Greenway Trail

Boone is a gorgeous mountain town and the roughly 4-mile (6.4km) Greenway Trail allows visitors looking for slow adventure to take in its fabulous Appalachian views. Hikers, bikers, walkers, and joggers can expect a relatively flat trek through forests and meadows, across three bridges, and along the streams and wetlands of the New River. Always either paved or gravel, the trail is great for most ages and fitness levels—and even those with a busy schedule.

Though there are technically four trailheads in town, visitors can access the core greenway area from the Watauga County Recreation Complex or adjacent to Clawson Burnley Park.

• The trail is lined with benches, picnic sites and shelters, and restrooms.

• Though gravel in parts, the trail is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs.

• For a more urban experience, head south; for a more rural experience, head north.

Four trailheads access the Greenway Trail within Boone: behind the Watauga Community Recreation Center, across from Clawson-Burnley Park, on Casey Lane off US421, and behind Southgate Shopping Center. The first two are popular for their location and parking accessibility. If you don’t have wheels, a taxi or rideshare can get you to the nearest trailhead.

There’s no bad time to walk or bike Boone’s Greenway Trail, but morning is an especially lovely time in the Appalachian Mountains. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot bald eagles, herons, dozens of songbird species, and deer. While winters are relatively mild, you’ll get warmer temperatures from May–October.

The Greenway Trail is loaded with unexpected sites. For starters, there’s a covered bridge near Clawson-Burnley Park, and about a half mile (1km) from there, keep an eye out for the historic hydroelectric generation station—interpretive signage tells its story. Today, all that’s left of the early 20th-century facility are some stone ruins and the planks of an 11-foot-high wooden dam in the water.