4 Mile Loop Click Here
8 Mile Loop Click Here
10 Mile Loop Click Here

The Dowd YMCA is home to many runners.  The central YMCA is on Morehead Street just before the College St bridge.  There are course maps for 6-10 mile runs on the back porch bulletin board.  Virtually all day runners will be coming and going from this runners hot spot.  Check with the local running clubs for group run schedules.

Click Here for a list of routes and maps of various distances departing from the Dowd YMCA, and in the vicinity of the Charlotte Running Co..  Compliments of Ron Horton and tricharlotte.com

Mecklenburg County has a wide variety of places to run on and off road.  Below is a list of the webmasters top places to run while in Charlotte:

(Click on the map for a larger image)

• McAlpine Park -   The main entrance on Monroe Road is home to the national class cross-country course built by local coaching legend Larry McAfee.  The course of 3.1 miles is home to the Footlocker South Regional, the Great American Cross-Country Festival, the Wendy's Invite, and many conference, regional and state championship competitions.  Often times you can find groups of runners departing from the Sardis Rd. entrance on Saturday and Sunday mornings between 7:30 am and 9:00 am. The course connects to the Campbell Creek Greenway (2.25 miles) that ends at Harris Blvd between Idewild Rd and Independence Blvd.

To the south the greenway runs another 2 miles to Sardis Road between Rama and Pineville-Matthews Rd.  The course and greenway trails are surfaced with crushed stone and pea gravel.  Along that two mile stretch to Sardis Rd. the trail connects to Boyce Park.  Boyce Park is home to the "Nature Trail".  The trails at Boyce Park total over 4 miles as well as two large fields.  With this combination of parks and greenways a runner can easily get a 10-15 mile run with no trouble.  The trails are also great for runners looking for shorter runs or fast workouts with many small loops at the main entrance on Monroe Rd.

• Latta Park - 15 miles of dirt trails through woods and around a lake.  Great for those looking for an easy to moderate run in the shade.  Some of the trails are shared by horse and riders. 

• Reedy Creek Park -   10+ miles of crushed stone and dirt trails.  The park is about half well kept trails and half dirt single track trails.  These trails are rolling with some good hills.  It's a good place to run and their are maps at the park.

• Davidson College - Located just off Interstate 77, Davidson College has a 5-K and 8-K course marked.  It's open to the public except during the college's cross-country practice at 3pm.     The trails are crushed stone and rolling. 

Mecklenburg Country Park and Rec has a good website to help you find these parks.  You can also call the store at 704 377-URUN to ask for directions.  

If your looking to run on the track many runners use the facilities at Myers Park High School at 2400 Colony Rd.   The track is 8 lanes and asphalt.  Providence Day School on Sardis Rd has a 6 lane ground tire rubber track and the public is almost always welcome.   Rubberized or synthetic tracks are also available at UNC-Charlotte (world class facility), Davidson College, Charlotte, Christian School, Charlotte Latin, Charlotte, Country Day, West Charlotte, Vance HS, and Butler HS.  We recommend not trying to get on these schools tracks between 2:30 and 5:00 because of their practices.  You may also want to call ahead to make sure that the public is welcome. 

More information on local trails can be found at: