4.5Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park(2.601 reviews) - Great place to visit along with seeing Lake Lure Sunday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas • Lookouts • Hiking Trails
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is an international outdoor destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western NC, attracting visitors from around the world. Highlights include:- 75-mile panoramic views overlooking Lake Lure- 404-foot waterfall, one of the highest of its kind east of the Mississippi River- The Last of the Mohicans scenes were filmed here- ancient geologic formations- 198-foot tunnel & elevator inside the mountain- six scenic hiking trails- guided rock climbing & more The Park's modernized elevator offers a handicap-accessible 35-sec. ride to the iconic Chimney, an alternative to "nature's Ultimate Stairmaster," the Outcroppings trail. Chimney Rock has something for everyone from the family-friendly Great Woodland Adventure trail to the stunning Skyline trail to Exclamation Point. Recognized as one of the Southeast’s most iconic outdoor attractions, Chimney Rock is located 25 miles southeast of Asheville on Highway 64/74A in Chimney Rock, NCSee more..
5.0Neuse River Trail(249 reviews) - A jewel in Raleigh's crown! Hiking Trails
It's a wonderful 33 mile trail that can be picked up in many different spots along the way. Great for walking, running, or bicycling! So much history along the way so if you see a sign...be sure to take the time to read it.See more..
Little Sugar Creek Greenway is officially a 4.5 mile path, but it extends two more miles into the city of Pineville unbroken. I was able to complete a half marathon (and then some) this morning. Plenty of shade before the sun got high. Nice creek views along the way. Lots of people out, even on a weekday. Runners and bikers alike. Wide enough for all.See more..
4.5American Tobacco Trail(119 reviews) - ONE OF THE BEST BIKING TRAILS IN THE U.S. Hiking Trails
Biking this trail was one of the highlights of our vacation. This is a well maintained bike path where you can ride all day long. You will meet many friendly walkers, runners and cyclists along the way. Convenient stops for facilities and water along the way but pack some water for your trip.See more..
Absolute BEST canopy tour (zip line)! Well run company, great views. The staff was great! We liked that there was a place to take a break and get pictures. Our tour also included a couple of sky walks which were fun. The price was very reasonable too, making it the perfect activity for a scout group!See more..
4.5Cape Fear River Trail(110 reviews) - Nice hike Sunday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Hiking Trails
Came up from North Myrtle Beach to hike the trail. We were NOT disappointed. Did Not walk the entire trail but the section we did walk was very nice. Nice wide paved trail. Were impressed with how clean the area was. Started from the north end of the trail. Yes, you do not see the river in long stretches of the hike but the woods and wildlife was enjoyable. Very peaceful. A real gem in the middle of Fayetteville. See more..
4.5Tom Branch Falls(96 reviews) - Very easy half-mile round trip hike along a picturesque creek Hiking Trails
Located in the Deep Creek section of the Great Smoky Mountains National all Park, Tom Branch Falls is the easiest hike of the three waterfalls in this area. The trail is wide, level, and paved; we saw families with small children and strollers using this trail. There is a thick tree canopy, so the trail was comfortable on a hot summer afternoon. To see the falls, you look across the wide creek. There are benches for sitting and watching the tubers float by. We continued on the trail a half mile further to Indian Creek Falls, which is more spectacular. On a Friday afternoon, the trail was busy.See more..
We have been out here 3-4 times in the past few weeks. Here in WS for just a short-term assignment, but finding a spot to safely run several miles is important to me. Since it's winter, the scenery isn't the prettiest right now, but the upside is that you can see all around the lake easier. The trail is wide, paved, and has the uphill/downhill that make for a great course that is about seven miles. It's never been too crowded and always see ducks, herons most of the time. The parking lot near the marina is large and the public restrooms there are always warm and open. There is also a water bottle filling spot. There is a smaller parking lot on the opposite side of the lake with a bathroom as well. I'm sure it would be a nice spot for a picnic in warmer weather. It connects to a greenway that is 5(?) miles long, so you could stretch out your run if you so desired.See more..
