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Running trails in North Carolina
844 trails across 148 cities in North Carolina, with the most in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill — including 178 paved, 153 loops, 197 shaded, and 36 long enough for a 5-mile run. Every listing shows the things runners actually decide on: surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and trailhead parking. Pick a city for the full local list, or filter the North Carolina trails below.
Cities in North Carolina
Every city and town in North Carolina with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.
- Charlotte
- Raleigh
- Chapel Hill
- Durham
- Greensboro
- Asheville
- Cary
- Huntersville
- Winston-Salem
- Wake Forest
- Wilmington
- Davidson
- Hendersonville
- Boone
- Concord
- Fayetteville
- Gastonia
- Morganton
- Jacksonville
- Salisbury
- Statesville
- Asheboro
- Cornelius
- Greenville
- Matthews
- Mooresville
- Apex
- Belmont
- Fuquay-Varina
- Goldsboro
- Kernersville
- Lenoir
- Morrisville
- Shelby
- Hickory
- Leland
- Waxhaw
- Albemarle
- Burlington
- Clayton
- Waynesville
- Wendell
- High Point
- Holly Springs
- Mt Airy
- New Bern
- Reidsville
- Rocky Mount
- Sanford
- Graham
- Harrisburg
- Kinston
- Knightdale
- Lincolnton
- Lumberton
- Pineville
- Clemmons
- Elizabeth City
- Havelock
- Lexington
- Mt Holly
- Newton
- Summerfield
- Wilson
- Hope Mills
- Kannapolis
- Mebane
- Monroe
- Seven Springs
- Aberdeen
- Canton
- Eden
- Elon
- Garner
- Indian Trail
- Lake Junaluska
- Mint Hill
- Pinehurst
- Southern Pines
- Tarboro
- Winnabow
- Blowing Rock
- Browns Summit
- Carrboro
- Collettsville
- Elm City
- Flat Rock
- Granite Quarry
- Henderson
- Hillsborough
- Laurinburg
- McAdenville
- Pfafftown
- Smithfield
- Stallings
- Thomasville
- Trent Woods
- Valdese
- Winterville
- Zebulon
- Arden
- Ayden
- Banner Elk
- Camp Lejeune
- Carthage
- Castle Hayne
- China Grove
- Cramerton
- Dunn
- Elizabethtown
- Fort Liberty
- Franklinville
- Germanton
- Granite Falls
- Haw River
- Jamestown
- Kings Mountain
- Laurel Park
- Lewisville
- Lillington
- Linwood
- Maggie Valley
- Middlesex
- Midland
- Midway Park
- Moncure
- Mt Gilead
- Mt Pleasant
- New Hill
- Newland
- North Wilkesboro
- Orrum
- Pine Knoll Shores
- Pinnacle
- Pollocksville
- Purlear
- Ramseur
- Randleman
- Roanoke Rapids
- Rolesville
- Seven Devils
- Spring Lake
- Sylva
- Troutman
- West Jefferson
- Whitsett
- Wingate
- Wrightsville Beach
Notable running trails in North Carolina
The North Carolina trails runners review most, ranked by rating weighted by review volume. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to narrow to the run you're actually planning. See the full best-of-North Carolina ranking →
The North Carolina Arboretum
4.8 ★★★★★ 8,179 reviews
Arboretum in a forest with mountain views, gardens & a bonsai exhibit, plus hiking & biking paths.
Grandfather Mountain State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,696 reviews
Expansive mountain park with challenging trails, rocky cliffs, scenic views & camping (with permit).
Lake Johnson Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 5,021 reviews
Recreation area with 5.4 miles of trails around a lake, plus boat rentals, picnic areas & fishing.
Tanglewood Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,511 reviews
County park with gardens, golf course, fishing lake, riding stables, BMX race course, trails & more.
City of Greensboro - Country Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,225 reviews
An ample, wooded park with playgrounds, nature trails, fishing lakes, a dog area & picnic shelters.
Lake Norman State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,112 reviews
State park next to NC's largest man-made lake, with fishing, boating, camping, hiking & more.
Fred G. Bond Metro Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,504 reviews
Sprawling lakeside park with an amphitheater, trails, athletic fields, a rope course & playground.
