Occoneechee Mountain & the Historic Speedway Trail - Orange County, NC
By Chelsea Nallenweg
Just 15 miles northwest of downtown Durham, the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trailhead offer woodsy adventures into nature right in the heart of Orange County. With their forested trails, scenic summit views, and historic elements, these are ideal day trips for families looking for woodsy and shaded outdoor adventures near Durham!
The Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area features about 3 miles of hiking trails, all great for kids and beginner hikers. The 2.2-mile Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail is perfect for families looking for a longer woodsy hike, walking through forests filled with mountain laurel and rhododendron. For shorter walks, the Brown Elfin Knob Trail, Chestnut Oak Trail, and Overlook Trail are each under a mile and offer lovely views and easy terrain. The summit overlook is a perfect spot to catch a beautiful sunset! Two quiet fishing ponds and access to the nearby Eno River also make this a peaceful place to relax or fish.
And just a five-minute drive away is the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail! This 44-acre site takes hikers along four miles of trails that loop through natural and cultural history. This is an awesome place to hike for race car loving kids! Once a horse track built by Julian S. Carr and later a dirt NASCAR track from 1948 to 1968, this site is now on the National Register of Historic Places. You can walk around the 1-mile oval track—the only surviving dirt speedway from NASCAR’s inaugural 1949 season—and see some of the old cars along the way! Whether you’re in the mood for hiking, history, or just some time outside, Occoneechee Mountain and the Speedway Trail offer a little something for everyone.
Posted by The Honeycutt Team on
Enjoy this blog post? Click here to subscribe for updates
Leave A Comment