So many different play areas! I love the indoor nature center and the wonderful natural (and gated)…read more"treehouse" area outside of that. There are two playgrounds that are completely different from each other. One is a "Panther's Training Center" theme and the other is a more traditional playground with a toddler and 5-12 play area. The trails are wonderful. I took my little dude out for a trail run in his stroller and trails were nicely kept but natural enough to feel "away from it all".

super lost. literally rn. me and my friend went on a 30 minute run. it has become a hour and 30…read moreminute run because we are completely lost. they dont have a trail map, they dont have a map on apple maps or google maps, they dont have a number to call or a park ranger to contact. what if one of us got severely hurt while lost how would we get help? this is actually ridiculous. and when i did call the number they have listed its just to make appointments. i said F it and tried to talk to someone atleast. when i mentioned talking to a park ranger they gave me a attitude and said "we dont give out park rangers numbers" and the proceeds to give me the number to call, which was the same number i had just called. so thanks. i really appreciate the help. we have been lost for a hour, dehydrated and exhausted. its cool tho we men, we will figure it out thanks to no body.

The park was completely under construction when we visited several months ago. It was in the winter…read morethough, so hopefully that's wrapped up now. I really like that this park connects to the South Fork Catawba River Greenway. It's pretty short, but a nice walk. It also connects to the town of Cramerton and another section of the Carolina Thread Trail down by the Catawba River. I'm sure the park itself is also really nice when it's not under construction. I definitely recommend checking out the trails that connect to it too.

Operated by the City of Cramerton (which I think I've never heard of), Goat Island Park features a…read more3/4 mile paved surface trail, observation pier, two canoe/kayak landings, picnic shelters, disc gold course and an open air amphitheater. The park has been open since 2012 and is in excellent condition. The park is 30 acres with hardwoods, vegetation and wetlands. It gets the interesting name from the town's founder, Stuart Cramer, who released goats onto the island to control the weeds dating back to as early as 1910. There is a good amount of parking near one of the cool pedestrian bridges and at one of the trailheads. [Review 12586 overall, 2378 of 2019.]

It is a very nice park and I have been here several times. The most impressive thing to me is the…read moreamount of turtles they have in the pond. It's incredible! I love sitting and reading while the docks and dragonflies come and go around me. Very family friendly.

Serene, family friendly park with disc golf, workout stations, playgrounds, and even a greenway…read more Great spot for a quick run/bike ride!

What a day! My sister and I took on this mountain, and it took us 4 HOURS to finish the trail! This…read morehike was no joke. At one point, my sister was literally pushing me with a stick to keep me going. She asked me several times if I wanted to quit...I said, "Hell naw! I'm finishing this shit!" The climb to the summit was brutal, but the views were absolutely incredible and made every painful step worth it. I was SORE the next day, but hey... I finished!

Awesome hiking!!!…read more Be prepared for mountains, as described 'Crowders Mnt' Weekends are high traffic. Lots of people getting exercise. They have bathrooms at the visitors center and do sell refreshments inside.

I have to admit, I was dragged out for this walk, but it quickly turned into a beautiful,…read moreunexpectedly perfect start to our day. The air had that wonderful, crisp feel--ideal for a brisk walk. The energy here is fantastic: we felt a calm, welcoming vibe from every dog walker, couple, and team we passed. It truly felt like a community enjoying the morning. The path takes you right past the University of North Carolina Charlotte's campus, where the early fall colors are already starting to show--a gorgeous transition from the hot summer.

Wanting to stretch our legs and have a cup of coffee to start the morning, I yelped local parks…read more Yelp guided us from Starbucks in University City over to Mallard Creek Greenway, about 5 mins away. The directions lead you to a parking lot with ample parking. Once you enter the greenway everything gets incredibly lush. The walkway is paved and is wide enough that you can walk side by side and another couple can pass comfortably. The greenway is also well kept and free of litter. We walked all the way down to the University, tried out some outdoor fitness equipment and headed back to the car. It was Monday but the walkway was still humming with people walking and biking. The Mallard Creek Greenway is an excellent choice for a morning walk.

