Читать книгу Five-Star Trails: Charlotte - Joshua Kinser - Страница 10

Preface

When I first started working on this project, I always got the same response when I told people who didn’t live in Charlotte that I was writing a hiking guidebook to the city: “Charlotte? I didn’t think there was much hiking in Charlotte.” This couldn’t be further from the truth, and those of us who live in and around this great city know how much hiking Charlotte has to offer. Truly amazing and diverse hiking experiences are here for the seeking.

True enough, most hikers and outdoor enthusiasts consider the Smoky Mountains region of the Appalachians to be the real jewel of Western North Carolina. But driving from Charlotte to Asheville and the national park isn’t something you’re going to do when you want to take a walk after work or spend a weekend afternoon hiking a leafy path alongside a rolling creek. And you don’t need to, either. The mountains are a lot closer than you think: within an hour’s drive from downtown. And so much hiking is available around Charlotte that you just can’t experience anywhere else, so there’s really no need to go anywhere else.

One interesting aspect about Charlotte is that no particular area around the city stands out as the epicenter of hiking. The best trails lie in every direction and they are spread out, so no matter where you live in Charlotte, or no matter where you’re staying while you’re visiting, you’re likely to find a great trail nearby if you know where to look. This book makes it easy. It’s divided into regions that include downtown Charlotte and the regions east, west, south, and north of town. Simply flip to the table of contents and check out the trails in the region closest to you.

If you’re unsure where to start in your hiking explorations, then look no further of this book for a list of recommended hikes grouped in nine categories. The trails in this book have been selected to not only provide a selection of the best hikes in the city but also to provide a reflection of the different types of trails, routes, terrain, and environments you can experience around Charlotte. All of the trails in the book are day hikes and are offered in a variety of multiple lengths and varying difficulty, from a short and flat walk through a forest and around a pond on one of Charlotte’s many great greenway trails to an arduous 7-mile foray into a mountainous wilderness.

In putting this book together, I made sure that it offered more than rugged trails through long trudges of mountains and gaps. I wanted this book to offer routes through every aspect of Charlotte. That’s why it includes walks through downtown that let you explore key attractions, parks, and dining districts; a route through the amazingly restored Historic Fourth Ward neighborhood, where you can take in the city’s finest 19th-century homes; and detailed routes through two of the country’s best botanical gardens: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens and the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. While the above are not challenging walks in the woods, they are just as memorable and really give you the opportunity to experience Charlotte as a whole and not just its parks and forests.

AN EASTERN FENCE LIZARD SUNBATHES BESIDE THE TRAIL AT LATTA PLANTATION.

Die-hard hikers have no need to worry, though: I’ve included plenty of day-long ambles over rocky-topped mountains that get the heart racing and the calves pounding and take you to awesome vistas with views for miles. For these types of readers, the challenging hike to Shoal Falls, an 80-foot waterfall in South Mountains State Park, would be a great place to start.

It is my hope that the book offers the right types of trails for many different types of people, and that it reaches an audience that is interested in exploring all of the hiking and walking experiences that Charlotte has to offer. In a time when so many folks seem to be increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, I’m proud to share these amazing trails. I hope this book will get people outdoors hiking or walking, and in the process contribute to their overall mental and physical well-being.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, I hope you’ll use this guidebook to make some discoveries as well as visit some old favorites. Also, most of these trails are surrounded by other trails and outdoor destinations that are definitely worth exploring. So don’t just stick to the routes I’ve written about here. Get out on your own and explore Charlotte’s trails, greenways, parks, and walking routes, and find your own favorite five-star trail.