Rougemont, NC

Rougemont is an unincorporated community spread across Durham and Person Counties along U.S. 501, about halfway between Durham and Roxboro. The place considered becoming a town in 2011, but incorporation failed by 10 votes, leaving the two-county CDP with its existing county-by-county setup. Little River Regional Park and Natural Area gives Rougemont one of its clearest local touchstones: 391 acres, seven miles of hiking, and seven miles of mountain-bike trails, along with camping, picnicking, and a butterfly garden. Castle Mont Rouge adds an altogether different landmark. Rougemont is a North Carolina crossroads with a close vote in its history and a lot of trail map around it.