Reimagining our old railway line as a shared, green corridor for walking, cycling, nature, art, and community.
🌳 What is the Trail?
The Hilton Rail Trail transforms part of the historic Natal Old Main Line between Pietermaritzburg and Cedara into a linear public park — a place for people to walk, jog, cycle and connect with nature.
It’s a safe, car-free route through Hilton that celebrates our landscape, our history, and our shared future.
The trail combines natural restoration, public art, and community gardens along a path once used by steam locomotives linking the interior to the coast.
The Route
🚶♀️ What the trails offers
- A calm, scenic route for walking, running, and cycling.
- Connects neighbourhoods, schools, and green spaces.
- Encourages healthy outdoor living for all ages and abilities.
- Creates a new place to meet, exercise, and enjoy nature close to home.
🏘️ How It Benefits Hilton
- Revives underused land and turns it into a community asset.
- Supports local businesses and tourism by drawing visitors to Hilton.
- Strengthens social connections through shared activities, markets, and events.
- Creates a sense of pride and place in Hilton’s unique identity.
- We believe that transforming these abandoned spaces enhances the overall security of the community. Instead of littered and neglected pockets of land, we have spaces used and occupied by the community, driving out anti-social behavior. This is borne out by international research – see the broken windows effect.
🌍 How It Benefits the Environment
- A fundamental part of establishing the trail is to restores the original biodiversity of the areas through which the trail passes. By removing alien invasives and thoughtfully restoring appropriate vegetation, we aim to rewild a nature corridor in the heart of Hilton.
- The trail opens up a significant opportunity to make everyday transport by modes other than a car – it will be quite possible to commute to work or pop down to the shops by bike or by foot.
- Educating the public about plants and animal life along the trail through on trail information.
- Demonstrating how green infrastructure can work hand-in-hand with heritage conservation.
🎨 A Platform for Public Art, Gardens & Gathering Spaces
The Hilton Rail Trail is more than a path — it’s a canvas for creativity and community. Along the route, visitors will find spaces for murals, sculptures, food gardens, outdoor classrooms, and local art installations. These features turn the trail into a living gallery — celebrating Hilton’s people, its stories, and the natural beauty of the Midlands.
🕰️ History of the Railway Line
The trail follows part of the Natal Old Main Line, the first railway built inland from Durban.
Completed in the 1880s, the line once connected Durban to Pietermaritzburg and on to Cedara, carrying both freight and passengers through the rolling hills of the Natal Midlands. For decades, steam trains passed through Hilton, stopping near the station that gave the town its name. When sections of the line were decommissioned, the corridor fell quiet — but its gentle gradients and scenic sections make it ideal for reuse as a modern greenway.
Today, the Hilton Rail Trail revives this route as a public space once again — linking our past to a sustainable future.
We hope to work closely with the Hilton Steam Heritage Association to keep the history of the rail line alive. As part of our principles, we do not intend to do anything that impacts the existing track or equipment on the line.
🤝 Friends of the Hilton Rail Trail
The Friends network brings together volunteers, residents, and supporters who care for the trail.
Members help with planting days, art projects, clean-ups, and community events — while staying updated on trail developments and activities.
Why join?
- Help shape the trail’s future design and features.
- Take part in garden and art initiatives.
- Receive early news and invitations to events.
- Be part of Hilton’s most exciting public-space project.
How to join:
Sign up via our form or email info@routes.africa to be added to the Friends mailing list.
🌿 Custodianship Program
The Hilton Rail Trail belongs to everyone — and caring for it is a shared journey.
Through the Custodianship Program, individuals, communities, schools, and businesses can adopt a section of the trail and help maintain its beauty, biodiversity, and community spirit.
What is a Custodian?
A Custodian takes stewardship of a short section of the trail, ideally near them and supports its upkeep — through light maintenance, planting, art, or financial contributions.
It’s a partnership between people and place.
Benefits:
- Knowing that the spaces near you are maintained and cared for
- Recognition on the website and trail map.
- Invitations to custodians’ events and updates on trail progress.
How to become a Custodian:
Register your interest through our online form or contact
info@routes.africa for more information.
📅 Get Involved
You can help bring the Hilton Rail Trail to life by:
- Using it!
- Donating tools, plants, or materials.
- Adopting a garden bed or trail section.
- Lending your skills to help built out the vision.
- Becoming a Friend or Custodian of the trail.
Every contribution — big or small — helps grow this shared public space for Hilton and beyond.
Hilton Rail Trail
Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
📧 info@routes.africa | 🌐 www.routes.africa/hiltonrailtrail
Reimagining a piece of our past into a shared, green future for people, nature, and creativity.
© 2025 Hilton Rail Trail. Built by the Hilton community, in partnership with the community.