Johnston Mill
Nature Preserve

Explore Four Miles of Peaceful Trails Through a Classic Piedmont Hardwood Forest

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve: A Hidden Oasis Near Chapel Hill, NC 

When you enter the shady woods at Johnston Mill preserve you quickly forget that you’re not far from I-40 and the heart of Chapel Hill. With more than four miles of walking trails, the preserve offers hikers and birders a quiet place to wander through a Piedmont hardwood forest and soak up nature. Some of the preserve’s most scenic spots are along New Hope and Old Field Creeks, where you find rock outcrops covered in resurrection ferns and views of the water from the top of beech-lined slopes.  

Johnston Mill is a treat throughout the seasons. Fall is a great time to enjoy the changing foliage and keep an eye out for migrating warblers. When the vegetation dies back during the winter you can see the remnants of two gristmills that the Johnston family operated on the creek in the first half of the 1700s. In springtime wildflowers such as trout lily, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and spring beauty carpet the floodplain, and migratory birds fill the trees and the air with their colorful presence and exuberant song. Spring and summer rains rouse a multitude of frogs and toads.  

And any time of year, you might be nudged out of your thoughts by the resonant call of a pileated woodpecker or the back-and-forth of barred owls. Johnston Mill is a must-see. 

Preserve Guidelines & What to Expect

All TLC preserves are open dawn to dusk.

All TLC preserves have designated parking lots. Please park and access the preserves only through these entrances. Some preserves, like Brumley Nature Preserve, have several parking access points. Williamson Preserve (specifically, the Bootleggers Loop) can be accessed from the Neuse River Greenway.

  • Mountain biking is available at Williamson Preserve in Wake County and Brumley South Preserve in Orange County. You can check the trail status at any time by visiting our trail status page. Please respect all trail closures, which help us maintain the trails and the fragile habitats near them.
  • Please note, all riders must wear helmets. E-bikes are not permitted.
  • Please observe good trail-sharing etiquette, including giving audible warnings and slowing down to pass hikers and other riders.

Yes! Dogs are welcome at all TLC preserves but they must be leashed at all times on a 6-foot physical leash. This is critical for the safety of other visitors, wildlife, and farm animals.

All pet waste must be bagged and disposed of off the premises to protect water quality and habitats.

Cell phone service varies depending on your carrier and so is not guaranteed at any of the preserves. Cell coverage is generally poor at the southern half of Williamson Preserve near the Neuse River Greenway Trail, as well as most of Horton Grove and White Pines. Please plan accordingly.

  • On shared hiking and mountain biking trails, please walk on the right side.
  • Mountain bikers should give an audible warning and slow down to pass hikers or other riders.
  • All dogs must be leashed and any waste bagged and disposed of off the premises.
  • Please stay on the marked trail in order to help us protect delicate plant and wildlife habitats.

Port-A-Johns are available at the Brumley South New Hope Church Road parking lot and at the Williamson Parking lot. No other preserves have restroom access or potable water.

  • Littering
  • Off-trail riding and hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Racing on bikes
  • Electric bikes (e-bikes)
  • Smoking
  • Bringing or consuming alcohol
  • Collecting plants and wildlife
  • Hunting
  • Feeding wildlife or livestock
  • Approaching or handling livestock or farm equipment
  • Firearms
  • Swimming
  • Tents and/or camping
  • Drone use
  • Metal detecting
  • Commercial activity of any kind

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