Charlotte's Most Well-Known Trail Is A Wildly Scenic Loop Beloved By Locals And Tourists Alike

When visiting a city, you may need some exercise to counteract the vacation indulgence. If you enjoy running outside, the hard part in any new place is figuring out the best local routes. When it comes to Charlotte, few routes are more popular with locals than the lovingly named Booty Loop. At 3 miles, it's the city's most well-known trail for running, with only a slight elevation gain. It also takes you through the picturesque residential neighborhood, Myers Park, about 4 miles from Charlotte's city center. While downtown has places to indulge, like Substrate, North Carolina's best wine bar, Myers Park offers an ideal setting for staying fit.

The Booty Loop route is fairly straightforward, ideal for visitors unfamiliar with the neighborhood. It mostly follows long, straight roads, with a handful of turns to create the loop. The first or final stretch (depending on which way you run) of Queens Road West is particularly scenic, with towering old-growth trees and stately homes to distract you from those burning thighs. There's also a section along Selwyn Avenue that takes you past Queens University of Charlotte, where you run beneath trees while passing red brick university buildings.

As far as running routes go, choosing one with ample shade and flat sections is ideal. While the Booty Loop won't test your uphill, downhill, or long-distance endurance (try the Palmetto Trail, South Carolina's breathtaking path connecting mountains and coast, for this), it is a pleasant and manageable route for getting in some exercise between sightseeing. If you want a longer run, you can expand the route by about 2 miles by combining it with the neighboring Freedom Park trails. This 1-acre parkland has tree-lined pathways alongside ponds, sitting between Myers Park and Dilworth, a walkable Charlotte neighborhood with local shops and delicious cuisine.

It's not just runners and walkers who love the Booty Trail — cyclists get around this route just as much. Many bikers consider it a relaxed and easy ride, ideal for riding with friends. However, there have been accidents on the route in the past. Local mom, Stacy Stranick, died after being hit by a car while cycling here in 2018. The problem tends to be the numerous intersections where riders must turn into oncoming car traffic, which has given the Booty Trail a dangerous reputation for bike riders. Charlotte cycling enthusiast and advocate, Jeff Viscount, says to The Charlotte Observer, "The reality is that, in some ways, it's the three most dangerous miles to ride a bike in Charlotte." Accidents can always happen, so it's best to cycle the loop when traffic is quiet and always stay alert while riding.

For the best Booty Loop cycling experience, join the 24 Foundation's annual 24 Hours of Booty charity cycle to raise money for cancer research and patient support in July. During these 24 hours, you can choose to cycle or walk the Booty Loop as many times as you want. The roads are closed to motor vehicles during the event, giving riders and walkers free rein of the streets. It's a feel-good Charlotte experience, and all proceeds go to an important cause.