Skewarkee Rail Trail

For one of the most genuinely rewarding outdoor stops in Williamston, NC, the Skewarkee Rail Trail is a real treasure. Stretching 0.93 miles from the historic downtown of Martin County’s county seat to the banks of the Roanoke River, this beautifully paved family-friendly greenway has been transformed from the former Atlantic Coast Line Railway corridor into a beloved community asset — welcoming walkers, joggers, cyclists, inline skaters, and leashed dogs. Along the way, interpretive signs share remarkable local history — including the story of Camp Williamston, a World War II German POW camp where more than 300 prisoners lived and worked nearby. With a beautiful destination at Moratoc Park and the River Landing Boardwalk, the Skewarkee Rail Trail is one of the most charming and historically meaningful greenways anywhere in eastern North Carolina — fittingly, North Carolina’s first Audubon Certified Sustainable Community. Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for the Skewarkee Rail Trail before you go — or to relive the visit after.

A Rail-to-Trail Conversion from the Atlantic Coast Line Railway

The Skewarkee Rail Trail traces its history back to the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, which once ran through Williamston as part of the broader 19th and 20th-century railroad network that helped transform the town from a riverside trade port into a major regional hub. As rail traffic declined in the latter half of the 20th century, the corridor was reborn as a paved, family-friendly greenway — made possible by the combined efforts of a Recreational Trails Program grant and meaningful local support from the Town of Williamston and the broader Martin County community.

The trail’s name pays tribute to “Skewarky” (also written as “Skewarkey”), the early name for the area that traces back to the Tuscarora people who originally inhabited the region. It’s the same name that anchors Skewarkey Baptist Church (established 1785 just outside town) and gives the trail a meaningful connection to Williamston’s deeper history.

A Family-Friendly 0.93-Mile Paved Greenway

Today, the Skewarkee Rail Trail stretches 0.93 miles as a fully paved, accessible multi-use path. The trail welcomes:

Walkers and joggers at every fitness level
Cyclists of all ages — perfect for casual family rides
Inline skaters
Leashed dogs — making it one of Williamston’s most pet-friendly outdoor stops

The paved surface, gentle grade (it was a railway corridor, after all), and shaded greenery along much of the route make it a wonderfully accessible outdoor experience for families, casual walkers, and visitors looking for a peaceful introduction to the broader Williamston outdoor scene.

Camp Williamston: The WWII POW Camp Marker

One of the most genuinely fascinating stops along the Skewarkee Rail Trail is the interpretive marker for Camp Williamston — a World War II prisoner-of-war camp that once stood near East Main Street and the Roanoke River Bridge, just east of where the trail now runs. The camp was established in 1943 and originally housed Italian POWs before being converted in spring 1944 to house German prisoners — many of them captured from Rommel’s Afrika Korps in Tunisia in May 1943.

At any given time, between 300 and 500 prisoners lived at Camp Williamston. The living arrangements were modest: tent structures with raised wooden floors (20′ x 20′), boarded sides, and tent tops, with six men per unit. The only non-tent structures in the camp were the recreational building and a small chapel just outside the compound. The POWs worked on local farms and lumber mills, often trucked daily to nearby towns to help with the war-era labor shortage as Americans served overseas. North Carolina farmers and businesses came to appreciate the prisoners’ work, with one mill manager later recalling that the Germans were the “best working people you have ever seen.”

The most genuinely meaningful detail of Camp Williamston’s legacy comes from the holiday season. During their stay, the German prisoners built a life-size nativity scene, which was highly publicized at the time and which they left as a gift to the town of Williamston after the war. The nativity scene became a beloved local Christmas tradition for years, until it was sadly destroyed in a 1958 fire that consumed the old Williamston City Hall. The story remains a poignant reminder of the unlikely human connections that emerged even during one of history’s most difficult chapters.

After the war ended, all POWs at Camp Williamston were repatriated to Europe in spring 1946 — but a number of the former prisoners kept in touch with their American guards and townspeople through letters for years afterward. The historical marker along the Skewarkee Rail Trail brings this remarkable story to life for everyone who walks the path today.

Connecting Downtown to the River

The Skewarkee Rail Trail serves as the main connecting greenway between historic downtown Williamston and the Roanoke River, ending at the entrances to:

Moratoc Park — an 18-acre county-owned park on the site of Williamston’s original wharf, with historic buildings, a fishing pier, a kayak launch, and the rustic Moratoc Building
River Landing Boardwalk — a 550-foot fully accessible boardwalk along the Roanoke River with picnic shelters, a fishing pier, a kayak launch, a double boat launch for motorboats, and a unique screened-and-covered camping platform for paddlers

Walking the Skewarkee Rail Trail from downtown to either of these destinations makes for one of the most rewarding day trips in eastern North Carolina — combining gentle exercise, local history, and a peaceful arrival at the Roanoke River.

NC’s First Audubon Certified Sustainable Community

The Skewarkee Rail Trail is one of several outdoor amenities that helped earn Williamston the distinction of being North Carolina’s first Audubon Certified Sustainable Community — a meaningful recognition of the town’s commitment to bird-friendly habitat, sustainable land use, and outdoor recreation. The Audubon designation reflects the broader investment Williamston has made in preserving its natural and historical character.

Good to Know

Length: 0.93 miles
Surface: Fully paved
History: Built on the former Atlantic Coast Line Railway corridor
Funding: Recreational Trails Program grant plus local Town of Williamston and Martin County support
Allowed uses: Walking, jogging, cycling, inline skating, leashed dogs
Difficulty: Easy (rail-grade, fully paved, accessible)
Notable feature: Interpretive history signs along the route — including the Camp Williamston WWII POW camp marker
Endpoints: Connects historic downtown Williamston to Moratoc Park and the River Landing Boardwalk on the Roanoke River
Distinction: One of Williamston’s amenities that helped earn the town status as North Carolina’s first Audubon Certified Sustainable Community
Best for: Walkers, joggers, cyclists, families with kids, history enthusiasts, dog owners, and visitors looking for a peaceful and accessible outdoor experience
Pair with: A morning at Moratoc Park, a walk along the River Landing Boardwalk, or a longer day exploring Martin County
Located in Williamston, NC

A Williamston Highlight

The Skewarkee Rail Trail is the kind of outdoor experience that genuinely captures the layered character of Williamston. The thoughtful conversion of the historic Atlantic Coast Line Railway corridor into a paved family-friendly greenway, the meaningful “Skewarky” name tying back to the Tuscarora people who once lived in the area, the wonderfully accessible 0.93-mile length perfect for casual walkers and cyclists, the genuinely meaningful Camp Williamston WWII POW camp historical marker with its poignant nativity-scene story, the easy connection to Moratoc Park and the River Landing Boardwalk, and Williamston’s broader distinction as North Carolina’s first Audubon Certified Sustainable Community all add up to one of the most rewarding outdoor experiences anywhere in Martin County. Whether you’re strolling with the family, cycling from downtown to the river, learning about the wartime history at the trailside markers, or arriving at the Roanoke River for an afternoon of birdwatching, this is one of the most rewarding stops you can make in eastern North Carolina.