Incredible! How have I not known about this beautiful wooded single track meandering through a very…read morecentral part of Charlotte? I came across this trail by chance on an aimless run through Park Road Park and I'm truly glad I did. Seeing a group of deer down in the woods beside the park I caught sight of some red arrows pinned to trees. I found my way onto this part of the trail and quickly felt a smile forming as my run turned into a proper trail run. In no time I was slipping in muddy corners, climbing embankments and narrowly catching my falls over tree roots. The trail felt like a whirlpool spiraling down and back up the hillside. But it ended almost too abruptly back at the far end of the park. I took the path in front of me and found myself on a greenway. It doesn't end there; that's where it actually gets even better. Turn right onto the greenway and take a run less than a mile down the pavement until you see another trail dashing off through the treeline. Without a second thought I took off on this trail and began grinning from ear to ear. Roots and muddy embankments turned into drop offs, full-on ramps, hills, concrete chunks and up to car-sized boulders. You will hug hairpin turns and quickly lose sense of direction. This feels like being lost in nature. Go wild! I'm thinking "What on Earth is this trail?!" After finding myself back on the flat tops near Tyvola Rd. the sun was heading down and I headed back home. After a quick search I found that this is actually a mountain biking tract ranked from Intermediate to Difficult. The entire system stretches nearly 17 miles snaking partly through two large parks and skirting the greenway between them. It's most easily accessed from the parking lot opposite Marion Diehl Park on Tyvola Rd. And yeah, this will be my new trail running grind. I'll just have to keep an ear out for the MTBers.

Greatest trails ever for not having much in elevation…read more This trail kicks my ass! I'm not the only one as there a some Narley dudes that confess 5 of 50. I've been riding these trails every-time I hit Charlotte. Each time I ride a part of this trail. Today I hit the tough 1/3 of the trail. Lots of hops and downs, twists and turns, and cool drops. Don't forget the rock gardens and rocky climbs. And that's only in one third of the trail system. The other sections are so fun too. But the end of section 2 is built for the high flyers. Yes, free riders! Along both sides of the creek are a bunch of table tops, double rollers, and jumps. Even one that flys over the creek. One of my work buddies use to be a motocross rider and his third day on the mountain bike he is jumping everything in sight at the Backyard except the creek jump. But its vexing the kid. It's out of my skill set. He needs a free style mentor. Grab your helmet, gloves, pack, and water. Your in for a cool ride.

A beautiful meandering trail through a suburban Greenway. Most of the trail is either asphalt or…read morewooden slat bridge, so easy to traverse for anyone on 2 feet, with a stroller or on a bicycle. The pathways stretch through a nicely forested area, some of which also has a small stream that snakes through a few communities in Matthews. I came in autumn, and it was lovely to see all the leaves falling and changing colors. Highly recommended!

Living in Charlotte it was a little bit of the drive, but I absolutely loved this park. We went on…read morea Saturday afternoon so the parking lot was packed but we didn't run into that many people on the trail because of how many pathways there are. Very family friendly and great vibes

Nice easy-moderate path. Some bikers occasionally but not too bad on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.read more

This 200 acre park is perfect for communing with nature. Or walking through nature. Or riding your…read moremountain bike through nature. There is plenty of parking and several shady spots for a nice picnic or a rest. Trail condition report: http://www.tarheeltrailblazers.com/ Always hike with a friend! [Review 13412 overall, 731 of 2020.]

I love the dog park here! The fenced area is huge, with trees for shade. The park is well…read moremaintained, with separate areas for large and small dogs. They put gravel in the entrance where the water station is so it doesn't get muddy anymore.

Very nice walking path. Most of the park is in the shade. Cool formations of wood and rocks placed…read morearound the path.

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!

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.

Fantastic wooden playground! My 2 year old loved it. It's all wooden or roped with the exception of…read morethe slides. Bridges, nets, rope climbs throughout! I reallllly appreciate how this playground is designed ie not having multiple cutouts at the very top (so I don't have to worry about my toddler falling). This playground reminds me of the ones I played on way back in the 90s. Lots of parking. Nature center on site. I will be back when in the area!

We were visiting from out of town and needed something for our little ones to do! This playground…read morewas AMAZING! Beautiful area and the playground is 10/10!

Bigleaf Slopes Park was established by an agreement between Iredell County and the Tarheel…read moreTrailblazers. Members of the mountain bike organization approached Iredell County with a proposal to build the trail on County owned property, over the course of 3 years. Over 100 acres of wooded and open-space land that started with a 3.5 mile loop for mountain biking and hiking. In 2017, an additional mile of trail was added and there are plans to extend the total trail to 6 miles. The trailhead parking includes a changing area, a port-a-potty and a bike repair station. I'm not a mountain biker but I did go for a nice bit down the trail to explore. It's quite nice! [Review 14524 overall, 21 of 2021, number 2767 in North Carolina.]