For complete information about the parks and paddle accesses of the Haw River Trail, including maps, HRT history, and how to get involved, please visit the Haw River Trail website at www.thehaw.org (this link will open a new window). For questions or comments please email info@thehaw.org or contact the Haw River Trail Coordinator at (336) 229-2380.
Overview
The Haw River Trail (HRT) is a multi-use land and paddle trail providing public access to the Haw River, Alamance County’s most important natural feature. The HRT allows the community to explore and appreciate its river while helping to conserve and protect it. The planned HRT corridor extends approximately 80 miles along the Haw River from Haw River State Park on the Rockingham-Guilford County line through Alamance County to Jordan Lake State Recreational Area in Chatham County. The HRT is part of the state-wide Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) which allows hikers to travel across the state from Clingman’s Dome to Jockey’s Ridge.
View the March 2019 article “Hike of a Lifetime” from Our State Magazine featuring the Mountains to Sea Trail and Glencoe section of the Haw River Trail.
View the July/August 2019 article “River on the Rise” featured in Wildlife in North Carolina magazine.
Currently Open
Included in the HRT system and currently open to the public are four recreational parks, 20 miles of hiking trails, approximately 40 miles of paddle trail, and 14 paddle accesses extending through Alamance County from Guilford County to the Alamance County-Orange County line. The opening of the Sellers Falls section in 2016 added 4 new miles of trail and marked the completion of 8 continuous miles of trail from Indian Valley down to Red Slide Park. You can also enjoy hiking in the Swepsonville River Park area, Saxapahaw, or Shallow Ford Natural Area. The Trail offers opportunities for hiking, paddling, picnicking, fishing, exploring, and just enjoying the beauty of the Haw River corridor.
The Haw River Trail Partnership
Alamance Parks is one of 12 state and local governments that make up the Haw River Trail Partnership. Together we are working to build a regional trail that will benefit the environment, people, and economy of our region. Alamance Parks maintains and operates Great Bend Park at Glencoe, Shallow Ford Natural Area, Altamahaw Paddle Access, Glencoe Paddle Access, Saxapahaw Lake Paddle Access, and Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access. Additional parks and paddle accesses are operated by nearby municipalities.