Long Leaf Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,499 reviews
Wooded park with lighted baseball fields & tennis courts, ample picnic shelters & a 1.5 mile trail.
Union Point Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,088 reviews
Popular park along the Neuse & Trent Rivers featuring play equipment, a large gazebo & a boardwalk.
McDowell Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,048 reviews
This mostly undeveloped preserve with a lake has a nature center, campground, trails & play areas.
Knightdale Station Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,790 reviews
Community park with a rail-themed playground, sports fields, picnic shelter & 2 miles of trails.
Eno River State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,650 reviews
Vast acres of woodlands for hiking & camping, with canoeing & fishing areas on the Eno River.
Lake Crabtree County Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,540 reviews
Waterside site featuring 16 miles of hiking & biking trails, playgrounds, boating & fishing.
Jump Off Rock
4.9 ★★★★★ 2,390 reviews
Scenic overlook offering 1 easy & 2 moderate hiking trails along with mountain views & benches.
Rankin Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,425 reviews
Park featuring a reservoir, picnic shelters, horseshoes, paved trails, fishing, boating & more.
Ramsey Creek Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 2,583 reviews
Lakefront park for boating, fishing & picnicking, plus sand volleyball, horseshoes & a playground.
Croatan National Forest
4.5 ★★★★★ 2,438 reviews
Coastal pine forest featuring saltwater estuaries & bogs, campsites, trails & hunting areas.
McAlpine Creek Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,270 reviews
114-acre county park with a lake & fishing pier, soccer fields, hiking & bike trails, & a dog park.
Jetton Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,169 reviews
Tree-covered 104-acre park on Lake Norman with a small beach, tennis courts, a trail & picnic area.
Julian Price Memorial Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,094 reviews
Massive mountainside park features lake activities, trails, numerous picnic sites & an amphitheater.
Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,977 reviews
Tranquil 7.5-acre city garden with seasonal plants, statues, a landscaped stream & a wedding gazebo.
E. Carroll Joyner Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,977 reviews
A 117-acre expanse featuring paved trails, an amphitheater, a pecan grove & some old farm buildings.
Town Common
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,965 reviews
City park with a modern playground, riverfront esplanade, open-air amphitheater & boat ramp.
Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,963 reviews
Trail-filled state park set along the Neuse River & offering space for camping, swimming & fishing.
Carrier Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,858 reviews
Sports facilities from roller hockey to lawn bowling, plus trails, picnic space & river views.
Shelley Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,775 reviews
2 miles of wooded trails with work-out stations along a scenic lake, plus open fields & a playground
Martha Rivers Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,711 reviews
48-acre park with a youth sports complex & castle-themed playground, plus trails & picnic shelters.
Catawba Meadows Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,651 reviews
Large park with ball fields, a disc golf course & riverside greenway, plus a living history center.
No trails match those filters.
North Carolina trails by surface
Surface is the biggest split in trail running — asphalt is fast and predictable, crushed limestone is softer but still smooth, dirt is easiest on the joints and the most fun, boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick when wet.
More ways to find a trail in North Carolina
- Best running trails in North Carolina — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
- Loop trails — 153 in North Carolina come back to the trailhead without backtracking
- Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 36 in North Carolina are long enough for a proper long run
- Shaded trails — 197 in North Carolina keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
- Lit trails — 106 in North Carolina have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
- Trails with restrooms — 438 in North Carolina, and 149 with water fountains
- Trailhead parking — 456 in North Carolina have parking at the trailhead
- Dog-friendly trails — 350 in North Carolina you can run with a dog
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 181 in North Carolina are smooth and wide enough
- Scenic trails — 439 in North Carolina runners single out for the views
- Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
- All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
- Running trails by state — the rest of the country
- Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn
Trail features in North Carolina
- Trails with Trailhead Parking
- Scenic Running Trails
- Trails with Restrooms
- Dog-Friendly Running Trails
- Quiet, Uncrowded Trails
- Shaded Running Trails
- Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails
- Loop Trails (No Backtracking)
- Trails with Water Fountains
- Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts
- Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs
- Trails with Mile Markers
- Flat & Fast Running Trails
- Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles)