Explore the best rated trails in Elizabethton, TN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail and Guest River Gorge Trail. With more than 21 trails covering 127 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.
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The Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Bristol and Mendota. Currently, 8 miles of the future 12.5 mile trail are open to the public....
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 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 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 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...
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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 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,...
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...
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 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 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...
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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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
Cautionary Note: This trail is challenging, with multiple unimproved stream crossings that require visitors to wade through water and a 1,200-foot elevation change. There are also no facilities (such...
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 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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 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...
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 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 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 Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Bristol and Mendota. Currently, 8 miles of the future 12.5 mile trail are open to the public....
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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 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...
Cautionary Note: This trail is challenging, with multiple unimproved stream crossings that require visitors to wade through water and a 1,200-foot elevation change. There are also no facilities (such...
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...
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 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...
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 Mendota Trail will one day stretch the entire length of the former Southern Railroad corridor between Bristol and Mendota. Currently, 8 miles of the future 12.5 mile trail are open to the public....
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...
Inducted into RTC’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2014, the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail offers scenic wonders ranging from dense forests, open fields, and lush waterways to railroad relics...
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 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...
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...
Would not recommend this trail for biking. Although the scenery is beautiful, you can’t see a lot of it. You spend most of your time looking for car traffic coming both ways.
Always a great and beautiful ride! Streams, waterfalls, lots of trestles, shade - it’s great.
Had a friend ride this trail last week on our recommendation. He said the parking area was seriously overgrown and that about a mile or so in, the grass growing in the middle of the trail was more than knee-high and got stuck in his pedals. This is too nice a trail to neglect;hope it is tended to soon!
I’m just getting back into bike riding and this was the first place I rode. Beautifully paved trails with only slight inclines. Definitely recommend checking this place out.
Stopped at Bristol end and was under construction. Sign indicated we could go to Benhams and ride from that end. We drove to that end, rode the trail toward Bristol and in about a mile came to a gate with signs indicating trail was closed. Should take down the sign at Bristol Trail head and indicated it is closed instead.
Spectacular scenery, especially the first 12 mi from Damascus to Whitetop. We rode hybrid ebikes, up and back, and the trail conditions were rougher than other rail trails we’ve ridden- but it might have been better with different tires or later in the season. A beautiful sunny day, but not many other riders on the trail this time of year.
I'm a local. This is NOT a trail. This is a road. A road with no room to meet a bike, much less another vehicle. People live, work and travel this road so if you must bike it, please SHARE the road. I really hate that this road is on this list because it is NOT SAFE. The Virginia Creeper trail located 30 minutes north of us is much better for biking and walking.
We road the southern section from Belhems to Bristol VA. Just over 5 miles one way with 2 new trestle bridges near Belhems - one of each side. Steady climb up to the top midway then streaky climbs down to trailhead. One small section was added to the side of the road by cutting into the hill and it is a bit narrow. I would ride back up on the road, myself. Outside that the trail is wide and relatively smooth. Some grass. Glad the other sections were mainly froze. Today.
First trail run of my NC citizenship and it was awesome. All paved, beautiful day and beautiful scenery. Will definitely be back. All uphill followed by all downhill. 7.1 round trip.
We accessed the Virginia Creeper trail in Damascus in December 2021. The first day we rode downriver for 6 miles or so and returned the same way. It is a lovely ride with some road noise but after a few miles the trail separates from the road and it becomes a pleasant country ride. On day 2 we booked a shuttle to Whitetop, the top of the trail, with Sundog Outfitters. The 17 mile ride back to Damascus was nothing short of spectacular! We pretty much had the trail to ourselves, which I hear is not the case in the summer and fall. The views were amazing, the trestles intriguing, and the trail was in great shape. One of favorite trails to date.
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!
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