Ran on the Thermal Belt Trail today as part of my training for a marathon. As another reviewer noted, the section north from Ruth is quieter and less trafficky, but waits at road crossings were no more than minor pauses. I'll have to come back for other seasons--it was lovely to see the mountains through the barren treetops, but I'm wondering how it is in spring with the budding, summer with the full leaf, and fall with the blazing color.

The drive from Hendersonville (via 64) is also quite nice. In warmer weather I'll stop and swim at Lake Lure or Chimney Rock.

I did think it was kind of odd that signage at road crossings was minimal/nonexistant. Seems like the local C of Cs would want to play up that they have this kind of thing right there for the using.

This trail is a good trail, the conditions are better, the gravel is better than a couple of years ago, mainly because the inventors on this trail, used big gravel, hopefully one day someone in Rutherfordton, NC will paved some parts of this trail, and maintain the trail on a full time basis. As a local, i use this trail, and it is good training trail for running, the trail is better from Hwy 64 at Ruth, to the end at Gilkey Lumber Company, it is peaceful and the scenery is better there than the first mile or two at the start in Spindale which is more business, and you have to deal with crossing traffic at cross walks of the trail.

I rode this trail in April and the condition of the trail was in poor shape. There wasn't many others using the trail. I rode on a hybrid and it was rough going. I may ride it again but it is not high on my list of rides.

I rode this trail May 29, 2010
After riding most of the rails/trails in the southeastern U.S. states I was very disappointed in this one.
There are larger stones that don't do well with hybrid bikes. The grass was all grown up, street crossings aren't very safe and it runs close to the road where you get more traffic noise than the sound of wildlife. I guess it's better than riding on the road; but it needs something better before I would bother to come back.
Susan K.

My wife and I rode the trail on a Sunday morning - early afternoon. We were the only bikes on the trail which I found hard to believe because it's a great ride. Yes, it is flat but we have been riding the Blue Ridge Parkway for the last few weeks (including some snow time) so we found it a very pleasant change. It is a great trail to make adjustments on your bike and to experiment with gear combinations. If you miss a shift you don't fall off the mountain or loose you momentum. Take the ride on a day when you're not sure if you want to ride or not. You'll be pleased.

Very flat trail, easy to ride with a mountain bike.
There is a quaint church on the trail to stop and eat lunch.
I parked in a church parking lot right across from the trail.

I have lived in Rutherford County for most of my life and always traveled outside of the county to ride my mountain bikes. One day I decided to give the RT a try and really enjoyed it, it was well maintained for the most part (when you cross over Hwy 64. there is a patch of Kudzu that is trying to reclaim the trail, and there are a few spots where ATV’s have damaged the trail). Once you leave Spindale and cross over Hwy.64 it becomes quiet and has some nice vistas. This is a great ride for riders of all skill levels, especially family rides.

A friend of mine and I rode this trail today. Overall a great experience! Only complaint was the roughness. Large gravel made for a rough ride in places ( this won't be an issue if you have a good mountain bike with shock absorption ). Other parts of the trail are quite smooth. There were no roots or downed trees to deal with. There are a couple of places where a rail protrudes from the ground so you have to be careful there. Being mostly through wooded areas, with only an occassional glimpse of the highway or a house along the way, the trail is great if you want to "get away". There are some great views of the surrounding mountains and countryside, and plenty of muscadines to snack on! We encountered only a handful of people, perhaps because it was a weekday. The trail begins in Spindale, and goes through the town of Ruth, which provides the opportunity to take a meal break if you need to. In town, be careful to look before crossing where the trail crosses the road. The length of 8 miles and relatively level grade is ideal if you want a good day bike ride without riding a marathon. I will definitlely ride this trail again!

"The route is so promising, but the city parts need maintenance. The surface there is quite rough, and the kudzu threatens to cover the trail in spots. Litter and homeless camps dominate the Spindale leg. On the positive side, the bluebird houses are nice, and the Overmountain Route signs are inspiring."

"I finished up nice October mountain trip by riding a couple of miles of this trail, has good surface and very nice scenery. Was pleasantly surprised on Sunday afternoon by deputy sherrif riding the trail in his patrol car, we chatted, he was very nice! Pretty safe I would say!"