Best Greenways & Trails in Winston-Salem, NC

Parks & Green Spaces In Winston-Salem, NC

Winston-Salem started early in the 1980s to help preserve mother nature and connect neighborhoods with greenways and trail systems. There are 23 miles of established trails and greenways and more on the way. This makes it easy for the workforce and families of Winston-Salem, NC, and Forsyth County to walk, run, or bike from home to work or to easily get away from city life and head into nature. Winston-Salem’s greenways and trails allow residents to head from Old Salem to Innovation Quarter or downtown to Salem Lake and Kernersville. You can visit many historic sites without ever adding to the carbon footprint via your motorized vehicle. Plus, what is more, kid-friendly than a free way to travel on your bike, skates, or scooter?

Best Greenways in Winston-Salem

Bethabara Greenway Trail (2.7 Miles)

The Bethabara Greenway Trail connects the 300-year-old Moravian settlement of Bethabara with nearby neighborhoods and shopping centers north of Winston-Salem. The greenway heads through woods, boardwalks, and wetlands in a 183-acre wildlife preserve that’s home to 126 bird species. You can take a break by taking a guided tour of a German church and a fort that was used in the French and Indian War. Here are some of the greenway’s features:

Boardwalk track
Paved and Gravel track
Wheelchair Accessible
Perfect for:
- Biking
- Walking
Access to Historic Bethabara Park
Home to 126 bird species
Flat and easy terrain
Parking is available at:
- Historic Bethabara Park Visitors Center
- Reynolda Commons

View More About Bethabara Trail

Long Branch Trail through Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter

Long Branch Trail (1.7 Miles)

Winston-Salem’s newest greenway, Long Branch Trail is a paved, north-south greenway that connects the Innovation Quarter with miles of greenway along Salem Creek and Salem Lake. The greenway helps connect lively downtown areas, including Bailey Park and restaurants, to Old Salem and Salem Lake. The Long Branch Trail is open to walkers, joggers, cyclists, people walking dogs, or pushing strollers. This greenway is a perfect spot for a short but active stroll or bike with your kids when you have plans near downtown. Here are some of the greenway’s features:

Asphalt surfaces
Wheelchair Accessible
Access to Innovation Quarter
Access to Bailey Park
Electric Scooter and Bike Rental stations
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
Parking is available at:
- Parking in the gravel lot east of the Third Street bridge

View More About Long Branch Trail

Muddy Creek Greenway (4 Miles)

The paved Muddy Creek Greenway in west Winston-Salem connects neighborhoods and schools along almost 4 miles of trail that runs alongside Muddy Creek. The kid-friendly greenway winds through open meadows, horse pastures, and forest, perfect for bird-watching or walking a pet. Ducks, herons, and kingfishers are common along the banks of Muddy Creek. A dog park and playground just off the greenway at the halfway point are perfect spots to take a break or turn around. The greenway also has access to stop and watch some privately-owned horses graze in the pasture and it also runs alongside a soccer field for your kids to play in. This greenway features:

Asphalt surfaces
Access to a dog park
Access to 4-5 residential communities
Access to a playground area and picnic shelter
Wheelchair Accessible
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
- Inline Skating
- Dog-walking
Parking is available at:
- At the northern end of the greenway, a gravel parking area is available at the intersection of Jefferson School Lane and Robinhood Road
- At the southern end of the greenway is another entry point at 301 Meadowlark Drive

Learn More About Muddy Creek Greenway

Salem Creek Greenway (5.2 Miles)

The paved trail runs parallel to Salem Creek and the new Salem Parkway, with plenty of twists and turns, trips over creeks and under bridges. At different points of the greenway, you can spot city skylines, Salem Lake, and even art installations. For those that need excitement along the way, you will pass by sports fields, a playground, a dog park at Washington Park, and Reynolds Park Golf Course. Connecting greenways and trails along the route at Peachtree Greenway, the Strollway, and the Long Branch Trail add 7 miles of distance to your journey (if you choose to take them). The greenway features:

Asphalt surface
Wheelchair Accessible
Access To Sports Fields
Access To Salem Lake
Access to Old Salem & Downtown
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
- Inline Skating
Parking is available at:
- Marketplace Mall (off Peter’s Creek Parkway)
- Washington Park (1490 S. Broad Street)
- Reynolds Park (2450 Reynolds Park Road)
- Salem Lake Park (1001 Salem Lake Road)

Learn More About Salem Creek Greenway

The Downtown Strollway (1.2 Miles)

The Winston-Salem Strollway is a perfect downtown walk. You get to walk through a historic site, see the city’s beautiful skyline, and walk on a crushed-stone path reminiscent of famous parks worldwide. The Strollway helps to link Winston-Salem’s modern downtown with historic Old Salem. The first segment sends you underneath I-40 while you’ll reach the Old Salem Visitor Center a half-mile later. A half-mile beyond the visitor center, the Strollway ends at West Salem Avenue and connects you with the beautifully paved and long Salem Creek Greenway. The greenway has the following features:

Asphalt and crushed-stone surfaces
Old Salem
Downtown Winston-Salem
Access to the Salem Lake Greenway
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
- Inline Skating
- Dog-Walking
Parking is available at:
- Trail parking is available at the Old Salem Visitor Center (900 Old Salem Road)

Learn More About The Downtown Strollway

Best Hiking/Biking Trails in Winston-Salem

Horizons Park Trails (2.6 Miles)

Horizons Park Loop offers two different hikes (Loop A and Loop B) that make up 2.6-miles of loop trail near Germanton, North Carolina. This is considered a moderate hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking and running and can be used year-round. Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be kept on a leash. The trail takes you through wooded areas, fields, and even a cemetery. If you take the mountain biking loops, you can add on even more mileage. The trails have the following features:

Wildlife/Bird Watching
Natural Surfaces
Frisbee Golf
Playground access
Dog park
Picnic Area
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
Parking is available at:
- 2835 Memorial Industrial School Rd. Rural Hall, NC

Learn More About Horizons Park Trail

Salem Lake Trail in Winston-Salem

Salem Lake Trail (7 Miles)

The 7-mile, natural surface Salem Lake Trail hugs the shoreline of Salem Lake and offers forest canopy-covered riding that is perfect for any season and any skill level for some trail running, hiking, or biking. Water stations and benches along the way make great break stops (especially for kids), and restrooms are located at the park office and near the new playground. Mile markers track your progress all along the route and you are guaranteed to see plenty of birdlife and wildlife, including deer on the trail. You will enjoy almost every view you receive along this 375-acre lake. If you don’t have your own bike, you can pick up a set of wheels at the bike-share station at Salem Lake. Note that the park closes in the evening, so don’t get locked in. Also, when the water overflows the dam, the back gate will be closed. The trails have the following features:

Wildlife/Bird Watching
Natural Surfaces
Access to Salem Lake
Access to Salem Lake Marina
Access to a playground
Perfect For:
- Biking
- Walking
Parking is available at:
- Salem Lake Park, 1001 Salem Lake Road

View More About Salem Lake Trail

Tanglewood Park Trails (8 Miles)

A total of 8 miles of trails at Tanglewood Park are divided into three loops. All three are accessible with no fee from a parking area just outside the park’s front gate. The Northeast Trail is a 1.5-mile beginner loop that runs fast and smooth through tight turns and over rolling hills, small logs, and moderately technical root sections. The climbs and fast descents on the Northwest and North Central trails will also prove a fun ride with plenty of ups and downs, logs, jumps, and berms for intermediate and advanced riders. The trails can be used by both hikers and cyclists. The trails have the following features: