in the morning if you can.
Surface: fully paved here.
Mom tip: this section connects you to downtown food. We like grabbing breakfast or coffee before a ride so nobody melts down at mile one.
When to go: weekday mornings or early weekend. It gets crowded on pretty Saturdays.Solite Park, the family sweet spot
If I could only send you to one trailhead with young kids, it would be this one, because of the playground.
Best for: families with little ones who will want a break and a swing.
Address: 4704 Fayetteville Road, Durham.
What's here: parking, restrooms, a picnic shelter, and a playground, all right at the trail. That combination is rare and it is exactly what makes a trip with toddlers doable.
Surface: paved through this stretch.
Distance note: Solite sits a few miles south of the downtown Durham start, so you can also park here and ride a flat, easy out-and-back without dealing with downtown.
Mom tip: start at the playground, ride out as far as the kids have steam, then end back at the playground as the reward. Works every time.The I-40 pedestrian bridge
This is a genuine highlight, and the current internet has it wrong half the time, so here is the real deal.
Best for: kids who think bridges and highways are cool, which is most of them.
What it is: a long pedestrian and bike bridge that carries the trail safely over Interstate 40. It is a bridge, not a tunnel. It opened in February 2014 and connected the previously separated northern and southern halves of the trail.
Why it matters: you cross high above the interstate with cars zooming underneath. My kids ask to stop in the middle and watch every single time.
Mom tip: it can be windy and fully exposed up top, so hold little ones' attention and keep the group moving if it is cold or gusty.The southern end, Chatham and Wake counties
Past the Durham section, the trail keeps going through Chatham County and into Wake County around Apex, and the character changes.
Best for: older kids and confident riders who want a longer, quieter, more rural ride.
Surface: this is where pavement gives way to packed crushed gravel. It is fine for hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, and most kids' bikes, but it is rougher going for skinny road tires and small stroller wheels.
Wake County trailheads (in the Apex area): New Hill-Olive Chapel Road (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road), Wimberly Road (1017 Wimberly Road), and White Oak Church Road (1305 White Oak Church Road). White Oak Church has the biggest lot.
Restrooms and water: Wimberly Road has a portable toilet and a water fountain. New Hill-Olive Chapel and White Oak Church have pit-style toilets but no drinking water, so bring your own.
Heads up on hunting season: parts of the southern trail pass near gamelands, and the county recommends wearing blaze orange during deer hunting season, roughly fall into December. Worth knowing before you go in November.How to pick the right section
You have a stroller or a brand-new rider: start at Solite Park or the downtown Durham end. Paved, flat, and Solite has the playground bailout.
You want a short, no-stress loop-feeling ride: park at Solite, ride out one to two miles, turn around. Two to four miles total is plenty for young kids.
You want a real outing with a highlight: aim for a stretch that includes the I-40 pedestrian bridge.
You have older kids and want quiet woods: head to the Chatham and Wake County trailheads for the crushed-gravel section. Pack your own water.
It is the dead of summer: the trail has shaded forest stretches but also long exposed parts. Go early, before the pavement bakes.Biking the ATT with kids: the honest logistics
The paved Durham section is the easiest and what I recommend for first rides. Wide, flat, smooth.
North Carolina law requires helmets for riders under 16. Mine wear them regardless of age.
Teach kids to ride single file and to call out "on your left" when passing walkers. The trail gets busy on nice weekends and a polite kid cyclist is a beautiful thing.
Bring water. Fountains are sparse and not at every trailhead, so do not count on filling up along the way.
Throw a basic flat-fix kit or at least a pump in your bag. The trail is long and bike shops are not close to most of it.
If you do not own bikes, several Durham shops rent them, including some that specialize in the ATT and e-bikes. Rates and reservation policies vary, so call ahead to confirm current pricing and whether helmets and locks are included.Road crossings to watch
The trail crosses some streets, and a few carry real traffic. Teach kids to stop, look both ways, and wait for your go before crossing.
Several crossings have crosswalk signals or stop signs, but treat every crossing as a full stop with little riders.
The I-40 crossing is the safe one: you go over the highway on the pedestrian bridge, so there is no traffic to deal with there.What to pack
Water, more than you think you need
Snacks for the turnaround point
Sunscreen and bug spray, especially on the wooded southern stretches
A flat-fix kit or pump for bikes
A charged phone; trail map apps have good ATT maps and the quarter-mile markers help you place yourselfA few fun facts to tell the kids
The trail sits on an old railroad bed. The line was built in the early 1900s and once hauled freight through this area before the tracks were pulled up in the 1980s.
The corridor's history ties back to the New Hope Valley and later Durham and South Carolina railroads, and part of the route shifted when Jordan Lake was built in the 1970s.
The ATT is part of the larger East Coast Greenway, a developing route that aims to connect cities all the way from Maine to Florida.Frequently asked questions
Is the American Tobacco Trail good for little kids and strollers?
Yes, as long as you stick to the paved Durham sections. The downtown Durham end and the stretch around Solite Park are flat and smooth, which is what you want for strollers and beginner riders. Save the crushed-gravel southern end for when kids are older and on bikes with bigger tires.
Where can I park, and is it free?
There are several trailheads with parking. In Durham, there is parking under the East-West Expressway off Morehead Avenue near the Durham Bulls, and at Solite Park at 4704 Fayetteville Road. The Wake County trailheads near Apex are New Hill-Olive Chapel Road, Wimberly Road, and White Oak Church Road. I am not aware of parking fees at these lots, but confirm current rules if you are headed to a specific one.
Which trailhead has a bathroom and a playground?
Solite Park in Durham is the standout for families. It has parking, restrooms, a picnic shelter, and a playground right at the trail. Among the Wake County trailheads, Wimberly Road has a portable toilet and a water fountain; the others have pit-style toilets but no drinking water.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes. Dogs are welcome on a leash. Wake County's section asks for a 6-foot leash and that you clean up after your pet. Bring water for your dog too, since fountains are limited.
Is the whole trail paved?
No. Roughly the first 16 miles or so, mostly in Durham, are paved. The southern portions in Chatham and Wake counties are packed crushed gravel. That gravel is fine for hybrid and mountain bikes but rougher for road bikes and small stroller wheels, so plan your starting point around the surface you want.
