Find the top rated trails in Burlington, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The short Libba Cotton Bikeway is built along an active rail spur right-of-way: the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. The bikeway connects Carrboro's central business district to just west of the UNC...
Beaver Creek Greenway offers a pleasant, paved route in the community of Apex, a western suburb of Raleigh. Much of the trail is wooded and it connects two parks, Kelly Road Park and Jaycee Park. The...
The Dick & Willie Passage Rail Trail runs for 4.5 miles on a former Danville & Western Railroad corridor, which was acquired by Southern Railway in 1920 and ultimately abandoned by its successor,...
_133264_sc.jpg)
The Rocky Branch Trail offers beautiful views of the Raleigh city skyline, while also passing through the length of the North Carolina State University campus. It also links to Pullen Park, which has...
Speight Branch Greenway offers a paved, shaded route through a residential area of Cary, which lies on the western edges of Raleigh. The trail begins at Southeast Cary Parkway and travels north along...
Batchelor Branch Greenway is a short stretch of trail in northeast Cary. The trail is 0.8 miles long and 10 feet wide, accommodating uses ranging from walking and running, to biking, rollerblading,...
Along the eastern outskirts of Raleigh, the Neuse River Trail follows the river for nearly 28 miles from Falls Lake Dam to the Wake/Johnston County line. There are several river crossings along the...
Note: Salem Creek Greenway between Main Street and Vargrave Street is currently closed due to construction. It is expected to be closed for 18 months. A detour is in place from Salem Avenue, Rams...
The House Creek Greenway Trail is a 2.8-mile-long paved trail that runs from Crabtree Valley Avenue near the intersection with Blue Ridge Road (near the McDonald's) until it meets the Reedy Creek...
Martinsville's Uptown Spur Trail, as its name implies, runs along an abandoned railroad spur line. Like the trains before its conversion, the paved trail branches off from the former main line—now the...
The Walnut Creek Trails spans more than 19 miles on an east-west route through Raleigh. Only its western end, through Lake Johnson Park, is unpaved. The trail affords stunning views of Lake...
The Creekside Park Trails—all paved and interconnected—span about 3 miles in Archdale and lead to residential areas and important points in the community. The mile-long Cedar Trail section of the...
Most of the short and sweet Baileywick Trail runs through Baileywick Park in the oakwood neighborhood of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina. The 50-acre park has two baseball diamonds, picnic shelters,...
The Hare Snipe Trail provides access to Lake Lynn; its northern terminus follows Hare Snipe Creek from Ray Road to Wooten Meadow Park. From here the trail makes a loop around Lake Lynn, with a...
The Riverwalk Greenway is a 2-mile trail in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The shared use trail begins at Gold Park and heads east, staying close to the river for most of its length, before concluding...
_155772_sc.jpg)
The 7.5-mile, paved Riverwalk Trail is part of Danville's expanding network of trails. This scenic pathway along the Dan River connects industry, beautiful parks and natural areas. It travels through...
Abbotts Creek Trail courses along a tree-lined route beside open fields and subdivisions in a suburban community near Wake Forest, North Carolina. The trail follows Abbotts Creek and passes by North...
The Wakefield Trail follows the power line from Falls of Neuse Road south to Dunard Street, just under 1.5 miles. There is a slight jog in the trail where it meets Wakefield Plantation Drive. If...
The Crabtree Creek Trail, in suburban Raleigh, stretches nearly 12 miles along the Crabtree Creek corridor through forested greenways, city parks, residential areas, and among some business...
The American Tobacco Trail extends uninterrupted from Durham more than 22 miles south through Chatham County to its southern terminus in Wake County. In 2014, a bridge for the trail over Interstate 40...
Abbotts Creek Trail courses along a tree-lined route beside open fields and subdivisions in a suburban community near Wake Forest, North Carolina. The trail follows Abbotts Creek and passes by North...
Stretching from north of Lake Brandt south to Greensboro Country Park and beyond, the newly named Yadkin & Atlantic Greenway is really a combination of three greenway segments, now made into one: the...
Annie Jones Greenway provides a natural escape in the middle of the city. The trail goes through woods, and past streams for a short, though serene journey. The trail begins on SW Cary Parkway and...
The trail starts on Green Level Church Road and then heads west past suburban homes, skirting the north side of Amberly Lake. You will cross Yates South Road via crosswalk, then continue south along...
The Riverwalk Greenway is a 2-mile trail in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The shared use trail begins at Gold Park and heads east, staying close to the river for most of its length, before concluding...
Bolin Creek Trail is a 3-mile out and back multipurpose trail in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The paved trail begins at Community Center Park and heads west, then ducks under the Franklin St. bridge....
Just a short section of the Deep River Rail-Trail is complete through Franklinville as of early 2011. Highlights of the Deep River Rail-Trail include an old fish weir built by early Native...
As its name suggests, the Winston-Salem Strollway presents the perfect setting for a leisurely walk. Completed in 1988, the popular rail-trail links Winston-Salem's modern business district with...
The Reedy Creek Trail links William B. Umstead State Park to Meredith College. Beginning at the edge of Umstead State Park, the trail passes among some of the area's feature attractions, including the...
