Explore the best rated trails in Elkin, NC. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail and Emily B. Taylor Greenway. With more than 21 trails covering 160 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 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 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 Ararat River Greenway is a pleasant, hard surface trail in Mt. Airy, NC. The trail gets its name from the Ararat River, and was part of an initiative to restore the waterway with the twin goals of...
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 Muddy Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through woodlands and meadows in the western outskirts of Winston-Salem. The mix of environments makes the trail a birdwatchers paradise....
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,...
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
This connector trail links Mount Airy’s two most popular trails, elevating the experience on each by providing an uninterrupted 6-mile walk or ride along the three greenways. The v-shaped trail, which...
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 Bethabara Greenway is a multiuse, multisurface trail that takes users through historic Bethabara in the City of Winston-Salem, NC. Bethabara was a settlement founded in the 18th Century by...
The Heritage Trail Greenway is a multiuse path in Newton, North Carolina. The first two phases of the trail are complete, stretching 1.5 miles from West 7th Street, winding through the wooded...
The 1-mile Troutman Rail-Trail runs from Troutman's business district to a newer north end shopping area, following the former rail bed of the Statesville to Charlotte Norfolk Southern Line. The...
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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 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 Yadkin River Greenway is a work in progress, currently in three segments that have yet to be joined. Construction will take place during summer 2011. The first segment of the greenway begins at...
Statesville’s greenway system is still a collection of unlinked segments, but there are plans in place to build a truly connected non-motorized path network. Today, the discrete sections offer a...
The Elkin & Alleghany Rail-Trail is part of an effort to connect the rural town of Elkin with the nearby Stone Mountain State Park, utilizing the long-abandoned route of the historic Elkin & Alleghany...
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...
Stretching from Veteran’s Park to Worth St, in western Mt. Airy, is the Emily B. Taylor Greenway. The trail has been a hit with residents since the its construction in 2001, and remains arguably one...
This connector trail links Mount Airy’s two most popular trails, elevating the experience on each by providing an uninterrupted 6-mile walk or ride along the three greenways. The v-shaped trail, which...
The Bethabara Greenway is a multiuse, multisurface trail that takes users through historic Bethabara in the City of Winston-Salem, NC. Bethabara was a settlement founded in the 18th Century by...
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...
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 Elkin & Alleghany Rail-Trail is part of an effort to connect the rural town of Elkin with the nearby Stone Mountain State Park, utilizing the long-abandoned route of the historic Elkin & Alleghany...
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 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...
Stretching from Veteran’s Park to Worth St, in western Mt. Airy, is the Emily B. Taylor Greenway. The trail has been a hit with residents since the its construction in 2001, and remains arguably one...
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 Muddy Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through woodlands and meadows in the western outskirts of Winston-Salem. The mix of environments makes the trail a birdwatchers paradise....
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 Heritage Trail Greenway is a multiuse path in Newton, North Carolina. The first two phases of the trail are complete, stretching 1.5 miles from West 7th Street, winding through the wooded...
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
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 1-mile Troutman Rail-Trail runs from Troutman's business district to a newer north end shopping area, following the former rail bed of the Statesville to Charlotte Norfolk Southern Line. 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 Ararat River Greenway is a pleasant, hard surface trail in Mt. Airy, NC. The trail gets its name from the Ararat River, and was part of an initiative to restore the waterway with the twin goals of...
Statesville’s greenway system is still a collection of unlinked segments, but there are plans in place to build a truly connected non-motorized path network. Today, the discrete sections offer a...
The Yadkin River Greenway is a work in progress, currently in three segments that have yet to be joined. Construction will take place during summer 2011. The first segment of the greenway begins at...
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 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 Bethabara Greenway is a multiuse, multisurface trail that takes users through historic Bethabara in the City of Winston-Salem, NC. Bethabara was a settlement founded in the 18th Century by...
The Elkin & Alleghany Rail-Trail is part of an effort to connect the rural town of Elkin with the nearby Stone Mountain State Park, utilizing the long-abandoned route of the historic Elkin & Alleghany...
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...
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 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...
Southern Virginia's New River Trail is one of America's premier rail-trails and has been designated as an official National Recreation Trail by the US Department of the Interior. It is also a state...
