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 Pacolet Nature Trail. With more than 42 trails covering 105 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 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...
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...
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...
This multi-use path follows the south side of Southport Road, from Cedar Springs Road heading west to South Avenue. It passes the 295 Sports Complex, a DMV office and a water treatment plant before...
Take a trip down memory lane by strolling or cycling the Charlotte Rail Trail, which follows a historic trolley route through the heart of the city along a corridor now used by Charlotte's LYNX Blue...
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....
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In the heart of busy Spartanburg, the Liberty Trail provides a beautiful oasis through a garden, along a tree-lined brook that cascades over a series of granite steps into a pool. Although only 0.5...
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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 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...
Constructed in 1981 as the city of Spartanburg's first mixed-use trail, the River Birch Trail was in rough shape, with vegetation overgrowing the route and the surface cracked and failing, until the...
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 first phase of this rail trail opened in April 2017 and provides safe and convenient pedestrian access to Lyman’s commercial center. While it is new, it is already fairly well-used. The trail...
Part of an expansive revitalization effort that the city of Spartanburg has undertaken to improve the economic and ecological well-being of the Northside neighborhood, the Butterfly Branch Greenway...
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...
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A natural-surface trail that runs through the gorgeous Edwin M. Griffin Preserve just outside the center of Spartanburg, the Cottonwood Trail offers a lovely path into the wooded landscape surrounding...
The Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail is just a short segment of what will eventually become the 12-mile Hub City Connector, which itself will be part of the larger Palmetto Trail, a proposed 425-mile...
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...
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...
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 trail extends from the dam at Duncan Park Lake and courses through the park to near Union Street by the baseball stadium. The path is a gradual hill (up or down, depending on your direction of...
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The Three Creeks Trail adds about a mile to Spartanburg's growing network of trails, christened the Daniel Morgan Trail System or "The Dan" for short. The 10-ft wide paved trail stretches between...
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 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 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...
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 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 Wadsworth Trail parallels Willis Road from Harmon Drive to Hawk Creek Drive, with a spur heading south along SR 42-4382/Caldwell Drive. The Willis Road portion is 1.85 miles (one way), while the...
The Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail is just a short segment of what will eventually become the 12-mile Hub City Connector, which itself will be part of the larger Palmetto Trail, a proposed 425-mile...
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...
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...
Constructed in 1981 as the city of Spartanburg's first mixed-use trail, the River Birch Trail was in rough shape, with vegetation overgrowing the route and the surface cracked and failing, until the...
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...
A natural-surface trail that runs through the gorgeous Edwin M. Griffin Preserve just outside the center of Spartanburg, the Cottonwood Trail offers a lovely path into the wooded landscape surrounding...
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...
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...
Take a trip down memory lane by strolling or cycling the Charlotte Rail Trail, which follows a historic trolley route through the heart of the city along a corridor now used by Charlotte's LYNX Blue...
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...
In the heart of busy Spartanburg, the Liberty Trail provides a beautiful oasis through a garden, along a tree-lined brook that cascades over a series of granite steps into a pool. Although only 0.5...
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...
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...
A natural-surface trail that runs through the gorgeous Edwin M. Griffin Preserve just outside the center of Spartanburg, the Cottonwood Trail offers a lovely path into the wooded landscape surrounding...
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...
This multi-use path follows the south side of Southport Road, from Cedar Springs Road heading west to South Avenue. It passes the 295 Sports Complex, a DMV office and a water treatment plant before...
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 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...
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...
Constructed in 1981 as the city of Spartanburg's first mixed-use trail, the River Birch Trail was in rough shape, with vegetation overgrowing the route and the surface cracked and failing, until the...
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 Three Creeks Trail adds about a mile to Spartanburg's growing network of trails, christened the Daniel Morgan Trail System or "The Dan" for short. The 10-ft wide paved trail stretches between...
Part of an expansive revitalization effort that the city of Spartanburg has undertaken to improve the economic and ecological well-being of the Northside neighborhood, the Butterfly Branch Greenway...
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...
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 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 Baxter Village Trail is nestled in a neighborhood of Fort Mill, which lies on the northern border of South Carolina (Charlotte, North Carolina, is just over the state line). The trail has a...
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...
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....
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....
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 trail extends from the dam at Duncan Park Lake and courses through the park to near Union Street by the baseball stadium. The path is a gradual hill (up or down, depending on your direction of...
Real scenic. Steady rise. Just the right distance to and from.
The new extension from Westmoreland to Magnolia Ridge (By Publix) is a great addition.
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.
The Thermal Belt is a lovely trail, now with a smooth, 12' asphalt surface. It's the 2nd longest rail-trail in NC, after the American Tobacco Trail. The one caution: Be careful not to let your front wheel wander off the pavement. There's a 3" drop-off to loose gravel shoulders. Those shoulders slope away from the pavement. So your next destination is a ditch. If Rutherford County will build up the shoulders, then the Thermal Belt will become much safer.
Trail is marked open from dawn to dusk
Smooth as heck. Excellent scenery. Decent mix of trees and open space. Some slight hills, good mix of winding roads and straight away. Everyone will enjoy. Easy to navigate as posts state which turns are exits! NC best!
We attempted to go along the trail to enjoy the bridge shown in the pictures but it was very apparent once arriving that it no longer exists. Not sure at which point it was dismantled but be prepared not to be able to go from one end of the trail to the other.
Smooth pavement with some wooded planked areas. Somewhat winding roads. Not much open stretch areas to push yourself. Nicely wooded. Good for exploring. Not good for road bikes. Most areas good for skates or skateboards. All and all nice trail.
I parked at the Willis Rd YMCA. This paved path is a good mix of uphill, downhill, and flat. Plenty of shade. Adding mileage is easy if you cruise through the lovely neighborhoods along Willis Rd.
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