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Highland Branch Greenway

5 ★★★★★ 1 Google reviews · Running trail in Gastonia, North Carolina · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Paved
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

Confirmed from Highland Branch Greenway's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Highland Branch Greenway — running trail in Gastonia, NC, photo 1
Highland Branch Greenway — running trail in Gastonia, NC, photo 2
Highland Branch Greenway — running trail in Gastonia, NC, photo 3
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PavedStroller / ADA

What runners say about Highland Branch Greenway

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (1 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

This is a paved Greenway that is 0.7 miles in length from Rankin Lake Park to the Highland Branch Greenway Pedestrian Tunnel under Bulb Ave. that connects with the Highland Rail-Trail. Easily accessible for hikers, bicycling, strollers, & wheelchairs. This is a smooth trail and easily traveled due to its fatness.

★★★★★ — Tim , Jun 2026

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 1 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

♿ Stroller / ADA accessible 3 mentions

“Easily accessible for hikers, bicycling, strollers, & wheelchairs.”

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🛣️ Paved surface 2 mentions

“This is a paved Greenway that is 0.”

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Plan your run at Highland Branch Greenway

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.

Where to find Highland Branch Greenway

1750 Rankin Lake Rd, Gastonia, NC 28052

Get directions

Running trails near Gastonia

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Rankin Lake Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,425 reviews

Gastonia, NC

1.5 miMixedScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring a reservoir, picnic shelters, horseshoes, paved trails, fishing, boating & more.

under a mile away

Highland Rail Trail Trailhead

3.1 ★★★☆☆ 18 reviews

Gastonia, NC

Mixed

2.2 miles away

Gastonia Optimist Club Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 77 reviews

Gastonia, NC

PavedLit

2.7 miles away

Lineberger Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,594 reviews

Gastonia, NC

PavedLit

Train for children plus a pool and splash pad.

3.1 miles away

Avon/Catawba Creeks Greenway

4.7 ★★★★★ 117 reviews

Gastonia, NC

4.5 miPavedShadedScenic

Asphalt trail for exercising, running, walking and biking, with shaded sections.

3.2 miles away

George Poston Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 1,477 reviews

Gastonia, NC

12 miLoopPavedShaded

Dog-friendly park with sports fields, trails, a lake, picnicking, playgrounds & mountain biking.

4.7 miles away

All running trails in Gastonia, NC →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.