What a great trail…read more Beginning mountain bike trail right in Charlotte. I just love these woodsy places I. The middle of town. You can ride to the southwest park and park your car, jump on your bike and ride 3 miles. There is a main loop that runs 2.3 miles that a beginning mountain bike rider will love. And the the half mile Tamale Loop is just a little more spicy. Many, many thanks go out to Tarheel Trail Blazers for creating this wonderful ride. I love this place and wish it was my backyard.

We hiked this trail early in the morning back in February and really enjoyed it. It wasn't very…read morecrowded which is always a plus for me. I'm sure the time of year and time of day played a role in that. We parked at New Hope Road to start the trail there. The trail goes through the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden property (not the part you have to pay to get into), so you could park and start there as well. It's a 4.6 mile loop which is a decent length for a Charlotte trail. It's pretty flat and easy. There are some nice views of Lake Wylie along the way. I definitely recommend coming in the morning. It was really calm and peaceful on the lake with no one else around.

Me and my dog LOVE THIS TRAIL!!!…read more So I came here twice and was highly impressed with this hiking trail! There is plenty of shade on this trail with small hills in between and beautiful trails along the lake. The trail is marked and it's a pretty clear path so you know where your going. I came across this trail through the "AllTrails" app that had all the details correct except you cannot go all the way around the trial. On the app it is a circle - whereas when you actually go - you hike all the way to one end and then come back the same way. There are plenty water holes for dogs to cool off in the lake from the heat. There are also places along the lake to put out a chair and enjoy the view. Most if not all the patrons on trail were very friendly; there is also a small parking lot that offered enough space for cars to park (we came on a Saturday; this trail was never full). Great place - I highly recommend!

We enjoyed our first walk at this greenway! I got absolutely annihilated by mosquitos so…read moreprotecting yourself is a must, but the trail was nice. Lots of runners, walkers, bikers, people with their dogs. It was safe and clean with a few trash bins along the way (always appreciated when I have bags of dog waste to throw out!). Parking lot seemed large enough for a Sunday morning. Dogs enjoyed seeing a little frog for the first time in their lives. We will certainly be back! Finding shaded walking trails for the dogs can be difficult and this was nice. The porta potties could be smelled from quite a distance away so I would avoid those.

Gorgeous, well-manicured walking path. My pup and I saw two deer and a blue heron. Most of the walk…read moreis nicely-shaded and adjacent to water. The trail is busy with bikers, walkers, & dogs.

Took a walk at the park were Charlotte FC's trading facilities are located. It's a pretty big park…read morewith an old barn that's pretty u I que and great for photo ops. Lots of people walking around and some walking their dogs. I believe there are some other offices as well as a school located on the grounds. Has a big area to lay down and sun bath or throw some frisbee. Nothing for kids as far as a playground that I saw. More for walking.

This park is relatively manicured, and offers various bike and pedestrian trails through some woods…read moreand around a lake. Parking was ample, and bathrooms were available. I didn't see any water fountains, although these are often turned off in winter anyway, even at this latitude. I found no aesthetics of great note, but as a spot for an evening walk it did fine.

This greenway is beautiful!!! I discovered this place the other day when I wanted to walk my dog…read moresomewhere new and I fell in love! It's gorgeous, clean and peaceful. I didn't walk the whole thing, but the area we did walk was so serene. There's some creeks and beautiful trees. It also runs right behind a neighborhood so there are backyards right there on the greenway and that was fun to see. There were a lot of people out and about so I felt perfectly safe. I will be back to the spot often!!! So fun and so pretty!

This might be my favorite greenway in Charlotte. Sure, Little Sugar Creek Greenway is great, but…read moreeveryone knows about it and it's usually crowded. This greenway wasn't crowded in the morning when we went. We did 5.4 miles round trip which I believe was the whole greenway, but it connects to other greenways so you could definitely do more if you want. Like many greenways, it passes by houses/neighborhoods. The biggest reason why I love this one is because the houses are gorgeous and so fun to check out as you're walking by. There's plenty of parking at the school if you're there on a weekend. Check it out for your next outdoor activity in the city!

We've been starting to explore Charlotte's greenways a bit more recently…read more Previously, we parked at Pineville-Matthews Rd and walked to the Vista Grande Circle parking lot (2 miles one way). This section is the McMullen Creek Greenway. So this time, we parked at Vista Grande Circle and walked to the Johnson Rd parking lot. This is also 2 miles one way on the McAlpine Creek Greenway right until it meets up with the Four Mile Creek Greenway. The parking lot on this side is only big enough for 3-4 cars, but you could probably park on the street in the neighborhood as well. We really enjoyed this section of the greenway, probably a little more than the previous section. There were boardwalk sections here as well. There was a lot more marshy flood plane area here which was cool. If you're looking for a way to get outside in Charlotte, explore your local greenways.

I absolutely love this trail. It is secluded from busy streets, well maintained, shaded, and family…read moreand dog friendly. This trail is over 4 milked long and perfect for a walk, jog, run, or bike ride. It is accessible from the neighborhoods and has entry points with parking, restrooms, and bike maintenance/air pumps.

I really loved this place! The huge, unique rock formations were amazing. The kids had so much fun…read moreclimbing, jumping around, and hiding between the rocks. It's also a great spot for a nice trail walk and spending time outdoors with the family.

Get out of the city by staying mostly in the city. Big Rock Nature Preserve is a good place for…read moresome fresh air and a bit of exercise. Located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, you would never expect moderate dense forrest that feels so far removed from civilzation. Yet here it is. The only real hint of a city is the hum of car tires on 485 which the preserve backs up to. But you can easily get lost (figuratively) in the rustling of the leaves and forget all about the freeway. Park on the side of the street and hike in. You'll soon walk across a a little foot bridge. Then on to the parks namesake, some big rocks. There is one interpretive sign which tells a bit about the area. Continue on past that and the big rocks down the hill and to the swampy creek. As the lady we passed on the trail described it. There is a narrow portion of trail next to a small cliff following the stream. Then turn and head back up the hill and out. Congratulations, you have completed a walk of about half a mile. It isn't much. And not especially strenuous. My grandparents who are in their 80s were about to do it. This is just a good place to get into nature, get in your steps, and not have to go too far to do it.

This little used trail takes about a 2 mile loop through an open savannah rendering it nearly…read moreuseless during the midday summer heat. However, it's an easy/moderate trail with a smooth, natural surface. (The section under the high wires I would consider moderate). In cooler weather, deer can be spotted and there's a nice pond to look at (fishing prohibited). No services provided and surprisingly I see more patrols on this trail than any other I visit. I think it's a nice compliment to McDowell which is wooded and hilly. Give it a whirl.