NC Trails and Projects

Mountains | Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Piedmont | Coastal

Mountains

Brevard Bike Path, 3.9 miles open as of Spring 2010. City of Brevard, Phase III. Pathway from Allison Road, along the former Norfolk & Southern line/Poplar Street to McLean Road, Transylvania County. An additional section will connect to the Art Loeb Trail. (See Little Toots - Summer 2007 and Winter 2008 and the description in Traillink.com for more on Brevard.) Also see two pictures from a recent visit by a Board member:  PIC1   PIC2

Forrest Hunt Greenway, 0.8 mile, Bechtler Development Corp. Alexander Mills community in the Town of Forest City, Rutherford County. Please see our recent trail profile for more on this little gem. Also see some pictures from a June 2011 visit by a Board member:  PIC1   PIC2

Laurel River Trail, 3.6 miles in Madison County. Besides the new description from our intern's recent visit, please see pictures of walkers on the trail, a view of the river and some rhododendrons.

Nantahala Bikeway, 1.2 miles, (0.5 miles on abandoned RR bed), U.S Forest Service, Nantahala Gorge, Swain County.
(See Little Toot - Summer 2000 for background and accounts and pictures from a Spring 2011 visit to the trail by one of our interns. Also see pictures from a June 2011 visit by Board member Dilys Bowman:  PIC 1,  PIC 2,  PIC 3 . Also see our new map of the bikeway

Railroad Grade Road, 10 miles, Ashe County. Todd-to-Fleetwood. Paved road built on section of abandoned Virginia-Carolina Railroad. Please see our new map. A favorite place for a leisurely bicycle ride in north-western North Carolina. Runs between Fleetwood and Todd and is built on an old railroad grade and is practically flat—not one hill to climb! It is paved, but too narrow to have a center stripe; in fact, it is so narrow in places that when two cars meet one has to pull halfway off the road. Please bike with caution!  This road goes through a valley right by the South Fork of the New River, which has been declared the first of the nation's American Heritage Rivers. An old station now serves as a outdoor store. In the Summer and Fall, this Road is popular with cyclists for it's lack of climbs and fine views of the river.

Lansing Trail, 0.5 miles on the former Virginia-Carolina rail bed. Blue Ridge Resource Conservation & Development Council, near Lansing in Ashe County. Please see our New Map.  Lansing's web site has a history of the area and the rail corridor, links to local events and attractions, pictures of the Lansing Creeper Trail Park and Directions to Lansing. Click to see A view of the river paralleling the trail, a runner on the trail and an old barn nearby.

Thermalt Belt Rail-Trail, 8 miles, Spindale to Gilkey in Rutherford County. See Map and our new trail profile. If you enjoy rail-trails that flaunt their railroading past, you're sure to love the Thermal Belt Rail-Trail. This natural surface route runs eight miles from Spindale north to Gilkey, passing through the equally tiny towns of Rutherfordton and Ruth. Its crushed stone surface barely disguises the old tracks and ties, which peek through all along the trail. Old railroad signs also line the corridor. In 2012 Rutherford County is working to remove rails and put down a new surface on a portion of the trail. Some other images showing the rural character of the trail and trail's end at the lumber yard.

Little Tennessee River Greenway, 4.5 miles in Macon County. 

The Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin winds 4.5 quiet, asphalt-paved miles through Franklin near the river. The 13-foot wide path is used for bicycling and hiking and has a children’s park, picnic shelters, benches, an historic bridge and a new, covered bridge. Almost two miles of the trail lie on the old rail bed of the Tallulah Falls Railroad, which carried passengers until 1946. All services ended in 1961. Please see our Fall 2011 Newsletter and the LTRG web site for more information. 

