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Salem Lake Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 684 Google reviews · Running trail in Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- 7 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Salem Lake Trail'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.
Popular, kid-friendly park alongside Salem Lake, offering picnic tables and a playground.
What runners say about Salem Lake Trail
“The trail is well maintained, easy to follow, and the views of the lake are great pretty much the entire way around.”
“Beautiful lake and everybody was very kind on the pier and trail Mostly flat walk, easy for nature walk people vs hiking type experience”
“A peaceful place (yet fairly busy, especially near the trailheads, even on a weekday) to have a lovely walk, run, or bicycle ride.”
“It is dog friendly so bring the fur babies with you on your next adventure!”
This is a really great place for outdoor activities! You can bring your fishing boat and go fishing, go kayaking and standup/sit down paddle board and enjoy being on the water. The lake has a 7 mile loop trail for walking, running and riding your bike. Off the main trail there are bike trails called Jesus bike trails.
Great gravel trail for biking walking and running. 7 mile loop around the beautiful lake with plenty of folks fishing and kayaking. Good area for parking before the marina parking. Picnic table by the water. It connects to the Salem creek Greenway.
My dog and I had a great time on a lovely fall day. The lake is beautiful with about a 4 mile trail around it, and other trails surrounding. Great for a walk, run, or bike. The lake is also good for boating and fishing. There is a playground for children, picnic spots, and restrooms
I love this place! Peaceful, scenic, and always a great time. Lots of trail to be traversed, and they do a great job keeping up with the trail maintenance and cleanliness.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful lake and everybody was very kind on the pier and trail Mostly flat walk, easy for nature walk people vs hiking type experience”
“The full loop around the lake is about 7 miles and it’s one of my favorite spots to walk when I need to convince myself I enjoy exercise.”
“The full loop around the lake is about 7 miles and it’s one of my favorite spots to walk when I need to convince myself I enjoy exercise.”
“The area seemed to be very well kept with ample parking and seating.”
“I found the bicyclists to be quite polite and all the dogs I encountered to be on leashes.”
“There is a playground for children, picnic spots, and restrooms”
“A peaceful place (yet fairly busy, especially near the trailheads, even on a weekday) to have a lovely walk, run, or bicycle ride.”
“Beautiful lake and everybody was very kind on the pier and trail Mostly flat walk, easy for nature walk people vs hiking type experience”
Plan your run at Salem Lake Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Loop distance7 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitecityofws.org
- Phone(336) 650-7677
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Winston-Salem
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Reynolds Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 274 reviews
Open space with a recreation center, a pool, a playground, picnic shelters & athletic courts.
The Quarry at Grant Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 471 reviews
Park featuring a playground and a lake, plus views of the city skyline, along with trails.
