Crowders Mountain, at an elevation of 1,625 feet, is a registered natural heritage area. Carolina Thread Trail follows the Crowders Mountain Trail to the Ridgeline Trail for a 10.5-mile hike. The Crowders Mountain Trail, a 2.5-mile trail, starts at the Linwood Road Access to the Sparrow Springs Access. Each access offers restrooms and parking. The trail wanders through the natural habitat of numerous plants and wildlife.

The Backside Trail starts at the Linwood Access and includes 336 wooden steps to reach a breathtaking summit. Carolina Thread Trail's segment is 0.5 miles that connects to the Crowders Trail, which is another 2.6 miles. It is marked by an orange hexagon and considered difficult.

All within a 0.7 mile trek, you'll experience a pine forest, mixed hardwood forest, and pond and stream communities typical of the North Carolina Piedmont. On our Trail for all Seasons, every day is a good day for a walk. Play'Scape is a good play area for kids along the trail. Please note four-legged, furry, leashed friends are welcome on our Nature Trail, but NOT permitted within any of the other outdoor exhibits.

Begins at the Linwood Access Area and ends at the radio towers on Crowders Mountain. The trail is an old roadbed that begins with a gentle climb that becomes steep towards the end. Please note that business vehicles use this trail to access the radio towers near the summit.

There is no parking at either end of the trail and the trail must be accessed by either beginning on the Crowders Trail (visitor center) or the Tower or Backside Trails (at the Crowders summit). This trail crosses several rock ledges and requires good footwear and careful attention to staying on the trail.

The River Loop is a part of the Sytz Trail System at Warlick Family YMCA. The trailhead is located just off the northeast corner of the Y parking lot with a large kiosk with map of the three connecting trail loops. The River Loop is roughly a one-mile loop, marked in blue signage, and is considered the flattest, shortest, and easiest of the three loops. Highlights include Catawba Creek views and forest views.

The Quarry Loop is a part of the Sytz Trail System at Warlick Family YMCA. The trailhead is located just off the northeast corner of the Y parking lot with a large kiosk with map of the three connecting trail loops.
This 1.66-mile circuit is the longest and steepest loop. Marked with green signs you’ll follow along the Catawba Creek and passes by a rock quarry and certainly some wildlife along the way.

The Power Loop is a part of the Sytz Trail System at Warlick Family YMCA. The trailhead is located just off the northeast corner of the Y parking lot with a large kiosk with map of the three connecting trail loops. This 1.39-mile circuit is marked with yellow signs. The power loop both begins and ends with the Power Line marker.

The trailhead for the system is located just off the northeast corner of the Y parking lot. You’ll spot a large kiosk there that will show you a map of the three connecting trail loops. The trails are well-signed along the way, well worn and traveled, and it would be just about impossible to get lost. The trail system is open from dawn to dusk each day and is for walkers and joggers only. No bikes. Furry friends are welcome!

This greenway is paved for its entire length of 4.5 miles, and much of it is lined by mature trees on both sides of the trail. The trail winds alongside Avon Creek and Catawba Creek with a few small bridges crossings along the way. Benches are placed throughout the greenway and usually provide good of the creek as well. There are also numerous informational plaques placed along the trail regarding common bird species that can be found in the area.

You can easily walk to the Schiele Museum of Natural History from this greenway along sidewalk for 0.5 miles where they showcase a variety of exhibits, a planetarium and a natural surface trail highlighting this area's history from the Native Americans to early European settlers.

This in-town route runs primarily along Second Avenue, turning north through the central business district to reach the Highland Rail Trail on Long Avenue. By using a portion of this route to link the Avon & Catawba Creeks Greenway to the rail trail, users can travel 6.2 miles, from Robinwood Road through downtown to Bulb Avenue, or vice versa. In the near future, the 0.6-mile Highland Branch Trail will extend these connections to Rankin Lake Park.

Note: As this downtown connection follows the roadway network, users should be cautious at street crossings and be conscious of motor vehicle traffic as they enjoy the route.

This 1.6-mile loop trail is generally considered an easy route and is great for running and walking. Open year-round. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas.

The Highland Rail Trail is a ten foot wide, paved facility constructed along the historic Carolina and Northwestern Railway. This 2.1-mile urban trail passes through residential neighborhoods and industrial areas, linking downtown Gastonia with Sims Legion Park and beyond. The Carolina Thread Trail sign marks one entrance to the trail at the intersection of Broad Street and Long Avenue. From this point, the trail continues northwest past Sims Legion Park toward I-85. A tunnel takes users under Bulb Avenue and north to Long Creek. The Thread Trail designation ends there, but the greenway continues west and connects to Rankin Lake Park.