Happy Trails Series - Nat Greene to AY to Palmetto Looper

Oh yumtastic spring days!

No better time to explore the trail system here in Greensboro.  Today I am going to highlight a hybrid loop.  It is mostly trail and a little bit paved and is about 3 to 3.5 miles long (my GPS is just not accurate in the woods).  Three different routes make up up our loop,  a 1 mile portion of the Nat Greene trail, then we hook a left on the paved Atlantic Yadkin Greenway or AY Greenway, and then one more left onto the Palmetto trail, a 1.6 mile wooded trail.

I have included a little video to show you the trail head and some links for full descriptions of the trails through the Greensboro Park system.  The nice thing about this trail combo is immediate access, foot travel only (no bikes on the Nat Greene or Palmetto allowed), and not too hilly.  Also I love to loop versus out and back, it can be a little more interesting!

The trail head to access the Nat Greene trail is right off Old Battleground.  The parking lot is not very big, accommodating maybe 5-6 autos.  Check out the sidewalk just left of the trail head as you start onto the Nat Greene pathway, this will be your return trip from the Palmetto trail.

With 2-3 small water crossing and boardwalks, the Nat  Greene trail is moderately rooty  so be vigilant and pick up feet or walk those rootsy collins areas around big trees.  This trail has minimal hills, a few short acute ups and downs, but no heart attack hills here.  The big treat is making eyes at Brandt Lake to your left as you wind closer to and from the shoreline.  This trail comes right up to the AY Greenway.  If you don't have a lot of time, or are just getting used to walking or running on the trails, this could be a great turn around point for a two mile run or walk.

At the AY Greenway, you could cross and pick up the trail on the other side of the paved path.  This trail branches left and right, left taking you out to the Lake Brandt Marina, a very fun and hilly 3.5 miles each way (or 7.0 all together) hike or run.  That is the full length of the Nat Greene Trail.  There are a lot of different values given to the Nat Greene trail, 3.25 from the trail head on Old Battleground, 3.6 on the web site, but when I run it it the mile flashes say 3.5.   If you chose to do this guy someday, I would park at the Marina.  Parking is much more plentiful. The right branch is the wild turkey trail, most frequented by mountain bikers.

However, for our purposes (and the path laid out on the video)  we will hang a left on the Greenway. You'll go maybe half a mile along this paved path across Lake Brandt, great place to stop and get a mental picture.  Also if you want to sit and soak up Mama nature there are great benches on either side of this end of the bridge and a Dasani picnic table (great place to have a sandwich party).  The Dasani picnic table and a bench on the other side of the bridge by the Palmetto trail head provide shadier seats.

Continuing over the bridge, still on the paved Greenway, your going to walk until there is no more water to be seen on your left, and the Palmetto trail picks up here.  You'll descend into a pine needle covered portion of a coniferous stand that is shady and quiet.  Once again Lake Brandt is on your left, providing all kinds of good backdrop.  This trail is a little bit more interesting than the Natty G with more twists, turns, and a couple more boardwalk water crossings.  It also has a great hill about midway that always makes my heart sing,  It's a little longer at 1.6 miles and there are a few intrusions of suburbia (mystery pipes and possibly a sewer hatch here and there, but I just pretend those are for Super Mario).

At the end of the Palmetto, turn left onto the side walk, over the bridge you see at the beginning of the video and your back to the Nat Greene trail head.

Tadah! A solid loop!  The time it would take varies a lot on your familiarity and comfort with trails, always come prepared, always bring water.  Here is a map that I added some notes to.  Also great to do in reverse!

Nat Greene - AY Yadkin - Palmetto Loop

I have included a link to trail rules, the Nat Greene Trail, The Palmetto, and the Atlantic Yadkin Greenway!

And a video to give you a visual boop de boop, not a super exciting video but helpful if you like to
have as many references as possible prior to going.

Trail Rules and Etiquette
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1409

Nat Greene Trail
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1378

Palmetto Trail
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1381

Atlantic Yadkin Greenway
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1362