The leaves are turning, which in our house means it’s time to head west for some hiking and scenery admiration. Hiking is one of my favorite hobbies, and Charlotte is a great place to live for a hiker, or anyone who loves the outdoors. Within easy driving distance for adventurous daytrips are multiple mountainous state parks. Favorites include Crowders Mountain, South Mountains, and Morrow Mountain in North Carolina and Kings Mountain and Table Rock in South Carolina. The Pinnacle Trail at Crowders Mountain is no joke—don’t let the short, 2-mile distance fool you, but the views from the top are amazing.
Road runners looking for soft ground and a peaceful atmosphere often seek out McAlpine Creek Park and Greenway (home of a collegiate cross country course) and McMullen Creek Greenway—both located in South Charlotte. If you are an ambitious trail runner looking for a challenge, head east to Morrow Mountain for the Run the Valley half-marathon (they also have a 5K and 10K) and west to Black Mountain for the Downhill at Dawn half-marathon. My husband completed the Morrow Mountain half-marathon several years ago, and I cheered for him at the finish line as I drank hot chocolate from a cute coffee shop I found in downtown Albemarle while he made his way to the top and back down.
If hiking is not your deal, but you still crave some mountain views, head west for a couple of hours and spend a little time in beautiful Asheville, NC before you hop onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Home to the Biltmore Estate, Asheville is a great college town chock full of art, fantastic restaurants, and romantic bed and breakfasts. If you want to get crafty, stop in the Asheville Glass Center and take a lesson in glass blowing from my friend Alex Greenwood.
Day trip too much to consider for the weekend, but you still want to get outdoors? Never fear—Charlotte has a lot to offer right in its backyard. The Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department is home to over 200 parks and facilities located on more than 17,600 acres of parkland throughout Mecklenburg County. The US National White Water Center offers mountain biking, trail running, kayaking, climbing walls and more. If you prefer an indoor rock climbing experience, visit Inner Peaks.
Prefer the ocean to the mountains? That is just one of the beautiful advantages to living in Charlotte. Quick trip west or north and you’re well above sea level, but head east a couple of hours until the map turns blue and you can enjoy soft sand and the sound of waves crashing on a Carolina shore. More about that later.