Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest cities within the state’s border. It is popular among visitors for its historic architecture, classic southern charm, urban and contemporary styled alleys and bars, and abundant restaurants. But apart from the city side, there are many opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Hence, thanks to the abundance of natural hiking trails near Charlotte NC.
If you are up for a hike, Charlotte has a great collection of hiking options- most of which are within an hour’s drive! Get ready for hiking in Charlotte NC.
Crowders Mountain State Park – Crowders Trail
Crowders Trails is a popular 2.8-mile one-way trail. It starts at the Linwood Road access, takes you through Crowders State Park, and ends at the Sparrow Springs Access. It is considered a moderately challenging route primarily used for hiking and exploring the natural outdoors.
No entry fee is required, and pets are permitted as long as they are leashed. During your hike, observe the many bird species in the park. You can also admire the wildflowers and mountain laurels lining the trails.
Crowders Mountain State Park – Pinnacle Trail
The Pinnacle Trails is another popular trail that winds through the Crowders Mountain State Park. If you are looking for a hike that is a bit more challenging, this 2-mile trail will do. This trail will lead to the highest point in Gaston just west of Charlotte, at 1,705 feet, called the King’s Pinnacle. While the hike can be challenging, it is well worth the excellent views you enjoy. This makes it one of the best hiking trails near Charlotte NC.
US National Whitewater Center – Ridge Trail
The North Mail Ridge Trail is one of the most beautiful trails at the US National Whitewater Center. It covers 3 miles to and from the ridge between the Whitewater, Catawba, and Long Creek. With consistent changes in elevation, you will find this trail to be highly challenging, especially for a great cardio workout. You will find plenty of mountain bikers nearby, so watch your step! So, are you up for some mountain hiking? If yes, get ready for some best hiking trails near Charlotte NC.
Kings Mountain State Park – Kings Mountain National Recreation Trail
The Kings Mountain National Recreation Trail covers 16 miles in a loop that winds through the hardwood forest past its rolling hills and granite outcrops. It is moderately challenging to surpass. Moreover, it will offer you some gorgeous Kings Mountain State Park sights. It is near the eastern foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
Along the trail is a stream towards the King Mountain Battlefield. It is a historic site commemorating the battles fought during the Revolutionary War.
Latta Plantation Nature Preserve – Gar Creek Trail
The Latta Plantations house the country’s largest nature preserve covering around 1,251 acres. Moreover, housing over 16 miles of trails opens for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and horseback riders. The trails are easy to traverse and perfect for those who want to get some fresh air. You can also explore the preserve’s natural beauty.
Furthermore, enjoy the scenic views of this natural preserve. So, spread through its lakes, forests, and streams. This makes it one of the best spots for hiking trails near Charlotte NC. Dogs are also welcome on the trail but must always be leashed.
Anne Springs Close Greenway – Lake Loop Trail
The Lake Haigler Loop trail at the Anne Springs Close Greenway covers around 1-¼ miles. It also features the Greenway’s best scenic sights. It is a relatively moderate trail that winds around the 28-acre Lake Haigler. Hence, it is perfect for beginners and experts alike. Your kids can also join in on the fun and get the opportunity to see wildlife. Also, play at the water’s edges around the lake.
The Lake Haigler Loop trail is free for official members of the Greenway; nonmembers will have to pay a $12 admission fee for adults and $6 for children.
Fisher Farm Park – Perimeter Trail
The Fisher Farm Park is a great place to go for a hike, perfect for mountain bikers and general explorers. The Fisher Farm Park trail covers roughly 2.11 miles and is considered a generally easy route, perfect for beginners to the hiking scene. It will take around 50 minutes to circle the looped trail fully. Dogs are welcome on the trail but must be leashed at all times.
Backyard Trails – Blue Trail
The BackYard Trail (BYT) is one of Charlotte’s most popular urban trails, covering 5.09 miles. It is considered a generally challenging route and is more frequented by mountain bikers, but it is also used for hiking and general exploring. The trail features sharp uphill and steeps down runs and can be pretty overgrown sometimes, especially after rainfall, so best to watch your step.
Additionally, the trail is open year-round to the public and offers beautiful sights to explore for visitors.
Renaissance Park – Nature Trail
Renaissance Park has a 4.3-mile looped trail, perfect for visiting if you want to get some walking done. It is a moderately challenging route that takes 1.5 hours to complete. Mountain bikers more popularly frequent the trail but are still well-known among hiking enthusiasts in and around Charlotte. The trail welcomes visitors year-round, along with leashed dogs on its premises.
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve – Reedy Creek Trail
The Reedy Creek Trail, nestled within the 737-acre Reedy Creek Nature Preserve, offers diverse terrains and picturesque views of small lakes, fields, streams, and wildlife. The trail is a relatively easy 2.9-mile loop that falls through the preserve’s pine and hardwood forest.
The Reedy Creek Trail connects to sections of the Umbrella Tree Trail, the Big Oak Trail, and the Dragonfly Pond Trail, allowing hikers to customize the length of their hike as they go.
