Find the top rated trails in Shelby, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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 Forrest Hunt Greenway connects Forrest Hunt Elementary School with the Alexander Mills section of Forest City, North Carolina. For more information, contact: Town of Forest City, Recreation...
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 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 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...
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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 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...
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This unique trail runs through the campus of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind and features interpretive signs in Braille that teach trail-goers about the types of trees along the route. 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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Take a trip down memory lane by strolling or cycling the Charlotte Trolley Rail-with-Trail. This 2-mile trail follows the Charlotte Trolley as it tootles its way from E. 9th Street in Uptown to...
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...
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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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...
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...
Take a trip down memory lane by strolling or cycling the Charlotte Trolley Rail-with-Trail. This 2-mile trail follows the Charlotte Trolley as it tootles its way from E. 9th Street in Uptown to...
This unique trail runs through the campus of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind and features interpretive signs in Braille that teach trail-goers about the types of trees along the route. 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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
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 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 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...
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...
As you might expect, the South Fork Rail-Trail closely follows the South Fork of the Catawba River on the south end of Lincolnton. The trail rests atop a former rail corridor within land preserved by...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
I live around the corner from the start of the trail and use it often to travel Uptown for work and leisure. I recently attended the Knights game but traveling home on the trail after the game was quite scary. While I have lights on my bike, even those weren't enough to see the trail while riding. I wish there were a few lights after the Wesley Heights neighborhood portion of the trail so that I felt safer riding in the evenings.
Nice little trail that is half paved and half gravel. Some nice little hills to climb and drive down. Overall a pleasant experience.
I like the trail location and I am sure it will be very nice when it is done but it is currently torn up for the whole length of the trail (the rail line ties and rails were dug up and the trail is not usable) in preparation for rebuilding it.
Went to trail and was surprised to find entire trail is in upgrade phase. All rails being pulled out and no warning or notice ANYWHERE!! I am hoping they will create a dry walking/biking path. Don't know the plans, but NOT the time to go there!!
Walk, stroll, run, bike - mix of wide paved, boardwalk and gravel. Well maintained, in fact several sections where roots had buckled the path now re-paved. Easy for any bike, kids size through road/MTB/recumbent - use a bell/courtesy "passing on your left" because many walkers/runners are chatting or have the ear buds in. Well marked in 1/4 mile increments.
Boardwalks get very slick in rain/ice so careful when running/biking. After strong rains the path can get muddy - and flood in places.
Port-a-johns at both ends. Multiple side access paths all along the greenway. Plenty of benches spaced along.
I run/bike this regularly and rare to not see deer.
Wife and I hiked this trail from the NC side, parked at Harvey Clay Nesbit park, and used Carolina Thread Trail "clues" to link to this trail. We did hike the full trail to Walnut Creek side - as others have mentioned there are some rough/rugged spots so a true MTB is recommended, but hiking in sturdy shoes gets the job done too.
Beautiful trail overall.
Great Saturday ride! Path is shady and wide.. saw lots of dogs 🐾
This trail has a lot of pros but one big con. Pros are: extremely well maintained (hats off to those maintaining it), no big inclines which is great if you have joint pain like I do, freakin' AWESOME. suspension bridge, beautiful walnut trees and blackberry bushes, trail follows river so nice views of that. Con: noise from highway can be heard during nearly the entire hike. This is a major turn off for me because when I hike, I want to be immersed in the sites and sounds of nature and leave the outside world behind.
The Catawba River Greenway in Morganton is one of the nicest biking/walking paths I have ever experienced. The trail is listed the at 3.80 miles, we logged 10 miles on it. There are some side paths to take.
I parked at the Catawba Soccer Complex, there are five other parking areas that I saw, Greenlee Ford, River Village (NC 181), Catawba Meadows (Sanford Drive) ,Rocky Ford (US 64/NC 18), and Freedom Park (NC 126)
My recommendation, and this is what I am going to do the next time, because I will definitely go back, is to park by the restaurant named Judge's Riverside. The parking there is shaded and right on the path.
I would estimate that ninety percent of the path is shaded, the path runs right along the Catawba river and has numerous decks with seating that have been built and they hang out over the river. Nice places to stop, relax and listen to the water, additionally, there are distance markers every tenth of a mile. On the eastern end of the trail is a native american village interpretive center, it is located in Catawba Meadows Park. We will check it out on the next trip. There are also a couple of restaurants located along the path and I guess we will have to check them out on subsequent trips. I have a bunch of pictures on my facebook page, here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/BikesBeerandGrub/
The short loop trails are a great way to unwind. Either the Butterfly Garden or at the top of Cardio Hill. Also offers workout stations which I haven't seen in sometime. Will maintained and great facilities at the trail head. Great view of Crowders and Kings Mountain from the top of Cardio Hill.
Nice area but very short. There is an area where you can walk down from the trail to the water but it's quite steep.
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