Hiking by city · North Carolina
72 official trails lie within 25 miles of Gastonia — 139 miles in total, 67 rated easy and 1 hard or expert. Every distance and elevation figure below is computed from the agency centerline and a 10 m elevation model, not crowd-sourced.
The biggest climb nearby gains 768 ft; the median trail gains 73 ft.
| Trail | Miles | Climb | Difficulty | Drive from town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline Trail | 5.7 | 586 ft | Hard | 28 min · 16 mi |
| East Main Loop | 5.3 | 111 ft | Moderate | 33 min · 17 mi |
| Pinnacle Trail | 2.0 | 768 ft | Moderate | 19 min · 10 mi |
| Midddle Third | 4.8 | 103 ft | Moderate | 37 min · 25 mi |
| Tower Trail | 1.7 | 619 ft | Easy | 14 min · 7 mi |
| Kings Mountain Gateway Trail | 4.9 | 210 ft | Moderate | 21 min · 12 mi |
| Academy Loop | 3.1 | 110 ft | Easy | 32 min · 17 mi |
| Rocktop Trail | 1.1 | 484 ft | Easy | 16 min · 9 mi |
| Renaissance Park Mountain Bike Trail | 2.9 | 74 ft | Easy | 36 min · 22 mi |
| Parkway | 3.0 | 69 ft | Easy | 33 min · 18 mi |
| Crowders Trail | 1.8 | 234 ft | Easy | 12 min · 7 mi |
| Long Creek Greenway | 3.4 | 68 ft | Easy | 34 min · 24 mi |
| Hill Trail | 2.5 | 101 ft | Easy | 41 min · 26 mi |
| North Main Loop | 2.3 | 89 ft | Easy | 34 min · 17 mi |
| Tributary | 2.6 | 101 ft | Easy | 28 min · 16 mi |
| Gravy | 2.7 | 102 ft | Easy | 29 min · 16 mi |
| North Meck Park Trail | 2.9 | 60 ft | Easy | 46 min · 31 mi |
| Ripple | 2.1 | 85 ft | Easy | 33 min · 18 mi |
| Bandit | 2.7 | 67 ft | Easy | 25 min · 15 mi |
| South Main Loop | 2.4 | 119 ft | Easy | 34 min · 17 mi |
| Rail | 1.8 | 104 ft | Easy | 29 min · 16 mi |
| Nevin Park Disc Golf Course | 2.1 | 62 ft | Easy | 37 min · 25 mi |
| Seven Oaks Preserve Trail | 2.6 | 69 ft | Easy | 21 min · 12 mi |
| Dogleg | 2.2 | 102 ft | Easy | 34 min · 17 mi |
Summits: Tower Trail to Crowders Mountain
Lakes: Kings Mountain Gateway Trail to Foote Mineral Reservoir; South Main Loop to Martin Pond Number Two; Dogleg to Martin Pond Number Two; Park Road Park Loop to Park Road Lake
Viewpoints: Ridgeline Trail to Boulders Overlook
Mountain passes: Ridgeline Trail to Dixon Gap
Rock formations: Ridgeline Trail to The Pinnacle; Pinnacle Trail to The Pinnacle
Springs: Forney Creek Trail- Catawba Springs Preserve Segment to Catawba Springs
Nearby towns: Charlotte (20 mi) · Shelby (20 mi) · Rock Hill (23 mi) · Hickory (35 mi)
All North Carolina trail guides · Hiking by city · Dispersed camping rules