By Greensboro is one of the most ride-friendly cities in North Carolina, with more than 100 miles of trail stitching together urban greenways, three watershed lakes, and some of the best singletrack in the Southeast. Whether you want a flat paved cruise past public art downtown, a family loop around a lake, or a technical mountain bike trail that once earned a national award, the Gate City has a route for you. Here are the best biking trails in Greensboro, organized by what kind of ride you are after.
Paved Greenways for Easy Riding and Commuting
If you want smooth pavement, gentle grades, and scenery without a lot of technical demand, Greensboro’s greenway network is where to start. These trails are open to bicyclists and pedestrians, suit families and casual riders, and double as practical commuting corridors.
Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway
The Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway (locals call it the A&Y) is the crown jewel of the paved system and Greensboro’s only rail trail, built on the bed of the old Atlantic-Yadkin Railroad that ran from 1899 to about 1950. The paved corridor runs roughly 7.7 miles from the Summerfield area south toward Country Park, crossing Lake Brandt twice on long bridges with open water views that are especially good in the morning. Along the way it passes Bur-Mil Park, threads through Country Park and Jaycee Park, and skirts Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, so you can string together history, lakes, and woods in a single ride.
The surface is mostly asphalt with some concrete and crushed-stone sections. Because it connects to so many side trails (including the Owl’s Roost mountain bike trail and the Nat Greene hiking trail), it is a natural hub for longer outings. Convenient access points include Bur-Mil Park at 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road and the Lewis Recreation Center at 3110 Forest Lawn Drive. Learn more at the City of Greensboro greenways page or map it on TrailLink.
Downtown Greenway
The Downtown Greenway is one of the few true urban greenways in North Carolina, designed as a four-mile loop encircling the heart of downtown. The trail is typically 12 feet wide, well lit, and buffered from traffic, with benches, bike racks, drinking fountains, and one of the best public art collections of any trail in the state. Riding it, you pass commissioned sculptures and murals while connecting to neighborhoods, universities, and downtown restaurants and breweries, making it equally good for a coffee-stop cruise or a car-free commute.
Most of the loop is open and rideable, with the final segment having been completed to close the full four-mile circuit. The greenway draws well over 100,000 visits a year and hosts free community events along the route. Check the interactive map, tours, and event calendar at the official Downtown Greenway site. The organization’s office is at 122 N Elm Street, Suite 110.
Bicentennial Greenway
For distance and fitness riding, the Bicentennial Greenway is a longer-term favorite that links Greensboro to High Point through Jamestown. It currently exists as roughly 14.5 miles of paved and gravel paths in segments, with about eight miles in the Greensboro area and another seven running from the Piedmont Environmental Center toward Highway 68 in High Point. The mix of off-road asphalt, concrete, gravel, and connecting sidewalks weaves through neighborhoods, hardwood and pine forest, and natural areas. When fully connected, it is planned to form an almost 20-mile corridor between the two cities. See the Visit High Point overview for the southern end.
Lake Daniel and Latham Park Greenways
Closer to the center of the city, the Lake Daniel Greenway offers about two miles of easy, shaded riding through one of Greensboro’s most walkable residential areas, perfect for new riders and kids. It connects to the Latham Park Greenway, a scenic paved path that follows North Buffalo Creek under mature trees and past open lawns, linking several parks and neighborhoods. Together they make a relaxed, low-traffic option when you do not want to drive to a trailhead.
Mountain Biking: Singletrack Around the Lakes
Greensboro punches well above its weight for mountain biking. The city maintains 11 dedicated mountain bike trails ranging from beginner to intermediate, almost all of them threading the wooded shorelines of Lake Brandt, Lake Townsend, and Lake Higgins. You can find the full official list and trail conditions on the City of Greensboro mountain biking page.
Owl’s Roost Trail
The most famous local singletrack is Owl’s Roost, an intermediate trail at Bur-Mil Park that Bicycling Magazine named the best urban mountain biking trail in the country back in 2003. It still delivers, with rolling, technical singletrack, dips, and bridges that flow along the shore of Lake Brandt. The easiest approach is from Bur-Mil Park at 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road, Greensboro, NC 27410, and you can pair it with the paved A&Y Greenway for a longer loop of dirt and pavement.
Wild Turkey, King Fisher, and Blue Heron
For beginner-to-flowy riding, the lake trails shine. Wild Turkey Trail offers nearly five miles of singletrack with tight turns, sweeping berms, moguls, log features, bridges, and small climbs. King Fisher Trail serves up fun, flowy singletrack along Lake Townsend and connects to the slightly more advanced Swan Song Trail when you want to extend the ride. Blue Heron and Bald Eagle round out the easy options with smooth, flowing terrain, berms, and whoop-de-doos along the Townsend and Higgins shorelines. These are excellent confidence builders for riders moving up from greenways to dirt.
Country Park, Copperhead, and the Skills Parks
Country Park, at 3902 Nathanael Greene Drive, is a central hub with the intermediate Copperhead Trail (technical climbs and downhill flow) plus a bike skills area known as The Zone for practicing features. There is also a pump track at Keeley Park, and the city has added an adaptive mountain bike trail there as well, so riders of varying abilities have a place to progress. Helmets are strongly recommended on all dirt trails, and riders should check trail status after rain, since the lake trails close when wet to prevent damage.
Family and Beginner Loops
Riding with young kids or easing back into cycling? Stick to short, paved, low-traffic loops. The Country Park loop circles two small lakes near the Greensboro Science Center and is ideal for small children. The paved paths at the Greensboro Arboretum make a pretty, manageable outing, and Barber Park on the east side has beginner-friendly trails. All of these are easy, mostly flat, and forgiving for training wheels and tentative riders alike. Visit Greensboro keeps a useful overview of the whole network at the Visit Greensboro trails and greenways page.
History on Two Wheels: Guilford Courthouse
One of the best reasons to ride the northern A&Y is the chance to roll into Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, site of the pivotal 1781 Revolutionary War battle. The park’s tour road and paved paths are pleasant, low-speed riding past monuments and interpretive markers, and the visitor center is worth a stop to put the landscape in context. The park is at 2332 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410, and admission is free. Get current hours and visitor information from the National Park Service site or call the visitor center at (336) 288-1776.
Where to Stay for a Biking Weekend
If you are visiting to ride and want to be near the trail network, the area around the A&Y and Country Park on the north side of town puts you close to the lakes and singletrack, while a downtown hotel keeps you steps from the Downtown Greenway and the restaurants along it. Greensboro has a deep bench of hotels, inns, and bed-and-breakfasts bookable through major travel sites, from downtown boutique properties to chain hotels near Wendover Avenue and the airport corridor. Book early on summer weekends and during big events at the Greensboro Coliseum, when rooms fill quickly.
Plan Your Visit
- Greensboro Parks & Recreation: trail and greenway information, (336) 373-2489, greensboro-nc.gov trails and greenways
- Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway access: Bur-Mil Park, 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road, and Lewis Recreation Center, 3110 Forest Lawn Drive
- Downtown Greenway: four-mile urban loop, downtowngreenway.org
- Mountain biking trails: Bur-Mil Park (Owl’s Roost) and Country Park, 3902 Nathanael Greene Drive; check the city mountain biking page for trail status after rain
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park: 2332 New Garden Road, free admission, (336) 288-1776
Planning tip: the dirt lake trails close when they are wet to protect the surface, so after rain plan to ride the paved greenways instead, then save the singletrack for a dry day. Pack water, since fountains are not available everywhere along the longer routes, and keep dogs leashed on all city trails.