Best Views Trails near Charlotte, North Carolina

Nestled between housing developments and a busy road but you feel like you oare out in the wilderness. real easy hik with several options to loop together to make longer and see difere scenery. parts were flooded out and I wish there were more markings stating this and more mile markers. I would have liked more markers telling you wish path you were on to make sure you stayed on path. Otherwise excellent hike!!!

Nice hidden gem of a trail. Markings are somewhat sparse and there are many switchbacks through the trees. Several have been cut, so it can be daunting at times to tell exactly the right way to go. Good trail for those starting back into hiking after a hiatus due to the low elevation changes. My wife and I enjoyed it.

Good trial. A lot of trees so if you are looking for sun that won’t be probably the best option. Easy to follow with the app, keep in mi d it could be a bit muddy if rain was there even few days before, but great to spend half a day outside !

One of my favorite Charlotte area trails to get my long runs in. It’s flat and easy to navigate. I’m able to run 14-15 miles by taking the different offshoots. I’ve always felt safe but after a couple recent assaults on women, I’m nervous to go alone. Please stay aware of your surroundings and enjoy!

Decent hike that’s not far from Charlotte that wasn’t too crowded.

Good trail.... over grown and not well maintained. I would go with friends or go to a race because there have been break - ins.

Very pretty trail. Few miles of the hike are waterfront. Clearly marked.

Always a nice place to get away from the city for a walk in the woods. Nothing difficult about any of these trails except for when they are muddy and slippery. The outermost loops are close enough to houses that you'll hear people and leaf blowers. We also nicknamed that loop "sewer line" because of the concrete structures all along the path.

We started the “Toby Creek Greenway” Trail at the University of North Carolina, next to Target. This is a fairly new portion of the Mecklenburg County Greenway System. This trail is recorded as 2 miles in length by the County but we extended our hike into the Autumwood neighborhood. The Toby Creek Greenway has several outlets that empty into several Charlotte communities. This is a well cared for asphalt trail with boardwalks. There is a new addition to the trail starting at Rocky River Road West (see pic) that extends the trail approximately another 1/8 mile. Although the trail itself is clear you’ll get the feeling that you’re in a nature preserve, due to the overgrown foliage. We went North but you can go the other way into the UNC Campus and continue on the trail. The trail is super wide and allows room for biking, running, dog walking and other activities. The trail is maintained by Mecklenburg County government. Nice, lightly traveled urban hike in Charlotte. Come out and explore !

This was a great trail not too far from home. Rooster’s and other wild life you will see. Great quick trip.

A good trail for MTB. Overall it is well kept and provides a moderate challenge for a beginner- to-immediate level biker. Mixed terrain: branches, hills, rocks. Nice views, peaceful woods. You will come across those walking the path, but there’s room to either pull off or for them to step to the side. Just remember biking etiquette and the trail is fun and pleasant.

High traffic run route but so much to see and great run through South End

Dirt trails, gravel paths, volleyball courts, baseball fields, frisbee posts, ponds, hills, everything.

Well maintained park, easy hike. Lots of dogs out on the trail. This loop takes you between a couple of trails and through the disk golf course. Definitely keep the app up to follow or it is easy to get turned around.

Nice little hike, took us almost 2 hours with a couple stops.

This is a fairly easy trail located in the heart of Matthews, NC, just outside of Charlotte. Trail is heavily traveled by local residents and town visitors alike. This is a mainly dirt trail but there are a few areas near public facilities that are asphalt or concrete. This is a “Full Service”‘ Mecklenburg County Park that gets a little assistance from the local volunteer Trailblazers organization, who maintains the mountain bike loops. This trek isn’t marked very well so pay attention while hiking ... or your little hike will end up being a big hike. There’s over 265 acres of land so plenty of opportunities for recreation. Trails are maintained very well and lake views are plentiful. Restrooms are immaculate and staff members are visible on occasion. Plenty of parking available even on weekends. Portions of the trail borders several local private communities, so you don’t get the feeling you’re “in the woods”. This is a well equipped park for all types of family activities and easily accessible. Good intermediate hike for beginners. Hike On !

