Year of the Trail

2023 is officially the Year of the Trail in North Carolina! You can learn all about this initiative at www.greattrailsnc.com. There are many ways to celebrate the Year of the Trail here in Apex. Check out some of the exciting events and activities we have available for you to Stay & Play with us below. 

Passport_Visa_OrangeAll of our Year of the Trail events are eligible activities for your Apex 150th Passport to the Peak! 
Learn more about getting your passport at www.apex150.com.


Follow APRCR on Facebook for the latest updates on programs and events.

If you have any fun videos or photos of ways you are celebrating the Year of the Trail, please share with us! You can email us at peakconnect@apexnc.org. If you want to share something on social media, tag us @ApexParks and #YearoftheTrail.


Ways to Celebrate

  1. Special Events
  2. Educational Programs
  3. Anytime Activities

Special Events

Join us at one of these Special Events below! Some of these events are annual events and some were created just for this year to celebrate the Year of the Trail.

  • American Tobacco Trail: Great Trail Day (June 10) ~ Apex Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources will be out at this event, so be sure to stop by to learn more about the future of Apex parks and greenways
  • Chalk the Walk (July 13) ~ This event is also part of our National Parks and Recreation Month celebration
  • Nature Scavenger Hunt (July 14) ~ This event is also part of our National Parks and Recreation Month celebration
  • Tails and Trails (September 9) ~ This is a special Year of the Trail event for you and your dogs! See more info below 
  • Glowing Disc Golf Tournament (October 13)
  • Scarecrow Row (October 21-31) ~ Scarecrow Row will return this fall as local families decorate scarecrows and we put them up along a "haunted" trail for you and your family to check out
  • Turkey Trot 5K (November 18)
  • Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt (December 14)

Featured Events & Activities 

Tails and Trails 

This event is being rescheduled due to weather. Stay tuned for the updated info!

Apex Nature Park (2600 Evans Rd)

Join us for a special event to celebrate the Year of the Trail with your dog(s)! Guests and their dogs will have the opportunity to visit with vendors, have their pet microchipped, get their photo taken, visit the dog park (if they are registered) and learn about other dog friendly trails in Apex. The Apex Police Department K-9 unit will also be in attendance. Please note dogs will need to remain on a leash at this event. 

At 4pm, there will be an organized dog walk on a trail at the Apex Nature Park. There will be one shorter trail and one longer trail to choose from depending on your preference. Select participating vendors will have treat bags available for the pets that will be handed out before the walk.

dog portraitsKeith Norval will be on site for the event painting customized 11” x 14” dog portraits for $60. Please sign up in advance to secure your spot! 

Register Here!




This event is free and open to anyone and any dog. Registration is not required, but we would love for you to let us know you are coming here! If you would like to utilize the Dog Park while at this event or in the future, you will need to register for an Apex Dog Park Pass. Click here to learn more.

If you are interested in being a vendor at this event, please email Lisa Raschke.

StoryWalk® at the Park

We introduced StoryWalk® to Apex over the last couple years as a fun and safe way to recreate outdoors. Learn more about the current book and location below.

CURRENT BOOK: "Ways to Welcome" written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Joey Chou
CURRENT LOCATION (as of September 6): Salem Pond Park (6112 Old Jenks Rd). You will find the book around the left side of the pond as you enter from the parking lot. This trail is paved. 

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

If you have participated in one of our Storywalks®, we would love for you to share your feedback here.