Mt. Mitchell Railroad and Toll Road--Yancy County

Variously named walking trails are on the abandoned 21-mile rail corridor of the Mt. Mitchell Railroad, which runs from Montreat to the mountain summit. At least five miles travel through Mt. Mitchell State Park. The Mount Mitchell Railroad carried passengers and lumber for four years prior to June 1919. When the lumber supply was exhausted. In August 1921, the railroad was converted into a toll road for vehicles. The toll road died in 1939 when the Blue Ridge Parkway opened, which offered free access for passenger vehicles. Information, photos and maps are on the park Web site. The two-mile Commissary Trail starts at the State Park office’s parking area and is an easy walk to Camp Alice - a historic logging and later tourist camp below the summit of Mt. Mitchell.  

Charlotte

 Gold Hill Rail-Trail, ~1 mile, Gold Hill in Rowan County. Take our new Gold Hill map and check out this intriguing historic site in the southeast corner of Rowan County, less than an hour from Charlotte or a 2-hour drive from Durham. On the rail-trail are several old mine shafts (one of which you can see, through a barred door, heading tantalizingly into the darkness, and another now a deep open hole over which you can walk on a catwalk), a rusting steam engine and a small stone powder house. If you hike to the unimproved south end of the trail, which involves climbing down and then up a shallow ravine across which there was once a railway bridge, and making a detour around a section of the trail which was filled in 70 years ago with boulders from the nearby farmer's fields, you'll see at the end of the trail a number of almost-buried 100-year-old railroad ties near the foundations of an old stamp mill site. (See Little Toot -Winter 1999 and Summer 2001  for background and info on the town.) Also please see recent pictures PIC1 PIC2  PIC3, our Flickr site and the Historic Gold Hill web site.

Marcia Cloninger Rail-Trail, Lincolnton. 1.0 mile on Carolina & Northwestern corridor on the South Fork River in the City of Lincolnton. See MAP. Runs through business district. Contact: Chafin Rhyne at 704-735-1746. Photos 1-7 courtesy of Nancy Pierce Photo. PIC #1 | PIC #2 | PIC #3 | PIC #4 | PIC #5 | PIC #6 | PIC#7

South Fork River Rail-Trail, 1 mile on the old Carolina & Northwestern corridor along the South Fork River, Lincoln County. See MAP. See views of the falls, a trail section, a quiet section on the river and users enjoying the trail in these images: PIC #1 | PIC #2 | PIC #3 | PIC4 | PIC5 | PIC6 | PIC7 (all images ©NancyPiercePhoto). South Fork is part of the Carolina Thread Trail system. Info on the Thread trails can be found at the Catawbalands site.

Troutman Rail-Trail, Iredell County. 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 corridor on the Norfolk Southern Line. The rail-trail lies between US 21 - NC115/Main Street and Eastway Drive, and trail users will find benches along the route.The following images show the pleasant, green setting as walkers enjoy this trail:   PIC1 |  PIC2  |  PIC3

Roger Snyder and Rock Creek Park Greenways, Albemarle in Stanley County. Albemarle has two rail-trails (please see our new map). Both are worth a visit. The paved Roger Snyder Greenway runs first north, then east, and finally south. It begins at the south end of Don Montgomery Park beside Little Long Creek and continues on a widened sidewalk up Main Street and along Salisbury Ave to the newest section, which starts at Salisbury Ave and follows the old Yadkin RR corridor south. The total length of the greenway is 1.4 miles. Parking is available at Don Montgomery Park, and within a few weeks (by mid-April 2011) parking will be available off Glenn Street as well. The newest trail section is currently surfaced with granite screenings and does not officially open until the summer, when it will also be paved, but walkers or cyclists are now welcome to use it as well. This section looks across a large tract of city-owned land on which sits the Wiscassett textile mill, abandoned about 10 years ago, and a warehouse building. The Rock Creek Park Greenway (~1 mile) is just south of the city in Rock Creek Park. This trail also follows the Yadkin RR corridor. Part of the corridor is now the paved road entrance to the park (it is one mile from the park entrance to the end of the Rock Creek trail), but the trail proper is about 0.8 miles long, beginning at the south end of the road, and is marked with a gate. No bicycles are allowed. This unpaved trail follows Rock Creek. The trail has a pleasantly rural secluded feel with trees on either side, a field to the east and the creek on the west side (on a recent visit a blue heron was spied in the creek), but it also gets plenty of use. See recent pictures. PIC1 and PIC2 are of the Roger Snyder Greenway and PIC3 &  PIC4  are from Rock Creek. Contact Toby Thorpe, Director, Albemarle Parks and Recreation 704 984 9654.