This connector trail links Mount Airy’s two most popular trails, elevating the experience on each by providing an uninterrupted 6-mile walk or ride along the three greenways. The v-shaped trail, which...
The Ararat River Greenway is a pleasant, hard surface trail in Mt. Airy, NC. The trail gets its name from the Ararat River, and was part of an initiative to restore the waterway with the twin goals of...
Stretching from Veteran’s Park to Worth St, in western Mt. Airy, is the Emily B. Taylor Greenway. The trail has been a hit with residents since the its construction in 2001, and remains arguably one...
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...
Statesville’s greenway system is still a collection of unlinked segments, but there are plans in place to build a truly connected non-motorized path network. Today, the discrete sections offer a...
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 Heritage Trail Greenway is a multiuse path in Newton, North Carolina. The first two phases of the trail are complete, stretching 1.5 miles from West 7th Street, winding through the wooded...
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 Muddy Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through woodlands and meadows in the western outskirts of Winston-Salem. The mix of environments makes the trail a birdwatchers paradise....
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...
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 1-mile Troutman Rail-Trail runs from Troutman's business district to a newer north end shopping area, following the former rail bed of the Statesville to Charlotte Norfolk Southern Line. The...
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,...
We spent three days May 10-12 riding the New River Trail. We stayed in Galax at the New River Trail Cabins, which were great.
Day 1 we rode from Galax-Byllseby Dam-Fries and back to Galax...~41 miles round trip.
Day 2 we drove to Foster Falls and rode from Foster Falls to Byllseby Dam and back, which was ~28 miles round trip.
Day 3 we drove to Draper and rode from Draper to Foster Falls and back which was ~38 miles round trip.
The trail is in excellent condition and the views of the river are amazing. There are significant rock formations along the cliffs of the trail. Some of the pictures of the rock formations do not capture the scale of these rock formations. Most of the trail is very remote so it is very peaceful and you only hear the sound of the water.
We came across a billy goat at Buck Dam, which was something new and was also saw an eagle flying at Foster Falls.
What a beautiful trail to ride your bicycle on. So scenic by the creek you’ll oftentimes spot heron perched on a rock looking for fish. This trail along with the connecting trail that takes you to a park off highway 103 is a 13 mile easy ride with very gentle and gradual grades that generally can be managed with one or two downshifts. Hoping to see this trail expanded in the future.
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 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.
Had my wife drive me up the narrow winding road up to Whitetop and drop me off for the ride all the way down to Abingdon where she picked me up and I bought dinner (of course).
Word of advice: Get an EARLY start. Just as I was setting off from the top, three rigs of bikes and bikers were ferried to the top to ride down.
Few of these are frequent bikers as is evident by their attire, and that's fine and I'm glad they're there to enjoy the experience. But I really enjoyed the fast ride down the first 17 miles and if I was in a group or came up on a group it would not be enjoyable at all.
The scenery is top-notch, but in a group it would be hard to pay attention and not crash down the ravine.
Whitetop to Damascus is not all downhill, there are plenty of relatively flat spots. The trail is mostly dirt and some rocks that can throw the tire if you don't watch out. But I just loved the speed I gained and the clear trail ahead. If you're riding uphill please watch out for those coming down - they probably don't expect an uphill rider nor know trail etiquette.
Damascus has several incredible bike shops. I had a great time visiting, checking out equipment and talking with the owners.
Eat at Wicked Chicken! Fantastic menu and quite varied and the food is amazing. There's also an ice cream shop on the premises, and bike lock-up is safe. Service is first-rate.
Damascus to Abingdon is actually much more scenic that the downhill portion, going through beautiful farm country, very small towns, plenty of river crossings and open fields.
My only criticism of this trail is the trail transition on to the trestles - not smooth and one must lift up the front tire. In some cases (not all) its like trying to jump a curb. Hopefully in time this is fixed.
Next year I'm considering either staying in Abingdon or Damascus and riding the trail from there. Frankly, there's too much scenery to absorb in just one ride - and the food in Abingdon and Damascus is fantastic.
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.
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.
My wife and I rode the trail over the last two days. We have been anxious to return since our very first ride on the New River. Kudos to the Va State Parks and all of the staff who make this trail consistently one of the best family friendly trails anywhere. My wife and I hope to return again before too long to enjoy this wonderful experience again.
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