Your Guide to Hiking in Charlotte
The Queen City offers its own enviable trails and lush tree canopies, but sometimes you need to get out of town and really immerse yourself in nature.
by Virginia Brown
Here’s a look at some great hikes within a two-hour drive of Uptown Charlotte, in order of closest to farthest. As you’re planning your hike, know that weekdays are best for less-crowded park experiences. Check out our guide for Accessible Pathways to Adventure in Charlotte for even more options.
Reedy Creek Nature Center
Area: University City
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Just outside of Uptown, explore 737 acres of natural habitat at Reedy Creek Nature Center. In addition to a park, the nature center also boasts more than 10 miles of hiking trails that travel through various terrain and offer scenic views of streams, forests and fields. The 3.1-mile Reedy Creek Nature Preserve Trail is an easy loop that’s perfect for viewing the flowers in bloom and also spotting wildlife.
Latta Nature Preserve
Area: Huntersville, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
The 16 miles of waterfront trails and natural scenery are a major draw to Latta Nature Preserve in nearby Huntersville. Begin your hike at the Quest Nature Center to learn about the various flora, fauna and wildlife that call the 1,460-acre preserve home. While most of the trails are easy in difficulty, the five-mile Latta Nature Preserve Trail is a moderate challenge that winds through the area. Follow the trail markings and take in picturesque views of Mountain Island Lake as you make your way on the shaded, tree-covered pathways.
McDowell Nature Center
Area: South Charlotte
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Near the South Carolina border is the McDowell Nature Center, a hub for educational programming and preservation. From the nature center, explore the 1,132 acres of forested terrain along the banks of Lake Wylie from one of the hiking trails. Traverse the outer edge of the preserve on the 4.5-mile trail loop that combines the Cove, Cedar Ridge, Creekside and Chestnut Trails. Take a break on this moderate hike to enjoy the lake’s sandy shoreline.
Crowders Mountain State Park
Area: Kings Mountain, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
One of the closest hiking parks near Charlotte, the 1,705-foot Kings Pinnacle is a quick drive and, at two miles each way, a reasonable hike. From the Visitors Center, follow the orange circle blazes for a peaceful, meandering trail through lowland hardwoods. To the summit, it’s much more strenuous, leading up to a narrow ridge with great views from the highest point in Gaston County. For a longer hike, try the Ridgeline Trail.
Lake Norman State Park
Area: Troutman, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
Man-made Lake Norman, created by Duke Power Company (now Duke Energy) as part of a power project from 1959 to 1964, is the focal point of this popular Charlotte-area park. In 1962, the company donated land to form Lake Norman State Park that offers many nature-filled perks.
For a scenic, moderate stroll around the lake’s beautiful shoreline, follow the white blazes, or red blazes for a shortcut, on the five-mile Lake Shore Trail hike. For a much shorter, easier stroll that’s ideal for children, wheelchair, or stroller accessibility, the Dragonfly Trail is just .25 miles and paved. Along the way, nature displays with interactive panels teach walkers a bit about the plants and animals that call Lake Norman State Park home.
Morrow Mountain State Park
Area: Albemarle, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Start your hike at the parking lot at Lake Tillery to begin the 4.1-mile Fall Mountain Trail loop. The top of Fall Mountain offers great views of Lake Tillery and the surrounding countryside, especially when leaves are off the trees. The path, mostly natural and graveled, also includes a couple of bridges and boulders for added exploration. This trail is best for adults or families without small children. Once nearing the top of Fall Mountain, chestnut oaks, which are common in the Uwharrie Mountains, dominate the ridgelines. Keep your eyes peeled for a bald eagle or osprey.
South Mountains State Park
Area: Connelly Springs, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Difficulty: Strenuous
At South Mountains State Park, the High Shoals Falls Loop crosses the Jacob Fork River and reaches the High Shoals Waterfall, just a mile from the parking lot. But don’t let the distance fool you: the trail leads to notoriously steep steps and crosses the river again before you get to the waterfall. Backpackers or families with children may prefer the more approachable backside of the loop.
Uwharrie National Recreation Trail
Area: Troy, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Scoutmaster Joe Moffitt was a trapper’s son. In 1972, he began blazing a trail to help his Boy Scouts earn their Eagle rank by hiking 50 miles. Catch the Joe Moffitt Trailhead 10 miles west of Troy, on Highways 24 and 27, and walk the rocky terrain in short or long sections. The trail is marked with white blazes and crosses many access points along the 20-mile Uwharrie National Recreation Trail or 11.5-mile Dutchman’s Creek Trail.
Pilot Mountain State Park
Area: Pinnacle, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
Known as “Jomeokee,” or “the Great Guide,” to the area’s early Saura (also known as the Cheraw) Indians, Pilot Mountain served as an unmistakable beacon and navigational landmark to guide Native Americans and European hunters traversing the area. Today, an extensive trail network includes the moderate, yet short, Kid’s Track Trail on the Sassafras Trail that features fun activities for children. Or use the Little Pinnacle Overlook for easy access to the top of Pilot Mountain to capture picture-perfect views on a clear day. The popular Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a nearly 1,200-mile network of footpaths from the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina to the Outer Banks on the coast, passes through Pilot Mountain State Park on three trails: Corridor, Mountain and Grindstone. Looking for an alternative to the peak path? Follow the 1.5-mile Yadkin Islands Trail to the banks of the Yadkin River.
Stone Mountain State Park
Area: Roaring Gap, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
North Carolina’s Stone Mountain State Park is packed with day-hike experiences. More than 18 miles of trails surround the main focal point: a massive dome made of granite. You’ll happen upon Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mountain farm, along the 4.5-mile Stone Mountain Loop Trail. Hikers can also choose to go to a waterfall or the summit without trekking the whole loop. The expansive grounds include plenty of pit stops for picnics.
Hanging Rock State Park
Area: Danbury, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Difficulty: Strenuous
Cascading waterfalls and gorgeous Piedmont scenery await at Hanging Rock State Park, a straight shot north of Charlotte, just before the Virginia state line. The park offers several varied hikes, including the Indian Creek Trail that leads to Window Falls. This waterfall emerges from behind a natural “window” in the rock wall. Hikers can safely peek at the “window” from a railed overlook. While this hike is less than a mile long, it’s a strenuous path that’s well worth the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the north.
Chimney Rock State Park
Area: Chimney Rock, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
Hike up the Hickory Nut Falls Trail and find familiar scenes from the film “The Last of the Mohicans.” This 1.4-mile roundtrip, moderate trail ends at the base of the 404-foot Hickory Nut Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. But this is hardly the only hike in the park. Chimney Rock is also known for its Exclamation Point hike that climbs about 150 vertical feet, as well as the easy, child-friendly Great Woodland Adventure interpretive trail. There is an admission fee for Chimney Rock access. Find four free trails at Rumbling Bald access, Eagle Rock Reserved Parking Area, and in the Chimney Rock Village.
Linville Falls
Area: Linville Falls, N.C.
Travel time from Uptown Charlotte: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Linville Falls, located in the lush Pisgah National Forest, is one of the most impressive waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway. For wow-worthy views of the iconic falls, take the moderate Erwins View Trail or the strenuous Linville Gorge Trail. The wide footpaths here are great for families with kids. Spend a few hours along the area’s 39 miles of trails and you’ll find that there’s more to explore on your next visit.
Article originally written by Virginia Brown. Updates by Arielle Patterson in May 2023.