Irwin-Stewart Creek Greenway, 2.93 miles, Mecklenberg County. The urban portion of the Irwin-Stewart Creek Greenway is about 2.1 miles, .75 miles of which on a former rail corridor along Stewart Creek. This is directly north and west of downtown and walkable from many downtown locations and the inner city neighborhood of Wesley Heights. There is another non-contiguous section of Irwin-Stewart Creek Greenway , Remount-to-Clanton. It is not on a rail corridor. It's about .83 miles, so the total for the Irwin-Stewart Greenway is a non-contiguous 2.93 miles. Terminus trailheads for the urban section are at Bruns Avenue Elementary School (northwest terminus), Irwin Avenue Elementary School/Ray's Splash Planet (northeast terminus) and Freedom Drive at Woodruff Place (west terminus). See images of some old rails that have not been removed and a pleasant, almost rural scene on the greenway.

Highland Rail-Trail, Gaston County. The City of Gastonia used two $75,000 NC-DENR Recreational Trails grants, along with funding from the Community Foundation of Gaston County, the local Glenn Foundation, The Bikes Belong Coalition and City appropriations to complete conversion of the 1.7 mile former C&NW rail corridor to a paved trail, which now extends from downtown to I-85. The trail is part of the Carolina Thread Trail system that, once finished, will connect 15 counties in the region. (See Little Toot - Spring 2008 for background on the Highland trail.) In 2006, the City worked with Norfolk Southern to establish the first city federally railbanked corridor in North Carolina. In early 2009, the City was awarded $850,000 in Federal Stimulus funding to extend the trail through downtown along street corridors. The City plans to extend the trail along a riparian corridor another 1.2 miles to Rankin Lake Park when other funding is obtained. This multi-use trail (see MAP) (click to enlarge) moves through a neighborhood whose residents are heavily dependent upon walking and bicycling for transportation and provides critical, low-cost grade separated crossings of I-85 and the Norfolk Southern main line. For more see our Flickr page and an October 2009 article from the Gaston Gazette  Contact Jack Kiser: 704-854-6632..

Oakboro Rail with Trail, Stanley County. This short (~1.5 miles)  trail is part of the Carolina Thread Trail system and is believed to be the first rail with trail in North Carolina. Although Oakboro's rail-trail, which parallels an active rail line, is quite short, it connects through a shady path to Oakboro's District Park and a couple of longer loop trails. Nearly all of the park's trails - as well as the rail-trail-portion - are shaded by tall longleaf pines, making this a great destination for a walk on a hot day. The smaller loop circles a large pond (or small lake) with a bridge across it and a variety of waterfowl. Restrooms and a drinking fountain are located by the parking lot at the district park. At the rail-trail end there is a restored caboose and a small railroad museum (open three days a week), see their web site. There is a sign in the park for the Carolina Thread Trail, a planned network of greenways and trails that will eventually connect 15 counties in North and South Carolina.  Please see our new map for access information. For views of the trail please see our Photo Gallery.

