Explore the best rated trails in Morganton, NC, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Railroad Grade Road and Yadkin River Greenway . With more than 28 trails covering 116 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.
Very nice trail that is well maintained. Expect to see lots of other trail users as this is heavily used. Be aware that due to the type of gravel used your bicycle will get very dusty but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this ride
The Yadkin River Greenway offers a pleasant dose of nature right in the middle of town. https://myfox8.com/spotlight/my-town/fox8-checks-out-the-wilkes-county-bike-tour/
-The unpaved Jefferson Turnpike section follows the path of an old log flume up the Reddies River. It's about two miles out-and-back. You'll find tall trees, a slow moving stream and plenty of peace and quiet on this stretch.
-The greenway's red section begins at Smoot Park in North Wilkesboro, tracing one of the Yadkin's faster flowing stretches. It's a great place to see waterfowl and wildflowers. It links to the green Mulberry Fields section that follows the Yadkin and Reddies Rivers from West Park to West D Street. A spur crosses the river and climbs up the route of an old carriage trail to downtown Wilkesboro. The Health Foundation has installed outdoor exercise equipment for adults at the West Park trail head. Smoot Park has restrooms, a pool and an inclusive playpark. All of these trails are paved with a soft shoulder for running. About six miles round-trip.
-The paved blue section runs along the Yadkin and Cub Creek from the YMCA to Wilkes Community College. About two miles round-trip.
The greenway system has grown over the years, and plans are underway for further expansion.
I live just down the mountain from the Railroad Grade Road and have ridden it for many years. Here’s the good and the bad. The good: 1) The road winds along the banks of the scenic South Fork of the New River, flanked by tall peaks and wildflowers. It’s simply gorgeous in spots. 2) Historic Todd is a quaint village with a creekside park, bakery, summer concerts and bike repair station. 3) The road is virtually pancake flat, a rarity in the mountains. The bad: 1) This is a rail-to-road, not a rail-to-trail, so recreational users must share the narrow roadway with motorists. The road is usually sparsely traveled, but it’s busier on summer weekends, the very time many cyclists and runners take to the road. 2) Amenities are lacking. As other reviewers have noted, it can be hard to figure out where to park, and there and no public bathrooms along the road except for a port-a-jon at Todd Island Park. 3) Land use restrictions are virtually nonexistent, so vacation homes and travel trailers are popping up along the riverbank, increasing traffic and marring the views in spots.
Beautiful greenway. Lightly traveled. We did up first then down on our bikes.
We were camping at Yogi Bear Resort in Bostic, NC and drove m trike and husband’s bike to the trail. It is a very nice trail, with well maintained, wide asphalt paths. More than half is shaded and through nature with the other parts parallelling roads and shops. You cross several roads but the crossings are well marked and almost everyone stopped to let us cross even when they had the right of way. Very enjoyable ride.
Red and green connect and make for a 6 mile ride round trip. Ride is mostly along the river with a few side connections. Don't let the confusing TrailLink description discourage you, you can't get lost. There is no reason that I could figure out why these trails are color coded.
Red and green connect and make for a 6 mile ride round trip. Ride is mostly along the river with a few side connections. Don't let the confusing TrailLink description discourage you, you can't get lost. There is no reason that I could figure out why these trails are color coded.
Nice easy trail to ride, good for kids, but not very long for more serious riders. I missed the connection to the New River Greenway at the east end. The connection is really a road and looks like a road as far as I could see.
June 22, 2024 92 degrees Rode e-bike. Parked at Forrest Hunt School lot. Path was very wide and smooth. Great markings for traffic. Restroom and water on the trail. Lots of shade! Several restaurants along the main road. Mile 1 or north, is more rural. Some pretty views of the mountains. We enjoyed it and will be back again.
Rode this trail on June 7th, 2024 and it was an awesome ride. We started at the northern trailhead and rode 10 miles south and back. Super wide and very smooth asphalt the whole way. There were some downed trees from a Thunderstorm the night before blocking part of the trail on the way out but the cleanup crew had reopened it on our way back. So, very well maintained trail. Highly recommend.
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