Charlotte is the most populous city in North Carolina and has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country in recent years. It’s a major center for financial institutions and home to research centers and the 30,000 student UNCC campus. With no major waterways or other physical barriers, much of the growth has come through sprawl — in fact, Charlotte is rated among the least ‘walkable’ among U.S. cities. However, that scene has been changing, with a big effort to expand the city’s system of greenways, making for some very nice options for running in Charlotte.
In central (‘Uptown’) Charlotte, a great way to explore the downtown area is our Uptown Parks & Stadiums route. Also in the Uptown area are the Trolley Trail, Stewart Creek Greenway, & Little Sugar Creek Greenway, which includes Freedom Park. Just south of Uptown is some lovely running in posh residential areas, including our Dilworth & Booty Loop routes. In northeast Charlotte south of I-485, there’s excellent running around UNCC Campus & numerous interconnecting greenway trails. In southern Charlotte, there are more greenways, such as McMullen Creek, 4 Mile Creek, Anne Springs Close (great trail running), and the Piedmont Medical Center Trail. Trail runners will also love the 40+ miles of trails at the U.S. Whitewater Center, located 20 miles west of town.
Runner Notes: For getting around, the city is pretty sprawly, but there are trolleys, buses, and an expanding light rail system. Also note that Charlotte’s summers can be brutally hot & humid for running (spring & fall are gorgeous!). Also note there’s a lot of work to improve & expand the greenway system — keep checking back!