We were invited to a baby shower at one of the covered outdoor picnic shelters and we very surprised to see how nice and large the park was. We noticed one large playground area for the kids. Lots of walking trails. Great place for a quiet getaway.See more..
4.5Midnight Hole Falls(71 reviews) - Best stop on our Smoky Mountains trip! Bodies of Water • Hiking Trails • Waterfalls
We LOVED this place (did it twice on our 4 day trip - that good)! 1.5 mile hike, not horrible but a small incline on the way in and definitely have to watch your footing throughout (2 adults and kids 14, 11, 7). Good path along the stream with peaceful views and sounds (river). Probably took us 40 min to hike to the falls at a leisurely pace. The kids LOVED being able to jump from the 15? foot rock into the cold water. Not overly crowded (mid August) but a few other families/people. We could have spent a full day there easily but our kids love adventure, jumping, and climbing. This was our #1 spot during our trip and highly recommend!See more..
4.5Lake Brandt Marina(55 reviews) - Great resource, especially during pandemic Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Hiking Trails
Especially during the pandemic, this area has served as a “headquarters” for many healthy and beneficial activities. For hikers, it is a trailhead for Nat Greene and Wild Turkey trails ( Wild Turkey is also a nice bike trail). Just across the street is also lovely Laurel Bluff Trail, and across the dam/ bridge are Piedmont and Reedy Fork Trails. Walking around the lake is only about 8.2 miles. Of course, fishing and boating available here too. Families, complying with CoVid guidelines, are also loving this facility. There are about 100 miles of trails out this way ... what a community asset. It’s free!See more..
This museum is near I-95 and is the actual old power plant building from 190. There are many displays on the history of the area of Roanoke Rapids, including the canals. There is a trail around the museum. The fee as of December 2014 is $4 and the bathrooms were really clean. The building is stroller/wheelchair friendly and does have an elevator for the basement displays. The museum shop is really just the size of a closet and could be improved upon. The bridge over the Roanoke River to get to the museum from I-95 has a pull over with a parking lot on the side. You can drive under the bridge and get pictures of the river.See more..
4.5The Dale Trail(44 reviews) - Well worth it! Hiking Trails
The Dale Trail is a self-guided tour around Kannapolis. It also stretches as far north as Welcome, NC and even into Mooresville and down to Concord. It is well-worth it if you can hit every stop on the trail. It is worth the drive to drive up to Welcome to see RCR, and the Museum. I was unsure because it cost $12, but it was well-worth it! Also, right down the road from Welcome is Richard Childress’ Winery. Go to [--] to see all of the points of interest! Oh, and Curb Motorsports is closed, there is nothing to see there.See more..
4.5Apex Community Park(44 reviews) - A Very Comprehensive City Park with Great Lake Trail Bodies of Water • Parks • Hiking Trails
Apex Community Park has about every facility available other than a swimming pool. It has two ball fields, two soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, a fitness trail, two playgrounds and a nature trail around a lake. There are also three restroom facilities one near the entrance and one at each end of the lake. The lake trail is a 2 mile long paved trail that is very popular. About 90% of it is shaded making it a good trail to hike during the summer months. Overall the park seems to be well maintained as well. Rated high for the trail and all of the different facilities in it.See more..
5.0Deep Creek(42 reviews) - Beautiful forest and water features, but busy Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
We spent a little over an hour and hiked to all three water falls, which is just a bit over 2 miles round trip. The deep creek trail is wide, mostly flat, and paved. It is used by bikers, hikers, and tubers, so it was quite busy the Friday afternoon we visited. The Juney Whank trail is short and clear of roots and rocks, but is challenging because it is steep. All three waterfalls are beautiful, and the trails have a lush forest canopy. We saw wildflowers, but no animals. There are multiple restrooms and parking areas, and a large picnic area. If you want to tube the creek, you can rent tubes right outside the park. This is a fun place to visit.See more..
