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TRAILS

Gaston County provides outdoor explorers with  natural spaces found in our state parks, county parks and city parks. Use these trails for an easy stroll or a strenuous hike. Some are great for jogging and biking as well.

Poston Park fall color with bike P&R.jpg
Hiking
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Carolina Thread Trail Logo

The Carolina Thread Trail is a network of trails and blueways across 15 counties in North and South Carolina offering people a place to hike bike and paddle. Currently it has more than 300 miles of trails and 170 miles of blueways. Once complete, the system will total 1,600 miles. Gaston County’s distinct towns and its proximity to the Catawba and South Fork Rivers make it a great place to explore via their trails and blueways. 

Carolina Thread Trail Interactive Trail Map 

OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES 

Type
Best For
Difficulty

OUR TRAILS

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Duke Kimbrell Trail

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

6500 S. New Hope Rd.

Belmont

Natural Surface

Moderate

2.6 Miles One Way

Walking, Hiking, Mountain Biking

Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Backside Trail

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Gravel

Advanced

.08 mi. one way

Hiking

Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Cardio Hill Trail

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

807 S Battleground Ave.

Kings Mountain

Gravel

Moderate

0.4 Miles One Way

Walking, Hiking, Running, Biking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Fern Trail at Crowders Mountain

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Easy

0.80 miles loop

Walking, Hiking

Paved, Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Highland Rail Trail

Sims Legion Park in Gastonia

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1001 North Marietta St.

Gastonia

Paved, Gravel

Easy

1.5 Miles One Way

Walking, Biking, Running

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain Hiking Trail

Kings Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

4611 Linwood Rd.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Moderate

16 mile loop

Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain State Park Trail

Kings Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

4611 Linwood Rd.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Moderate

3.1 Miles One Way

Walking, Hiking, Running

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Living History Farm Trail

Kings Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

4611 Linwood Rd.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Easy

1.5 miles

Hiking

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Mount Holly Linear Park Trail

Mount Holly Municipal Complex

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

400 East Central Ave.

Mount Holly

Paved

Easy

.3 Miles One Way

Walking, Biking, Running, Wheelchair Accessible

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Nature Trail at Schiele Museum

The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1500 East Garrison Blvd.

Gastonia

Natural Surface

Easy

0.7 mile loop

Walking, Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Pharr Yarns Family Trail

The Boathouse

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

115 Willow Dr.

McAdenville

Natural Surface

Moderate

2 Miles One Way

Hiking, Mountain Biking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Power Loop at Warlick YMCA

Warlick Family YMCA

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

2221 Robinwood Rd.

Gastonia

Natural Surface

Easy

1.39-mile circuit

Walking, Running

Walking, Jogging

Schiele Museum Logo

Rankin Lake Park Trail

Rankin Lake Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1750 Rankin Lake Rd.

Gastonia

Walking, Jogging

Moderate

1.9 miles

Walking, Running

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

River Loop at Warlick YMCA

Warlick Family YMCA

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

2221 Robinwood Rd.

Gastonia

Natural Surface

Easy

1 mile

Walking, Running, Hiking

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

A & E Riverfront Trail

Tuckaseege Park in Mount Holly

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

165 Broome St.

Mount Holly

Paved

Easy

1.5 Miles One Way

Walking, Running, Wheelchair Accessible, Biking

Sidewalk

Schiele Museum Logo

Belmont to Cramerton Sidewalk Connector

Stowe Park in Belmont

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

24 South Main St.

Belmont

Sidewalk

Easy

1.3 Miles

Walking

Natural Surface, Boardwalk, Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Crowders Trail

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface, Boardwalk, Gravel

Moderate

2.5 miles, One Way

Hiking

Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Foote Trail

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

807 S Battleground Ave.

Kings Mountain

Gravel

Moderate, Easy, Advanced

4.5 Miles

Walking, Hiking, Running

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Highland Rail Trail Downtown Sidewalk Connection

Sims Legion Park in Gastonia

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1001 North Marietta St.

