Basically, the Duke Forest is amazing and one of those local gems that I believe is largely overlooked or taken for granted by most in the Triangle. However, that's probably not a bad thing. Who wants super crowded trails anyway? But seriously, the Duke Forest is one of a kind.
There are a ton of different trailheads, largely in the Durham and Korstian (Chapel Hill) divisions. I do believe there are 40+ separate entrances into the six total divisions of the forest, and that is simply amazing! In order to obtain a detailed map, you'll need to purchase one (at a nominal fee of something like $8) either on-line or by the mail through the Duke Forest website. I have also heard you can purchase the maps at some spots on Duke's campus (ie, the bookstore), though I can't exactly speak to that myself.
Many of the primary trails are wide, gravelly bridle type trails, but there are also numerous more technical (ie, roots, rocks, stream crossings, single-track terrain) trails that mostly shoot off of main trails. Single sections of trails are often not super long (ie 1-1.5 miles) and thus you may need to patch together different trails if you wanted to have a longer walk, hike, or run (this sometimes entails traversing a road or walking along a road shoulder for a short time). In my no way expert opinion, the Korstian division offers the best trailage overall, especially the newer foot trails being rehabilitated and restored under the Korstian Trail Project.
That effort brings me to the fact that this huge tract of land is a valuable research and teaching tool for Duke University students and faculty (as well as visiting students and faculty), and thus should be treasured (not to sound cheesy) and respected.
Stepping down from my small soapbox, let me just say that the Duke Forest is phenomenal and even more amazing given the fact that this natural oasis is located so very close to the hustle and bustle of the Triangle. read more