Gorgeous trail for a nice 2-3 mile walk or run. I went with my dog. The trail offered small workout stations for dips, pushups, sit-ups and more! The butterfly garden was beautiful. Highly recommend that loop!See more..
The only reason I did not give this nice mostly level walk a 5 is the fact that the restrooms at the splash pad were closed, and the large group of teenagers that were there were hanging around that spot. Smoking/vaping and cussing/ yelling at each other. We were there late in the afternoon. We had parked near the old courthouse and walked the square first, then got on the trail at the tunnel and walked to city park. Walking by the group the first time. On our way back I really needed a restroom break but when we got back to the splash pad, to use the facilities we were told by the teens that they MFers had just locked the doors. There were electrical outlets between the two restrooms door and phones plugged into every one of them. Backpacks covered most of the concrete so that even if the restrooms were not locked you would have to crawl over them to get to the door. Not sure where the parents of these kids are/were but it was kind of an uncomfortable situation.See more..
5.0Piedmont Environmental Center(27 reviews) - New greenway to run Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Lessons & Workshops
The new greenway in High Point is amazing connects penny road with the bicentennial greenway. Is excellent place to runSee more..
4.5Tory's Falls(23 reviews) - Great hike, cave and a small waterfall Spent 1-2 hours Caverns & Caves • Hiking Trails • Waterfalls
We loved the hike to Tory's Falls. We had to watch our footing, but were rewarded with a neat little cave and a waterfall at the end of our hike. Water flow wasn't too much when we went, but was still worth ths hike in and out.See more..
Dirt stock car NASCAR track not used for that purpose since 1969 except for old car shows. Flat walk on oval track with river views. On Mountains to the Sea Trail.See more..
I'm not really going to call this a hike because it's only 1/3 of a mile, but it is impressive nonetheless. The well maintained gently sloping trail is 99% shaded by tall leafy trees. You can easily do this walk in 30 minutes in conjunction with a visit to the nearby Carolina Raptor Center or Latta Plantation. Stay on the trail as poison ivy plant is adjacent to it in several areas.See more..
4.5Elkin Municipal Park(19 reviews) - Nice park with pool and nice trails Spent < 1 hour Parks • Hiking Trails
I went with some friends of my mine and we walked up some of the trails and learned about the old railroad. Very pleasant time. See more..
This trail has a nice surface for running and walking without roots or obstructions. There are several hills that make it challenging. There is enough room for walkers and runners to go past each other. Most of the trail is shaded. See more..
Clark Park is a great little nature park in Fayetteville. There is a nature center and several short unpaved trails as well as parking for the Cape Fear River Trail, a 5-mile greenway trail. There is even a small waterfall right behind the Nature Center. It's on a very small creek so best to visit the waterfall after a heavy rain. We stopped for a short hike to see the waterfall and then a longer hike on Cape Fear River Trail.See more..
5.0Clayton River Walk(9 reviews) - Beautiful and peaceful area Biking Trails • Hiking Trails
My wife and I Generally ride bikes on the Clayton Greenway. This area starts at Sams Branch off O’Neil st. In Clayton and stretches 32 miles to the Falls Lake Dam. There are several points one can get on a section of the river walk/ greenway. No motorized vehicles are allowed. The trail is paved and roughly the width of a car lane on the roadway. People of all ages ride, walk , jog etc. along the path winding along the Neuse river. We have seen various wildlife from rabbits and squirrels to deer along the way. A wonderful way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoorsSee more..
4.5Beaverdam Recreation Area(8 reviews) - A nice quiet motor-boat free lake Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Hiking Trails We go to this lake often. We love kayaking here; the lack of power boats makes for a much more pleasant experience. It’s easy to unload kayaks and put in boats. (Though on one holiday weekend, so many people left their kayaks on the spot where you put in that there was no more room to land. People should pull their kayaks up into the grass if they are going to swim or picnic.) The lake is big enough that you can spend a fair amount of time paddling around. There are lots of spots where you can just pull over and go for a swim. Sometimes there’s a lot of bird life, if you are into those things. There’s a nice and fairly large swim beach. This is a shallow lake so the water is warm. I went for a swim once when it was almost Halloween! There are bathrooms that are clean and have changing rooms. There are picnic facilities. This park can be heavily used, so get there early. When we were leaving (July 4 weekend) at around 2:00, the line of cars went all the way out to the road.See more..