Gastonia

Paved

Easy

.5 Miles One Way

Walking, Biking, Wheelchair Accessible

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain Horse Trail

Kings Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

4611 Linwood Rd.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Easy, Moderate

30+ mile loop

Hiking

Sidewalk, Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain to Town via Sidewalk

Kings Mountain Country Club

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

109 Country Club Rd.

Kings Mountain

Sidewalk, Paved

Easy

2.1 miles, One Way

Walking, Biking, Running

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

McAdenville Greenway Park

The River Room

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

102 Main St.

McAdenville

Paved

Easy

0.8 miles, One Way

Walking, Wheelchair Accessible, Hiking, Biking, Mountain Biking

Trail

Schiele Museum Logo

Mountain Island Park Trail

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

Trail

Easy

1.6 Miles One Way

Walking, Hiking, Running, Mountain Biking

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Paved Greenway at Poston Park

George Poston Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1101 Lowell-Spencer Mountain Rd.

Lowell

Paved

Easy

1/2 mile

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Pinnacle Trail at Crowders Mountain

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Advanced

2 miles one way

Walking, Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Quarry Loop at Warlick YMCA

Warlick Family YMCA

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

2221 Robinwood Rd.

Gastonia

Natural Surface

Easy, Moderate

1.66-mile circuit

Walking, Running

Natural Surface, Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Ridgeline Trail at Crowders Mountain

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface, Gravel

Advanced

8 Miles One Way

Walking, Hiking, Running

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Avon-Catawba Creeks Greenway

Ferguson Park in Gastonia

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

109 West Second Ave.

Gastonia

Paved

Easy

2.4 Miles One Way

Walking, Running, Biking, Wheelchair Accessible

Paved, Boardwalk, Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Bessemer City Park Trail

Bessemer City Park and Pool

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

220 South 14th St.

Bessemer City

Paved, Boardwalk, Natural Surface

Easy

1.3 Miles One Way

Walking, Running, Hiking, Mountain Biking

Paved, Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Dutchmans Creek Greenway

River Street Park in Mount Holly

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

330 North River St.

Mount Holly

Paved, Gravel

Easy

0.6 miles, One Way

Walking, Wheelchair Accessible, Mountain Biking, Biking

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

Goat Island Greenway

Goat Island Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

141 8th Ave.

Cramerton

Paved

Easy

.7 Miles One Way

Walking, Biking, Running, Wheelchair Accessible

Paved, Walking

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain Battlefield Trail

Kings Mountain National Military Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

2625 Park Rd

Kings Mountain

Paved, Walking

Moderate

1.5 Mile Loop

Walking, Wheelchair Accessible

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Kings Mountain Nature Trail

Kings Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

4611 Linwood Rd.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Easy

1.2 mile loop

Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Lake Trail at Crowders Mountain

Crowders Mountain State Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

522 Park Office Ln.

Kings Mountain

Natural Surface

Easy

0.8 miles loop

Walking, Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Meadowwood Walk at DSBG

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

6500 S. New Hope Rd.

Belmont

Natural Surface

Easy

0.6 mile loop

Hiking, Walking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Multi-use trails at Poston Park

George Poston Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

1101 Lowell-Spencer Mountain Rd.

Lowell

Natural Surface

Advanced, Moderate, Easy

12 miles

Mountain Biking, Hiking

Natural Surface

Schiele Museum Logo

Persimmon Trail at DSBG

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

6500 S. New Hope Rd.

Belmont

Natural Surface

Easy

3.2 miles

Hiking, Walking

Paved, Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Plateau Loop

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

807 S Battleground Ave.

Kings Mountain

Paved, Gravel

Moderate

0.8 Miles

Walking, Biking, Wheelchair Accessible

Gravel

Schiele Museum Logo

Rail Trail Loop

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

807 S Battleground Ave.

Kings Mountain

Gravel

Easy

.7 Miles

Walking, Hiking, Biking

Paved

Schiele Museum Logo

River Link Greenway

Goat Island Park

Location

Type

Difficulty

Distance

Category

141 8th Ave.

Cramerton

Paved

Easy

1.25 out and back

Walking

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