Triad

Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway, 7.5 miles, City of Greensboro and Guilford County. The A and Y Greenway includes the Battleground Rail Trail (BRT) and the more recently designated Downtown Greenway. See June 2011 article on Project Greenway for commentart by community business leaders. In April 2010, Greensboro announced plans to include the BRT and Downtown Greeenway into a newly named Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway. The rail trail on the old Atlantic and Yadkin corridor connects 25-mile High Point-to-Greensboro Bicentennial Greenway to parks and a 27-mile trail system around Lake Brandt Reservoir. In August 2010, NCRT, the State of North Carolina, Piedmont Land Conservancy and the towns of Stokesdale and Summerfield signed an agreement for planning an extension towards Stokesdale that could allow future connection to the Mountains to Sea Trail. For the latest on A & Y planning please go to the A & Y Greenway Trail site .  Greensboro has released a new map of the current Greenway. For connection information on the A & Y go to the Parks site. The Maps link on the Parks site contains access to maps of all of Greensboro's greenways. The Downtown Greenway site has maps showing how the 4 mile Downtown Greenway connects to the ~80 miles  of trails and greenways in the Greensboro area.  Contact: Harry Clapp for info. (336) 697-7499

Strollway, City of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County. This short but interesting trail runs ~1.2 miles from the central business district south to historic Old Salem, (please see MAP of area) Please see another PIC of trail and our Flickr site for several recent images. 

Troutman Greenway, 1 mile paved trail in downtown Troutman, Iredell County. Photos courtesy of Nancy Pierce Photo
(See Little Toot - Winter 2004 for background.)

Triangle

American Tobacco Trail, 22+ miles, Durham, Chatham and Wake Counties. Durham-to-New Hill corridor railbanked by NC DOT. Leased to local governments. Wake County section and first two sections in Durham are open to the public. Construction on 4.68 mile Chatham section was completed in late 2009 and formally dedicated on Trails Day 2010. A contract for asphalt paving of the third section in Durham (In southern Durham) and construction of the bicycle/pedestrian bridge over I-40 should be awarded by February 2012 (see our October 2011 News item). No firm completion for this final work on the ATT; City staff estimate Summer 2013. To keep up with Durham's efforts to award a contract and construct this final section, please check on the City's web site for periodic updates. The ATT has been designated as part of the East Coast Greenway. For more information including printable maps please see the TRTC site.

Eagle Spur, Durham County, 2.2 miles, Corps of Engineers. Stagecoach Road to Jordan Lake. Provides natural surface access to northern edge of Jordan Lake using a section of former Durham-New Hill RR. See our new map, a new description and some images and an older picture of the trail's end point in our Photo Gallery. Near the ATT. See TRTC site for more information.

Libba Cotten Bikeway, 1 mile, City of Carrboro. On active rail spur right-of-way. Connects Carrboro central business district to UNC campus between Roberson St. and Brewer Lane. In late 2009, discussions began on the feasibility of extending this bikeway to the Carolina  North project. See our new Map and the new Libba-Cotten page to learn more on local highlights of Carrboro and vicinity.

                               Photos Above from David Connelly -- NCRT

Piedmont

Dunn-Erwin Rail-Trail, 5.3 miles on the Aberdeen and Rockfish Corridor, Harnett County. The trail emerges from the heart of Dunn and Erwin and travels through their suburban and light industrial fringe, through rural farmland dotted with cotton fields and cottages across the beautiful Black River and its wetlands. See our Flickr page for recent pictures of the trail and our new Dunn-Erwin page for info on attractions near the trail. Trail has been designated as part of the East Coast Greenway. Trail heads located in both downtown Dunn and downtown Erwin. Historic markers are located along the trail as well as restaurants and shops at both ends. Bridges give nice views of birds and swamp areas. Trail is open in daylight hours only. For information contact (910) 892-3282 and see Dunn Erwin Trail Map
(See Little Toots - Fall 2001, Spring 2002 for background.)