4.5Twelve Mile Creek Greenway(7 reviews) - Great fun place to walk or fish Spent 1-2 hours Biking Trails • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
My wife and I love this place to go for nice walks in nature, it’s located right behind our house . My son and I have had some good luck fishing here too. See more..
4.5Forest Ridge Park(7 reviews) - great place for whole family Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks • Hiking Trails great place to have a kids party, great huge field for playing any games, flying a kite, lots of room to run. really great mountain bike trails, will challenge the beginners, and impress the intermediates with great rock crossings, and awesome views of the lake. great walking trails too. a zip line for the kids is fun.See more..
Visiting in Haw River and found this trail system. We explored part of it one day but the following day the pup and I covered nearly 4 miles from the Haw River entrance. Well marked trail system. Didn't see much garbage so that was great. My only suggestion for where I hiked, is to hope that one day there could be signs prior to the bridge so drivers could know of potential hikers who have to cross. I hope to hike this trail again one day. Great job to those who tend it. I had a peaceful hike along the river.See more..
4.5Collins Creek Picnic Area(7 reviews) - Collins Creek Picnic Area Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
This Picnic area is clean and spacious and lots of picnic tables. This picnic area has lots of parking spaces nearby tables. And Beautiful surrounding scenery. Great to bring family and friends.See more..
5.0Brumley Forest Nature Preserve(7 reviews) - Great Hiking and Mountain Biking Spent More than 3 hours Biking Trails • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
Brumley Nature Preserve is one of the newest Triangle Land Conservancy properties to open to the public, having opened in April 2017. It is also one of the largest at more than 600 acres with over 10 miles of trails for hiking and biking. The South entrance off New Hope Church Road provides access to multi-use trails, while the North side is hiking only, so this side is better if seeking solitude. Great place to explore, with a number of old ruins, cemeteries, and farm ponds. It's quite popular so try to arrive early on a nice weekend to ensure available parking.See more..
5.0Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club(7 reviews) - Great group, wide variety of hikes and always pleasant company Spent More than 3 hours Hiking Trails
This volunteer organization was founded in 1982 in the piedmont area of North Carolina. It facilitates and encourages outdoor activities, including hiking, biking and kayaking. There are several outings each week.See more..
Beautiful place! Amazing playground! One of the best "free" playgrounds that I've ever visited. Looks brand new! Visited early in the morning. Very peaceful.See more..
4.5Battle Park(5 reviews) - too bad it started getting dark Parks • Hiking Trails • Forests
We saw a sign and decided to check out this park. The sun was already low so we knew we would not be able to walk the entire trail but we went as far as we dared before turning back. UNC bought the 93 acres of land in 1793. There is no designated parking for the park so you may have to drive around a bit before you find a legal place to park. There are several different trails and one even takes you past Gimghoul Castle and another takes you to a stone amphitheater called Forest Theater. When we were there it was after several days of heavy rain and some of the trails over the creeks were washed out but we just stepped from rock to rock and kept going. I can't wait for the weather to cool off so we can walk the entire thing.See more..
I stumbled across this location. It’s listed as part of the Carolina Thread Trail. This has a nice parking area at the trailhead off of 6214 McNeely Rd. In Waxhaw. This trail allows hiking, mountain bikes, horseback and joggers. The yellow diamond trail is well marked. There are picnic tables and horse hitching rails throughout the trail. The trail runs along a creek. There are a few bridges to cross, so beginner mountain bikers may have a challenge. There are places for horses to go around the small bridges. I’ve read complaints on other websites saying the trail wasn’t maintained, but I went early October 2018, and I found it to be very nice. It’s more natural than some trails and the walk through the woods was very peaceful. I believe it’s about a 2 mile trail total. It appeared to join a couple other trailheads, but I’m not sure. I took my dog and we had no issues. See more..
