The Charlotte Greenways- Nature in the Heart of the Queen City

By Andrew Jones- Andrew is a guest blogger writing from his home in South Charlotte.

Imagine waking up one Saturday morning in Charlotte, NC and in a flash, you grab your bicycle, head down your driveway and within minutes, youve left your suburban neighborhood, and headed down a wide, well-maintained, dirt trail that winds through lush forest. You can ride for 10, 20, or even 30 miles, and never have your trip interrupted by automobile traffic. And yet, for the whole time, you are never more than a few minutes from civilization. This is what is in store for Charlotte in the near future. The Mecklenburg County Greenway System is already one of the jewels in the Queen City. All over Charlotte, there are miles and miles of trails, boardwalks, and paved pathways that provide a natural habitat for local wildlife- and solitude for anyone looking to escape the constant din of the city. The Greenways stretch from Pineville, near the South Carolina border, through the center of Uptown, the University Area, and almost to Lake Norman. The Greenways are easy to miss if you dont know where to look so carefully have these refuges been woven into the surrounding urban environment that. Today, there are more than 33 miles of trails in 11 separate parks. Plans are in the works to open more than half a dozen new greenways, as well. Moreover, many of these parks will eventually be linked together, making it possible to hike, jog, or ride your bicycle uninterrupted through the whole system, from one end of town to the other. Each Greenway has its own distinct features and atmosphere; some that are primarily woodsy, and others that feature open meadows, wetlands, or dramatic rock outcroppings. All areas are full of plant and animal life, including some species that are rarely seen so close to a major city. For example, the McAlpine Creek Greenway is home to beavers, otters and minks, while the Sugar Creek Greenway provides a habitat for Gulf Coast soft-shell turtles. A huge variety of birds also call the greenways home. Feel free to bring along your binoculars or a camera, to get a better look at the action.

The Charlotte greenways are open from dawn till dusk, seven days a week, all year round. Each park is situated so that it directly borders residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and major city landmarks. Many subdivisions have direct access trails into the system. All areas are open to foot, bicycle, and wheelchair traffic, as well as to skaters and skateboarders. Just keep in mind that some areas can be quite muddy after a hard rain.

Dogs are welcome, as long as they are leashed, and their owners pick up after them. Many parks feature picnic areas, playgrounds, and free parking.

The Greenways are cared for and maintained by the Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department. For more information, complete with detailed maps, visit Mecklenburg County Greenways . Two easy access points are off Highway 51 across from McMullen Creek Parkway (McMullen Creek Greenway), and at the corner of Davidson Street and Parkwood Avenue adjacent to the YWCA & Belmont Center (Little Sugar Creek Greenway). 

Moving to Charlotte? Considering a Move? Call me, Terry, about these or any other homes in the greater Charlotte area at 704-351-1519 or Search All Charlotte Homes , for that perfect home in Charlotte.

Related Posts

Search Charlotte Homes-By Area

Home Prices Rise in South Charlotte in First Quarter of 2008

Myers Park Homes for Sale- Over $1M

http://www.charlotterealestatehomesandcondos.com/003AAE

Here are my slides from the weekend, the Festival was great. Enjoy. Mark you r calender for next year.

http://www.charlotterealestatehomesandcondos.com/002161

The first and third Fridays each month-- visit music and art during extended gallery hours, 3200 block of North Davidson, for details visit noda.org

http://www.charlotterealestatehomesandcondos.com/00214C

Charlotte Shout, a month long Welcome to Charlotte event, began Wednesday but the real fun starts this weekend with a host of free events- free museums, and the 30th annual Yiasou Greek Festival on East Blvd through Sunday night. Here is the rundown of free museums for Saturday, 9/8: Discovery Place (from 9am -11am) Levine Museum of the New South Charlotte Museum of History Community School of the Arts McColl Center for Visual Art Charlotte Raptor Center (10-12am) Historic Latta Plantation Also in Charlotte Shout is the Charlotte Film Festival - kids day Sunday 9/9 -1pm at the Light Factory. Later in the month there's a Jazz Festival, Art in the Park (very large exhibition of local artists at Freedom Park for a week) and an International day at UNCC. Those are just the highlights, check out full details at the Charlotte Cultural Guide. A great family day? Start at Discovery Place for 1-2 hours and enjoy the acclaimed hands- on science museum, walk a block or two at most to the Levine Museum of the New South to help understand exactly what is the New South and Charlotte's place in it, and afterwards head over to ImagineOn-another 1-2 blocks and the fantastic technology oriented nationally recognized children's library across from Bobcat stadium. You can budget an hour, but most kids can stay longer. Then, time for some food? Why not head to the Greek Festival on East Blvd--Greek dancers await, great food and of course home made Baklava... if that's too much make Imagine-On another day, it is free all the time and there is easy free parking beneath the building. Our whole family have been to the Greek Festival many times- it is a great party with lots of things going on to keep almost everyone's interest, from kiddy rides to teen dancers, crafts and other fun things to do, each year they try and "out-do the previous year" - we'll be there Saturday night I am sure. Discount tickets are usually available at Harris Teeter. If you are near Imagine-On you might see them testing the Lynx, the light rail. Next year- maybe later in the month- you will be able to take a train over to Dilworth and walk to the Greek Festival. See you in Charlotte! terry

http://www.charlotterealestatehomesandcondos.com/00214A

I took the kids, a couple of "boy-girl friends" and off we went for our 5:00 adventure at the US National White Water Center. The sun was getting low, the temperature about 85 degrees, I enjoyed the look on my son Andrew's face- as I had watched Bobby, Amy and Judy's before him-- the look of awe. You really can't describe this place until you have seen it, and even then words and pictures don't do it justice. There was a gentle breeze and a good crowd filled the waters and viewing decks. We went through the training- I was concerned that the "newbies" didn't get the full training, since we were veterans it was cut a little short-- little did I know I'd have the ride of my life. Surfing in "Biscuits and Gravy" was a great way to work the water and our guide knew how to get us there. Body surfing through the rough stuff was yet to come. I've decided the only thing that would have made it more fun was if I'd spent a bit more time in the boat-- this just wasn't my day. The first may have been the best, falling in slow motion at one of the first gates on the big run in front of most of the spectators. I may have been sitting too far out, but it really didn't matter as there are no exits, or eddy's for a long way, an no matter what the reason, I wasn't getting back in for a while. Here I am catching a breath before I rolled and tumbled again- --feet first almost the whole way, down the chute and thought it can't last long-- and soon enough I was standing on the side in the big lake, the boat out ahead. Exhausted, scared a bit, and banged up more. I've thought about it a lot and come up with no good answers. That was the first of three trips in, two quick dips on the other side, our momentum shifted rapidly, the boat went one way and I went another... once in Biscuits and Gravy, once just below, and by then I'd almost had enough. I insisted on another run through the big stuff, we made it perfectly without incident, not even close to leaving the boat and that was that It's left me tired, bruised and banged up, but none the worse for wear. I'll tighten up the core muscles to give me just a bit more pull, I'll sit a little closer in on the boat edge, and I'm going again in a few weeks. It is just too much fun and too much a challenge to let go.

http://www.charlotterealestatehomesandcondos.com/002148