Closed

Rocky Branch Park

Distance: 6 mi Elevation Gain: 350 ft Est. Time: About 60-90 mins for a typical rider to cover the whole trail system. Difficulty: Intermediate

Get Directions Report an Issue

A progressive trail system linking Belmont and Cramerton. Easy flow on Canopy and Eagle, blue-level features on Boulder, Legacy and Euler's Way, black expert jumplines at The Outpost.

Rocky Branch Park is a 55-acre wooded park that connects the City of Belmont and the Town of Cramerton, about 12 miles west of uptown Charlotte. It was designed as a progressive trail system, so newer riders and experienced riders can each find their level in the same visit.

The spine of the park is the Rocky Branch Trail, a gravel section of the Carolina Thread Trail that runs about 1.25 miles between the two towns and crosses Rocky Branch Creek on several bridges. It is shared with walkers and runners and gives access to every riding zone.

Working from the Belmont end, Boulder Trail is an intermediate/advanced trail with rock gardens, skinnies, mandatory drops, a jump line and an optional short black-diamond section.

Canopy Trail is an intermediate loop. It climbs along the creek, then descends through big berms and splits into an easier Flow Line and an Enduro Line with larger tabletops and jumps.

Euler's Way, a traditional hand-cut singletrack, runs alongside the main trail with bridges, small jumps and off-camber corners and a climb.

In the middle of the park is The Outpost, the starting point for expert jump lines. This is a biker only advanced zone with multiple downhill jump trails, featuring large jumps, berms, wall rides and mandatory drops.

Legacy Trail keeps some of the park's original singletrack, with drops, jumps and more technical riding.

Finally Eagle Trail, at the Cramerton end, is a one-way beginner flow trail with berms, tabletops and skinnies.

Local volunteers started building trails here in 2013. The park was closed for a major renovation in 2020 and reopened in August 2021, with more trails added through the end of that year. It is a partnership between Belmont, Cramerton, Gaston County Schools, the Carolina Thread Trail and the Tarheel Trailblazers.

Interactive Trail Map

Loading trail map…

Details & Logistics

Belmont Parking Lot

103 Sacco St, Belmont, NC 28012

Free lot at the end of Woodrow Ave, where it meets Sacco St. Look for the 6-foot stone cairn and the kiosk with the park map. There is a water spigot, a bike repair stand and benches at the entrance. The lot fills on busy weekends; downtown Belmont is about half a mile away if you would rather park there and ride over.

Get Directions

Cramerton Trailhead (Gaston County EMS Station, Eagle Rd)

700 Eagle Rd, Cramerton, NC 28012

A small lot at the EMS station with only a few spaces set aside for trail users, so please don't block emergency vehicles. There is a kiosk with the park map. This is the start of Eagle Trail.

Get Directions

Gate Hours

Generally open dawn to dusk.

E-Bike Rules

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.

Seasonal Information

Trails close after rain, usually for about 24 hours, so check the trail status before you head out. Much of the park sits under a mature tree canopy, which keeps it shady in summer

Riding Direction

The mountain bike trails are one-way and bike-priority. Follow the arrows and signs, and check the map at each zone's hub before you start. The Thread Trail (Rocky Branch Trail) is the exception: it is two-way and shared with walkers and runners, so slow down and give them the right of way. Canopy Trail is a loop that starts and finishes at the same hub. Eagle Trail runs one way from the Cramerton entrance, so return on the Thread Trail to ride it again.

Night Riding

Parks close at dusk, so night riding not normally permitted.

Nearby Amenities

Water spigot and bike repair stand at the Belmont entrance. Downtown Belmont's restaurants and shops are about half a mile to a mile from the Belmont trailhead, and downtown Cramerton's Center Street is about a mile from the Eagle Road entrance. Nearby bike shop in downtown Belmont. Gas stations on Hwy 29/74

Restrooms

Usually porta-potties available at Belmont Parking lot.

Trail Segments

Rocky Branch Trail

The gravel main corridor that links Belmont and Cramerton and gives access to every riding zone. It is two-way and shared with walkers and runners, so ride at a friendly pace and give them the right of way. The surface is loose gravel in places, so take care in corners.

Beginner 1.25 mi

Eagle Trail

A one-way flow trail that starts at the Cramerton (Eagle Road) entrance, with sweeping berms, tabletops, small jumps and skinnies, plus one advanced drop you can go around. To ride it again, return on the Thread Trail.

Beginner 0.5 mi

Canopy Trail

A climb along the creek leads to a fun descent through big berms. Near the bottom it splits: the Flow Line is the easier way down, and the Enduro Line adds larger tabletops and jumps. Every feature is optional. A small skills area at the bottom has three drops of different heights you can practice without riding back to the top.

Intermediate 1.1 mi

Euler's Way

Traditional singletrack that runs alongside the Thread Trail, with bridges, small jumps and off-camber corners. The Beaver Run section follows the creek with faster, rocky downhills, and the trail finishes with the long, technical Power Line Climb before rejoining the Thread Trail. A good route to avoid the Thread Trail.

Intermediate 0.5 mi

Boulder Trail

A step up in challenge, with rock gardens, skinnies, climbs, mandatory drops and a jump line that starts from a wooden platform about 8 feet high. A short but tricky black-diamond option (Boulder Trail – Advanced) includes a mandatory 16-inch drop and the Devil's Dominoes rock feature; the longer blue option has rock jumps and a flowy section. A shortcut lets you session the jump line.

Intermediate 0.9 mi

Legacy Trail

Part of the park's original hand-built singletrack. Expect mandatory and optional drops, jumps and berms on tighter, more technical trail than the other intermediate zones.

Intermediate 0.9 mi

Outpost Trails

This is a biker only advanced zone with multiple downhill jump trails, featuring large jumps, berms, wall rides and mandatory drops. Use caution, scout the trails before riding and pay attention to posted signs.

Expert 0.25 mi

First Timer Tips

All the trails loop off the main thread trail making it easy to do multiple laps where you want to and adapt your ride to the time available.
New to mountain biking? Eagle Trail is a good spot. Also Canopy Trail's Flow Line. Every feature on Canopy is optional, and there's a skills area at the bottom to practice drops.
Each zone has a hub with a map. Trails are one-way and well marked, so follow the arrows.
The Thread Trail is two-way and shared with walkers, runners and families. Slow down, say hello and give them the right of way. If it's busy or you want to stay in the singletrack zone, use Euler's Way instead.
The Thread Trail gravel is loose in places. Take corners carefully!.
Boulder Trail has mandatory drops, and its black option has a 16-inch drop. Walk any feature you're unsure about before you ride it.
Eagle Trail is one-way from the Cramerton end. Ride back on the Thread Trail to go again.
The jumplines at the Outpost need care and skill and are for advanced riders only.