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The Mecklenburg County Greenway System is quickly becoming one of the finest in the nation. Greenways are vegetated natural buffers that promote water quality, help reduce the impacts of flooding, and provide wildlife habitat. Greenway trails provide recreation, transportation, fitness, and economic benefits for all to enjoy. There are currently 56 miles of developed greenway trails in Mecklenburg County, with more being built every year.
Cross Charlotte Trail Segments
If you cross Margaret Wallace from the parking lot the trail runs about two miles which is the main section of Campbell Creek Greenway. This trail is about 5 miles total out and back and is nice and nature-y. Park at Mallard Creek Elementary and enjoy your walk along the river! Other resources out there are just completely inaccurate in regards to distances and segments of the trails. AllTrails has the same issues with inaccuracies, but has some helpful maps and GPS directions to parking lots so I will link those for each greenway. We recommend parking at Rosedale Nature Park and walking across Rosewood Meadow Lane to access the trailhead for North Branch Torrence Creek Greenway.
Take in uninterrupted miles and natural sights.
The county holds 52 miles of developed greenway trails, many of which fit under the greater Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of trails reaching across 15 counties. This is just the beginning of local greenway development – there’s so much more to come. Charlotte is situated in Mecklenburg County, featuring an elaborate system of linear parks, or greenways. They not only support wildlife and water quality but connect visitors and locals to destinations across the area.
Map and Directions
Mallard Creek Greenway is part of the Cross-Charlotte Trail, a partnership between Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte that strives to develop a 26 mile contiguous trail. This greenway will eventually connect the SC/NC State line to Cabarrus County." MeckNC.gov More than 5.7-miles between these two greenways are part of the Carolina Thread Trail. A more urban section of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway winds through Midtown and Myers Park. This section is mostly just sidewalks through the city, but some sections are more scenic. You could also hop on near the Target and Harris Teeter in Midtown and go in the opposite direction.
These greenways are dog friendly and visitors are treated to wooden bridges, boardwalks and paved surfaces. Mecklenburg County is home to 15 greenways offering more than 60 miles (and growing!) of developed trails for Charlotte-area residents and visitors to explore. The trails vary in length and are a mix of pavement, gravel and dirt making them ideal for all fitness levels. Each greenway below is linked to a trail map and trailhead parking is linked to addresses or pinned locations on Google Maps.
You can also park in one of the neighborhoods with a connector trail. Toby Creek Greenway travels through the forested area south of UNC Charlotte and connects the campus to Mallard Creek Greenway at its northern end. This paved trail is 5.8 miles out-and-back and does include multiple road crossings, so it’s important to be vigilant of vehicle traffic. Walkers, runners and cyclists frequently use Toby Creek Greenway, but it’s possible to enjoy some solitude at quieter times of the day.
Hoover Creek Greenway is on the other side of the Rivergate Mall running behind the Ulta, Home Goods and Kohl’s. Despite being close to each other, these greenway trails are not connected. After all, there are many places within 50 miles of Charlotte to walk and enjoy fresh air and green spaces. There are plenty of greenway trails right in Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte and surrounding cities and towns. Greenways are linear parks that connect people and places, providing recreation, transportation, fitness, and economic benefits for all to enjoy.
Short sections of the greenway feature boardwalks meandering through wetlands, and the trail can get muddy after heavy rainfall. Parallel parking spaces along Innovation Drive get you closest to the north end of the trailhead for Taggart Creek Greenway. Or, park at Southview Recreation Center and access the trail via a short walk along Burnett Avenue.
This benefits cities by reducing vehicle traffic, pollution and individuals’ carbon footprints. When you’re new to hiking or returning to the trails after an extended break, getting started can be overwhelming, and heading straight to the mountains can feel daunting. Rest assured, you don’t have to tackle North Carolina’s hardest trails right away to reap the physical and mental health benefits of hiking. There are 11 total segments of the Cross Charlotte Trail, plus a bicycle boulevard that improves connectivity to the trail in North Charlotte. Street parking is reserved for handicap access, specific retailers and short-term parking. Levels P1-P3 of the parking deck are exclusively reserved for Metropolitan visitors.
Little Sugar Creek Greenway is made up of five distinct sections and will feature more than 19 miles of trails when complete. Enjoy paved trails through forested areas and along Little Sugar Creek for a gentle or brisk walk, and bring your dog for company! Picking up at Four Mile Creek Greenway, Lower McAlpine and McMullen Creek Greenways connect to offer just over four miles one way or 8.3 miles out-and-back. Located in south Charlotte, the trail is composed of asphalt and gravel and is popular with walkers, trail runners and cyclists, but users can find peace during quieter times of the day. Nestled amid secluded streams and winding trails, The Little Sugar Creek Greenway provides a wide-open space for countless activities – walking, biking, running and more.
New 911 Location Signs on Charlotte's Greenways - WCCB Charlotte
New 911 Location Signs on Charlotte's Greenways.
Posted: Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In addition to shopping, dining and running errands all in one convenient location, you can walk the greenway and enjoy time with friends in an ever-changing and energetic urban landscape. First Broad River TrailFirst Broad River Trail is currently closed to the public for trail maintenance. Please check back and enjoy the improved trail once work is done. There is also a lower section of the McAlpine Creek Greenway running 8 miles out and back going further South, here is the AllTrails link. This greenway is segmented across parts of Charlotte and has multiple different sections, arguably this is the most confusing greenway in CLT. There are a variety of entry points depending on the section of Little Sugar Creek you’d like to hike or walk.
You do need to cross a road at one point, but otherwise it is pretty relaxed. Here is the AllTrails link, but I personally enjoyed combining part of Mallard Creek Greenway with Toby Creek Greenway. These three greenways intersect in West Charlotte towards Uptown. At one point there is a fork where you can decide to follow Stewart Creek or Irwin Creek, but they are both about the same distance. I would recommend parking at the Stewart Creek Greenway Trailhead (904 Woodruff Place). Nestled in Huntersville, Torrence Creek Greenway is a quiet, paved 2.8-mile out-and-back trail running through woods along Gilead Road with multiple connecting trails to nearby neighborhoods.
Parking is available in Abersham Park at the north end of the West Branch Rocky River Greenway. To hop on South Prong Rocky River Greenway, park at Davidson Elementary School or River Run Athletic Park. The map below shows the entire alignment of the trail from the South Carolina state line to Kempsford Drive near the Cabarrus County line. Whether you’re new to the city or a native, you can find an adventure around every turn.
Park at Best Buy to access the trailhead for Walker Branch Greenway. Located north of Charlotte, McDowell Creek Greenway is a fully paved 2.8-mile out-and-back that offers some gentle hills to prepare for hiking elevation. This greenway connects Cornelius neighborhoods to Birkdale Village in Huntersville.
That is also true in regards for areas to park—all of the greenways have a designated parking lot but you can park in most neighborhoods along the trail as well. The Irwin Creek and Stewart Creek Greenways offer 3.2 miles out-and back and are connected to other trails in uptown Charlotte making it easy to extend your mileage when you’re ready. Surfaces are gravel/crushed stone, sidewalk and pavement and are shared by walkers, hikers and cyclists looking to enjoy views of the creek and wildlife. For Hoover Creek Greenway we recommend parking in front of the shopping center and walking around the building to access the trail.
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