Four Mile Creek Greenway
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Four Mile Creek Greenway offers a picturesque and serene escape from urban life, featuring 4 miles of well-maintained, mostly paved or boardwalk paths winding through natural woods. Its unique value lies in providing an accessible nature experience for families, complete with wildlife spotting opportunities and convenient access to essential amenities (restrooms, shops, restaurants) at its exit points.
Key Highlights
- ✓Paths are level, paved, or consist of boardwalks, making them stroller-friendly and accessible for various activities.
- ✓Provides a beautiful and peaceful natural break from surrounding suburbia.
- ✓Offers opportunities to observe diverse wildlife, including herons, other birds, frogs, turtles, and various critters.
- ✓Features public bathrooms available at the end of the path.
- ✓Conveniently located near shops (Pikes Nursery, Starbucks, Trader Joe's) and restaurants at its exit points.
- ✓Described as charming, peaceful, and well-maintained.
Standout Features
- ⭐Smooth, level paved and boardwalk paths for easy walking, running, biking, and stroller use.
- ⭐Rich opportunities for wildlife viewing, making it engaging for children.
- ⭐Availability of public restrooms adds convenience for families.
- ⭐Proximity to major shops (Trader Joe's, Starbucks) and restaurants for pre/post-visit needs.
- ⭐Generally calm and peaceful atmosphere for a relaxing family outing.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Footwear:** Wear appropriate footwear, especially when wet, as boardwalks can be slippery.
- →**Poison Ivy Awareness:** Teach children to stay on the designated paths and avoid touching vines on trees, as many are Poison Ivy.
- →**Snake Vigilance:** Exercise caution, particularly at dusk in Spring and Fall, and be vigilant for snakes (some venomous) warming on the pavement. Instruct children to avoid them.
- →**Weather Prep:** Be aware that parts of the path can get muddy after heavy rain; check forecasts and dress accordingly.
- →**Parking Strategy:** Plan to arrive early, park nearby, or on the street due to limited on-site parking.
- →**Cyclist Awareness:** Be mindful of sharing the path with bicyclists; teach children to be aware of their surroundings and listen for warnings.
- →**Best for Scenery:** Visit in Spring or Fall for the most stunning natural beauty.
- →**Bring Water/Snacks:** While shops are nearby, bringing your own can be convenient for longer walks.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Boardwalks can become slippery when wet, especially with wet leaves present.
- ⚠Poison Ivy vines are common on trees adjacent to the path; caution is advised to stay on the path.
- ⚠Venomous Copperhead snakes (along with similar-looking Corn snakes) may warm themselves on the pavement at dusk in Spring and Fall.
- ⚠Parts of the path can become muddy messes after heavy rain.
- ⚠Parking is limited, often requiring visitors to park nearby or on the street.
- ⚠Some bicyclists do not provide audible warnings, leading to potential close calls with pedestrians.
- ⚠Reviewer noted a need for trash pickup in some areas.
Price & Value
Access to Four Mile Creek Greenway is free, offering excellent value for a well-maintained outdoor activity with amenities like public restrooms and nearby shops/restaurants. There are no mentioned hidden costs.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Paths are level, paved, or boardwalk, making them generally suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. However, boardwalks can be slippery when wet.
- •Public restrooms are available.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No explicit food policy is stated, implying outside food and drinks are allowed, typical for an outdoor greenway. Proximity to Starbucks and Trader Joe's offers convenient options for purchasing snacks/drinks.
🚗Parking Info
- •Parking is limited, often requiring visitors to find street parking or park in nearby areas, despite a recent addition of a 'new parking lot'.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Generally described as 'charming and peaceful' and 'calm', suggesting it is not usually overwhelmingly crowded.
- •Limited parking implies it can get busy enough at times to fill up parking spots.
- •Shared path with bicyclists indicates moderate usage, especially on pleasant days.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No official safety staff or designated first aid stations are mentioned. Safety advice largely comes from reviewer observations.
- •Reviewers highlight natural hazards: slippery boardwalks, presence of Poison Ivy, and potential encounters with venomous Copperhead snakes (especially at dusk in Spring/Fall).
- •A concern was raised regarding some bicyclists not providing audible warnings, indicating a need for pedestrian vigilance on shared paths.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Immediately after heavy rainfall if you want to avoid muddy sections and slippery boardwalks.
- • Dusk in Spring and Fall if you are highly fearful of snakes or have very young, easily distracted children, due to potential copperhead encounters.
- • Peak times (e.g., sunny weekend afternoons) if parking scarcity is a major concern.
- • If your children are prone to wandering off-path and you are concerned about poison ivy exposure.
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Hunt Blatz
a week ago20250426: The Four Mile Creek Greenway is a beautiful break from the surrounding suburbia. The paths level and are paved or are boardwalks. Be mindful that the boardwalks are slippery when wet, particularly when there are wet leaves on the path. Also, stay on the path and do not touch the vines on trees adjacent to the path. Many of these vines are Poison Ivy. Importantly, in the Spring and Fall, snakes might warm themselves on the pavement at dusk. Some are copperheads, which are venomous, and some might be corn snakes, which look similar. Both eat rats, so, please, just avoid the snakes and do not hurt them. On a nice note, you are likely to see tall stilt-legfed birds like herons. Other birds, frogs, turtles, etc., as well. There are public bathrooms at the end, and there are shops like Pikes Nursery, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, and restaurants at the exit points.
Kristina C
3 years agoHaven't been by in a while (probably before the new parking lot)...place is as charming and peaceful as ever. Always some critters to see and if you can find...little spots off the beaten path with more scenic tranquility (be mindful though, stay safe and respect others property).
Patrick Kuretich
2 years agoWhile it wasn’t the prettiest it could be, this was a fun path to run. Would be stunning in fall or spring (if not flooded). Lots of rain had made some parts a muddy mess, but still had fun. Next time I’m in NC with friends I will run this again!
Ankit Chainani
2 years agoBeautiful 4 mile hiking area in the woods Its well maintained. Parking is limited, plan to park nearby or on the street. Cant wait to go here in summer.
Michael N
3 years agoVery nice walk on a fall afternoon. Bicyclists need to be trained better and actually make audible warnings, nearly got clipped twice on one afternoon. Calm and peaceful, overall. Needs some trash pickup.
Contact Information
5803 Bevington Pl, Charlotte, NC 28277, USA
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