Explore the best rated trails in Salem, VA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Mayo River Rail Trail and Murray Run Greenway . With more than 24 trails covering 233 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.
My wife and I rode this trail 4/15/2025. Great surface, very scenic and NOT busy during the week. Signage was great as we're trailheads
More hills than expected. We rode from parking lot at Fisher Street to the sports complex and there was a lot of street/sidewalk riding. Glad I had my ebike.
This is a connector trail, connecting uptown to the Dick & Willie. It’s paved and kept clean, there is a nice bathroom at the parking area.
Accessed trail at Booker Falls. Great ride with beautiful views of the New River. Saw several deer and interesting to see the damage from the hurricane.
Well paved- beautifully kept trail. Had a great morning riding into downtown Lynchburg , where we stopped for a nice lunch. I would definitely ride this trail again.
Most of this trail consists of a wide grassy median with two narrow gravel ruts on either side. This is great for bicycles but recumbent trikes, or anything with more than two wheels, will be forced to ride with at least one wheel up on the grass making for a slow rough ride. I rode almost the entire trail over two days on my trike, from mile marker 25 to 77, and it is a beautiful trail -- for bicycles. Short sections that are in full shade in deep forest are pure crushed stone, no grass. This makes it clear that when the trail was originally constructed it did not have a grassy median; the grassy median is due to bad maintenance. Politicians love to attend ribbon cutting ceremonies for new infrastructure, and the press will cover new stuff, but who ever read about politicians attending a ceremony to celebrate routine annual maintenance? Build and neglect.
My wife and I rode the Jackson River Scenic Trail over two days in late summer, Intervale to Smith Bridge the first day and Smith Bridge to the end on the second. We thoroughly enjoyed this trail. The trail was shady, scenic and peaceful. It is one of the widest, flattest and smoothest rail-trails I've ever been on, perfect for kids or casual riders who don't like incessant bumps or grinding grades. The trail is well equipped with picnic areas and restrooms. (No interpretive signage however; it would be a nice upgrade to showcase the human and natural history of the area.) Two of the best sights are located just off the trail. A small sign will direct you to a suspension footbridge over the river. It's well worth the detour to bounce over the bridge. (A sign warns you not to bounce, but just walking across the thing sets it into motion!) Just below the Smith Bridge parking area is the decommissioned Smith Bridge, open to foot traffic only. It offers big views of the river. A couple of caveats: 1) While the trail traces the river for most of its length, there are no places to get wet directly on the trail. A public access area just off the trail at Smith Bridge has a shallow area perfect for getting wet. 2) The lower portion of the trail is located a few miles from a huge paper mill. Depending on weather conditions, you may smell it.
Some friends and I rode the entire Greenbrier River Trail as part of a four-day 180-mile bike tour. (The entire route is part of Adventure Cycling's Short Routes collection at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46271108)
On the Greenbrier River Trail, you're enfolded by green mountains, flowing water, wildflowers, solitude, and lots of places to get wet. And quiet! The near-total lack of cell coverage meant no dinging intrusions from the "real world". So relaxing to disconnect and reconnect!
There is a remote feel to this trail, but you’re never far from camping or water. The primitive campsites along the trail are free and first-come first-served. The campsite at Mile 28.5 was an especially nice place to swim and gather around a campfire. There is also an adjacent Hipcamp and Watoga State Park for those who want a hot shower.
Cass, a former lumber boomtown, has a steam excursion train a small museum for rail buffs. Marlinton offers a respite to trail food, including a combination bike shop-café. Jack Horner's Corner, just off the trail in Seebert, has good food and ice cream.
Several things set this trail apart: the feel of isolation, the abundant camping options and the trailside displays showcasing the human and natural history of the Greenbrier valley.
Beautiful scenic trail !! I rode it in entirety over two days doing out & backs from near Seebert. I particularly enjoyed the remoteness and the beautiful river views. I’ll definitely revisit this trail on a regular annual basis. My drive to get there was 6 1/2 hours, but getting to drive through the Monongahela National Forest to get there was a bonus. I saw bears, deer, all sorts of birds and other wildlife along the way.
We biked from Fries to Fries Junction, then down to Galax, and then back to Fries. Beautiful bike ride! We saw several deer, birds and squirrels. The pathways are very level and provide a smooth ride. Hoping we get to explore more of this trail before we leave town. Highly recommend!
NRT is my heart trail, have been on many others in va but this is my favorite and most scenic!!!
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