This large park isn't much for playgrounds but the wide open space makes for four or five soccer…read morefields and that's pretty cool. There is a decent sized parking lot that's great for stashing your vehicle while you walk or bike the Clark's Creek or Mallard Creek Greenways. There is a lovely bridge over the creek, though it's temporary closed because it needs maintenance. [Review 12976 overall, 292 of 2020.]

Wanted to go for a jog the other day and didn't quite feel like driving over to Concord so I…read morewhipped out the old smartphone. I found this place by simply putting "parks near me" into Google. Sure enough this place is less than 10 minutes away and I had no idea it even existed. It's a cute little park with one big soccer field, a decent sized parking lot and two (connected) trails. The trail on the right is actually one end of the Mallard Creek Greenway. Off the top of my head I'm not sure how far up that goes but I've been on other portions of it before so I know it goes well into Charlotte. The path on the left is the reason I like this park so much. It is simultaneously the best and worst feature of this place. Why is it the best? This path goes for about a half mile back in to the woods on a massive wooden bridge/boardwalk. Most of the time your only maybe three feet off the ground, though the portion over the creek is probably twenty feet from bridge to creek bed. Despite this, the way the trees and terrain are layed out, if your running down the path looking straight ahead it's almost like your running through tree tops. It's really neat. The reason it's also the worst feature is the state this wonderfully cool bridge is in. It's all wooden and a lot of the boards could use some love. Several spots near the start have been worn significantly enough that you need to watch your footing when running. There are also a few places with boards missing completely from the railing and I'm pretty sure at least one piece had some nails sticking up. It's a shame it isn't better taken care of, but I assume this place just doesn't get the traffic to justify better maintenance. I think it's still worth a visit for the great little hidden trails, just keep your eyes open and your feet steady if you plan to run.

Gorgeous views, peaceful, quiet. Good for nature watching, walks/runs, bike rides with special…read morelanes. Still a lot of build in place, but so much already done. Took a 2 hour walk without circling back, but there is a shorter outer path as well. Nice wildflowers and creeks.

Great park. Been there over last 8 years. Haven't been is last few months until today. They have…read morelet everything overgrow except a small swath where the paved walking path goes. My dog did not veer very far off the path. But brought home about 2 dozen ticks. They should mow a wider path so dog owners can walk dogs without fear of ticks. Weeds and grass way too tall and tick infested.

This is a small hidden park in Davison. If you drive too quickly down Jetton, you'll miss it! The…read morenature preserve and the path that leads into it are tucked right behind Davidson Day School. There's a good amount of parallel parking on the street right by the entrance. The Town of Davidson rents some kayak storage here, and they also rent out boats a few days a week for $20 for a couple hours. Quite a steal! Perhaps the best part is that you can bring your own boat and launch for free. Fair warning- The path is about 900 feet long, and is not even. The launch point is also muddy, so be sure you have the right shoes on! The views on the water are beautiful. On one side you can see (and hear) I-77, but the other side has small coves and lots of trees to see. Great spot for a little bit of kayaking or stand up paddle boarding!

Located near where I-77 crosses over Lake Norman, this large nature preserve features a few walking…read moretrails that will bring you in a loop from Jetton Street down to the lake side. You'll find a few kayak and paddleboard launch spots and several racks of them that are stored here. They are also available for rent from the Town. The preserve is far enough from the highway that you will hear almost no vehicle noise. The trails are quite rough with exposed roots and fallen trees. This is not handicapped accessible. There are a few benches scattered about including some that face the water. That's where I sat with my takeout lunch today to enjoy being near the water. Entrance to the park is at the west side along Jetton Street behind the Davidson Day School. There is absolutely no access from Spinnaker Court. There is free street parking on both sides of the roadway. Always walk with a friend! [Review 13399 overall, 718 of 2020.]