McDowell Nature Preserve – Four Seasons Trail
The Four Seasons Trail is a short 0.37-mile paved loop trail at the McDowell Nature Preserve. Locals around the region frequent this trail for a quick short hike through the wilderness. It is relatively easy to traverse and can be used in both directions. Around the loop, you will find plenty of wildlife, plants, and creeks, giving you the perfect chance to explore the great outdoors.
Morrow Mountain State Park – Morrow Mountain Loop Trail
The Morrow Mountain Loop Trail is a 0.8-mile loop trail at the top of Marrow Mountain at the Morrow Mountain State Park. It is a generally easy route that takes roughly 20 minutes to hike fully.
Hikers and runners frequent the trail throughout the day, enjoying its popularity. Dogs are welcome but must remain leashed with their owners.
Lake Norman State Park – Lake Shore Trail
The Lake Shore Trail is a 5-mile trail at the 2,000-acre Lake Norman State Park. It is a moderately easy hike to traverse, with a few steep hills offering pleasant views of Lake Norman throughout, one of the most frequently visited lakes near Charlotte NC. It takes roughly 2 hours to complete and is the perfect place to go if you seek a fun, engaging, straightforward hiking trails near Charlotte NC.
The trail is open for hiking year-round and is open for dogs as well.
Seven Oaks Preserve Trail
The Seven Oaks Preserve Trail is a looped trail covering around 4.9 miles that carries through the Seven Oaks Preserve. Here hikers can enjoy the serene views, hardwood forests, and natural wildflowers around the region. This trail is moderate, covering around 2.8 miles one way if you want to cut your hike short.
Along the trail, you will also come across the banks of Lake Wylie, housed within the preserve, where you can take in incredible views of the lake.
South Fork Trail At Mountain Island Lake
The South Fork Trail is an easy, flat, out-and-back trail covering 2 miles each way. It carries along the South Fork of the Catawba River near Charlotte. The hike is particularly enjoyable for those who want to explore the riverside and see how its calm waters transform into a choppy, rocky river within a short distance. Mature trees shade the entirety of this trail during the summary-springtime months.
The South Fork Trail at Catawba River is popular among hikers, fishers, and mountain bikers and is open year-round for exploration.
Rocky Branch Trail
Rocky Branch Trail is an urban trail running through the heart of Belmont near Charlotte, perfect for hikers, runners, and biking enthusiasts. It covers a total of 1.25 miles and is easy and entertaining enough to navigate for beginners and more experienced hikers alike. Experience the entirety of the trail enveloped by shading trees, with several extensions of single-track mountain bike trails running alongside it.
Lake Norman State Park – Alder Trail
The Alder Trail in North Norman State Park covers a total of 0.9 miles as a looped pathway. It takes a short 20-minute hike to complete fully and is easy enough for beginners. Like most trails, leashed dogs are also allowed to accompany your hike.
Moreover, the trail is also perfect for birding enthusiasts who want to spot the many species that inhabit the park’s alders and pines sprouting near the lakeshore.
Colonel Francis Beatty Park – Horse Trails Loop
At the heart of Colonel Francis Beatty Park lies the Main Loop Trail, also called the Colonel Francis Beatty Park Loop. It runs for 4.3 miles and is considered a moderately difficult trail. The trail features scenic views of the 12-acre manmade lake the park houses amidst passing fields and a crossing creek. The trail is open year-round and welcomes leashed dogs as well.
Sherman Branch Trail
Running for 11.6 miles, the Sherman Branch Trail is one of the closest trails to Charlotte, making it one of the top spots for hiking near Charlotte NC. This is a somewhat tight trail with plenty of twists and manmade obstacles that will make your hike challenging and enjoyable. Along the trail, climbing ladders, berms, bridges, jumps, log jams, and other features add up to 600 feet of climbing. The trail is perfect for biking enthusiasts as well.
Jetton Park Trail- Lake Loop Trail
The Jetton Park Trail is a short, fully paved trail that forms a loop within Jetton Park. It covers 1.4 miles and is the perfect place to head if you are up for a quick and easy hike. The hiking trail offers scenic views of beautiful Lake Norman, making the trip more enjoyable. Plenty of benches dotting the areas around the trail allow for easy resting as you enjoy the lake views.
McDowell Nature Preserve – Lake Wylie Trail
The McDowell Nature Preserve is a 1,100-acre park on the banks of Lake Wylie, one of the most beautiful and frequented lakes in Charlotte NC. It houses nine trails that offer 7 miles of hiking in Charlotte NC, many of which give you scenic views of Lake Wylie.
Many visitors join the Cove, Cedar Ridge, Creekside, and Chestnut Trail to form a 4.47-mile loop, a moderately challenging route that will take roughly 2 hours to cover. You can also cut your hike much shorter by sticking to any one of the trails.
North Mecklenburg Park – Torrence Creek Greenway Trail
The Torrence Creek Greenway Trail is a 1.8-mile paved greenway for hiking and biking near Charlotte, NC. It is a generally easy route to traverse, taking an average of 50 minutes. The trail will take you through pleasant meadows, woodlands, and wetlands, making your hiking experience more enjoyable. This trail is considered a part of the Carolina Thread Trail that ranges through two states and 15 counties.
