Thermal Belt Trail

 The Thermal Belt is a 14 mile, paved trail in North Carolina. I have also seen this referred to as the Isothermal Rail Trail. When I rode the trail in April of 2025,There were occasional tree root bumps in the pavement but these were not a serious issue.  Porta potties and other comfort facilities were not located at the ends of the trail but were available a couple of miles from each end. There were several bike repair stations placed along the trail however, sadly, most were missing tools. There were mile markers every half mile, I wish more trails would have half mile markers.

One portion of the trail passes what appears to be a municipal garage with various equipment and road maintenance supplies. Another area seemed to be a manufacturing plant. These were surrounded by a chain link fence. Normally I would find this unsightly and a negative for enjoyment of the trail. In this case the fence was covered with a printed fabric. The printing alternated the trail logo with animal pictures. This vastly improved the view with a mural like feel. I appreciated the innovative approach to improving visuals.

The town of Ruth is in the middle of the trail and has a series of arches over the trail with lights. This creates a tunnel like effect. I wish I was able to see the result after dark. There are also lights on the bridge in Forest City.

I started my ride on the southern end of the trail (35.30058, -81.85332) near the Forrest Hunt Elementary School. This is the lowest elevation on the trail resulting a a more down hill return ride. To get to this trailhead you turn into the school driveway then turn left into the trailhead. It is a bit confusing if you are expecting to enter from the main road, ALT 221.