Battle Branch / Bolin Creek Loop

Find plentiful parking at the Chapel Hill Community Center Park. The Battle Branch Trail starts right by the Community Center building. You'll leave the Community Center Park very soon and cross a small bridge, after which you follow Shepard Lane for about 100 feet before turning right onto the main beginning of the Battle Branch singletrack trail. Do not take any side trails other than those that lead to the UNC Campus. (The first sign you'll see is for Sugarberry Road;instead follow the sign to UNC Campus.) Soon you have a choice to take the Lower Trail or the Upper Trail to the UNC Campus;either one is fine, but the Lower Trail is more scenic. Shortly after passing the Sandy Creek Trail sign (following signage to UNC Campus), you'll cross another bridge over Battle Branch Creek and enter Battle Park proper;this is the nicest part of the trail and you'll encounter a couple of nice viewing platforms. I prefer to keep taking the right, "pedestrian" trail rather than heading directly along the creek. Do not take any of the side trails with names, such as the Cedar Top Trail or Solitary Hill Trail. Eventually, the pedestrian trail rejoins the OWASA access trail along Battle Branch, and you'll cross the creek on a rocky portion, then cross again on a bridge where you'll turn right and continue going uphill. After another 1/4 mile, you reach the end of Battle Branch Trail and turn right on Park Place. After that, stay right again on Franklin Street. Look for a safe place to cross from right to left across the busy 4-lane street. After about 1/2 mile, you turn left on Elizabeth Street and continue making your way downhill to reach the Bolin Creek Greenway. Continue until you reach a stop sign on the greenway and then turn right. From there, continue on the flat Bolin Creek Greenway until it ends where you started at Community Center Park.