Charlotte Hiking Trails - 90 mins or less from CLT

Want some outdoor time in the Charlotte area? This guide has the best hiking trails within 90 minutes of Charlotte, NC. Check out what the Piedmont region of North + South Carolina can offer. (And yes, there ARE actual hikes, with elevation!!⛰) I've hiked in or on every single one of these parks/forests/trails, so they have all been ✅APPROVED✅ by me. Trails range from just under 2 miles to 5+ miles. Some hikes offer high elevation exchanges, others are more level. All hikes offer LOTS of outdoor time!! Each trail includes: -Distance from CLT: drive-time to trailhead -Trail Length: miles per hike -Elevation gain: how many feet you’ll climb -Route type: loop or out & back ✨Trail magic✨ may include: -mountain vistas -waterfalls -skyline views of CLT -lake, river, and stream views -granite domes -climbing opportunities -historical ruins -seasonal displays of rare flowers Each location has AllTrails links to trails. Download the FREE app at: www.alltrails.com ‼️HOT TIP: Each hike is usually only one of many hikes available in the park or recreation area. Be sure to check out additional trails on the All Trails app. This guide is ongoing and will be updated as I conquer more trails in the Charlotte, NC area. So come back for future hikes! Thanks for your support and Hike On! 🥾

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Updated ago

More than 60 mins from CLT

Pinnacle Trail at Crowders Mountain

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 60 mins Trail Length - 4.2 miles Elevation gain - 777 feet Route type - Out & back ✨Trail Magic✨ - VISTAS! On clear days, there are views of The Blue Ridge Mountains, the Charlotte skyline, and the rolling Piedmont region of NC. Stick around at the summit for a STUNNING sunset view!

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Riverbend Park Red Trail at Riverbend Park

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 5 mins Trail Length - 3.5 miles Elevation gain - 311 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - RIVER + WILDLIFE! Hike along the Catawba River and the dense upland forest to see the many different types of wildlife along the way: turtles, herons, snakes, and sometimes deer and hawks too! Make a day of it and head out on the water in kayaks, SUPs, or canoes.

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Bakers Mountian Loop Trail at Bakers Mountain Park

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 10 mins Trail Length - 2.3 miles Elevation gain - 534 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - VISTAS! A wonderfully wooded trail with creek hops, and a former farmhouse chimney ruin guides you to a peak with a viewing platform and great views of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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Badin Lake Trail at The Uwharrie National Forest

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 10 mins Trail Length - 5.3 miles Elevation gain - 311 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - LAKE VIEWS! Hike in this quiet, lesser-known National Forest and for beautiful scenery and views of Badin Lake. Fall time in the Uwharrie is beautiful, so be sure to plan your visit in the later months if you can.

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Hollow Rock Trail at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 10 mins Trail Length - 3.1 miles Elevation gain - 688 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - A GRANITE DOME + CLIMBING! Hike this MASSIVE granite dome bald which was also the site of a former quarry operation. You can view remnants of the operations at the base of the mountain where participate or just watch as qualified climbers tackle the cliff faces.

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High Shoals Falls Loop Trail at South Mountains State Park

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 20 mins Trail Length - 2.4 miles Elevation gain - 557 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - WATERFALL! A winding creek full of boulders and pools leads you to a beautiful, cascading 80' waterfall. Climb the stairs to the viewing platform to feel the spray from the water pouring off the rocks. Summit the stairs to see the serene headwaters before they plunge over the waterfall.

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Hibriten Mountain Top Trail at Hibriten Mountain

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 25 mins Trail Length - 5.5 miles Elevation gain - 820 feet Route type - Out & Back ✨Trail Magic✨ - VISTAS + FIRE TOWER! Hike this wide gravel trail to the top of Hibriten Mountain for an almost 180° view of The Blue Ridge foothills. There is a fire tower at the top (for viewing, not climbing!) and rocky outposts where you can sit for a sunset. Keep an eye out for the hang-gliding launch pad where experienced gliders dive into the clouds!

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Stone Mountain Trail at Stone Mountain State Park

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 1 hour 30 mins Trail Length - 3.4 miles Elevation gain - 521 feet Route type - Out & Back ✨Trail Magic✨ - A GRANITE DOME! Hike one of the magnificent granite dome balds of North Carolina with views of the Blue Ridge Mountain and Piedmont regions. Take a break at the top and find a cozy rock pocket for a restful sit.

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Less than 60 mins from CLT

Reedy Creek Nature Preserve Trail

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 25 mins Trail Length - 2.8 miles Elevation gain - 190 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - HISTORICAL RUINS + POND VIEWS! This easy-access trail is close to the city but a world away. Hike through forests and creeks, alongside a pond and discover an old farmhouse ruin. Pack a picnic, play at the kid's playground, or visit the Nature Center to make a day of it.

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Cove, Cedar Ridge, Creekside and Chestnut Trail at McDowell Nature Preserve

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 30 mins Trail Length - 4.5 miles Elevation gain - 456 feet Route type - Loop ✨Trail Magic✨ - LAKE VIEWS + WILDLIFE! This trail winds through acres of forest and borders Lake Wylie. Catch lake views, hop creeks, see old-growth trees, and view wildlife such as herons, hawks, osprey, deer, and the occasional snake. Visit The Nature Center for more wildlife viewings and education.

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Landsford Canal Trail at Landsford Canal State Park

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 45 mins Trail Length - 3.0 miles Elevation gain - 45 feet Route type - Out & Back ✨Trail Magic✨ - RIVER VIEWS + RUINS + RARE FLOWERS! Hike alongside and inside the well-preserved ruins of a canal system that moved goods down the Catawba River in the 1800s. See beautiful river views and keep an eye out for the rare Spider Lily Plant during the month of May. The plants grow in the rocky shoals in the middle of the river and people come from all over to view the rare flowers!

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Nanny’s Mountain Trailhead

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 45 mins Trail Length - 1.8 miles Elevation gain - 239 feet Route type - Out & Back ✨Trail Magic✨ - HISTORICAL SITE + VISTAS! Hike this small mountain to see the remnants of a Revolutionary War-era iron mine as well as views Lake Wylie and the Charlotte Skyline.

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Mineral Springs Greenway

@lindseyamiller

Distance from CLT - 50 mins Trail Length - 3.5 miles Elevation gain - 98 feet Route type - Out & Back ✨Trail Magic✨ - CREEK VIEWS + MILL RUINS! This is an easy, family-friendly hike alongside a quiet creek and beautiful forest. Keep your eyes peeled and you may discover the remnants of an old mill pond and dam.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindsey A. Miller

👋 Hi! I am Lindsey A Miller and I am a Nomad photographer, explorer, and artist. 📷 Curiosity is my passion and I love experiencing new people, places, and events through the lens of my camera. My photography career has enabled me to travel around the US and the world and I love sharing what I discover! I’ve always had a love for street photography and I’m always looking to travel to new places for the next capture. 🗺 An explorer at heart, you can find me traveling throughout the Coastal South here in the US, where have lived for the last 25 years, planning extended road trips to new corners of the US, and adding stamps to my passport, one country at a time. Current and future Thatch itineraries and lists may include: 📷 photography 🚶‍♀️ flâneur 🌅 sunsets 🚙 road trips 🏕 outdoors 🥾 hiking ☕️ coffee 📚 used bookstores ✨ the serendipity of travel Follow my travels 🗺 on Instagram + TikTok @lindseyamiller View my photography 📷 on Instagram @lindseyamillerphotography ➡️ Email me linds@lindseyamiller.com

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Charlotte, NC, USA