Winston-Salem has more than 25 miles of greenways, the 7-mile Salem Lake Trail and the 200-acre Quarry at Grant Park. Hours, fees and rules. Salem Lake: 336-650-7677.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from Winston-Salem Recreation and Parks. Salem Lake marina office: 336-650-7677. General city questions: CityLink, 311 or 336-727-8000.

Winston-Salem’s parks run from the 7-mile loop around Salem Lake to a flooded quarry with an overlook pier, and more than 25 miles of greenways tie many of them together, according to the city’s greenways page. Use the city’s park locator to find the nearest park, playground or recreation center.

What this means for you

  • For a long walk, run or ride, start at Salem Lake or the Salem Creek Greenway.
  • Keep dogs leashed on every greenway and in city parks.
  • Splash pads are closed until May 1; the Salem Lake gate locks at 7 p.m. every night.

Salem Lake Park

815 Salem Lake Road. The city’s biggest outdoor draw, with a lake, a marina, a fishing pier, playground and picnic areas, and the Salem Lake Nature Center, according to the Salem Lake page.

  • Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Pier fishing, boating and lake access end at 6:30 p.m. The gate locks at 7 p.m.
  • Fishing: pier fees are $3.50 for adults, $2 for ages 12-15, $1 for 60 and older, and free for 11 and under. Anyone 16 or older needs a state fishing license. Up to four rods each.
  • Boating: check in at the marina office first; $6 for motorized boats and $4 for non-motorized. No pleasure cruising in motorized boats.
  • Trail users park outside the main gates.

Salem Lake Trail

The trail circles the lake for 7 miles, mostly dirt with some paved stretches 8 feet wide, and is shared with runners, walkers, cyclists and horseback riders, according to the city’s trail page. Mile markers run counterclockwise from the Point parking lot near the playground. Restrooms are at the marina office, near the playground and picnic area, and at the Linville Road parking area. Call the marina, 336-650-7677, for storm damage, maintenance or high water at the dam; for a minor accident, call the marina, and for anything serious, call 911 first.

Greenways

Greenway Length Notes
Salem Creek Greenway 5.2 miles, 8-foot paved Marketplace Mall through Washington Park, Happy Hill and Reynolds parks to Salem Lake
Salem Lake Trail 7 miles, mostly dirt Loop around the lake; connects to the Salem Creek Greenway
Waughtown Connector Links the Quarry at Grant Park with the Peachtree Greenway

The city’s network also includes the Bethabara, Bowen Branch, Brushy Fork, Gateway Commons, Little Creek, Muddy Creek, Newell/Massey, Peachtree and Silas Creek greenways, the Long Branch Trail and the Strollway, each with its own page and map on the greenways page. The Salem Creek Greenway connects to Old Salem, Salem College, the Gateway YMCA and WSSU’s Anderson Center, according to its page. Bike Share stations are at Salem Lake and the Gateway YWCA.

Greenway rules: dogs on a leash; no motorized vehicles except electric bikes and Segways.

The Quarry at Grant Park

1790 Quarry Road, entered off Reynolds Park Road next to the William R. Anderson Recreation Center. The 200-acre park centers on an overlook pier above the water-filled pit of the old Piedmont Quarry, worked from the mid-1920s to the early 1970s; Vulcan Materials gave the land to the city in 1997, according to the park page. It has a walking trail, amphitheater, open play area and restrooms. No swimming, diving, boats or fishing; dogs on a leash.

Historic Bethabara Park

2147 Bethabara Road. Founded in 1753 by German-speaking Moravians, Bethabara was the first European settlement in the North Carolina Piedmont. The 183-acre park, a National Historic Landmark, has historic buildings, walking and birding trails and protected wetlands. The grounds are free and open dawn to dusk year-round; visitor center: 336-924-8191. The city holds free events there, including Boo! At Bethabara on Oct. 24 and Four Christmases at Bethabara on Dec. 5, 2026, according to the park page.

Splash pads, pools and skating

The city runs 10 splash pads, open May 1 through Sept. 30: Happy Hill (1230 Alder St.), Hathaway Park (301 Anita Drive), Little Creek (698 Foxcroft Drive), Mineral Springs (4700 Ogburn Ave.), Nelson Malloy (2619 Bethabara Road), Polo Park (1850 Polo Road), Reynolds Park (2450 Reynolds Park Road), Rupert Bell (1501 Mt. Zion Place), Sedge Garden (401 Robbins Road) and Sprague Street (1350 Sprague St.), according to the city’s splash pads and pools page. The outdoor pools at Bolton, Kimberley Park, Long Creek and Mineral Springs closed for the season between Aug. 6 and Sept. 7, 2026.

The Fairgrounds Skate Park, 406 Deacon Blvd., is open 9 a.m. to dusk.

What this means for you

  • Check with the Salem Lake marina, 336-650-7677, about trail conditions after heavy rain.
  • The Salem Creek Greenway links downtown neighborhoods to Salem Lake without a car.
  • Planning a summer outing? Splash pads reopen May 1, 2027.

More: things to do this month, farmers markets and getting around Winston-Salem.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Salem Lake Trail?

The Salem Lake Trail is 7 miles around the lake, mostly dirt with some paved sections 8 feet wide. Mile markers run counterclockwise from the Point parking lot near the playground.

What are Salem Lake’s hours?

Salem Lake Park is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Pier fishing and boating end at 6:30 p.m., and the gate locks at 7 p.m.

How many miles of greenways does Winston-Salem have?

More than 25 miles of paved and unpaved greenways, boardwalks and bridges, according to the city. The longest paved route, the Salem Creek Greenway, is 5.2 miles.

Are dogs allowed on Winston-Salem greenways?

Yes, on a leash. No motorized vehicles are allowed on greenways except electric bikes and Segways.

When do Winston-Salem splash pads open?

The city’s 10 splash pads are open May 1 through Sept. 30. City outdoor pools closed for 2026 between Aug. 6 and Sept. 7.