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Running trails in High Point, NC
High Point has 7 trails in the directory — 1 paved, 3 loops that return to the trailhead, 3 with a stated distance, and 2 shaded. 6 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 1,235 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Armstrong Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 484 reviews
Shady park with creeks & trail access offering a playground, picnic areas & athletic fields/courts.
Allen Jay Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 291 reviews
Local park featuring playgrounds for kids and basketball courts, plus a walking trail.
Piedmont Environmental Center
4.6 ★★★★★ 193 reviews
Environmental center offering 11 mi. of nature trails, plus educational activities & classes.
Rich Fork Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 127 reviews
Hiking, biking and nature trails, plus a creek at this wooded area.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in High Point
- Match the surface to your legs. High Point gives you a choice: 4 mixed and 1 paved. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More mixed trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 3 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in High Point is Rich Fork Preserve at 60 mi. 3 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. Plenty of trails sit inside parks that gate at dusk and don't unlock until well after sunrise, so a trail that's perfect at lunchtime can be locked at 6am. 6 of the 7 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 2 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 5 have trailhead parking, 4 have restrooms, and 2 have a water fountain in High Point. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 2 shaded, 3 with mile markers, 3 that runners describe as quiet, 4 dog-friendly, and 1 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse High Point trails by type
Running trails near High Point
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.