Hidden Gems: Charlotte NC and Beyond Series Overview
Some of the most unique outdoor adventures take place at your lesser-known spots. This series of articles aims to give you the inside scoop about some of my favorite places to be outside of my travels. Whether you’re down to hike, bike, run, or just enjoy the fresh air, this series is for you. These locations are based around the Charlotte NC metro region (where I grew up), but I will bring it spots that are more of a day trip or weekend getaway.
I hope you enjoy this series. Please always remember to leave these areas better than you found them. It’s up to us as individuals to conserve these beautiful spots. Thank you!
Mountain Creek Park at Sherrills Ford, NC
Drive down NC-150 through Mooresville and you’ll probably get stuck in traffic. It’s not a pleasurable experience. Everyone is eager to get where they want to be in the massive automobile blaring hot fumes throughout. But, if you continue west just a bit farther to Sherrills Ford, you’ll find some gems. Take a right off of 150 onto Little Mountain Rd. Keep driving for a few minutes and you’ll come upon the start-of-the-art Mountain Creek Park!
This fairly new park opened in 2021, features 606 acres of beautiful pine forest and almost 20 miles of mountain biking and multi-use trails. It’s personally one of my most enjoyable parks in the area and I’m willing to make the drive to enjoy it. At one point, I used to live in Sherrills Ford, just a 5-minute drive away. But, the traffic was unbearable for my commute.
Mountain Creek Park features a wide array of activities for almost anyone. I’ll name a few here:
- Stroll along the paved greenway for a leisurely walk
- Fish from the pier, enjoying the diverse wildlife on the water
- Launch your kayak in the shallow flats and enjoy a peaceful section of Lake Norman
- Hit the trails on your mountain bike getting some thrill
- Hike back to the deep parts of the park for quiet solitude
- Bring your furry friend to their massive dog park
As you can see, there are multiple enjoyable activities for you to partake in at this park. More than I can talk about in this article. So, I’ll focus on my favorite activities and give you the inside scoop
Mountain Biking
Hitting the trails in my brand-new Trek bike originally brought me to this park. I had just moved to Sherrills Ford and was a bit lost on where to get outdoors. To my luck, Mountain Creek Park was just 5 minutes drive away.
The almost 20 miles of trails at Mountain Creek Park feature various levels of difficulty. Most trails with a green rating at fairly straightforward. Some twists and turns, small hills and rocks here and there. Your blue and black sections can feature some major drops, heavy rock terrain, and quick winding turns. However, most of the trails feature this awesome packed clay surface that’s a joy to ride on.
There are two main areas to enter the trail system. Either the main parking lot on the hill when you enter the park or at the back of the park near the lake. Either is fine, but towards the back of the park is generally more quiet. Both entrance trails will bring you to the same spot. One thing to note. The trails here close when it rains and can stay closed for many days depending on the conditions. Check the trail status here.
Once you ride down the trails for either parking lot, you can take Oh Deer! to Sherrills Pass which will lead you to the second map just before a big drop. Head down the drop, across the creek, and then follow the signs onto Loblolly Loop. This scenic ride will take you through the pine forests to the main creek crossing. Here, you will enter the main trail system of the park. Here you can take Wampus Way to the main trail hub. Or, my personal favorite, take Mt. Creek Loop around the perimeter of the park. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Kayaking
Mountain Creek Park is one of the best places to kayak in the Sherrills Ford area. Tucked back in a deep cove, many boats do not venture up here. Plus, when the water is high, you can paddle up Mountain Creek itself. This makes for a peaceful day on the water.
When you arrive at the park, the launch area is your main place to get into the water. There is also a mini path down to the water if you don’t want to take the stairs at the launch. Once you launch, there is a main “bay” area you can paddle around. This area is generally very shallow and muddy, so be careful not to get stuck. If you head toward the left on the launch, this will take you further into the coves and eventually up the creek. On hot days, I recommend heading back here as it’s covered with shade.
If you head to the right of the launch, you’ll be heading out towards Lake Norman. Houses and their docks line the way here. This is the perfect spot to paddle if you want to do some fishing. But, there is not much wild land this way. Mostly people’s property. Although, it will be fairly quiet compared to most of Lake Norman.
Bringing the Family
If you are looking for a chill day outside, Mountain Creek Park is full of activities for the whole family. Take the paved greenway through the trees, play at the tennis court, let the kids have fun at the playground, or even bring your dogs to the dog park. There is enough for everyone to enjoy a full day here.
I love using the dog park in particular. There’s a large dog park and a small dog park. The key factor is that these parks are massive! Your pup will have fun running around endlessly!
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy the park!
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