Historic Latta Plantation/Carolina Raptor Center

Historic Latta Plantation and the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte, NC are two great places to escape to nature.  They are situated on the northern end of Mecklenburg County.  There are many parts of this park that stand out including; the abundant history of the park,  the Carolina Raptor Center, the nature center, the horse stables and the abundance of recreational opportunities.



It is hard to visit or talk about Historic Latta Plantation and not recognize the history that surrounds the property.  Situated along the banks of the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County the plantation was built in the year 1800.  It was first owned by James Latta, an immigrant from Northern Ireland.  Latta and his family lived on the plantation until his death in 1837.  The plantation was used mainly for farming cotton.  At the time of his death Lattas' wife sold the property.  It was owned by two different families until 1922 when it was purchased by Crescent Land and Timber Company.  This company was a subsidiary of Duke Power and they used the area to harvest timber.  The property was used until the 1950's when the house was abandoned.  Left abandoned until the 1970's, the property was bought by a group of citizens who saw a need to preserve such a historic part of Mecklenburg County.  The group formed a private non-profit entity, Latta Place, Inc., to save and restore the property.  This group still serves the plantation as an advisory group.





Because Latta Place Inc. had the vision to preserve this property the plantation is one of the best places in the Charlotte area for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.  The park includes a total of 1,351 acres and 16 miles of trails.  It is a great place to go for horseback riding, hiking and as a kayak put-in for nearby Mountain Island Lake.  This is the only park in Mecklenburg County open to equestrians. There is a working stable that offers guided horseback tours and lessons.  The trails can be enjoyed by horse or by foot, and are a great place for a quick stroll or an afternoon picnic.

One of the most unique features of the plantation is the Carolina Raptor Center.  The Carolina Raptors Center is a birds of prey rehabilitation center.  They take injured birds in and rehabilitate them in hopes to one day release them back to the wild.  Some of the birds are too injured to be safely let back in to the wild. Because of this they use them as parts of interpretive programs.  Most of the birds have been hit by a car.  Many times this is because someone has thrown food outside the window of a car.  Then a squirrel, rabbit, or some other type of animal will come down to the road to eat this food.  They then get hit by a car. The birds of prey will come down to eat the meat of these dead animals and get hit themselves.  This is why it is so important to not litter.  It seems like such a harmless act, but it can touch the lives of many living things.  The Carolina Raptor Center does interpretive programs both on the grounds and throughout the Charlotte community.  Some popular groups that they serve are elementary school classrooms, scout groups, home school groups and even summer camps.



My personal favorite way to use this facility is for Kayaking.  There are two landing areas that provide access to Gar Creek and Mountain Island Lake.  Mountain Island Lake was created in 1924 and is still managed by Duke Energy.  It was created as part of the Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station.  The lake is fed by the Catawba River, and is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County.  The others are Lake Norman and Lake Wylie.  Mountain Island Lake is managed by Charlotte-based Company Duke Energy. The lake has around 3,281 acres of surface area and 61 miles
of shoreline.  It is very narrow and about ten miles long.  This area can be used for an hour long paddle after work or as an all day excursion.


Historic Latta Plantation and the Carolina Raptor Center are another example of a place to enjoy the outdoors right in Mecklenburg County.  You do not have to spend a three day weekend going to the mountains or driving three hours to the beach in order to enjoy the outdoors.  There are many places to enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family right here in Charlotte.  If you are interested in visiting Historic Latta Plantation below are some websites that can help you plan your visit.

http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/

http://lattaplantation.org/latta/index.php?page=home

http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/

Colonel Francis J. Beatty Park

Colonel Francis J. Beatty Community Park tends to occupy a lot of my recreation time.  Again this is mostly because of its proximity to where I live.  That does not take away from the quality of this park.  This is an excellent park to enjoy the outdoors that is not too far outside of Charlotte.



