GREENSBORO, N.C. — Running, walking, hiking--- are all activities more people have gained an interest in since the coronavirus pandemic began and a stay-at-home order kept everyone inside.
Now, everyone is looking for a reason to get outside and state parks seem to be the places to go to explore while social distancing. Here's a list of some Triad favorites:
Hanging Rock State Park
Hanging Rock State Park is in Stokes County and has all outdoor activities to offer. The park has different trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can also find vacation cabins and group tent sites for overnight trips. Hanging Rock happens to be one of WFMY News 2's Tanya Rivera's spots to hike.
Salem Lake Trail
This trail is just outside of downtown Winston-Salem. It's a small, but scenic 7-mile trail around the 365-acre Salem Lake. You can look at the map of the trail here. The trail also connects to Salem Creek Greenway which is a 5.2-mile trail that takes you to downtown Winston-Salem.
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Located just off Battleground Avenue in Greensboro, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park gives you a look into the past. It's the site of a battle during the American Revolution. The 2.5-mile trail explains what happened during battle as you walk through.
Stone Mountain State Park
Stone Mountain State Park is in both Alleghany and Wilkes counties. It's home to the historic Hutchinson Homestead and a 600-foot granite dome designated as a National Natural Landmark. Stone Mountain's trails are for hiking and horseback riding. You'll also find waterfalls, creeks, and streams. WFMY News 2 producer, Tosha Brown says this is the place to go if you like to challenge yourself by spending the day on strenuous trails.
Pilot Mountain
Pilot Mountain State Park is located just 20 north of Winston-Salem in both Surry and Yadkin counties.Here you can hike and rock climb on the mountain or go hiking, horseback riding, paddling, or fishing along the Yadkin River.
Stay Local
If you aren't looking to make a far drive, there are plenty of trails around Greensboro, High Point, and Guilford County as a whole. There's an app called Piedmont Discovery that allows you to find trails near you. It's available for free in the Apple store or Google play.
The app was developed by the cities of Greensboro, High Point, and Guilford County.
