Explore the best rated trails in Elizabethton, TN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Mendota Trail and Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail. With more than 21 trails covering 126 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_140830_st.jpg)
_39900_st.jpg)
The City of Lenoir Greenway is a system of several loops and endpoints meandering through an urban landscape of parks and open areas, recreation centers, the library and wooded tracts. For more...
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
The paved, 3.62-mile Point Lookout Trail follows the Old NC 10/Highway 70 route through the Royal Gorge, once known at the Central Highway, through the Pisgah National Forest. The trail ascends more...
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
The multi-use Yadkin River Trail accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists and joggers in the beautiful Happy Valley area of Caldwell County. The 2-mile trail is paved and includes a walking loop near the...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
_39900_sc.jpg)
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
The Catawba River Greenway meanders, along with its river namesake, through the historic town of Morganton, North Carolina. The trail encompasses wooded areas, open meadows and the quaint commercial...
_140830_sc.jpg)
The Peavine Trail runs for 1.5 miles from State Street in downtown Marion, North Carolina to just south of the First Christian Church on Rutherford Road. Construction of the crushed gravel and grass...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The Peavine Trail runs for 1.5 miles from State Street in downtown Marion, North Carolina to just south of the First Christian Church on Rutherford Road. Construction of the crushed gravel and grass...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail offers scenic wonders from dense forests, open fields and lush waterways to railroad relics and delightful small towns. Cyclists and equestrians love the...
The Catawba River Greenway meanders, along with its river namesake, through the historic town of Morganton, North Carolina. The trail encompasses wooded areas, open meadows and the quaint commercial...
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
Virginia's Salt Trail runs for more than 8 miles between the small community of Saltville and the larger borough of Glade Spring. The trail is popular with equestrians and can get muddy and eroded in...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
If you're looking for an easy trip, the Little Stony National Recreation Trail in Jefferson National Forest is the perfect alternative to the nearby Devils Fork Loop Trail. Devils Fork Loop is...
The paved, 3.62-mile Point Lookout Trail follows the Old NC 10/Highway 70 route through the Royal Gorge, once known at the Central Highway, through the Pisgah National Forest. The trail ascends more...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
The City of Lenoir Greenway is a system of several loops and endpoints meandering through an urban landscape of parks and open areas, recreation centers, the library and wooded tracts. For more...
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
Cautionary Note: This trail is extremely challenging, with as many as 18 stream crossings (at the height of the winter thaw), a 1,200-foot elevation change and many opportunities to lose the trail....
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
The multi-use Yadkin River Trail accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists and joggers in the beautiful Happy Valley area of Caldwell County. The 2-mile trail is paved and includes a walking loop near the...
Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, a homespun pathway connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills. The Tweetsie Trail links Johnson City, home to East...
The Erwin Linear Trail (a.k.a. the Erwin Greenway) parallels I-26 along North Indian Creek and Nolichucky waterways for 4 miles. The trail is paved and mostly flat, coursing through the Cherokee...
The Railroad Grade Road is a 10-mile road built on an old railroad grade that was once part of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad (Virginia Creeper). This part of the Virginia Creeper line was abandoned...
The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Mendota and Bristol, a total of 12.5 miles. At present there are two segments. The northern...
Virginia's Salt Trail runs for more than 8 miles between the small community of Saltville and the larger borough of Glade Spring. The trail is popular with equestrians and can get muddy and eroded in...
The Beaver Creek Dam Trail gets its name from the circa-1905 Beaver Dam Railroad, which it follows through the southwestern Virginia town of Damascus. A highlight of the route is the trail's...
The South Fork New River Greenway offers a winding, paved pathway through the town of Boone, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Brookshire Park is at the northern end of the trail...
The Peavine Trail runs for 1.5 miles from State Street in downtown Marion, North Carolina to just south of the First Christian Church on Rutherford Road. Construction of the crushed gravel and grass...
The Catawba River Greenway meanders, along with its river namesake, through the historic town of Morganton, North Carolina. The trail encompasses wooded areas, open meadows and the quaint commercial...
The Wes Davis Greenway follows a portion of abandoned rail line that once ran from Bluff City, TN, to Mendota, VA. The greenway crosses Beaver Creek at two points. This linear park features the...
The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail offers scenic wonders from dense forests, open fields and lush waterways to railroad relics and delightful small towns. Cyclists and equestrians love the...
The paved, 3.62-mile Point Lookout Trail follows the Old NC 10/Highway 70 route through the Royal Gorge, once known at the Central Highway, through the Pisgah National Forest. The trail ascends more...
The multi-use Yadkin River Trail accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists and joggers in the beautiful Happy Valley area of Caldwell County. The 2-mile trail is paved and includes a walking loop near the...
The Laurel Creek Trail takes travelers into the Cherokee National Forest in Johnson County. There is no shortage of scenery in this wildlife rich-haven, where rushing waters slice through serene...
