Where Can I Find The Best Hiking Trails?

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Is there something about hiking that makes it unique? It is obviously an excellent physical exercise. But what makes it different from walking, running, or working out in the gym? Hiking is a longer form of walking, usually in the wilderness. You must navigate uneven terrain, climb steep hills, cross streams, and avoid obstacles. You also immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, refreshing your mind and body with the peace of the forest and the sightings of birds and wildlife along your way. Hikers love discovering new places, finding new trails, and the freedom from everyday life. Hiking can be a solitary or social activity done with a group. Both ways offer benefits.

There are many great hiking trails in the Winston-Salem area – some close by, some a bit of a drive, all worth exploring. We have listed some of the better trails below, so get on your hiking boots, pack a knapsack, bring water, and start hiking!

Horizons Park Loop Hike

• 2835 Memorial Industrial School Road, Rural Hall, NC
• Horizons Park Website

This 2.5-mile double loop trail just outside Winston-Salem is perfect for the beginning hiker. It is an easy-to-moderate trail, with Loop A, which you have to walk part of to get to Loop B, which is easy, and Loop B, which is more strenuous with some elevations and uneven terrain. Some suggest hiking poles might be good. The scenery is lovely, with meadows, streams, woodlands, and an old cemetery. Dogs are permitted on leash. Bathrooms are available. Check the website for hours.

Pilot Mountain State Park

• 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle, NC
• Pilot Mountain State Park Trails Website

There are many trails at Pilot Mountain. You will find the visitors center at the base of the mountain through the main entrance to the state park. You can pick up a map there that includes details about various trails. If you park at the visitor’s center, you can take the 2.2-mile Grindstone Trail. It is a moderate trail that will take you from the base of the mountain to the top, with great views of Big Pinnacle. It is wooded and scenic but rocky terrain. Be prepared if you visit during winter – it is usually colder and windier up the mountain. Jomeokee Trail is a short 0.8 loop that circles the famous Pilot Mountain knob. It, too, is a moderate hike and promises fantastic views. Ledge Springs is a 1-mile difficult, strenuous trail that takes you up and down multiple stone staircases. You pass the rock climbing walls on this trail. There are beautiful views, and it is well-marked but very challenging. Wear sturdy shoes or boots. Pilot Mountain is very crowded on weekends, and the top lot gets full. Their shuttle service runs during the season to take you from the visitor’s center lot to the top of the mountain. Riding the shuttle is a small fee, and they run approximately every 20 minutes. The park is dog-friendly. Bathrooms are available at the visitor’s center and at the top of the mountain. Check the website for trail details and additional trails.

Hanging Rock State Park

• 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury, NC
• Hanging Rock State Park Trails Website

This park has over 20 miles of hiking trails, many featuring spectacular waterfalls. Hanging Rock Trail is one of the most popular in the park. It is a 1.3-mile moderate out-and-back trail leading to the quartzite rock formation jutting out from the mountain, Hanging Rock. The difficult part is when you have to climb many stairs at the end, but the views are spectacular. Hiking poles can help, but good shoes and socks are a necessity. Moore’s Wall Loop is a 4.7-mile strenuous loop trail that takes you to the highest point in the Sauratown Mountains, 2,497 feet above sea level. You pass through forests and cross streams before reaching the summit, where you will find an observation tower that offers breathtaking 360-degree views. Visitors should hike the loop clockwise so your return on the loop comes down the 684 steps of the “endless staircase.” If you are looking for waterfalls, you can take the Hike to Hidden Falls, 0.4 miles one-way, a gentle tiered waterfall, and the Hike to Window Falls, 0.6 miles one-way, emerging from a natural window in a quartzite wall of rock. Both trails are off the Indian Creek Trail, a strenuous 3.6-mile trail one-way to the Dan River. A more accessible waterfall to reach is on Upper Cascades Trail. It is 0.2 miles one-way with a gentle slope leading to a wooden observation deck with seating for views of the falls. There are wooden steps that hikers and pets can take to a shallow pool at the waterfall’s base. For information about other trails at Hanging Rock State Park and the locations of the trailheads for these trails, see the website above.

Stone Mountain State Park

• 3042 Frank Parkway, Roaring Gap, NC
• Stone Mountain State Park Trails Website

This park is located approximately an hour from Winston-Salem and is named for its huge granite mountain. The most popular trail is the 4.5-mile strenuous Stone Mountain Loop that takes you to the summit of the 600-foot dome of Stone Mountain. Along the way, you will pass the restored 19th-century Hutchinson Homestead and a towering 200-foot waterfall. The view from the summit is breathtaking. If you make the whole loop, there are stairs. However, you can go to the summit and back and avoid the stairs. Other trails to consider at the park with scenic views that are all moderate trails are Wolf Rock Trail, Cedar Rock Trail, and Black Jack Ridge Trail. All these trails mentioned are hiking-only, marked, and accessible from the Lower Lot parking area. It is worth noting that Stone Mountain is less crowded than the other two state parks on weekends. See the trail website for more details and additional trails.

Doughton Park

• Milepost 238 Blue Ridge Parkway
• Doughton Park Hiking Trails Website

This park, located about an hour and 30 minutes from Winston-Salem, has more than 30 miles of hiking trails. Bluff Mountain Trail is a 7.5-mile, one-way, easy trail from Brinegar Cabin in Doughton Park to Basin Cove Overlook. The trail runs along the Parkway and is level terrain. There is only one challenging part: an ascent up Alligators Back. Mostly, you will walk through rolling hills and open pastures with scenic views. You do not have to walk the whole 7.5-mile trail. You can turn around and head back whenever you wish. Cedar Ridge, a 4.4-mile strenuous trail, also begins at Brinegar Cabin. The trail descends a forested ridgeline to Grassy Gap Fire Road. The elevation changes more than 2,000 feet, making this a challenging hike.

From Peaceful To Heart-Pumping

If you want something to increase your cardio workout and raise your endorphin level, how about running? It is a sport that is easy to do, good exercise, and a great stress reliever. Take a look at where to find the best running trails in Winston-Salem.

What is you favorite hiking trail? Tell us in the comments.