Rankin Lake Park – Rankin Lake Trail
Rankin Lake Park is a community landmark in Gaston County near Charlotte, NC, home to the 1.9-mile Rankin Lake Trail. The trail is hard to traverse and takes roughly 30 minutes to complete. It covers a loop around the 80-acre Rankin Lake, offering beautiful sights of its blue waters, fishing pier and boat dock, and the plentiful wildlife surrounding it.
Pharr Family Preserve – Little Creek Trail
The Pharr Family Preserve near the banks of the Rocky River houses the popular 1.7-mile Pharr Family Preserve Trail. It features an out-and-back walking and hiking trail that winds through the 66 acres of land protected under the Catawba Lands Conservancy.
Hikers can experience the beautiful diversity of over 48 different species of trees and observe wild shrubs and herbaceous flowers in bloom. The forest is also perfect for wildlife exploration, home to various birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden – Seven Oak Trail
The Seven Oaks Preserve Trail is a 2.6-mile loop trail passing through the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens near Belmont, North Carolina. The trail takes an average of 50 minutes to complete and is generally easy to navigate. You will love the breathtaking scenic views the wood and wildlife offer around the trail. You might even spot a few deer here and there!
To make your hike more rewarding, you can stop by the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens and see their beautiful orchids in bloom.
Cane Creek Park – Cane Creek Trail
The Cane Creek Mountains are part of a new nature park that acts as a natural heritage site for visitors to explore. Within lies a 1.6-mile section of the Carolina Thread Trail, officially called the Cane Creek Trail. The hike is relatively easy to traverse, making it perfect for beginners. You will also love the natural and scenic environment the park provides year-round. Besides hiking, the park is a popular hotspot for biking, fishing, and horseback riding.
Catawba Creek Trail
The Avon and Catawba Creek Trail or Greenway is a 1.9-mile trail that winds along the Catawba and Avon Creeks near Charlotte. This Greenway is paved and lined with mature trees on each side, with small bridge crossings here and there, but it is particularly easy to cover.
You will also find small benches around the Greenway where you can settle down and catch your breath during your hike or explore the natural beauty of the creeks.
Raptor Trail At The Carolina Raptor Center
The Raptor Trail is a 0.75-mile walking trail within the Carolina Raptor Center – a zoological facility that houses and displays over 30 birds of prey. The trail is open every day from 10 am to 4 pm but will require an admission fee for entry. It is generally an easy looped trail you can cover in around 15 minutes. During your hike, observe many raptors the facility houses, including eagles, owls, vultures, falcons, and more.
Carolina Thread Trail – Clark’s Creek Nature Preserve
The Clarks Creek and Mallard Creek Greenway are one of the longest greenways around Charlotte, stretching for more than 7.4 miles. It is an official part of the Cross Charlotte Trail, and 5.7 miles between both greenways are part of the Carolina Thread Trail. These greenways are perfect for exploring year-round, during which you will find various birds and the notable white-tailed deer jittering around.
Irwin Creek Greenway
The Irwin Creek Greenway is a 2-mile white paved greenway near uptown Charlotte. It runs along Irwin Creek and Stewart Creek, starting from Ray’s Splash Planet. Once you reach I-77, the trail shifts onto the Steward Creek Greenway. Both greenways are part of the Carolina Thread Trail. The Irwin Greenway, in particular, is a relatively easy trail to cover and is perfect for hiking, running, walking, and biking.
Long Creek Trail
The Long Creek Park Trail is a 4.7-mile trail near Pfafftown, North Carolina. It is a somewhat challenging trail that loops around Long Creek Park and takes roughly 2 hours to complete. Sections of the trail are paved, while in other spots, it crosses hilly areas and overwater bridges. It is perfect for hiking, walking, and running – especially if you plan to take your dog out.
Ridgeline Trail at Mountain Island Educational State Forest
The Mountain Island Educational State Forest is one of the few educational state forests around North Carolina, perfect for families with kids. You can take your kids for an outdoor educational experience and join the many trails within the forest. There are longer hiking trails for individuals and families to explore freely, each equally entertaining and engaging.
Rob Wallace Park – Wallace Trail
The Rob Wallace Park Loop Trail is a 2.5-mile loop trail near Charlotte, North Carolina. It is a generally easy route for hiking, running, biking, and general exploring. During your hike, you will find plenty of pleasant green spaces and natural habitats, a boardwalk, fishing ponds, and play areas spread around the 143-acre park. Dogs are also welcome on the trails but must be kept leashed with the owner.
Stallings Park – Stallings Park Trail
The Stalling Park Trail is a 0.7-mile trail loops around the Stallings Municipal Park. The trail is fully paved, smooth, and relatively flat, making it easy to traverse. Most visitors should cover its entirety in a short 13-minute hike. Moreover, the route is popular among the locals for walking, running, and biking and is open year-round for exploration.
Planning A Hike Near Charlotte, NC?
North Carolina has many greenways and trails in and around Charlotte. Each trail will offer stunning views of this state’s natural beauty and charm. The next time you plan a hike around Charlotte, check out any of the destinations we have listed above!