Martinsville's Uptown Spur Trail, as its name implies, runs along an abandoned railroad spur line. Like the trains before its conversion, the paved trail branches off from the former main line—now the...
The Simms Branch Trail boasts several areas of large loblolly pine and connects Falls River to Durant Park. Watch for wildlife, including plenty of deer and maybe some beaver. You'll find a small...
The Salem Lake Trail runs nearly 7 miles, circling Salem Lake at the park of the same name in the city of Winston-Salem. Near downtown, the park offers a 365-acre lake and the trail provides scenic...
The Crabtree Creek Trail, in suburban Raleigh, stretches nearly 12 miles along the Crabtree Creek corridor through forested greenways, city parks, residential areas, and among some business...
Batchelor Branch Greenway is a short stretch of trail in northeast Cary. The trail is 0.8 miles long and 10 feet wide, accommodating uses ranging from walking and running, to biking, rollerblading,...
The Walnut Creek Trails spans more than 19 miles on an east-west route through Raleigh. Only its western end, through Lake Johnson Park, is unpaved. The trail affords stunning views of Lake...
The 7.5-mile, paved Riverwalk Trail is part of Danville's expanding network of trails. This scenic pathway along the Dan River connects industry, beautiful parks and natural areas. It travels through...
Endor Iron Furnace Greenway runs along Big Buffalo Creek on the west side of Sanford, which sits about 40 miles southwest of Raleigh. The paved trail begins at Kiwanis Family Park, which offers a...
The Creekside Park Trails—all paved and interconnected—span about 3 miles in Archdale and lead to residential areas and important points in the community. The mile-long Cedar Trail section of the...
Hinshaw Greenway is a 1.7 mile north-south recreational trail in Cary, NC. The trail runs riparian forest, and acts as a conduit for children to travel safely between the play areas within MacDonald’s...
The American Tobacco Trail extends uninterrupted from Durham more than 22 miles south through Chatham County to its southern terminus in Wake County. In 2014, a bridge for the trail over Interstate 40...
The Mine Creek Trail consists of five distinct segments: Bent Creek (paved), Inman Connector (unpaved), Ironwood (paved), Lake Park (unpaved), Sawmill (unpaved) and Shelley Lake (paved). The segments...
Martinsville's Uptown Spur Trail, as its name implies, runs along an abandoned railroad spur line. Like the trains before its conversion, the paved trail branches off from the former main line—now the...
Batchelor Branch Greenway is a short stretch of trail in northeast Cary. The trail is 0.8 miles long and 10 feet wide, accommodating uses ranging from walking and running, to biking, rollerblading,...
The Simms Branch Trail boasts several areas of large loblolly pine and connects Falls River to Durant Park. Watch for wildlife, including plenty of deer and maybe some beaver. You'll find a small...
Along the eastern outskirts of Raleigh, the Neuse River Trail follows the river for nearly 28 miles from Falls Lake Dam to the Wake/Johnston County line. There are several river crossings along the...
Speight Branch Greenway offers a paved, shaded route through a residential area of Cary, which lies on the western edges of Raleigh. The trail begins at Southeast Cary Parkway and travels north along...
Abbotts Creek Trail courses along a tree-lined route beside open fields and subdivisions in a suburban community near Wake Forest, North Carolina. The trail follows Abbotts Creek and passes by North...
As its name suggests, the Winston-Salem Strollway presents the perfect setting for a leisurely walk. Completed in 1988, the popular rail-trail links Winston-Salem's modern business district with...
Most of the short and sweet Baileywick Trail runs through Baileywick Park in the oakwood neighborhood of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina. The 50-acre park has two baseball diamonds, picnic shelters,...
Beaver Creek Greenway offers a pleasant, paved route in the community of Apex, a western suburb of Raleigh. Much of the trail is wooded and it connects two parks, Kelly Road Park and Jaycee Park. The...
The Tobacco Heritage Trail currently runs in a continuous, off-road 17-mile stretch between the southern Virginia communities of Lawrenceville, Brodnax and La Crosse. Along the way, trail-goers can...
The Walnut Creek Trails spans more than 19 miles on an east-west route through Raleigh. Only its western end, through Lake Johnson Park, is unpaved. The trail affords stunning views of Lake...
The Richmond and Danville Rail-Trail follows part of the right-of-way of the old railroad of the same name, an important transportation corridor for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The railroad...
Bolin Creek Trail is a 3-mile out and back multipurpose trail in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The paved trail begins at Community Center Park and heads west, then ducks under the Franklin St. bridge....
The Creekside Park Trails—all paved and interconnected—span about 3 miles in Archdale and lead to residential areas and important points in the community. The mile-long Cedar Trail section of the...
_0_sc.jpg)
In the 1870s, the arrival of the railroad into Winston-Salem helped spur the growth of its tobacco industry. Those factory buildings and warehouses survived into the present day and have been...
The Snelling Branch Trail is just under 1 mile and links Shelley Lake with Optimist Park. The Snelling Branch Trail, which runs east and west, joins Mine Creek Trail north of Shelley Lake. The...
