The Best Bike Trails In Winston-Salem

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Winston-Salem is a biking or cycling-friendly city, offering many off-road and on-street bike trails for bicycle enthusiasts to enjoy, ranging in intensity from easy to difficult. Whether you are looking to ride for pleasure, exercise, as a transportation alternative, or an adrenaline-pumping, extreme sport, we have found the trails perfect for your needs. Read about the trails below and find the one you are looking for.

Cycling Trails for Pleasure, Exercise, and Transportation Alternative

Trails that are both off-road and on-street are suitable for cycling in Winston-Salem. These routes include some Greenways, which can be taken alone or combined with on-street riding. All the Greenways are excellent for off-road cycling in Winston-Salem. You can see a list of them in our Greenways article. You can also find ten on-street bike route maps on the City of Winston-Salem website.

Greenway Loop

• 6.36-miles
• Easy Ride
• Mostly Paved
• Start Point: Old Salem Visitor’s Center

This is an excellent ride for pleasure and as a transportation alternative, as it takes you through a portion of the downtown area. You begin at the Old Salem Covered Bridge and cycle on The Strollway past 1st St and Corpening Plaza to the Gateway YMCA and near the new Kaleideum. From there, you will connect to Long Branch Trail through a series of streets. You will take Town Run La left on 3rd St, right on Cherry St, right on W 4th St, left on Trade Street, right on W 5th St, left on N Church St, right on W 6th St, left on N Chestnut St, right on E 7th St, left on N Patterson Ave, right on N Martin Luther King Jr Dr, and from there you will enter Long Branch Trail. This is an urban part of the Greenway system that passes through Winston-Salem. There will be lovely city views and several wooden bridges you will cross. You will continue until you connect with Salem Creek Greenway, where you will head west (turn right). You will cross the Wade Bitting Footbridge that passes over Salem Creek. There is a sign explaining where it gets its name. You will cross one more bridge, Molly Leight’s Crossing, before returning to where you started.

Muddy Creek Greenway

• 2.9-miles, one-way
• Easy Ride
• Paved
• Start Point: bridge to Summerfield Development opposite Jefferson Elementary School

This wide path follows Muddy Creek and is popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists. A pleasant ride, it travels through meadows, forests, and Jamison Park to Country Club Road. Five neighborhood connectors are along the trail: Cedar Trail, Century Oaks, Lantern Ridge, Stonebridge, Summerfield, and Brooks Landing. Each provides additional areas to go off the trail for street riding. There is also a connector to Meadowlark Middle and Elementary Schools. Turning around at the end and riding back makes this an easy and relaxing 4-mile ride.

Bowen Branch • Newell-Massey • Brushy Fork Greenways

• 2.05-miles, one-way
• Easy Ride
• Paved
• Start Point: Bowen Blvd/Hansel B Thomas Park on Bowen Blvd

This trail comprises three connecting Greenways for an enjoyable 2-mile ride through lush forested areas along Brushy Creek. Bowen Branch connects to Newell-Massey via a sidewalk connector at New Walkertown Road. The trail is 12-foot wide, shaded, quiet, and runs alongside an old cemetery. It has connectors along the way, including Winston Lake Park, Skyland Park, Twin City Little League Fields, and Winston Lake Aquatics Center. Brushy Fork Greenway, the last leg of the trail, ends at Lowery Street, on the other side of Salem Parkway, but will eventually connect to Salem Creek Greenway. Here is a map of the connected Greenways:

Map of Greenways in Winston-Salem

Salem Lake Trail

• 7-mile loop
• Intermediate Ride
• Mostly Dirt
• Start Point: Salem Lake Park

This is a beautiful trail around Salem Lake through the wooded area along its banks. During your ride, you will enjoy continuous glimpses of the lake, refreshing shade, birds, and wildlife. The path has some paved areas, primarily dirt and gravel, with roots, stones, and uneven terrain. There are some elevations, though not severe. You will see markers along the trail that run counterclockwise from the playground area, where you begin, and benches, should you want to rest. Water fountains and bathrooms are also available. There is a Bikeshare station if you don’t own a bike and would like to ride. Salem Lake Trail connects to Salem Creek Greenway if you want a longer ride.

