Explore the best rated trails in Shelby, NC, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Highland Rail Trail and City Walk . With more than 61 trails covering 180 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.
Nice shaded trail, good for dogs, bikers, spotting birds and deer, and walking along the creek.
We had a nice time on the Irwin Creek and Stewart Creek Greenways. There was interesting public art, the tracts of a defunct railroad, city skyline views, and wooded sections.
As others have mentioned, this is not a typical woodland trail. However, it is a very nice walking path with good shade and pleasant scenery. I appreciate the variety of this path and enjoy it more than straight trails such as Mary Black.
We found the Little Sugar Creek Greenway to be a smooth, well-maintained paved pathway connecting numerous parks. We had a great experience on this trail! There is something for everyone; the northern urban section is fun and vibrant with shops and restaurants nearby, while the southern portion offers a tranquil wooded route, where we saw six deer!
The section from Magnolia Dr to NC 73 is about 3 miles.
The boardwalks are very slippery for cyclists. I lost control of my bike in 2022 and while I was down, another cyclist did the same thing and nearly landed on top of me. A torn rotator cuff, surgery, and 7 months of rehab later, I will not be cycling on this greenway again. I do love the shade in the summer though!
Well maintained and is used a lot. Never find yourself alone on this trail.
I jog this trail, and is part paved and part boardwalk. One positive is the tree cover which provides shade even in afternoon hours. The boardwalk areas need to be maintained better as the boards need to be replaced more frequently as the boards get chewed up and sometimes I have to watch my step. They do replace the worst ones, but not frequently enough. Does get flooded and muddy after a heavy rain to the point it can be unusable. The Rea Road ending point has fountains and a bathroom.
I am a jogger, I run this trail often in the South Charlotte area. The portion from Marsh Park to Tyvola is well paved, in good condition, and is maintained well. Water fountains are well placed. After a rain, it doesn't get muddy or very wet like Four Mile Creek. People very friendly on the trail. Can get crowded on Saturday mornings with all the running clubs, races, etc. Only issue is the speeding bikers, sometimes they call out, sometimes they don't.
My wife and I ( we are in our 60's) rode our ebikes and it was a great workout. I don't think we would have made it on our mountain bikes, but we saw a guy on a regular bike. Make your way to the gravel and it's about 5 miles out and 5 miles back. It is very similar to a rail trail, but it does have some hills. Well maintained and not crowded on the gravel trail. We'll be back.
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