4.5Signal Hill Trail(4 reviews) - Great local trail. Always open Spent 1-2 hours Biking Trails • Hiking Trails
Built on the site of an old landfill the trash will sometimes peek out from under the tree roots. It is tight with switchbacks. Locally maintained by the Tarheel Trailblazers mountain bike club.See more..
4.0Walter Henderson Park(4 reviews) - Good Neighborhood Park Spent < 1 hour Hiking Trails • Playgrounds
This park is right down the street from where I live and while I visit it a couple times a week, I tend to take it for granted and don't even realize I use it as much as I do and that I appreciate it as much as I do. When the grandkids come over, they love the play area and can enjoy it for hours. When they are not here, Lexi, our Corgi enjoy walking the paths. He has an insatiable curiosity and enjoy exploring plus he insists on greeting anyone he meets with open paws. It's a great asset to the area. Well maintained, clean and a good break to a nice calm place to unwindSee more..
4.0Great Bend Park(4 reviews) - nice trail but watch out for snakes Spent 1-2 hours Parks • Hiking Trails
The Great Bend Park is located just off NC 62 North, about 3 miles north of Burlington, North Carolina, in the Historic Glencoe Mill Village. It's open 7 days a week from 8 - 7. It's on 30 wooded acres and runs along the Haw River. It's part of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail. It offers picnic areas, fishing, hiking, and paddle access points. This time of year be sure to watch out for snakes on the path because it's mating season for them. While there be sure to visit the Textile Heritage Museum and walk/drive through the historic Glencoe Mill Village.See more..
I took a preteen group from church to the ropes course here. They absolutely loved it and the staff made our safety and fun a number one priority.See more..
4.0Symphony Lake Greenway(3 reviews) - Nice paved trail around the lake Biking Trails • Hiking Trails Ran a race here over Labor Day weekend. Nicely kept up trail around the lake. Good distance for one lap around the lake.See more..
Bay Tree Lake State Natural Area was a former state park that was never developed and is now managed as a satellite of Singletary Lake State Park. There is a small parking area right off NC-41 and several miles of trails. We visited for a hike with our dog in the winter and it was a wonderful, secluded hike. Even on a nice weekend, we didn't see another soul. There are no maps available, so recommend using a GPS or phone for navigation. The hiking trails, blazed with white diamonds, make a big loop around the park, but do not provide access to the lake. About half way through the loop are some sandy 4WD roads. We followed these and found a great little beach on the lake for lunch. Awesome place, we'll definitely be back.See more..
4.5Lake Michie Recreation Area(2 reviews) - Nice spot for an afternoon canoeing Bodies of Water • Parks • Hiking Trails
Spent an afternoon canoeing out on the lake with my boyfriend--only $11 for one canoe and six hours! We are both from outside of NC, but I believe if your license has a Durham or NC address you can pay even less. Beautiful weather, not a lot of shade. We were able to spot some wildlife (birds, fish, etc). The woman that helped us at the front desk was very friendly. Due to construction, you have to drive around to park in the parking lot, but this was not a huge hassle. Definitely recommend!See more..
4.5Big Fork Ridge Loop Trail(2 reviews) - Awesome sites worth the crazy .7 walk ! Spent 2-3 hours Hiking Trails
This was a cool place with not one but two impressive arches ! It was a 1.4 mile loop - the first part had steep ladder like stairs down and a little imposing ! The kids way down on back end was easy way down ? Beautiful Rick formations along trail make it way worth the crazy walk ! On way back take the stairs back up to the parking lot -they are many but by far the easier way to get back to parking lot . Decent shoes or hiking boots required not exactly a flip flop walk !Only real shortcoming of place -did not see a handicapped access ? But doesn’t mean there isn’t one or a way to access got the handicapped it just was not apparent? Both arches are super impressive -93 & 53 feet right next to each other . ! Great hidden gem in this area just below bourbon trail !See more..
