Little River 5+ Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This trail network is a hidden gem on the Durham/Orange county line. Trails are established but not so worn that they are eroded. If you want a nice, quiet run through a beautiful section of woods then this is a great choice!

ALL foot traffic MUST yield to mountain bikers while out on the the biking trails.

Restrooms and playground next to parking lot. Gate locks at sunset. No water.

Technical footing throughout most of trail.

The trail is almost all technical singletrack with plenty of rocks, roots, twists, turns, and inclines/declines. You can head out in either direction along the “biking trails” and come full circle back to the parking lot.

Heading clockwise, the run starts out on the more measured Beginner MTB Trail with a couple of nice flatter sections and a quarter mile alongside the river, veering onto the South River Loop. Once you climb out of the floodplain, this is where the real fun begins! Dip onto the Advanced MTB Trail where the trail ribbons through a really pretty pine and hardwood forest; you can see deer, fox, snakes, mountain bikers, and various other native wildlife. There are nice rolling hills as well as a few more challenging uphills.

You definitely need to be paying attention to footing throughout as there are plenty of rocks, roots, and leaf litter. There are also a few mountain bike features to run past or over which just adds to the fun! As you near the southern end of the trail, you jump onto the Intermediate MTB Trail for a short time and then finish up your run back on the Beginner MTB Trail.

Deer, fox, beaver, snakes (black and copperhead), squirrels.