Explore the best rated trails in Lincolnton, NC. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Highland Rail Trail and Pacolet Nature Trail. With more than 42 trails covering 114 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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Highland Rail Trail is named for the neighborhood that it runs adjacent to as it travels through Gastonia along the former Carolina and Northwestern (C&NW) Railway. Although short, it offers an...
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...
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...
Torrence Creek Greenway offers a pleasant route through meadows, woodlands, and wetlands south of Huntersville. Along the paved, 1.4-mile route, the trail offers many points to access the surrounding...
The paved, scenic Bakers Creek Greenway follows its eponymous creek, connecting two parks in central North Carolina's Kannapolis. The trail is part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a network of pathways...
The Pacolet Nature Trail is a paved trail in the quiet rural community of Pacolet, located along the banks of the Pacolet River. The trail matches the sleepy nature of the town, providing trail users...
As its name suggests, this multiuse path travels along the South Prong of the Rocky River in Davidson, Mecklenburg County. There are two complete off-street segments, totaling 1.7 miles, that are...
The Wetland Trail is a .4-mile meander through River Park toward the Catawba River. Beginning by the segment of Quality Circle that starts as Keith Drive, the trail continues as an elevated boardwalk...
Kings Mountain Gateway Trail is situated in a beautiful natural park setting offering a picnic shelter, restrooms, drinking fountains, and parking. Much of the park is heavily wooded and the trail is...
The Avon and Catawba Creeks Greenway has several neighborhood entrances in Gastonia. The 1.9-mile trail winds alongside Catawba Creek and Avon Creek with a few small bridges crossings along the way....
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Note: Lower Drayton Mills Trail is currently closed for construction, but Upper Drayton Mills Trail is open. Meandering around and through the City of Spartanburg's eastside, the Drayton Mills...
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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...
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...
Caldwell Station Creek Greenway is 2.6 miles of walking and biking trails through the woods and wetlands of Cornelius. The trail is a local treasure, popular with locals for a workout in nature, as...
The Piedmont Medical Center Trail (formerly the Riverwalk Trail) stretches just over 3 miles through Rock Hill near the border between North and South Carolina. The route is part of the Carolina...
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...
In northern South Carolina, only about 30 miles southwest of Charlotte, lies the quaint city of York. A paved bicycle trail runs through the heart of the community from its city park to its recreation...
Plum Creek Greenway is a short, paved multiuse trail in Cornelius, North Carolina, that is suitable for walking and biking. It's a pleasant neighborhood path with stands of trees along its length,...
Located in the quiet, rural outskirts of Spartanburg, SC, the Glendale Shoals Trail provides a lovely path for visitors to explore some of the natural beauty of the area. The natural-surface trail...
Antiquity Greenway is a half-mile segment of Cornelius, NC's growing collection of multiuse paths. The paved trail begins on Zion Drive in downtown Cornelius and winds its way northeast towards the...
The Wetland Trail is a .4-mile meander through River Park toward the Catawba River. Beginning by the segment of Quality Circle that starts as Keith Drive, the trail continues as an elevated boardwalk...
On the southern outskirts of Charlotte, a series of connected greeways along creeks form a horseshoe-shaped path of nearly 6 miles. The pathway is primarily paved with wooden boardwalks over creeks...
The Irwin Creek and Stewart Creek Greenways cover 2 miles of trail alongside their namesake creeks in Charlotte's city center. The Irwin Creek Greenway begins at Ray's Splash Planet and travels...
The Pacolet Nature Trail is a paved trail in the quiet rural community of Pacolet, located along the banks of the Pacolet River. The trail matches the sleepy nature of the town, providing trail users...
The Avon and Catawba Creeks Greenway has several neighborhood entrances in Gastonia. The 1.9-mile trail winds alongside Catawba Creek and Avon Creek with a few small bridges crossings along the way....
Caldwell Station Creek Greenway is 2.6 miles of walking and biking trails through the woods and wetlands of Cornelius. The trail is a local treasure, popular with locals for a workout in nature, as...
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 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...
Torrence Creek Greenway offers a pleasant route through meadows, woodlands, and wetlands south of Huntersville. Along the paved, 1.4-mile route, the trail offers many points to access the surrounding...
Briar Creek Greenway will one day stretch 6 miles through Charlotte and connect to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. Currently, the trail is open in two disconnected segments totaling 1.4 miles. The...
The Marcia H. Cloninger Rail-Trail, known locally as the Lincolnton Rail-Trail, offers a chance to explore the heart of this small Southern town, highlighted by a stately courthouse, model Main...
If you enjoy rail-trails that flaunt their railroading past, you're sure to love the Thermal Belt Rail-Trail. The trail begins in Gilkey, and a recent extension takes it over 13 miles southeast to...
The Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail provides a 2-mile moderately challenging hike or mountain bike ride in the rural community of Mount Pleasant, about 30 miles northeast of Charlotte. The unpaved 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...
In northern South Carolina, only about 30 miles southwest of Charlotte, lies the quaint city of York. A paved bicycle trail runs through the heart of the community from its city park to its recreation...
Shelby's rail-trail winds through the western edge of the city between West Grover Street and Dixon Boulevard. Following the former right-of-way of Norfolk Southern Railroad, the unpaved pathway...
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...
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 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...
Highland Rail Trail is named for the neighborhood that it runs adjacent to as it travels through Gastonia along the former Carolina and Northwestern (C&NW) Railway. Although short, it offers an...
Kings Mountain Gateway Trail is situated in a beautiful natural park setting offering a picnic shelter, restrooms, drinking fountains, and parking. Much of the park is heavily wooded and the trail is...
