This is a 6-mile out-and-back hike (using the Navigating feature you can create a shorter version). Sound a little far for your current physical situation? This hike is relatively flat and the trail is in great shape. That is, a good hike if you’re interested in lengthening your game.

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• Jordan Lake Educational State Forest, Chapel Hill. We were just there Wednesday, and while some color has passed, it appeared that the majority was on the cusp. Sweetgum and red maple appeared especially close, on the Demonstration Trail. With 3.5 miles of trail, the hiking here is flat, the trails in good shape: a good beginner option.
• Eno River State Park, Fews Ford Access, Durham. 7-Miler on 5 trails. We try to steer you away from where the crowds will be, a criteria that typically rules out this popular state park. And while you may find some fellow hikers on the first and last half miles, the middle six should be near hiker-free. You’ll also explore some prime bottomland and upland hardwoods where the color should be good.
• Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake, Day-hike sections Q,R, Raleigh. 3.2 miles (one way). From the Hickory Hill Boat Ramp head west through bottomland forest rich with what should be colorful hardwoods. As added incentive, you get to hike under Interstate 85 and along a grass airfield where you may see a biplane.

Our guides include everything you need to hike these trails, from maps and route descriptions to directions to the trailhead and an overview — including a virtual tour!

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Fall, with its crisp air, cool temperatures and dazzling color, is a time when everyone, it seems, wants to be on the trail. Those crowds, especially now, can detract from the experience we seek when we head outdoors. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Not every good trail gets overwhelmed on a gorgeous fall weekend. Some may be new and unknown, some may be hard to find, some simply fly under the radar.  In this package of Three Hikes for Fall, we have examples of all three.

• The new. Cane Creek Mountain Natural Area opened this spring with 3 miles of hiking on a mountain that tops 900 feet, practically Alp-esque by Triad standards.  Located south of Burlington, it’s also a bit off the beaten path.
• The hard-to-find. Orange County’s Seven Mile Creek Natural Area lies off a dirt road that’s fed by a dirt road that’s off a lonely country two-lane. You can’t get more off the grid than that in an urban area. Two miles of trail takes in a feisty Piedmont creek, mature hardwoods and a preview of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail’s path between Saxapahaw and Hillsborough.
• The under-the-radar. It’s hard to say why the 3.2-mile Day-Hike Section L of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake sees less traffic than its 17 fellow sections in the MST’s Section 10: it’s easily accessible, the trail tread is on great shape, the terrain is scenic yet mellow. Explore in solitude while you can.

These are great hikes any time of year. Because of their anonymity, they’re especially good during hiking’s peak seasons.

Find everything you need to know about paying a visit in these guides.

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Our guide gives you everything you need to know to hike this stretch, including a short virtual visit.

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