Salem Creek Greenway Trail Guide

Park in the back left corner of the Marketplace Mall, in the parking lot closest to Hamrick’s department store. The entrance is marked by a sign with a map, two rocks and a yellow metal pole.

You’ll arrive at Washington Park. As you approach the fence for the baseball field, keep left and then keep left again to go across the foot bridge over Salem Creek. Just after the footbridge, keep to the right (going to the other direction after the bridge will take you to the Upper Parking Lot for Washington Park).

After passing a dog park and a baseball field on your left, stop to read the interpretive signs welcoming you to the Gateway Nature Preserve. The Preserve is a 19-acre area between Washington Park and Broad Street. Less than one-tenth of a mile after the sign, you’ll see a signed entrance for Forest Discovery Trail on your left.

At the fork here, take the pathway to the right that goes under the bridge. Staying to the left will take you to Broad Street (although, if you miss this turn, the path will link back up to the Salem Creek Greenway in about a tenth of a mile).

Stop to enjoy the long-range views of downtown Winston-Salem, including the domed Wells Fargo building that towers in the distance.

Head over the Molly Leight’s Crossing, an architecturally stunning wooden arch bridge. The crossing is named in honor of former Winston-Salem City Council Member Molly Leight, who represented South Ward from 2005-2016. Just after the bridge, you’ll see the YWCA building.

When you reach the road (intersection of Main Street and Waughtown), turn left to stay on the sidewalk rather than crossing the street. This next section of the trail includes the most turns you’ll encounter along the way and is the one stretch during which you’ll want to pay extra attention to make sure you’re staying on track. Up the street is a traffic circle area that will come into view.

Just after crossing over Salem Creek on the sidewalk, you’ll see a paved pathway on your left that heads down under a pair of bridges (under South Main Street). Take this path.

Once you cross under the second bridge, you’ll emerge at the Central Park Tennis Courts. Stay to the left back toward Main Street (staying straight on the pathway takes you into the Central Park parking lot).

As you come around the bend, keep left, passing a Salem Academy and College historical marker. Go through the small plaza marked by yellow metal stanchions and benches on raised concrete on either side.

Keep left at the trail junction to enter Happy Hill, marked by an interpretive sign. The area is the city’s oldest historically Black neighborhood. Happy Hill was originally known as ‘Liberia’ and was founded in 1872 as a place where formerly enslaved people and freedmen could purchase land. Staying straight at this trail intersection will take you to Alder Street and Waughtown Street near the campus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

In the midst of a long straightaway with open grassy areas and a meadow, you’ll see the pathway to Happy Hill Park on your right. There is a track, playground and restroom facilities here. Keep walking straight to cross a small footbridge and continue on the Greenway.

At the four-way intersection, keep straight. Turning left takes you across the Wade Bitting Bridge, which honors an early advocate for the Happy Hill Community. Turning right takes you to Liberia Street.