Ararat River Greenway

Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail map

In 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks program partnered with the Mount Airy Parks and Recreation Department to make their Ararat River Greenway Trail an official TRACK Trail. Now, as visitors enjoy a walk along the greenway, they can use the brochures to turn their outdoor stroll into a self-guided adventure. Whether looking for things hiding in nature, learning about the birds, or reading about the river’s restoration, visitors utilizing the TRACK Trail brochures will have the opportunity to connect more meaningfully with the natural world. The TRACK Trail Trailhead Sign can be found along the greenway trail in the HB Rowe Environmental Park. From the HB Rowe parking lot, walk down the main gravel trail until you reach the paved greenway trail… the trailhead kiosk will be on you’re right.

Mount Airy’s Ararat River Greenway Trail runs from Riverside Park, through the HB Rowe Environmental Park, to Tharrington Park near the elementary school. The 2.2 mile long (one way) paved path offers residents of, and visitors to, Mount Airy the ability to exercise in a natural setting. The Ararat River Greenway Trail has several picnic shelters and benches found along the trail, restrooms located at Riverside and HB Rowe parks, canoe and kayak put-ins/take-outs at each of the three parks, and TRACK Trail Adventures to help connect visitors with the resource. Whether by foot, bike, canoe or kayak, visitors will enjoy the sights and sounds found along the greenway during their visit.

The Mount Airy Ararat River Greenway project began in 2002 with several purposes in mind – improvement of the water quality of the Ararat River and improvement of the health of the citizens of Mount Airy. Working together with local organizations, an unhealthy section of river was restored back into a vibrant habitat for fish, salamanders, turtles, aquatic insects, birds and more.
 
The HB Rowe Environmental Park was dedicated in 2010 as a result of a land donation by Erika Rowe in memory of her late husband, Henry B. Rowe. The Ararat River Greenway project was made possible because of this donation as well as state and local grant funding. Partners included the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, Clean Water Management Trust Fund, Division of Water Quality and the City of Mount Airy, the Resource Institute and Pilot View Resource Conservation and Development. The HB Rowe Environmental Park has a pedestrian bridge connecting the middle school to the greenway, as well as paved trails, river and greenway access, restrooms and an outdoor pavilion/classroom.

Track an adventure here
Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail sticker

Location Details

Recreational Features: Paved Bike Path, Canoe / Kayak, Picnic Tables, Fishing, Birding, Playground
Amenities: Restrooms
ADA Compliant: Yes
Seasonality: Open all year
Ribbon cutting at Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail
Paved Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail
Ararat River
Group hiking the Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail
Trail head kiosk at the Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail
Paved Mount Airy Ararat River TRACK Trail
Sign for the H.B. Rowe Environmental Park established in 2010

Adventures for Ararat River Greenway

Hiking

Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Difficulty:
Easy
Trail length:
2.20
The Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains brochure shows kids where to look for different birds along the trail. The brochure contains illustrations of some of the more common woodland birds and information on how to identify them through various clues. 
Hiking

Nature's Hide & Seek

Difficulty:
Easy
Trail length:
2.20
The Nature's Hide & Seek brochure is designed so that kids of all ages can walk along the trail and discover common things that are often overlooked in nature. Some of them are hard to find, others are easy. Best of all, the adventure never ends because every time you walk the trail you will discover new things hiding in nature.
Mount Airy's Ararat River: Nature's Hide & Seek Winter Edition brochure
Hiking

Mount Airy's Ararat River: Nature's Hide & Seek Winter Edition

Difficulty:
Easy
Trail length:
2.20
The Nature's Hide & Seek: Winter Edition is similar to our original Nature’s Hide and Seek brochure led adventure except that the items you are looking for are common things that are often overlooked in nature during the winter. See if you can help TRACK and KIP find all of the items on their checklist. Some of them are hard to find, others are easy; but, best of all the adventure never ends because every time you walk the trail you will discover new things hiding in nature.
Hiking

Animal Athletes

Difficulty:
Easy
Trail length:
2.20
The Animal Athletes adventure challenges kids to exercise with the animals. This brochure gives kids eight different animal exercises they can do along the trail. From hummingbird hand-swings to frog hops, kids are sure to have fun getting in shape with the animals during their outdoor adventures.

Directions

217 Hamburg Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
Latitude: 36.495211100000
Longitude: -80.597140700000

From Hwy 52 N:
Turn right on Business 52, turn right on Hamburg Street, park entrance is on the left.

From Hwy 77 N:
Turn right on Exit 100 (Mount Airy), turn right on Hwy 89 East, continue for approx. 7 miles, turn right onto Renfro Street, go straight and turn left on Hamburg Street, park entrance is on the left.

GPS Directions:
217 Hamburg Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030

Partners

The TRACK Trail program is sponsored by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.

The Mount Airy Ararat River Greenway TRACK Trail is made possible by a partnership between Mount Airy’s Parks and Recreation Department and Kids in Parks.