The Wake County portion of the American Tobacco Trail offers programs covering nature, history and recreational topics. Public programs are open for registration to the general public.
Program Registration & Reminders
Program Registration
Register for any of our programs by using the button below the program listing to be taken to the registration page on our online registration website. You can also use the button below to search all park programs by location, date and more!
Having trouble registering for a program online?
Contact the park office at 919-387-2117 or email us at americantobaccotrail@wake.gov for assistance.
Important Program Reminders:
- For Family Programs, every participant must be registered online in advance.
- "Walk-ups" (those not registered online but show up) may not be able to participate in the program. Register early!
- Pets, except service animals, are not permitted at programs.
- If a program has a minimum age, children who do not meet the minimum will not be allowed to participate. Children who do meet the age requirement must have a parent or guardian with them in the program. Age limits are established for safety and program content.
Family Programs
Designed for families to enjoy together, these programs are geared toward all ages, unless a minimum age is specified. For Family Programs, all participants must be registered online in advance.
Fun Hike to the Beaver Creek Bridge
Monday, May 20, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Spring is a wonderful time of year to be outside exploring nature. Take a hike to enjoy the beautiful wetland at the Beaver Creek bridge and put your nature detective skills to the test along the way with a special spring scavenger hunt. We will walk about 1.5 miles on a crushed gravel surface. For all ages. All participants (children and adults) must be registered. Meet at the New Hill parking area (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road) at the lower picnic table. Pets are not permitted at programs, except service animals.
Sly as a Fox
Sunday, May 26, 2–3 p.m.
Elusive and shy, foxes can be difficult to observe. Join us to learn more about foxes and their sly behaviors through hands-on activities and a short hike. Some “real” foxes will be on display and each child will get to make a fox track to take home. For all ages. All participants (children and adults) must be registered. Meet at the New Hill parking area (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd.) at the lower picnic table. Pets are not permitted at programs, except service animals.
Adult & Educator Workshops
* We are not offering any Adult & Educator Workshops at this time. Please check the Harris Lake County Park Public Programs page for upcoming virtual opportunities.
The Wake County section of the American Tobacco Trail periodically offers programs and workshops for adults and older teens led by staff or volunteers, most of which are eligible for NC Environmental Education Certification or CEU credits.
Become a Junior Park Explorer!
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you! Click here to learn more.
Self-Guided Activities
Go For a StoryWalk®
Take a self-guided StoryWalk® at the American Tobacco Trail! A StoryWalk® is a children’s book that is presented page by page along a trail or path. It combines the pleasures of reading a children's book while enjoying nature. Every other month, the New Hill parking area will feature a different illustrated children's book. Interactive activities are included at the bottom of each set of storybook pages to further engage your child as you make your way through the book. StoryWalk® will be available during current park hours.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
Be sure to check out Possum and the Peeper, written and illustrated by Anne Hunter, now through March 17 at the New Hill parking area (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road) starting near the lower picnic table!
Geocaching
The hunt is on during this high-tech "treasure" hunting game where park visitors come equipped with GPS devices in search of hidden geocaches! The geocaches located on the American Tobacco Trail are hidden containers that have been approved by park staff and placed on park property for your exploration and enjoyment. Geocaches can be of varied sizes and hidden in easy- to difficult-to-find places. Use GPS devices to help find these hidden containers and then record your find on the paper log provided in the geocache. Some geocaches have little items, such as toys and stickers, that you can collect and replenish as you play, so the activity can be a real "treasure hunt." This activity can be self-guided by getting coordinates from Geocaching.com and bringing your own GPS unit, or you can participate in one of our scheduled “Geocaching 101” public programs.
To learn more about geocaching, here is a short introductory video created by Park Manager Christina Hester.
Placing a Geocache
Geocaching on Wake County Park property is handled on a park-by-park basis. To see if geocaching is allowed and what the approval process is for placing a cache, please contact each park directly.
Geocaching is an accepted recreational activity at the Wake County section of the American Tobacco Trail, though at this time, no additional/new geocaches will be approved until further notice. The park maintains a maximum number of caches on park property. Those wishing to establish a new cache must receive approval from the American Tobacco Trail prior to placing a cache. To obtain the approval you must complete and submit a Geocache Placement Request Form to the park office. Please refer to this form for more information.
NEW! Mobile Tours
Take a mobile tour and see the park through a new lens!
The American Tobacco Trail now has an interactive cell phone tour that you can access from home or while you're at the park. You can access the tour from its hyperlinked title below.
American Tobacco Trail Tour
Explore trailheads, amenities, areas of interest and more!
Park Special Events
Statewide Star Party
We are thrilled that the Wake County portion of the American Tobacco Trail has been selected as a host site in 2024 for the annual Statewide Star Party, a signature event that is part of the NC Science Festival and supported with generous funding from North Carolina Space Grant. Join us on Saturday, April 6, from 6:30–9:30 p.m. for this free, family evening program featuring hands-on activities before the sun goes down, followed by observation of the night sky through telescopes and binoculars on the back field of the White Oak parking area (1305 White Oak Church Road). No preregistration is required!