                              Photos Above From David Connelly -- NCRT

Louisburg-Franklinton Trail, 2.2 miles from the the Tar River in downtown Louisburg to Vance-Granville Community College in Franklin County.
(See Little Toot - Spring 2006 for background.) For a map, a view of the trail, a nearby lumber yard and an old factory building click below: Trail Map
PIC #1 | PIC #2 | PIC #3

Sabina Gould Walkway, 1.2 miles on Seaboard Railroad corridor in the town of Littleton in Warren County. Asphalt, north of Main St.

Coastal

Jacksonville-Camp LeJeune Rail-to-Trails, Onslow County, 5.5 miles from Camp LeJeune to the City of Jacksonville. See MAP. (For background see Little Toots - Winter 2007, Spring 2008  The trail is a proposed part of the East Coast Greenway. Click below for shots of the highway spans, a water bridge and wooded areas near a base housing area. PIC #1 | PIC #2 | PIC #3 | PIC #4 | PIC #5 | PIC #6 | PIC #7 | PIC #8 | PIC #9 For info contact Onslow County Parks at 910 938-5313.

River to the Sea Trail, 11.5 miles, packed sand surface bike route. City of Wilmington.  This trail in Wilmington, North Carolina follows a part of what used to be the trolley car line that ran from downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach.  The trail traverses 11 miles of well paved streets, sandy paths and busy major roads.  Since it does involve crossing heavy traffic areas and riding on a short bridge, this trail should be used by experienced city bike riders that know the Wilmington area well.  It is advised to leave children and pets at home if you choose to try out this trail.  The arterial roadways that are part of this trail are not equipped to handle bike traffic (no bike lanes) and most do not have pedestrian cross walks, so bikers must be cautious of vehicle traffic at all times.  

Skewarkee Trail, 1 mile paved biking and walking trail from downtown Williamston to the Roanoke River waterfront in Martin County (see Map). To read about highlights of the area near this trail please see our new Skewarkee Trail page and the Martin County info site.

(See Little Toots - Summer 2002, Spring 2004 for background.)

Photo by David Connelly -- NCRT

Rail-Trail Development Projects

Washington-Greenville Greenway, 30 miles, Beaufort, Martin and Pitt Counties. See October 2009 and February 2010 News articles for status reports. Please see Little Toot - Winter 2008 for background.) Also see W-G Bike Route Map and Washington-Greenville Brochure.  Contact: Carrie Banks at 919 428-7119.

West Pender Rail Trail--Pender & New Hanover Counties. This proposed 10-mile rail-trail would connect the Moores Creek National Battlefield in Currie to the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial in Wilmington following the Atlantic Coast Line corridor. The National Park Service has partnered with Pender County and the Moores Creek Battlefield on the Phase 1 section (11.5 miles) in Pender County. Near term this will include conducting a series of workshops in Currie, NC. See MAP and images of the Battlefield area: PIC1  PIC2. Lead group is the West Pender Rail-Trail Alliance. Please see the recent Concept Plan for an outline of the entire corridor from Wilmington to Fayetteville. In early 2011, the Alliance partnered with Pender County in applying for a grant to support construction of the first mile of trail. In October 2011 Pender County was awarded $72,404 from the State of North Carolina Recreational Trails Program to develop the first segment of the West Pender Rail-Trail. The grant will fund the development of 1.11 miles of a crushed stone surfaced trail from Vitamin Drive to the northern boundary of the Pender Commerce Park on US Highway 421, near the Pender–New Hanover County boundary. The trail will be 8 to 10’ wide, and suitable for bicycling, walking and jogging. Contact: Susan Bullers at 910 283-1788

