Home › North Carolina › Waynesville › Vance Street Park
Vance Street Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 178 Google reviews · Running trail in Waynesville, North Carolina · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Vance Street 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.
Public park with a skate park, disc golf, riverside trail, playgrounds, and other athletic facilities.
What runners say about Vance Street Park
“Overall, very well maintained and beautiful spot.”
“I enjoy taking my dogs here for a walk along the beautiful creek and listening to the water rush through, a great start to the day.”
“Over on the Rec Center side is a baseball field, disc golf course, track, soccer fields, and volleyball court for kids of all ages.”
“Dog friendly trails, disc golf (although not the best designed course—many pins are in the direct path of walkers), a couple fun playgrounds, and a lovely trail along the creek”
Such a great park with something for all. Young, old, dogs, and skaters. From the playground to the track is a beautiful walking path that leads you past the baseball field, skatepark, and the creek. As a photographer I love to take photos there as shown.
This is a great park separated into multiple parts and connected to another park. There is a very active skate park with a number of features. There is a great trail system connecting to the Waynesville Rec Park that goes along the river.
The Vance Street Picnic area is very nice! We had our family reunion there Saturday, 12 August. There's a great walking path, restrooms close, a dog park and skateboard park across the creek, and more picnic shelters and public restrooms. The park is clean and well kept.
Fantastic park! A variety of activities/ amenities available including bathrooms. We really enjoyed walking along the creek. Overall, very well maintained and beautiful spot. We’re glad we made the stop before we left town.
Trail conditions & character
“Dog friendly trails, disc golf (although not the best designed course—many pins are in the direct path of walkers), a couple fun playgrounds, and a lovely trail along the creek”
“I enjoy taking my dogs here for a walk along the beautiful creek and listening to the water rush through, a great start to the day.”
“There's a great walking path, restrooms close, a dog park and skateboard park across the creek, and more picnic shelters and public restrooms.”
“The parking lot is sizable and I have never seen it full.”
“The picnic shelter has 8-10 picnic tables on a concrete pad).”
Plan your run at Vance Street Park
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- 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.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitewaynesvillenc.gov
- Phone(828) 456-2030
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–8:30 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–8:30 PM |
Running trails near Waynesville
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Waynesville Recreation Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 662 reviews
Sprawling park featuring playground structures, skate parks and tennis courts.
Waynesville Greenway Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 107 reviews
Kid-friendly park featuring a lake for kayaking, as well as benches by the river.
Rose Walk
4.9 ★★★★★ 323 reviews
Peaceful lake with a 2.3-mile walking trail around it, plus picnic benches and tennis courts.
McCracken Corner Park
4.9 ★★★★★ 7 reviews