Hiking Trails in Fayetteville, NC: Walking & Bike Trails

The top hiking and walking trail in Fayetteville, NC is the Cape Fear River Trail. It is a paved, 10-foot-wide path that runs more than 7 miles one way between Jordan Soccer Complex and Cross Creek Linear Park. For natural-surface hiking, use Clark Park's woodland trails or drive north to Carvers Creek State Park, which is free to visit.

Trail lengths below come only from the City of Fayetteville and NC State Parks. Where an official source does not publish a length, this guide says so instead of estimating. Details were checked October 13, 2026.

Fayetteville trails compared

Trail	Official length	Surface	Uses	Hours	Cost
Cape Fear River Trail	7+ miles one way	Paved, 10 ft wide	Walk, run, bike	8 a.m. to dusk	Free
Cross Creek Linear Park	2.8 miles	Greenway	Walk, run	Not posted	Free
Lake Rim Park border trail	1 mile	Wetland trail	Walk	7 a.m.-9 p.m. (Mar-Oct)	Free
Clark Park trails	Not published	Unpaved	Walk, jog	8 a.m. to dusk	Free
Cape Fear Mountain Bike Trail	About 11 miles accessible	Singletrack	Mountain bike	Follows CFRT	Free
Carvers Creek, Long Valley Farm	3 miles	Natural	Hike, bike	Opens 8 a.m.	Free
Carvers Creek, Sandhills Access	10.5 miles	Natural and crush-and-run	Hike, bike, horse	Opens 8 a.m.	Free

Sources: Cape Fear River Trail, Parks & Trails directory, Lake Rim Park, Clark Park and Carvers Creek State Park.

Cape Fear River Trail

The city's trail page describes a paved, 10-foot-wide path that winds more than 7 miles one way. It is open 8 a.m. to dusk, 365 days a year. The route includes wooden bridges, one covered bridge and more than 1,000 feet of boardwalk through marsh and wetlands. It is also part of the East Coast Greenway.

Trailheads and parking:

• Jordan Soccer Complex: one end of the trail, with parking
• Clark Park, 631 Sherman Dr: the central Moses Mathis trailhead, with parking and the nature center
• Riverside Dog Park, 555 N. Eastern Blvd: limited parking, near the short connector to Cross Creek Linear Park

The trail is not a loop. Walking the full length means about 14 miles round trip, or you can stage a second car. The city warns that some sections are steep. It asks cyclists to stay under 15 mph and yield to pedestrians, and it requires dogs to be leashed. Bring water, because the city specifically advises it. Our Cape Fear River Trail and parks guide covers nearby stops.

Clark Park woodland trails

J. Bayard Clark Park adds unpaved walking and jogging trails to the paved river trail. The city page links a trail map but lists no individual trail lengths. Picnic areas overlook what the city calls one of the highest waterfalls in the coastal plain. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome.

Park rangers lead walks of about 2 to 2.5 miles along the paved trail. The free Bark Ranger program (March-October, Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) gives dog owners a trail activity pamphlet at the nature center.

Short walking trails in Fayetteville, NC

• Cross Creek Linear Park: The greenway spans 2.8 miles from Festival Park to Riverside Dog Park, following Cross Creek past historic sites at the edge of downtown. Combined with the river trail, it lets you walk from downtown to Clark Park without a car shuttle.
• Lake Rim Park border trail: A one-mile trail through the wetlands to Bones Creek, on the west side at 2214 Tar Kiln Dr. The park also has a playground and restrooms.
• Mazarick Park: The city lists a lake with paved trails at 1400 Belvedere Ave, open 8 a.m. to dusk. No distance is published.
• Cape Fear Botanical Garden: A paid option at 536 N. Eastern Blvd covering 80 acres of gardens and woodland. Admission is $12, or $11 for military with ID, and children 5 and under get in free. Hours are Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.

Biking trails

The Cape Fear Mountain Bike Trail is the city's main singletrack. According to the city, about 11 miles are reachable from the river trail. Access starts roughly a mile north of Clark Park, near Eastwood Avenue at the bottom of the Rivercliff subdivision. Road and hybrid riders can use the paved river trail under the 15 mph limit.

At Carvers Creek, NC State Parks lists 3 miles of biking at Long Valley Farm and 10.5 miles at the Sandhills Access. Those Sandhills miles are shared with horses. Arnette Park, at 2165 Wilmington Hwy, has a 1-mile perimeter road that the visitors bureau describes as ideal for biking and walking.

The Smith Lake mountain bike trails are on Fort Bragg and require installation access. Check the Fort Bragg visitor access guide before planning a ride there.

Carvers Creek State Park

Carvers Creek is the closest state park to Fayetteville, and day use is free. It has two separate entrances:

Access	Address	Trail miles	Best for
Long Valley Farm	2505 Long Valley Rd, Spring Lake	3 (hike/bike)	Families, historic farm, picnics, fishing
Sandhills Access	995 McCloskey Rd, Fayetteville	10.5 (hike/bike/horse)	Longer hikes, horse trailer parking, fishing

The park opens at 8 a.m. year-round. Closing time varies by month between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., with 9 p.m. closings from June through August. The park is closed on Christmas Day. Prescribed burns can close individual loops, so check alerts first. The Sandhills Access is a practical option for families in Spring Lake.

Day hikes within driving distance

Park	Location	Official trail mileage	Cost
Raven Rock State Park	3009 Raven Rock Rd, Lillington	26 miles of hiking open (biking and bridle trails currently closed)	Free day use
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve	1024 Fort Bragg Rd, Southern Pines	7 miles of hiking on the main tract, plus 1 mile each on the Boyd and Paint Hill tracts	Free day use

Sources: Raven Rock State Park and Weymouth Woods. Raven Rock has the largest trail network of the three state parks covered here. Weymouth Woods is convenient for Moore County commuters.

Seasonal and safety tips

• Summer heat and humidity make early morning the most comfortable time to hike. Carry more water than you expect to need on longer state park loops.
• Ticks and mosquitoes are active in warm months. Check yourself and your dog after wooded trails at Clark Park and Carvers Creek.
• After heavy rain, check with FCPR at (910) 433-1579 before heading to the river trail's boardwalk sections.
• None of the city trails are lit, so plan to finish by dusk.