Long Branch Trail – Salem Creek Greenway Loop From Winston-Salem

• 13.7-miles
• Intermediate Ride
• Mostly Paved
• Starting Point: Park at Flow Subaru

This route requires good physical fitness, some on-street biking, and a segment where you must dismount and push your bike. When you exit Flow Subaru onto Silas Creek Pkwy, make a left and ride a short distance to turn left on Konnoak View Dr, then turn right on Hollyrood St, follow to W Acadia Ave, turn right, continue to S Main St and turn left, follow to Waughtown St, turn right and look for the entrance to Salem Creek Greenway on the left. You will follow Salem Creek Greenway to Long Branch Trail, an urban pathway through Winston-Salem. It has various connections through the downtown area and several wooden bridges to cross. Take the connector to Fogle St and follow to N Patterson Ave, alongside Bailey Park, then turn left on E 7th St, continue to Trade St and make a right, make another right on N Martin Luther King Jr Dr and follow that road back to the entry point for Long Branch Trail. Continue on Long Branch back through the city to Salem Creek Greenway and turn right to head toward Salem Lake. Follow this lush trail for its length as it runs alongside Salem Creek and through Washington Park, Happy Hills, and Reynolds Park. You will turn around when you reach Salem Lake Trail and bike the Salem Park Greenway back to Waughtown Rd, then take the on-street ride back to Flow Subaru.

Cascades Preserve Loop From Quarry Park

• 43.6-miles
• Expert Ride
• Mostly Paved Surfaces
• Starting Point: Quarry Park

This trail requires excellent fitness and is an expert bike ride. It begins on the Waughtown Connector Greenway to the Peachtree Greenway, to Peachtree St, to Reynold Park Rd, through the park, and onto the Salem Creek Greenway, a lush, wooded trail that follows Salem Creek to Salem Lake Trail. You will connect to the north side of Salem Lake Trail, which has more woods and a dirt path with some uneven terrain. Follow it along the lake to Linville Road Southeast, where you will turn left. Continue on Linville Road until it becomes Old Greensboro Rd, then make a right on W Mountain St. You will follow W Mountain St a significant distance, passing Hasting Hills Rd, Asheby Woods Dr, and Goode Farm Rd on your right before you make a left turn on Grady Pettycord Rd, then a right onto Pisgah Church Rd. Continue on Pisgah Church Rd to Bagley Dr, where you will make a left turn. Take it to the end and make a left on Old Hollow Rd. Follow Old Hollow Rd to Old Valley School Rd and turn right. Continue along Old Valley School Rd, and you will come to Kernersville Lake Park. There are restrooms and covered picnic areas, a nice place to rest.

Continue on Old Valley School Rd to Dobson St, where you will turn right and turn left on Linville Springs Rd. Follow Linville Springs to Piney Grove Rd and turn left. You will travel significantly on Piney Grove Road before seeing Deer Path Ln and Goodwill Church Rd on your left before turning right on Freeman Rd. Freeman Rd will become Goodwill Church Rd, and you will pass by the Cascades Preserves, off Falling Waters Trail, a wildlife preserve that features a walking trail, waterfall, and a picnic area. Continue on Goodwill Church Rd to Haw River Rd, where you will make a left turn and then a right turn on Linville Rd. Follow Linville Rd some distance until it meets Oak Ridge Rd, then turn right. Take Oak Ridge Rd to Willard Rd and turn left, following it until it ends on Strafford Mill Rd, where you will turn right, then a left turn on N Bunker Hill Rd. Continue on N Bunker Hill Rd until it becomes S Bunker Hill Rd. After passing McGuire Rd and Gray Wilson Rd on your left, make a right turn on Old Greensboro Rd. Continue some distance on Old Greensboro Rd until it ends on Macy Grove Rd, and make a left. Make a right on Industrial Park Dr and follow it until it becomes S Park Drive, then make a left on Indeneer Dr and a right on Bridgeport Dr. Take Bridgeport until it ends on Shields Rd and make a right. Make a left on Union Cross Rd and follow for some distance until it separates, then make a right on Sedge Garden Rd. Continue on Sedge Garden Rd for a significant distance, passing Longmont Dr and Levada Dr on your left, until it intersects with Kernersville Rd, then make a left turn. Follow Kernersville Rd a significant distance until it becomes Waughtown St., then continue a considerable distance until you reach Marble St, passing Leight St and Brindle St on your left before coming to Marble St, where you will make a right to pick up the Waughtown Connector Greenway, your final leg of the route.