The Rocky Branch Trail offers beautiful views of the Raleigh city skyline, while also passing through the length of the North Carolina State University campus. It also links to Pullen Park, which has...
The short Libba Cotton Bikeway is built along an active rail spur right-of-way: the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. The bikeway connects Carrboro's central business district to just west of the UNC...
At just over 7 miles, the Black Creek Greenway is one of Cary’s longest and most popular trails. The paved pathway connects several parks, schools, and shopping and dining areas. On its southern...
Great trail for a morning walk. It's part of the Cary Greenway and connects to other trails
I had an extra day to spend in the Triangle before heading home, and was excited to squeeze in a ride on this trail. I parked at the White Oak trailhead, which has restrooms. The stone trail was among the best I’ve ever seen; extremely wide, smooth, well-packed. Lots of tree cover, gentle hills. They use the old-fashioned access control gates on this trail, which are a bit narrow to ride through even at a slow speed. But road crossings were not too frequent and didn’t slow me down.
Even though it was a Saturday and a lot of people were using the trail, I didn’t feel hampered to ride at a (relatively) fast pace. The mix of families with strollers, walkers, runners, and riders all got along quite well. I rode to the end of the stone section, then back past my car to the paved section and into Durham. There was a bigger hill and one very urban area where the trail narrows and becomes effectively a sidewalk, then opens up a bit and dives back into the trees. I continued to Mile 5 and turned around where it seemed to be getting more urban again.
And despite the trail’s name, not a single smoker in sight the whole way.
Drove in from Raleigh area to do the peaceful 18 miles from west of La Crosse to Lawrenceville. Western 4-5 miles is a nice paved section. Railroad St. in Brodnax is a seamless transition to crushed stone section (look for the shareroads to confirm you're on the right path). The crushed stone section is clearly designed with horses in mind, but it is a perfectly fine trail for MTBs. And they have provided 4 fixed latrines (Bless'm!) and a multitude of picnic tables. Ate at The Clubhouse Grill in Lawrenceville (turn right at the abrupt end of the trail, down the hill, quick right). Good comfort food with local atmosphere. And the only eatery (except Hardee's) I could find on the trail.
The only reason I didn't give this trail 5 stars is that I think La Crosse needs to solidify it's standing as the premier trail access point by providing at least a changing hut, or better yet rest rooms and water fountain.
Rode from Evans Creek trailhead to LaCrosse and back. It was after heavy rain, so Trail was smooth, if a little heavy to pedal through. We were the ONLY people on the trail. I’m also a horsewoman, and it looks like a great trail to ride on too! The birding was fantastic. We aren’t fussy, just like a nice ride. Highly recommend. PS: if we cyclists want more rail trails, we need to use trails like this one, and visit local businesses. It might not be perfect for some, but if we want more, we need to show the economic advantages to having these trails!
My wife and I fully enjoyed riding the south end of the trail. We started at the information center in Jamestown. Parking there was free. The Path is asphalt and often provides lake views. Several bridges keep it interesting. The trail has some pretty sharp turns and is constantly providing short up hill approaches and of course, the down hill reward on the other side. Great conditioning ride.
The trail was excellent. The people on the trail were very friendly. Great place to ride.
Took this trail in October for a nice fall ride on a beautiful sunny day. Nicely shaded for the most part. Started at the mid point near the Amtrak Station which is a great place because ample parking and if you don't bring your own bikes you can actually rent them there from a rental locked bike rack! When you cross over the river from the parking lot you can go either left or right onto the trail. We went right (after reading reviews that suggested this) and this was the longer and nicer end of the trail in my opinion. When you get to the park end and have to cross through the parking lot to the restroom building to jump back on the trail, the trail from there is hillier but I actually loved the way it wound through the hills and was very shaded with trees. When we got to the very end of the trail, we rode all the way back and then did the opposite end from were we entered from the bridge. Overall, we did about 20 miles. Was a great ride along the river, with a few little bridges, dams and benches to stop and rest if you choose.
We biked from Worthdale park east to the Neuse river trail. Beautiful well maintained and a little hilly. This section is 5 stars. We then went 4 miles or so west ,after struggling to find the street connection , and it was a little more dated , not quite as wide, and in need of some cleaning but pretty nice. We rated this section a 3+. Well worth a visit.
Our group of 5 old guys spent 4 nights in a rental home in Wake Forest. We had a direct trail connection to the Neuse River Trail(NRT). it was our second trip to the area and once again the biking did not disappoint. This is one of the best rails we have ever ridden. Extremely well maintained, scenic and fairly level with some short climbs and descents.
First ride around the lake last week. The leaves have really not started to change but when they do it will be nice. The ride was 7 miles. Not strenuous. Caught myself checking out nature and the wildlife and not paying attention to others on the trail. ;) Thinking of getting a bell for my bike to warn people I am coming up on them.
Get Your 2018 RTC TrailNation Jersey!
Download the TrailLink mobile app and take TrailLink with you!
Donate and Get a FREE 2018 RTC Guidebook!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_0_st.jpg)
_155772_st.jpg)
_133264_st.jpg)
