Best Mountain Biking Trails in North Carolina | Trailmonger

About mountain biking in North Carolina

North Carolina has 1,354 named trails tagged for mountain biking on the map, covering 4,202 miles, an average of 3.1 miles each. The longest is bicycle in Alamance County, at 121 miles. 167 run 5 miles or longer. 69 of the state's counties have at least one; Wake County has the most, with 323 trails.

Top 100 mountain biking trails, longest first

Trails 1–25

bicycleMTBAlamance County121 mi bicycleMTBChatham County110 mi bicycleMTBMacon County103 mi bicycleMTBForsyth County92.4 mi Thermal Belt Rail TrailHikeMTBRutherford County81.0 mi Dobson-Elkin LoopMTBSurry County59.4 mi Lowgap-Mount Airy LoopMTBSurry County55.1 mi Richlands LoopMTBOnslow County53.5 mi Cape Fear RunMTBBladen County48.0 mi Ocrakoke OptionMTBCraven County47.4 mi Pottery LoopMTBRichmond County47.0 mi 1 (North Carolina)MTBWake County46.9 mi Mountains to SeaMTBGuilford County44.6 mi Lake Norman Bicycle RouteMTBIredell County44.5 mi East Coast Greenway (NC)MTBCumberland County42.9 mi Wright Brothers BikewayMTBDare County36.3 mi Crabtree Creek TrailMTBWake County34.0 mi Westfield-Mount Airy LoopMTBSurry County33.2 mi Bicentennial GreenwayMTBGuilford County33.1 mi Piedmont SpurMTBCabarrus County31.6 mi Sandhills SectorMTBHoke County29.5 mi Southern HighlandsMTBPolk County29.0 mi Neuse River TrailMTBWake County28.6 mi Cross Charlotte TrailMTBMecklenburg County23.9 mi Walnut Creek TrailMTBWake County23.6 mi

Trails 26–50

Cary Commuter Route 3MTBWake County23.4 mi City-to-the-SeaMTBOnslow County23.0 mi North Line TraceMTBGranville County21.5 mi Raleigh Route 11 Cross TownMTBWake County20.5 mi Gary Shell Cross City TrailMTBNew Hanover County20.0 mi Ports of CallMTBJones County19.6 mi Little Sugar Creek GreenwayHikeMTBMecklenburg County18.6 mi Atlantic and Yadkin GreenwayMTBGuilford County18.6 mi bicycleMTBSurry County18.1 mi East Coast Greenway (NC/VA complementary route - Greenville Loop)MTBPitt County17.9 mi Brevard to RosmanMTBTransylvania County15.6 mi Old Mitchell Toll RoadHikeMTBMcDowell County15.4 mi Holly Springs-Siloam ConnectorMTBSurry County15.2 mi Cove Creek / DanielsMTBTransylvania County14.6 mi Raleigh Route 9 Cross TownMTBWake County14.4 mi Long Creek GreenwayMTBMecklenburg County14.3 mi The Big MMTBTransylvania County14.2 mi Salem Lake TrailMTBForsyth County14.1 mi Black Creek GreenwayHikeMTBWake County14.0 mi East Coast Greenway (NC/VA complementary route)MTBMartin County14.0 mi Suggested Bike RouteMTBMecklenburg County13.8 mi Charlotte Rail TrailMTBMecklenburg County13.4 mi South Mills River RoadHikeMTBTransylvania County13.1 mi Cape Fear River TrailHikeMTBCumberland County12.8 mi Backyard TrailsMTBMecklenburg County12.8 mi

Trails 51–75

Rockford ConnectorMTBSurry County12.5 mi Lenoir GreenwayHikeMTBCaldwell County12.2 mi River to the Sea BikewayMTBNew Hanover County12.2 mi Ecusta TrailHikeMTBHenderson County11.8 mi Long Creek Greenway (proposed)MTBMecklenburg County11.7 mi Warrior CreekHikeMTBWilkes County11.3 mi Explorer LoopHikeMTBBuncombe County11.3 mi Mountains-to-Sea TrailHikeMTBMcDowell County11.1 mi Mallard Creek GreenwayMTBMecklenburg County11.0 mi High Point GreenwayMTBGuilford County11.0 mi Four Mile Creek GreenwayMTBMecklenburg County10.9 mi Charlotte Bike Route 10MTBMecklenburg County10.9 mi Burlington East-West RouteMTBAlamance County10.8 mi Raleigh Route 8MTBWake County10.8 mi Graveyard Ridge TrailHikeMTBHaywood County10.7 mi Saluda Grade Trail (Future)MTBPolk County10.5 mi Charlotte Bike Route 3MTBMecklenburg County10.3 mi Ten Mile Loop RouteMTBDare County10.3 mi Toby Creek GreenwayMTBMecklenburg County10.1 mi McMullen Creek Greenway (Future)MTBMecklenburg County10.1 mi Salisbury GreenwayMTBRowan County9.8 mi Granite City GreenwayMTBSurry County9.5 mi Mine Creek TrailMTBWake County9.4 mi Mingo Creek TrailMTBWake County9.3 mi Black Mountain TrailHikeMTBTransylvania County9.3 mi

Trails 76–100

Little Tennessee River GreenwayMTBMacon County9.2 mi Catawba River GreenwayMTBBurke County9.2 mi Big Ivy RoadHikeMTBBuncombe County8.8 mi Raleigh Route 7 Cross TownMTBWake County8.6 mi Laurel LoopHikeMTBIredell County8.4 mi Rocky Branch TrailMTBWake County8.3 mi Cary Commuter Route 5MTBWake County8.2 mi South Tar River GreenwayMTBPitt County8.2 mi Downtown GreenwayMTBGuilford County8.2 mi Ecusta Trail (Future)MTBTransylvania County8.0 mi Charlotte Bike Route 9MTBMecklenburg County8.0 mi Irwin Creek Greenway (proposed)MTBMecklenburg County8.0 mi Reedy Creek TrailMTBWake County7.9 mi Biltmore EstateMTBBuncombe County7.8 mi Charlotte Bike Route 2MTBMecklenburg County7.8 mi Green Mill Run GreenwayMTBPitt County7.8 mi West Branch Rocky River GreenwayHikeMTBMecklenburg County7.7 mi Brevard GreenwayMTBTransylvania County7.6 mi McAlpine Creek GreenwayMTBMecklenburg County7.5 mi Mallard Creek Greenway (proposed)MTBMecklenburg County7.5 mi Ivestor Gap TrailHikeMTBHaywood County7.5 mi Avon & Catawba Creeks GreenwayMTBGaston County7.4 mi Cross Charlotte Trail (Proposed)MTBMecklenburg County7.3 mi New Light TrailHikeMTBWake County7.3 mi Four Mile Creek Greenway (Future)MTBMecklenburg County7.3 mi

Mountain Biking Trails by county

Counties 61–69

Richmond County

Washington County

← All of North Carolina

Trail geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed ODbL. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Compiled and published by Trailmonger · trail data last rebuilt October 25, 2026.