The Guest River Gorge Trail meanders along 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs that plunge 400 feet to the pristine waters below. The deep gorge was created as the Guest River, now designated as a...
The Kingsport Greenbelt runs 8 miles along the Holston River and Reedy Creek through the city of Kingsport. It is touted as both a historic and fitness trail, passing by Civil War sites, historic...
Boone Greenway is a hidden gem in the town of Boone, and each step traveled takes to across different settings, with nature, history and culture all on display. The trail traverses the town, winding,...
If you're looking for an easy trip, the Little Stony National Recreation Trail in Jefferson National Forest is the perfect alternative to the nearby Devils Fork Loop Trail. Devils Fork Loop is...
Cautionary Note: This trail is extremely challenging, with as many as 18 stream crossings (at the height of the winter thaw), a 1,200-foot elevation change and many opportunities to lose the trail....
The Powell River Trail is a 2.4-mile out-and-back trail in Appalachia, southwestern Virginia. The trail sits on the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad bed, which was used to haul coal from...
I biked from glade spring to Santa Cruz road, all down hill, needs signage( basically none) mostly grass and it was a walnuts gardens in a Large area, my advice is it would be better to bike is spring or summer before the walnuts nuts fall!
We are visitors in Asheville and have been trying out different Greenway bike trails over the past week and decided to drive to TN to try this one. The crushed gravel is very fine so isn’t too difficult to ride on with a road bike. The first 4 miles are pretty but after that it runs parallel to a very busy street full of truckers and much traffic and goes by strip malls, many street crossings, etc.. We turned around about 3/4 way into the ride as the street was so unpleasant to ride next to. Was nice to experience it but wouldn’t make the drive to go back. The Thermal Belt Trail in NC was nicer than this for a longer Greenway that’s more scenic. We met some locals there who said there’s a really pretty paved greenway in Kingston TN but we didn’t get a chance to try that one out.
The Virginia Creeper Trail is beautiful. My husband and I stayed in Damascus and rode our e-bikes, we are in our 60s, from there to Whitetop and back, then Damascus to Abington the next day. The trail was crowded the first day going against the people who were shuttled to the top but nice on the way back. We rode on a Wednesday. It was a wonderful ride. One which I would recommend to anyone.
Walked the North end to where Trestle 16 was located. Beautiful area. I can't wait until the whole trail is done!!
Real scenic. Steady rise. Just the right distance to and from.
Parked at the town park in Damascus. There were tons of people around gearing up to ride on a nice Friday morning. Assumed that most were riding/shuttling east up to Whitetop, so we decided to ride west to Abingdon to avoid some of the crowds. Just leaving the town park headed west had to cross the busy main road. No crosswalk was painted on the road, a huge oversight given the number of people crossing the road. First short section of the trail was narrow, with soft fill, so had to proceed with caution. First three miles or so were close to the main road, not such a great section of trail. After Alvarado, trail rose gradually up to Abingdon, nice views of the river and some sections through farmlands. The bridge surfaces were in great shape. Trail surface was usually very good, 32 mm wide tires. Saw quite a few riders heading east from Abingdon towards Damascus. Watch out for the gates that require you to stop and open them!
The trail is in horrible condition. Ruts and large rocks are plentiful. Plus the trail is full of people who have been shuttled to the top riding down with little regard for anyone riding up. I went on a Wednesday and it was packed. I can't imagine a weekend. Stunning scenery though, but I won't return.
From Damascus to Whitetop going uphill, the trail is hazardous. Not only are there droves of people coasting down, not all are experienced riders, there are children and people just not paying attention. Add to that that the trail is fairly narrow, the surface can be rocky, so it is not an enjoyable experience. Going downhill is not much better since people randomly brake or stop. The surroundings, however, are beautiful. We went on a semi-holiday (Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day) so maybe it's better during the week.
The trail is fairly enjoyable except for the endless waves of idiots who are bussed to the top and coast downhill side by side. Rode the whole trail from Abingdon-Whitetop-Abingdon and thoroughly enjoyed the ride except for the Damascus-Whitetop section. It wasn't the climb that bothered me but the droves of people riding downhill on the wrong side of the trail. I was nearly hit head-on at least six or seven times in the last 5 miles before reaching Whitetop.
Took a shuttle to White Top Station and biked the length of the VCT back to Abingdon. A wonderful 34 mile ride with a stop in Damascus for lunch. Leaf color starting to pop and so many amazing bridges to cross. This was my second time and will return again and again. Two thumbs way up!!
Starting on the Glade Springs end (the parking lot is a couple miles outside of the town of Glade Springs) and the trail is vaguely maintained - but is somewhat rough. Leaving from the other end (Saltville) and traveling south the trail just sort of ends approximately 2.5 miles from downtown Saltville. There is a small sign pointing to the right (ie...following Highway 91), but no clear indication of where the trail picks up again. It's much nicer just riding around downtown Saltville. The Salt trail has potential, but needs a lot of TLC and development. If you are going to ride it, I would recommend a bike with at least 26" tires and suspension.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
