Harrisburg Half
Distance: 0.5 mi Elevation Gain: 75 ft Est. Time: 5-10 mins per lap Difficulty: Beginner
A fun, fast half-mile loop in Harrisburg Park with a short climb, switchback berms and a set of doubles. Great for quick laps, skills practice and riders new to singletrack.
The Harrisburg Half is the original mountain bike loop at Harrisburg Park, the Town of Harrisburg's main park in Cabarrus County. It's only half a mile, but it packs a lot in: a short climb, a flowy descent with two switchback berms, a set of three doubles and a short rooty section to finish.
Because a lap is so quick, it's a great spot for laps, interval training and skills practice. Ride it once to learn the lines, then loop back around and carry a little more speed each time.
At the top of the hill, next to Shelter #1, you'll also find a bicycle pump track and jump line built by the Town of Harrisburg.
Want more miles? The Extension Loop adds about 1.5 miles of narrower, more technical singletrack, with creek crossings, short punchy climbs and rooty sections. You reach it from the Half by way of the Ball Field Loop.
Harrisburg Park is a busy family park with sports fields, a playground, a splash pad and a paved walking track. The trail crosses park paths, so slow down at each crossing and give walkers plenty of room.
Interactive Trail Map
Details & Logistics
Main Parking Lot
191 Sims Pkwy, Harrisburg, NC 28075
Free parking inside Harrisburg Park. Enter the park from Sims Parkway and keep going past the library and round to the left until you reach the farthest parking lot. Trailhead is on the north end of the parking lot.
Get DirectionsOfficial park hours vary by season. 5:30am-9:00pm Nov 1 - Feb 28 5:30am-10:30pm Mar 1 - Oct 31
Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on trails. Class 1 means bikes that only provide electric assistance when pedaling, don’t have a throttle and don't provide assistance over 20mph. Any bike with a throttle or that can provide electric assistance over 20mph is not allowed on trails because of the safety risk to other trail users, and the hard to repair trail damage they cause.
The trail closes for at least 24 hours after rain. Check the trail status at the top of this page before you head out, and please don't ride it muddy. Harrisburg Park can be busy during youth sports seasons and during Town events like concerts and fireworks.
The loop crosses the paved parking-lot path twice and runs close to the park's walking paths. Slow down at every crossing and give walkers, families and strollers the right of way.
The trail isn't lit, and the park is gated, so finish your ride before the gate closes. But night riding is possible during certain times of the year, depending on park hours and sunset time.
Drinks and snacks: the concession stand at Shelter #2 is open during youth sports games. Food, gas available on main routes in center of Harrisburg close by.
Restrooms are at Shelter #1 (at the top of the hill by the pump track), Shelter #2 (by the concession stand) and Shelter #3 (by the pond). The Shelter #1 restrooms close from November through February, so use Shelter #2 or #3 in winter.
Trail Segments
Harrisburg Half
The original loop. A short climb, then into the woods for two switchback berms and a set of three doubles, finishing with a short rooty section. It crosses the paved parking-lot path, so watch for walkers.
Harrisburg Extension Loop
Narrower and more technical than the Half, with creek crossings, short punchy climbs and rooty sections. Reach it from the Half by way of the Ball Field Loop.
First Timer Tips
- Check the trail status at the top of this page before you go. The trail closes after rain.
- Ride a slow first lap to learn the berms and doubles before you pick up the pace.
- You're sharing a busy family park. Slow down where the trail crosses paths and give walkers plenty of room.
- Bikes aren't allowed on the sports fields, playground, splash pad or under the picnic shelters, so stick to the trail and park paths.
- Saturdays in sports season and concert nights are busy. Arrive early, and don't park in the library lot while the library is open.
- The restrooms by the pump track close from November through February.
- Plan to be back at your car before the gate closes.