It is located in the Charlotte suburb of Matthews, NC and is approximately 15 miles East of Uptown Charlotte.  The park is 265 acres and includes 5.75 miles of trails that can be used for walking, mountain biking or trail running.   It includes basketball courts, tennis courts, lighted soccer fields, horseshoe pits, indoor/outdoor picnic shelters, a playground for kids, and restrooms.  There is a put-in for canoes and kayaks near one of the parking areas that makes the large pond a perfect area for a quick afternoon paddle or to practice your roll.

I was introduced to this park at a company picnic.  Since then I have used it mostly for trail running and mountain biking.  On the trail there are a decent amount of tree roots.  While running they add an extra obstacle that you constantly have to look out for.  That is what is great about running on trail as opposed to on the road.  On the trail you have to slow down a bit and pay attention to the obstacles.  On the road it is easier to zone out and keep going forward over and over again.  Plus running on trails is much better on the joints.

A great way to first enjoy these trails is on mountain bike.  This way you can cover a greater amount of the trail system in a shorter time.  This will allow you to get familiar with the trails before you set out on foot.  On a mountain bike the trails can make for a bit of a bumpy ride in some parts.  Maintaining a good speed and hitting the roots straight on is the best way to deal with the bumps.   Always be aware of other people on the trail so you do not run in to other walkers or joggers.  Especially people with kids or walking their dog.

Many people enjoy this for hiking or walking their dog.  You could walk on these trails around a small lake or through the woods.  You could spend as little as 15 minutes or as long as three hours  exploring the trail system of this park.


My favorite way to enjoy this park is for trail running.  There is a loop that covers the entire trail system.  Usually I just take off back in to the woods and not worry about which trail I am on.  When I get tired I head back in the direction of my car.  If I get lost I just find one of the roads that run through the park.  You seem to never be too far from the park roads anywhere in this park, which means you have little worry about getting lost.  When running it is always best to run the opposite direction of bicycles so that you can make eye contact and you both have the opportunity to see each other.  This way there are no surprises.

This is another trail system that was built and maintained by the Tarheel Trailblazers.  The Tarheel Trailblazers and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department do a great job of providing opportunities for free recreation in the Charlotte Region.  If you see them while visiting these parks please take the time to thank them.  Always remember to not litter and share the trail with others.  The next time you have an afternoon and need something to do check out this great park east of Charlotte, NC.








For further research in to this park and how to help take care of it you can search the following links:


http://www.charmeck.org

http://www.tarheeltrailblazers.com

www.imba.com

www.lnt.org

US National Whitewater Center

 

The US National Whitewater Center is one of the ultimate urban adventure sports playgrounds in all of the world.  That is a bold statement, but trust me it is true.  It may not be in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains or right along the Atlantic Coast, but Charlotte city dwellers can enjoy most of the outdoor sports mountain dwellers and beach goers a few hours away enjoy.


The USNWC is located just 12 miles west of Charlotte, NC on the banks of the Catawba River.  It includes 14 miles of mountain bike trails, one of the largest outdoor climbing walls on the east coast, a four-hour canopy tour, numerous zip-lines, flat water kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and a world class man-made whitewater park.  It has a full service restaurant that is great for people watching and every Thursday night the center hosts the River Jam where they welcome a local band to play on the banks of the man made river.

The rapids at the US National Whitewater Center range from class two to class four.  A class one  rapid is a flat water lake or pond.  A class five rapid is most difficult usually consisting of a sharp turn, a large drop and many under cut rocks.  There is no under cut at the USNWC otherwise some of the rapids would be rated more difficult.

