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You are here: Home / Lifestyle / Travel / Photo tour: A winter hike at Blackwood Farm Park in Hillsborough, NC

Photo tour: A winter hike at Blackwood Farm Park in Hillsborough, NC

January 27, 2018 By Michelle Rogers

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Today, my son and I took the opportunity of a beautiful, mild Saturday morning to visit one of Orange County’s newer parks, Blackwood Farm Park. Located next to I-40 between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill, N.C., the park is 152 acres of forest trails and open spaces situated on an historic farm property.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

There are currently four miles of hiking trails, a picnic shelter with tables, and a pond with picnic tables. Ample parking is readily available in a grassy area near the entrance. Leashed dogs are welcome.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
Trail entrance. The rest facility is a port-a-potty.

We did about two miles of trails today, which mostly meandered through the woods. I was expecting it to be totally flat, probably because of “farm” in the name. But I was pleasantly surprised that the trails had enough slopes and curves to be interesting and offered a moderate intensity walk.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Part of the wooded trail goes close enough to the interstate that you can see and hear the traffic through the trees. This would be a great opportunity for travelers to stop in town for some take-out and enjoy it at one of the picnic tables by the scenic pond, and take a refreshing walking break on the trails.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

The trails are mostly dirt and are cleared and well-marked.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
The property is adjacent to this historic roadbed, the former Hillsborough-Chapel Hill road, dating to the 1700s as a way to travel from Hillsborough to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
The old barn

The original farmhouse, barn, chicken coop, smoke house, corncrib and other outbuildings are still located on site and visitors can walk among them, but you cannot go inside the buildings. Signs in front of each one describe the use and history of each, and include vintage photographs.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
Milking barn

We enjoyed our time at the park, and look forward to returning to explore the rest of the trails. I feel so fortunate to live in an area that has so much to offer, with wonderful parks and many outdoor recreation opportunities!

For more information about Blackwood Farm Park and trail maps, visit their web page.

A note about directions

Located on Rt. 86, south of Hillsborough (New Hope Church Rd. exit 263 on I-40)

Use THIS address for your GPS, not the one on their website:
4215 NC 86
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Click here for Google map and directions

Topping it off with ice cream from Maple View Farm

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
Maple View Farm store

After our hike, I realized that we were only about four miles away from the Maple View Farm ice cream store, a favorite destination. We enjoyed our cones while rocking on their front porch with a lovely view of the dairy cows in pasture.

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
Enjoying a yummy cookies-n-cream cone

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living

Blackwood Farm Park, Hillsborough NC - Michelle Rogers Healthy Living
Sit a spell and enjoy your ice cream in one of the rocking chairs, overlooking the dairy farm. There is also an open play area for children.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a beautiful Saturday than exploring a new trail with my family and enjoying the great outdoors together!

Photos by Michael and Michelle Rogers

© Michelle Rogers, Inc.

 

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Filed Under: Diary, Fitness, Travel Tagged With: exercise, fitness, hiking, North Carolina, outdoors, running, walking, What It's Like, winter, workout

About Michelle Rogers

I'm a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Health Coach, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and a Senior Fitness Specialist. Visit my fitness services website!

About Me

Welcome to my healthy living blog! My name is Michelle Rogers. I am a Certified Personal Trainer, a Certified Health Coach, a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and a Senior Fitness Specialist. I … Read more

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With God, all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26

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