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Southside Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 425 Google reviews · Running trail in Newton, North Carolina · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Paved
Distance
1 mi
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Southside Park'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.

Paved1 miLit at nightDog-friendlyRestroomsWaterTrailhead parking

Family-friendly, dog-park offering grassy spaces, playgrounds, swings and a sandbox, plus trails.

What runners say about Southside Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (425 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 9 mentions

“The restroom facilities are clean and so are the ping if areas and they host a variety of free events as well!”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 3 mentions

“There is a local lady that paints designs on rocks and hides them at this and other parks they are beautiful so keep that in mind if you go out here.”

👟 good for all levels 2 mentions

“Great walking trail and plenty space with playground and fields for all ages.”

This is a really nice park. Been coming here for years. It’s our running spot. 1 lap, 1 mile. Nice track. The whole place is well maintained. Lots of picnic tables. Volleyball, soccer, they got it. Very safe. Awesome place to spend the day. I highly recommend this place for sure. Had some major flooding today.

★★★★★ — Patrick , Jun 2019

Love it.... Great walking trail and plenty space with playground and fields for all ages.

★★★★★ — Yuli , Jul 2024

I think it is a great park for walking and movies at the park! It is also a great park for picnics. The playground is pretty dated and has a sharp rusted portion at the top of one of the slides a little foot could fall through and get hurt. I hope they swap the park out soon. I went here years ago as a kid!

★★★★★ — Rick , Aug 2022

Good for kids and adults. And lots of shade trees. There is also a trail to walk or walk your dog. The park has clean restrooms and a water fountain. There is a local lady that paints designs on rocks and hides them at this and other parks they are beautiful so keep that in mind if you go out here.

★★★★★ — Angie , Jul 2019

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 425 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.

🐕 Dog-friendly 6 mentions

“Huge track people usually run or walk their dogs around.”

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🚻 Restrooms 4 mentions

“The restroom facilities are clean and so are the ping if areas and they host a variety of free events as well!”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 2 mentions

“Clean bathrooms and good amount of parking.”

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🚰 Water fountains

“The park has clean restrooms and a water fountain.”

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🛣️ Paved surface

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💡 Lit for night running

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Plan your run at Southside Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
  • Distance1 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitenewtonnc.gov
  • Phone+1 828-695-4317
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday 6 am–9 pm
Tuesday 6 am–9 pm
Wednesday 6 am–9 pm
Thursday 6 am–9 pm
Friday 6 am–9 pm
Saturday 6 am–9 pm
Sunday 6 am–9 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Southside Park

1775 Southwest Blvd, Newton, NC 28658

Get directions

Running trails near Newton

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

Southside Park Trail Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 74 reviews

Newton, NC

Natural surfaceDog-friendly

Park with a playground, picnic tables, and trails, plus a pavilion.

under a mile away

Heritage trail greenway

4.8 ★★★★★ 43 reviews

Newton, NC

3 miPavedShadedDog-friendly

2.4 miles away

Northside/Broyhill Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 349 reviews

Newton, NC

PavedShadedLit

Familiar park featuring baseball fields and soccer fields, along with tennis courts and basketball courts.

3.5 miles away

Jacob Fork Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 291 reviews

Newton, NC

2.5 miLoopMixedLit

Park offering hiking, mountain biking and disc golf.

4.8 miles away

Cliff Teague Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 110 reviews

Hickory, NC

Dog-friendly

Park featuring a playground, tennis & basketball courts, horseshoe pits & restrooms.

8.4 miles away

Highland Drive Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 311 reviews

Lincolnton, NC

Park with a playground and a soccer field, plus swings and picnic tables.

10.5 miles away

All running trails in Newton, 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.