Deep River Rail-Trail Construction of the first 3/4 mile completed November 2008 in Franklinville. The Deep River Rail-Trail in Randolph County (see Map) follows an abandoned 18-mile railbed once used by the Atlantic and Yadkin Railroad (1897-1980). This shady, peaceful trail passes an old native American fish weir. The nearby town of Ramseur plans a 3.5 mile eastward extension, and Franklinville plans to lengthen the trail westward to Cedar Falls. In Ramseur, all nine adjacent landowners have agreed to a survey of their land. A full report of these surveys is due by the end of July.  In April 2010, Franklinville received a $10,000 grant from the Central Park organization to fund trail and park improvements and pay for a trail easement survey. Randolph County applied for a U.S. Department of Transportation planning grant to study extending the trail west from Franklinville, through the Cedar Falls community to Providence Grove High School and to the Guilford County line. The study would also explore the feasibility of trail development along the Deep River to Randleman Lake. In early 2011 Franklinville applied for a Recreational Trails Program grant (from NC) for improvements on a westward easement that would extend the trail  as far as Riverside Park and double the length of the trail to ~1.55 miles. As of late April their application has passed an initial hurdle and has been recommended for approval. If the final step (a review of environmental rules) is cleared they will be notified in July.  A trail workday will be held this Spring to install more steps, install new signs, log some trees and repair a washout in one section of the trail. The Committee is looking for additional members, especially outside of Franklinville, to help support the trail as a County-wide effort.  Contact Perry Connor or at 336 549-4908.

Click on the following links to see a map, views of a very wooded trail section, the fish weir, the nearby river and a recently graveled section: Deep River State Trail Map, Deep River Map and Directions , Deep River Rail Trail Concept Brochure 
PIC #1 | PIC #2 | PIC #3 | PIC #4 | PIC #5 | PIC #6 | PIC #7  

Peavine Rail-Trail, 3.5 miles, McDowell County. The City of Marion acquired approximately 3.5 miles of the Peavine railroad property from Northfolk Southern in September 2010 for the purpose of providing a recreational trail that will provide direct access within a half mile of more than half the City's residents. The trail will eventually connect to a much larger regional trail system. The Peavine Rail Trail is centrally located to downtown and travels south through densely populated neighborhoods. The City has applied for an NCDENR Adopt-A-Trail grant to resurface approximately 1600 linear feet at the beginning of the trail, which will also include new high visibility crosswalks and pedestrian crossing signs at all intersections. The City works with the McDowell Trails Association who provide volunteer labor to keep the Peavine maintained and help with fundraising activities to support trail improvements. Here is the corridor as it looked in June 2011 with some nice grassy sections and an old bridge with kudzu.

Waccamaw Cypress Trail, 32 miles, Columbus County, Fair Bluff-to-Whiteville Depot-to Lake Waccamaw. Contact: Terry Mann 910-642-5029.

Elkin & Alleghany Rail-Trail, fund raising and planning in progress. Trail will start in Elkin (Surry County) and extend west into Wilkes County. The Elkin Valley Trail Association has been formed to promote both short-term events and long-term development of a trail on portions of the historical E & A rail corridor. Please check in on the EVTA blog periodically to keep abreast of future activities. For more immediate updates and to find out how to get involved with the association please contact Bill Blackley.

Rail-Trail Initiatives

Deep River Nature Trail, 4 miles, north of Ramseur. Chatham and Lee counties. Trail loop study completed. Contact: Margaret Jordan-Ellis, Deep River Park Association, 919-898-4814.

Granville Greenway Trail, 32 miles, Granville County. Oxford to Clarksville Contact: Jackie Sergent 252-492-7915 x236.

Ecusta Trail, Proposed 18.5 mile trail from Hendersonville to Brevard in Transylvania and Henderson Counties. See basic map prepared by NCRT. For news and more detail please visit the Ecusta Trail Web Site. The City of Hendersonvile is conducting a planning study and economic analysis of the proposed trail during 2011. For background please see April '11 article in Blue Ridge Now as well as our September 2010 News,  Fall 2010 Little Toot , February 2011 News and October 2011 News for progress updates. Contact Mike Domonkos 828-884-7648.

U.S. Coast Guard Trail, 7 miles, Pasquotank County Elizabeth City-to-Weeksville. Possibile NC DOT railbanking. Contact: Dave Copley, 252-330-4514.