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Print Friendly MapThe Eagle Spur Rail-Trail follows 2.2 miles of the former Durham-New Hill Railroad, from Stagecoach Road along New Hope Creek to Jordan Lake.
When you're done exploring the Eagle Spur, cross over SR 751 and head north a short distance to Massey Chapel Road, where you can jump on the American Tobacco Trail.
The trail can be accessed from from Stagecoach Road in Durham.
The Eagle Spur is more of an abandoned rail corridor (1905-06) and less of a developed trail. Its scenic beauty is everywhere, with a canopy of trees and a payoff of seeing Jordan Lake up close. The surface is a forest floor, with fallen leaves, fallen trees, and unannounced places where the old railbed has given way. So it's wonderful for a walk in the woods, cautionary for runners' ankles, and injury-risking for inattentive mountain bikers. If you attempt this path during hunting season, blaze orange is advised.
Drove out there with the kids a couple weeks ago and we couldn't even access the trail because it was a pond.
Hiked the trail today, 40 degrees and sunny. Clear of fallen trees and brush but soggy in places. Only downside is considerable trash as obviously a popular party spot. A clean-up badly needed. Next time will take a trash bag.
The old rail bed continues across the lake near Farrington Mill Rd,
Transis Camp Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
35.858841, -78.990550
Very unimproved but a nice walk in the woods. Park at the end of the gravel road then walk through the gate for about a hundred yards. The grassy rail bed is a sharp left. Its about a mile long. You'll come out at the power lines. The lake will be on your right. The gravel road will be half a mile to your left.
The Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (TRTC) currently periodically maintains this rail-trail in cooperation with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission who are the managers of this portion of Jordan Lake Gamelands.
Please go to www.triangletrails.org, which is the website for the Eagle Spur (correct spelling) for more information, and not the NC Rail-Trails website.
Specifically, you can contact Bill Bussey of TRTC at americantobaccotrail@embarqmail.com or 919 545-9104 for more information on the Eagle Spur.
On February 2, TRTC and Triangle Environmental Network volunteers cleared the Eagle Spur of major downed trees and major limbs. TRTC usually goes in once per year to clear these downed trees and obtains a permit from NC Wildlife Resources to do this. We missed doing it in 2007. The trail should now be clear of downed trees all the way to the lake. However, conditions can and do change on a day by day basis.
Park along Stagecoach Road on either side of the gated trail entrance. Do not park in front of the gate. Though be aware that Stagecoach Road is a VERY busy connector. You may want to park 1/4 mile west on Stagecoach at an off road parking area which was built for folks fishing on an nearby impoundment. However, be very careful when walking along Stagecoach because of the traffic.
Do note that the Eagle Spur trail is much more rugged than the nearby American Tobacco Trail, which TRTC volunteers also maintain and manage. The surface of the Eagle Spur does have unexpected and hard to see holes in areas above culverts which are in disrepair. Some culverts have washed out completely. This would cost a lot of money and time to fix and replace. Grass and trees are not mowed or brush cut. In Spring and early fall mosquitoes are a major concern. In the Spring, ticks and chiggers will be prevalent.
Also, the Eagle Spur Trail is completely on NC Wildlife Resources Commission gamelands. Thus, you may see hunters with loaded weapons on the trail during hunting season.
Because NC Wildlife Resources said in the past that it does not considered this to be a part of the American Tobacco Trail, (as was stated in the 1992 American Tobacco Trail Master Plan) nor does it manage trails at all, TRTC has not chosen to spend the funds and time it would take to rehabilitate and make safe this trail. We have been biding our time to discuss this with them. We welcome anyone who would like to help us better develop this trail. Please contact Bill B. at the address above for more info.
Have fun on the Eagle Spur!
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