The USNWC consists of two channels named the Wilderness and Competition.  The Competition Channel is the first channel you see upon entering the facility.   It is all class three and class four rapids and consists of three main rapids called Bridge Drop, Pinball Alley, and Big Drop.  Big Drop is one rapid that would probably be a class five rapid if it were on a natural river.  It is an 8 foot drop coming after a ninety degree turn.  The Competition Channel was the site of the qualifying rounds for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The Wilderness Channel is the far channel away from the restaurant and is all class two and class three rapids.  Some of the rapids on this channel are named Entrance Exam, Dave's Dilemma, Sunset, M-wave and Biscuits-N-Gravy.  M-wave is named after a wave on the Colorado River and Dave's Dilemma is named after a raft guide that during guide school had lots of trouble learning to maneuver this rapid.

The trails at the USNWC are another fascinating part of this facility.  They bring a different group of people from two entirely different sports, mountain biking and trail running.  These two groups add to the unique culture that is shared at this facility.  Combining the people that enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking, with mountain bikers, trail-runners, and rock climbers creates a group of people that are truly unique.   This culture is one of the best parts of the Charlotte community and adds a lot to the richness of the city.



Some of the trails at the USNWC include The Green/Lake Loop, North Main Trail, South Main Trail, Toilet Bowl and Carpet Bag.  The trails are coded by difficulty level.  They are color coded by green, blue and black.  Green trails are the least difficult beginner routes, blue trails are moderately difficult and the black routes are very difficult.  The black routes are not extremely more difficult than the blue routes, but it is a good idea to get comfortable on the blue routes before jumping right in to the most difficult trails.

The Green/Lake Loop Trail which is great for trail running and as a warm-up for biking the more technical trails later.  There are lots of rolling hills and beautiful views along ponds located on the back of the property.  The Green/Lake Loop Trail is 3.5 miles in length.

The main route is all blue level in difficulty.  It has a north and a south section.  In total it covers 5 miles in length.  It has some areas that have great views of the Catawba River.  There is an area that is perfect for a rest stop right along the Catawba River near the flat-water kayaking  section of the facility.

If you pair this route with the green loop it will total 8.5 miles and will take about an hour by bike.  I like to ride these three routes together and then go back to the parking lot for some water or Gatorade.  After a short rest I then head out to ride one of the trails another time.  The Green/Lake Loop is also perfect at this time for a cool-down.  

The trail system at US National Whitewater Center were begun eighteen years ago by the Tarheel Trailblazers and Dirt Divas.   Throughout the years these and other groups have contributed to the building and maintaining of the trail system at the USNWC.  The next time you see any of these groups please thank them for their commitment to our trails.  

The other parts of the US National Whitewater Center include the climbing wall, zip lines and ropes courses designed by Alpine Towers Inc..  This is a part of the USNWC many people do not know about and just about anyone can enjoy.  There is a four-hour canopy tour that opened the Summer of 2011.  There is the climb to zip where you can climb a telephone pole and then zip to the ground from one of the best views of the facility. 


This facility is my favorite part of Charlotte, NC.  I found out about it shortly after I moved here in the Summer of 2007.  I first enjoyed the facility for the mountain biking trails, but quickly began enjoying the other parts of the USNWC.  When you cannot find the time to get away to Asheville or Boone area then spend the day right here in Charlotte enjoying adventure sports right in your backyard.  



For further research about this facility you can go to the following websites:


http://www.dirtdivas.net/
http://tarheeltrailblazers.com/
http://usnwc.org/

Freedom Park

Freedom Park is one of the favorite places for my wife and I to visit in all of Charlotte.  The park is located right in between the historic neighborhoods of Dilworth and Myers Park.  It is 7 acres and has 3 miles of trails.


It is located just minutes south of Uptown Charlotte.  The main entrance is off East Boulevard.  Near this entrance are tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball fields, and a few sand volleyball pits.  Many groups meet here for pick-up games nearly everyday.  Last Summer I met some of the Carolina Panthers players here at an event called Panthers in the Park.


