Overview Map Key
Center City
3 Irwin Creek and Stewart Creek Greenway
North of Charlotte
7 Latta Plantation: Piedmont Prairie Trail & Mountain Island Lake Loop
8 South Mountains State Park: High Shoal Falls Trail
9 South Mountains State Park: River Trail
10 Torrence Creek Greenway East
11 University Research Park Trail
East of Charlotte
12 Morrow Mountain State Park: Fall Mountain Trail
13 Morrow Mountain State Park: Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
15 Reedy Creek Nature Preserve: Dragonfly Pond Loop
16 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens
17 Uwharrie National Forest: Badin Lake Trail
18 Uwharrie National Forest: Birkhead Mountains Wilderness Trail
South of Charlotte
19 Cane Creek Park: Northern Red Loop Trail
20 Cane Creek Park: Southern Trails
21 McAlpine Creek Greenway Loop
22 McAlpine Creek Park: Pond Loop
23 McDowell Nature Preserve: Trail Combo 1
24 McDowell Nature Preserve: Trail Combo 2
West of Charlotte
25 Crowders Mountain State Park: Lake Loop
26 Crowders Mountain State Park: Trail Combo
27 Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
28 Kings Mountain National Military Park: Battlefield Trail
29 Kings Mountain State Park: Historic Farm Trail
30 Kings Mountain State Park: Trail Combo
31 U.S. National Whitewater Center: Lake Loop
32 U.S. National Whitewater Center: North Main Trail
NEARLY 4 MILES OF TRAILS WIND ALONG THE LAKESHORE AND THROUGH THE FORMAL GARDENS OF BEAUTIFUL JETTON PARK.
Five-Star Trails Charlotte
Your Guide to the Area’s Most Beautiful Hikes
Copyright © 2012 by Joshua Kinser
All rights reserved
Published by Menasha Ridge Press
Distributed by Publishers Group West
Printed in the United States of America
First edition, first printing
Edited by Amber Kaye Henderson
Cover design by Scott McGrew
Text design by Annie Long
All photographs by Joshua Kinser unless otherwise noted
Cartography and elevation profiles by Joshua Kinser and Scott McGrew
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kinser, Joshua.
Five-star trails : Charlotte : your guide to the area’s most beautiful hikes / Joshua Kinser.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-0-89732-888-3
ISBN-10: 0-89732-888-4
eISBN: 978-0-89732-949-1
1. Hiking—North Carolina—Charlotte—Guidebooks. 2. Trails—North Carolina—Charlotte—Guidebooks. 3. Charlotte (N.C.)—Guidebooks. I. Title.
GV199.42.N662C55 2012
796.5109756—dc23
2012030982
Menasha Ridge Press
P.O. Box 43673
Birmingham, AL 35243
Disclaimer
This book is meant only as a guide to select trails in and near Charlotte, North Carolina, and the greater metropolitan area. This book does not guarantee hiker safety in any way—you hike at your own risk. Neither Menasha Ridge Press nor Joshua Kinser is liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death that result in any way from accessing or hiking the trails described in the following pages. Please be especially cautious when walking in potentially hazardous terrains with, for example, steep inclines or drop-offs. Do not attempt to explore terrain that may be beyond your abilities. Please read carefully the introduction to this book, as well as further safety information from other sources. Familiarize yourself with