This Urban Trail takes you through Charlotte’s South End District into Uptown Charlotte. It starts at the New Bern Rail Station and continues through the spine of South End. About 1/2 mile in you will have to go “off the trail” (sidewalk) due to ongoing construction. Just take a right through the bank parking lot, then take a left onto South Blvd. until you can turn left (Tremont) back onto the trail. I went a little further up and turned around just past the overpass at E. Morehead Street. At the end, you can turn around, cross over the Lynx Rail tracks, then walk up the ramp to cross E. Morehead. You will re-enter the opposite side of the trail after descending down the staircase. This is the perfect trail for visitors to get a taste of what Charlotte has to offer. If you get tired of walking, just jump on the Lynx Light Rail. Great opportunity to experience the “Walkable” residential, business & entertainment District of South End in Charlotte N.C.

This trail is primarily for mountain biking with ramps and turns but is fine for hiking as long as it's not busy. After rain the trail can be very muddy. Some difficulty following the trail as there are not a lot of markings.

There are no less than 24 trails here at the US National Whitewater Center. I completed approximately 12 miles of the hiking trails, looping in and out of separate treks. I would suggest you download the map prior to heading out ... there’s over 45 miles of trail to explore. Trails aren’t marked as well as they could be, so be conscious when out exploring. Trails are “common” so you will see mountain bikers, pets, hikers and trail runners using the same trails. I always make an effort to travel towards bikers so I can quickly navigate an escape. Be courteous and just move to the right, your efforts will be appreciated. I always enjoy water views so I made it a point to explore the Lake Trail outlining the Catawba River. The trails are challenging and rated moderate to difficult and you’ll feel the burn when you’re done. This place is Adventure Wonderland, everything from mountain biking, rock climbing, zip line, kayaking and also new this year ... an ice skating rink! Love it here, definitely my favorite place to explore all four seasons. There’s a $6 entrance fee and parking is plentiful ... even on busy weekends. If you live in or near the Charlotte area and like adventure, consider their annual membership pass ... it’ll save you some cash. I paused this trail recording several times to capture some images, so the stats may be a little off. Great, Fun Day overall !!!

Visited Sherman Branch Nature Preserve for an early morning fall hike today. Sherman Oaks has (3) separate biking/hiking treks within the park, totaling over 11 miles. This is a Mecklenburg County Park and the trails are primarily maintained by the local Tarheel Trailblazers Organization. The trails are scenic and well maintained. The treks are mainly used by local mountain biking enthusiasts but you will run into many of the locals getting a hike in also. I usually hike the trails counterclockwise so I can keep an eye on oncoming bikers. This can be a long trail depending on which trek(s) you decide to navigate. I ended up doing 6 1/2 miles, skipping the Rollercoaster portion and felt like it was a good hike, I came across a few of the locals while out … some biking, others hiking or running their dogs. Dogs are allowed in the park but must be on leash. You’ll pass a few ponds while out on the trail which makes the walk even more scenic. If you’re looking for a fairly moderate hike with some inclines throughout, this is a great place to do it. I mountain biked here before and have found the trails very challenging. Lots of curves, hills, and dips so be careful especially your first time. Overall, this is a nice hike for the enthusiast but can become a bit challenging for beginners. The main trail is lightly marked with yellow blazes and the biking trails are marked with numbered placards. You can easily do 15 miles if you miss a turn, so don’t go too far out if you can’t make it back. Trails are closed during rain and a few days after as a safety precaution. There are also (2) Porta-Pottys in the parking lot at the beginning of the trail. Great hike on a beautiful fall day ... if you live anywhere within 20 miles of this park, it’ll be worth the trip. See you on the trails !

Dec 01, 2019 at 9am the entrance was locked and unable to hike. It was a rainy morning and after reading reviews appears to be more mountain bike oriented. New trails, new adventures!

The park itself is nice, but the trail is pretty bad. It’s very hard to follow, definitely hasn’t been kept up, and it seems to just stop at some points where based on the map it should keep going. I doubt me and my pup will be coming back.

There were mainly bikers on this trail that didn't tell me they were passing. also the trail map doesn't match the new trail marker colors. It was nice scenery though and saw lots of birds.