Peaceful, quiet serene and close to home. Family and pet friendly, walking trails safe and protected. River view!See more..
5.0Knight Brown Nature Preserve(1 review) - Hidden gem hiking trails Spent 1-2 hours Hiking Trails I hiked in this area with my family on Father's Day this year. The trails all start in the cul-de-sac at the end of Waterfield Lane in Stokesdale, NC. I visited because of the new trail, called "A Poet's Walk," which was constructed in memory of a family friend. At the sign marking the library, take the trail on the left until you run into the boulder with "A Poet's Walk" plaque to start the loop. There are beautiful views of a creek along all of the trails and vegetation. There is a lot of flexibility as far as distance hiked since all the trails connect - you can do up to 4 miles or as little as 0.5 miles. There are beautiful cedar benches along the way, and plenty of entry spots to splash in the creek for dogs or kids. It was an easy drive from Greensboro, very peaceful, quiet and not heavily trafficked. I will be back and recommend to others. The other trails are called: Beechwood Bottom, Creekside and Leatherwood Loop.See more..
4.0Rob Wallace Park(1 review) - Great Local Park Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Playgrounds
Family stroll around the front lake with the dogs on Mothers Day. A good number of families setting up on the picnic benches under trees for outdoor lunches. Good toddler playground up front and an excellent discovery playground on the side for pre-teens. The park goes back almost a mile with three total parking lots and a second lake way in the back, good gravel walking trails and frisbee golf throughout. Well maintained by the county.See more..
Turnipseed Nature Preserve is the newest Wake County park, located in eastern Wake, near Wendell. There are about 3 miles of easy gravel trails and several picnic areas to enjoy this natural area. Great place for a jog or to walk the dog. There is also a nice overlook with views of the wetlands along Gin Branch Creek. It's open daily during the summer and on weekends in the off season.See more..
5.0Northeast Park(1 review) - 4th of july fireworks Biking Trails • Equestrian Trails • Hiking Trails every year they have an amazing fireworks dispay also a live band lots of vendors for eats and drinks good family fun See more..
4.0Mount Sterling Ridge Trail(1 review) - Wonderful High Elevation Trail Spent More than 3 hours Hiking Trails Mount Sterling Ridge Trail begins at a junction with Mount Sterling Trail and ends in 5.3 miles at a junction with Balsam Mountain Trail. This trail has a net elevation loss of 150 feet and has long stretches of level hiking. The trail would be considered easy to moderate by Smoky Mountain Standards, but getting to the trail involves some serious climbing. The junction at Mount Sterling Ridge Trail is just 0.3 mile from the summit of Mount Sterling and backcountry Campsite 38. This trail is recommended in all seasons, but expect icy conditions in cold weather. The trail begins with a moderate downhill section that drops 500 feet in the first 1.3 miles to a junction with Pretty Hollow Gap Trail and Swallow Fork Trail. To the left Pretty Hollow Gap Trail drops 5.6 miles to meet Cataloochie Road. To the right Swallow Fork Trail drops 4.0 miles to meet Big Creek Trail near Walnut Bottoms and Campsite 37. Continue straight ahead and climb 350 feet in the next mile. During this first 2.3 miles you may encounter some fairly muddy stretches caused by horse use. The remaining 3.0 miles is a virtually level leasurely walk at 5500' elevation. During this hike you will pass the headwaters of a few streams. In winter you may get e few nice views down to the left into Pretty Hollow. At mile 5.3 the trail come to a junction with Balsam Mountain Trail. To the left Balsam Mountain Trail goes 4.2 miles to Balsam Mountain Road passing Laurel Gap Shelter in about 0.1 mile. To the right Balsam Mountain Trail goes to the AT at Tricorner Knob in 5.8 miles passing Gunter Fork trail in 0.9 miles. I love the high elevation gentle hike of Mount Sterling Ridge Trail and feel the effort to get to this trail is well worth it.See more..
