Piedmont Greenway Master Plan - Town of Kernersville

A historic restored one-room schoolhouse stands in the 16-acre, wooded Fourth of July Park. Civitan Park has
seven acres of open green parkland, a walking trail and a picnic shelter. Harmon Park, like the other parks,
has a playground, parking and rest rooms.
Salem Lake, Kernersville Lake Park and Triad Park will serve as major destinations in Forsyth County.
Salem Lake serves as the southern terminus of the Piedmont Greenway. The park offers six and one-half
miles of existing trails that follow the lake shore for hiking, biking and equestrian uses. The lake also offers
picnic areas, fishing, boating and a marina. As part of the 2015 greenways plan for Winston-Salem and
Forsyth County, Salem Lake will serve as a major link to an envisioned regional link to Guilford County and
the cities of Kernersville, High Point and Greensboro.
Kernersville Lake Park will be accessed by a spur trail that will link it to the Piedmont Greenway System.
Kernersville Lake Park offers a picnic shelter (150 people), rest rooms, picnic tables with grills, a 60-
acre fishing lake, pedal and fishing boats for rent, sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits, a small playground
and a parking lot. Groups and individuals enjoy lake side picnicking and the opportunity to fish from the bank
or a boat. Children especially enjoy the brightly colored pedal boats and a chance to observe and enjoy the
atmosphere of animal and marine life at this local water source.
Triad Park is a joint venture of Forsyth and Guilford Counties. The counties have purchased a total of
426 acres as a regional centerpiece park, which has nature-based park facilities nestled in the woods and
meadows. The park plan leaves the majority of the parkland in its natural state. Triad Park will serve as a
central trailhead for the Piedmont Greenway. The Piedmont Greenway System will take advantage of numerous
existing (and planned) trails and will enter the park via Reedy Fork Creek at its western boundary
along an existing greenway easement. The Piedmont Greenway will leave the park near Cross creek Road.
In Guilford County historic side tours of places like the Old Guilford Mill and Museum and Oak Ridge
Military Academy are available. Lake Higgins will serve as the northern terminus of the primary Piedmont
Greenway System. The lake offers numerous trails for hiking and biking and a marina that serves both angler
and water enthusiasts. The system of Lake Higgins trails is often used by school groups because of the relatively
short trails offered in some easily accessible areas, and the many opportunities to spot bald eagles and
diverse plant and animal species. The lake has a large parking area that will easily handle trailhead parking.
Lake Brandt is directly across Route 220 from Lake Higgins, and the alternative Summerfield Spur Trail will
offer a direct link to Lake Brandt and a link to Summerfield Elementary School. The Greensboro Parks and
Recreation Department maintains a diversity of park and open space resources. This planning effort is being
coordinated with the Piedmont Greenway Master Plan to take advantage of any opportunities for joint use of
parklands or greenway connections between recreation facilities.
Community Facilities and Schools
There are many local government and community recreation facilities which offer ball fields,
soccer fields, basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic facilities, walking trails and tennis courts
within the Piedmont Greenway corridor. Several schools are also adjacent or near the Piedmont
Greenway corridor.
Schools
Local elementary, middle, and high schools can benefit directly from the development of the
Piedmont Greenway. School curricula could incorporate themes such as the heritage of communities,
the stream corridors, wildlife habitats and water quality. The Piedmont Greenway could also
provide an alternative transportation route (walking and bicycling) for schoolchildren and employees.
In addition to large recreational regional facilities along the Piedmont Greenway corridor,
schools with the potential for access to the main Piedmont Greenway include:
• East Forsyth High School - easy and safe access to Salem Lake and Kernersville area.
• Cash Elementary School - access to Kernersville Lake Park and Salem Lake.
• Kernersville Elementary School - access to city parks and Triad Park.
• Northwest High School - access to Lake Higgins and Lake Brandt.
• Northwest Middle School - access to Lake Higgins and Lake Brandt.
• Summerfield Elementary School - access to Lake Higgins and Lake Brandt.
Historic and Cultural Resources
The Piedmont region has a long and rich history. The region’s natural geography and topography,
its rivers and valleys, attracted its first known inhabitants. Native Americans occupied the
land until the arrival of European settlers. The history of Piedmont’s people, places and events attracts
many tourists each year. The region’s natural and cultural heritages are defining elements of
the community that should continue to be protected for the enjoyment of visitors and residents for
years to come. Some notable historic and cultural resources sites in the study area include:
• Körner’s Folly - A National Register property since 1970, the Folly is a landmark located
on Kernersville’s South Main Street. Long considered one of the strangest house ever
constructed, it is considered an architectural wonder. The house can be accessed from the
PIEDMONT GREENWAY
Final Master Plan Report 18