The Purple Martin Greenway provides a beautiful community amenity in Rutherfordton. The quaint western North Carolina town was established in 1787 and has many buildings on the National Register of...
The Piedmont Medical Center Trail (formerly the Riverwalk Trail) stretches just over 3 miles through Rock Hill near the border between North and South Carolina. The route is part of the Carolina...
About 12 miles north of Charlotte, the McDowell Creek Greenway links the communities of Huntersville and Cornelius. The paved, mile-and-a-half route is part of the larger Carolina Thread Trail, a...
This trail follows alongside the West Branch of the Rocky River in Davidson, NC and is a part of the Carolina Thread trails complex. The greenway offers a refreshing walk or ride into nature, passing...
The Waterford Trail is a 1.5-mile segment of the Carolina Thread Trail, a system of trails and greenways in the Carolinas. Beginning by the River Park kayak/canoe launch, the wooded trail meanders...
The Pacolet Nature Trail is a paved trail in the quiet rural community of Pacolet, located along the banks of the Pacolet River. The trail matches the sleepy nature of the town, providing trail users...
The Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail provides a 2-mile moderately challenging hike or mountain bike ride in the rural community of Mount Pleasant, about 30 miles northeast of Charlotte. The unpaved trail...
Shelby's rail-trail winds through the western edge of the city between West Grover Street and Dixon Boulevard. Following the former right-of-way of Norfolk Southern Railroad, the unpaved pathway...
The Twelve Mile Creek Trail, which runs through Walnut Creek Park and the Walnut Creek neighborhood in Lancaster, is part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a growing trail network of more than 200 miles...
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...
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Notice: As at September 2020, River Park has been closed temporarily for capital improvements. There is no entry or exit from the trail from this access point. Please use the Celriver Access point...
The half-mile 8th Street Greenway begins at North Loop Road and follows a tree-lined northwesterly route to Bakers Creek Park, where it connects to a trail of the same name which is part of a regional...
Note: Lower Drayton Mills Trail is currently closed for construction, but Upper Drayton Mills Trail is open. Meandering around and through the City of Spartanburg's eastside, the Drayton Mills...
The Little Sugar Creek Greenway, part of the Carolina Thread Trail, runs along eastern Charlotte and will one day stretch more than 15 miles down to the Catawba River in neighboring South Carolina....
Highland Rail Trail is named for the neighborhood that it runs adjacent to as it travels through Gastonia along the former Carolina and Northwestern (C&NW) Railway. Although short, it offers an...
Beginning less than half a mile from downtown, the Bessemer City Park Trail offers a quiet natural retreat. The 1.3-mile route begins at the basketball court in Bessemer City Park and quickly dives...
Antiquity Greenway is a half-mile segment of Cornelius, NC's growing collection of multiuse paths. The paved trail begins on Zion Drive in downtown Cornelius and winds its way northeast towards the...
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 paved, scenic Bakers Creek Greenway follows its eponymous creek, connecting two parks in central North Carolina's Kannapolis. The trail is part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a network of pathways...
The very beginning in Gilkey, NC to Ruth, NC and then from Harris parking to Forest City are the bests parts of this 13.5 stretch of trail. The parts in middle are mostly Urban and I did see that the maintainers of the Rails to trail are working diligently trying to clean up some sections along with working with businesses along the trail to make it more appealing. We just need more business to step up and do their part. They have their work cut out for them just pass Spindale, NC to the Harris Street parking in Forest City, NC
The trail has been extended a little and is now four (4) miles round trip. It’s pretty level so it’s easy to walk, and wide enough for people to pass each other going the opposite direction. It runs along the South Fork River and has a couple of small dams along the way for possible photo opportunities. Definitely relaxing as the trail is mostly surrounded by trees and nature, and there are several benches along the trail if you need to take a break. It is a natural trail, but has some gravel in a few spots to prevent it from washing out. I’ve seen some people riding mountain bikes on it too. I would definitely recommend this trail to get some exercise, walk your dog (best friend), and enjoy nature.
Great smooth wide trail. 5 big stars for trail condition. This is definitely more of an "urban trail", so those seeking nature will not be very pleased. Although the south end and north end is wooded, most of the trail is along a highway and then through a couple small towns. Very easy pleasant ride, with only a couple "dangerous" road crossings....(a couple of them are a bit blind).
Drove up to Spindale, NC from Greenville, SC to ride the Thermal Belt Trail. Well worth the drive! Rode from mile 9 up to mile 0, then back. Nice combination of urban and rural. Especially enjoyed the Bechtler Mint park around mile 2. Will definitely be back, and will ride all of it.
Their is a wide concrete side walk to and down Bailey Road to the high school. At that point there is a cross walk that connects to the Greenway to Davidson and Antiquity.
This is a nice ride through the woods. I rode it mid day on a week day lots of walkers .
The new extension from Westmoreland to Magnolia Ridge (By Publix) is a great addition.
This was our first ride on a rail trail and we loved it. Not crowded at all, smooth surface and beautiful scenery.
This wonderful trail now begins at the Andrew Polk State Historic Site.
We rode end to end and back yesterday on our tandem. It’s a very nicely done trail and the pavement is smooth as silk. It’s probably not a destination trail, but if you’re in the area, you don’t want to miss it. There are plenty of places to grab a drink or a bit to eat. There is a bike shop in Spindale. The at-grade crossings are plentiful in a few of the towns, but we still managed a decent pace and the crossings were well marked and safe.
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