After this area is a large playground area that is perfect for children.  It is complete with a replica of a train for them to climb on and lots of swings.  Next is a small bridge that enters the area that is a huge circle around a very large pond.  The pond includes fountains and a bridge to an island.  This island includes a stage for an amphitheatre.  Across the water there are several rows of seats and a hill with places to sit on a blanket and have a picnic.  Every fall they celebrate Festival in the Park here with many local artists performing.



The park also includes the Charlotte Nature Museum.  This is a museum that specializes in the animals and plants native to the Piedmont area of North Carolina.  The museum hosts interpretive programs.  It is a great place for children to visit and learn more about the plants native to the area they live.

The best part of this park is the opportunity to take amazing pictures.  I have seen numerous couples here to take their engagement photos.  There are always geese in the pond that add great to the backgrounds of photos.  The plants around the pond seem to always be in bloom.  It is the perfect place to take that perfect picture.

My first two posts have been about pretty chill places.  Both of these places are as good for going on a first date as they are to go for a good workout.  I will be delving in to some more extreme places in the future.  I promise.


For more information about this park go to the following websites:

www.charmeck.org
http://www.festivalinthepark.org/

McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway

When people ask me what I do for fun the first thing that comes to mind is skiing the back bowls at Vail, mountain biking at Tsali, hiking the Shining Rock Wilderness, or canoeing on the Buffalo River.  The truth is that most people spend a majority of their time recreating at places closest to where they live.  McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway is that place for me.  I can reach it by bike or a short walk from my apartment.  That means I spend most of my time recreating here.

This place is a great suburban greenway south of Charlotte, NC.   It is great for walking the dog, biking, running or even taking the kids for a quick stroll.  It may be an urban greenway, but there are many sections where you might forget you are in a city.

This greenway has entrances with parking on Pinville/Matthews Rd., Jonston Rd. and Rea Rd..  There are other entrances off of other neighborhoods in the area, but these are the three entrances with parking.  The trail is around 7 miles total.  It has parts that are packed dirt, wooden bridges and asphalt.  There are mile markers every quarter mile.

From the Pineville/Matthews Rd. end of the greenway the first mile is all hard packed dirt and loose gravel.  This side of the greenway is great if you are getting in a short run of around two or three miles.  You can do all or most of your run without stepping on pavement.

Around the 1 mile marker begins the first wooden bridge.  Around this area is a great place to see wildlife.  Every time I go to this trail I see ducks underneath this bridge.  Also this is a great place to spot deer.  I have seen groups as big as 8-10 deer (seriously).  Usually they are in groups of 2 to 4, but keep your eyes peeled and you just might see some.

After this bridge begins the first stretch of asphalt.  Just before the 1.5 mile marker is where the trail goes under Interstate 485.  Not far past this area is a marker indicating the turnaround point for a 5K.  The next few miles are asphalt with woods to your right following McMullen Creek and the backyards of a neighborhood to your left.  The forest area is occasionally flooded.  I believe this is why this area has not been developed because it is a flood plain.

Around the 2.25 mile marker there is an area where there is a curve in the trail with a peach tree in someones backyard.  They do not mind if you pick one to enjoy just as long as you leave some for others to enjoy as well (Remeber to leave no trace).

Around the 4 mile marker is where there is an entrance connected to Johnston Road.  This is where the two greenways have been joined.  They used to be two separate greenways.  The mile markers start over again here.  Not far after this area is my favorite part of this entire greenway.  There is an area that is about 4 acres of marsh land.  In the Summer it is filled with plants that look like giant monkey grass.   This is another place for great wildlife viewing.  I tend to see many interesting birds here.

About a mile past this area is where the trail ends across the street from Piper Glen Shopping Center.  This end of the trail is better for walking while the other end is better for running and biking.  The next time you need a quick get away from the stresses of everyday life in the Queen City.  Look to McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway as a way to escape.


For more information about directions and ways you can help take care of this greenway go to the following websites:


http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Greenways/Pages/default.aspx
http://lnt.org/
http://www.tarheeltrailblazers.com
http://www.imba.com/