Mountain Biking Trails

Mountain Biking requires specially designed bikes to be used off-road over rough terrain. The bikes have air or coil-sprung shocks for suspension, larger and wider wheels and tires, stronger frames, and hydraulic disc brakes. Mountain bike riders must be in excellent physical condition and have good core and back strength, balance, endurance, and strong bike handling skills. It is a demanding sport and both the bike and the rider need to be at their best to handle the punishment of some of the trails they travel. Below, we list some of the mountain bike trails near Winston-Salem. We give you the locations, some information, and the intensity of the trail. Most are singletrack, just wide enough for a bike to fit, and contain rocky sections, tree roots, berms, banked turns, drops, hills, jumps, and more. There is one easy trail; the others are for seasoned riders.

Salem Lake Trail

• 815 Salem Lake Road, Winston-Salem, NC
• Easy/Moderate

Salem Lake Trail is a multi-use, doubletrack trail that is a 7-mile loop, fairly easy and good for beginner mountain bikers. It is wider than most mountain bike trails. There are some tree roots and rocks, but otherwise a fairly even terrain. Some elevation in areas, but not much. It is a popular trail so you will be sharing it with walkers, runners, and other bikers. There are bathrooms and water fountains available. See Trailforks Map of Salem Lake Trail.

Hobby Park

• 2301 W Clemmonsville Road, Winston-Salem
• Moderate/Advanced

Hobby Park is the local cross-country race course and offers 7 miles of extreme riding. It has roots, rock, sand, creek crossings, and open fields. You will experience jumps, bermed and tight, steep corners, and significant drops where you build up speed, so you will need excellent bike-handling skills. Challenging, but fun for good riders. See Trailforks Map of Hobby Park.

Horizon Park

• 2835 Memorial Industrial School Road, Germanton, NC
• Moderate/Advanced

Horizon Park mountain bike trail is 3 miles long with a gravel access trail that leads to the main Horizons Loop. The trail is narrow single-track, rooty and primitive, and is tight and twisty. There are steep drop-offs, gullies, and bridges at angles to the trail. It is a great place to learn mountain biking skills. See Trailforks Map of Horizons Park.

Tanglewood Park

• Entrance is off US 158, Bermuda Run, NC
• Easy/Moderate/Advanced

Tanglewood has three loops; the first for new riders is 1.5 miles, mostly flat with good flow. The river loop is 2 miles, with some tight, twisting sections, but all skill levels. It has easy dips and jumps, some rockier sections, rootier climbs, and quick turns, but it’s fun. Beginners will find some challenging climbs in the last 6-mile section. There is a lot more elevation change in this loop. Moderate and advanced riders will enjoy a fast ride over bridges, log-overs, and small rock gardens. See Trailforks Map of Tanglewood Park.

Jesús Trail

• Linville Road entrance to Salem Lake Trail, Winston-Salem, NC
• Intermediate

Jesús Trail is a 5.5-mile singletrack trail on the south side of Salem Lake that runs parallel to Salem Lake Trail. Enter the Linville Road entrance and take a left off the main path. The trail has approximately 740 feet of elevation, and many natural and man-made features make it a fun and challenging route. It intersects with Salem Lake Trail in a few places, so you can go back and forth between the two trails if you wish. The trail is dedicated to Jesús S., a local boy with Down Syndrome who fell in love with all aspects of mountain biking. He not only loves to ride, but he loves to clean, maintain, and keep the trail clear. He brings joy to everyone he meets. See Trailforks Map of Jesús Trail.

Kernersville MTB Park

• 567 Smith Edwards Road, Kernersville, NC
• Intermediate

Kernersville MTB Park is a 3.5-mile singletrack loop, rated intermediate with some optional advanced sections. The trail is tight and twisty as it winds through the woods and often turns back on itself. It has some constructed features like ladder bridges and fast, bermed turns. There are also some log pyramids and a creek crossing. You can keep track of the Kernersville MTB Park openings, closings, and other news on the Kernersville Cycling Club Facebook Page. See Trailforks Map of Kernersville MTB Park.

Building A Thirst While Riding

After a long bike ride, there is nothing like quenching your thirst with a cold craft beer at one of our fine breweries. You need to stop in for a cool drink, a snack, some friendly conversation, and a little rest before heading home. Check out the 10 best breweries in Winston-Salem.

Where do you enjoy riding your bicycle? Tell us in the comments.

Source: Komoot – The Best Cycling Routes Around Winston-Salem