The weather is cooler, the decorative gourds are out, and the Renaissance Festival is back in town. Fall has arrived. So, too, have fall colors…as if you needed one more excuse to ditch work and head to the mountains. Fortunately, Charlotte offers a perfectly respectable dose of seasonal leaves. Read on to discover our favorite autumn walks in Charlotte.
Freedom Park
Massive trees—check. Seven-acre lake—check. Walking trails—check. Welcome, Charlotte, to your new favorite playground.
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve
Step into the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve and you’ll immediately forget that you are actually still in the city. Ten miles of hiking trails wind through this 727-acre, wooded preserve. Prepare for a veritable feast of fall beauty.
McAlpine Creek Greenway
Time your visit to the McAlpine Creek Greenway correctly and you might be able to catch sight of a migrating bird species or a Great Blue Heron, in addition to some phenomenal fall colors, of course. Three different surfaces comprise the trails in this south Charlotte getaway, including gravel, asphalt, and boardwalk.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
Over 20 miles of trails, some of which line the Catawba River and most of which are ensconced in oaks, elms, and maples are accessible through entry to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The best news? You’ll be safe from the amoebas, which can’t survive on dry land.
Little Sugar Creek Greenway
Opt for the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and decide just how nature-y you want to get. The Greenway totals 18 miles, 1.2 of which pass through urban areas, so you can get some of the flora without the fauna, except an occasional squirrel.
Marshall Park
Tucked into the corner of South McDowell and East Third, Marshall Park offers Second Ward residents and workers a little nugget of natural beauty. A reflecting pool, a fountain, and an open grassy slope make Marshall Park prime sunset-watching and leaf-gazing territory.
