Tanglewood Trail Free and Open to the Public

Free Tanglewood Walking Trail in Clemmons NC © Katrena

More than one person told me they have seen deer on the Tanglewood trail in Clemmons, North Carolina. Although the park at Tanglewood requires an admission fee, the multi-use asphalt trail that meanders through the woods on the edge of the park is free.

If you turn toward the Tanglewood main entrance, you'll see a road to the left – I believe it is called Northtrail Road. Turn left on that road, drive a short distance, and you will see a small parking area under the trees in sight of the trail on your right.

Good Trail for Walking a Dog in Forsyth County © Katrena

There are several large trail maps located along the trail, but it was a little hard for us to figure out because it did not indicate where we were on the map. A nice lady saw us looking at the map and showed us our location and we were quickly on our way! The trail sort of looks like a large number 8 – we were near the bottom left area of the 8.

The trail is ten feet wide, covered with asphalt, and is open from 7 a.m. until dusk. Quite a few people walk their dogs on the trail, and several receptacles are positioned along the trail so that folks can easily keep the trail clean.

Bike Trail at Tanglewood Near Winston © Katrena

We saw several people riding bikes that day. Younger kids were riding on the easy, wide asphalt trail, but Tanglewood also has moderate and advanced trails through the woods for riders who are looking for a tougher challenge. Most of the bike trail areas we saw were narrow, dirt paths with lots of hills and challenges. We also saw a few small bridges on the bike trails.

We simply walked and enjoyed the nice warm weather. The day we visited, the temperature was 65 degrees, but we had snow the next day. Here in North Carolina, we have different weather for all four seasons, sometimes within 24 hours! Maybe the deer were getting ready to hunker down for the winter weather – we did not see any, but quite a few of my friends have mentioned seeing several deer while walking on this trail.

Fun and Free Family Activities in NC © Katrena

Even though we didn't see the deer, the kids and I enjoyed seeing the beauty of nature as we walked. The top part of the trail goes by an area where they have horses, so my kids were thrilled to see the horses in action as several riding lessons were in session.

The trail has two restroom areas. Quite a few people were walking along the trail, but the trail did not feel crowded at all. The design of the trail offers quite a few options as people might choose to walk on only one loop, go around both loops, or make a figure eight on their chosen path.

Tanglewood Trail Sometimes Has Deer © Katrena

There are a few hills, but the pavement makes it fairly simple to navigate. Several benches were located along the path. Most of the trail is shaded, and the trail seems well kept. I'm glad we tried this trail and was delighted that this is another free option for outdoor family activities in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

Additional articles:

• Sci-Works in Winston-Salem NC Offers Hands-on Science Fun
• Hanging Rock State Park Upper Cascades Hiking Trail in Danbury NC
• Tanglewood Festival of Lights Drive-through Christmas Show in North Carolina

Check out Travel NC With Kids and Love 2 Travel With Kids to see all of my travel articles.