Four Mile Creek Greenway – Matthews

I run here almost every morning, a great route, very safe and well paved.

Beautiful bike ride, or walk, over a mix of asphalt and boardwalk that winds through wetlands and flood plain. My boys love this trail. We mostly ride our mountain bikes when we do it. Along the way you’ll see dear, beaver, lizards, frogs, snakes, myriads of turtles, and a wide variety of wetland birds, etc.
P. S. Take mosquito spray! Extra strength!

Beautiful walk! It is all paved and is very safe. Some locals have even made the man made features into art. A very nice place to be.

I walk this green way with the pooch at least 4 days a week and it is hard for me to find anything bad about it. The path is paved and lots of beautiful greenery along the path for your viewing pleasure. The town also had a few volunteers paint/​decorate a few of the eye sores like drainage pipes and sewer access and they really came out neat! Some were painted to look like animals, others were just decorated in neat ways. There are a few trashcans along the way to help keep things clean as well as some of the little puppy waste stations. Overall town does a very good job keeping clean. Great place for a walk or run, and there are always lots of friendly folk out on the green way to greet ya with a passing smile. Also connects to squirrel lake park which is a very nice park and space of its own.

Went to walk on this greenway for the first time today. Started at Squirrel Lake Park which has a small lake but no swimming. They also have an awesome playground and bathrooms, too!
There wasn’t much signage for the greenway itself but I finally found it to the left of the lake. After that I had no problem. If I hadn’t looked it up ahead of time I might have missed it altogether.
That said… It was great! I did not do the whole thing but the part I was on was lovely. There are markers to explain about certain trees, birds and natural habitats. since I was walking for exercise I only looked at a couple before beginning my walk but it would be great for families. And there are ways to do some of your adventure in neighborhoods as well if you use the «overland connectors.»
The path was wide enough for passing and was in great shape despite all the rain we’ve had. There was lots of shade to counteract the summer heat. It was very welcome!
I will certainly return to this greenway and I recommend you try it, too :)

While I was in town I ran this paved trail. It is located a few miles from the hotel area of town and during rush hr it can be a little slow getting to the trail due to traffic. I parked at a church near one end of the trail and quickly got going down the path. At both ends it starts going down hill, so you run down hill for about a mile and then start up hill the next mile to the end. The path is just over 2 miles, so down and back is an easy 4 miles. If you want more than 4 miles you can take a detour through one of the connected neighborhoods. Path is plenty wide and has a wondering flow. Lots of folks out walking and walking their dogs. I did pass a few runners but it was also a hot day. Most of the path is covered in shade. Overall enjoyable!

Another fantastic greenway in Mecklenburg county. This one is located in the heart of Matthews. It has entrances at E. Johns St & S. Trade St along with plenty of access from the surrounding neighborhoods. There is ample parking at Squirrel Lake too, which is located off Pleasant Plains Rd. There are more that 2 miles of paved trails that meander through the woods. Meck Park & Rec did a great job with the design. Nice wide trails, accurate mile markers, miniature street signs that let you know what streets feed into the trail from the surrounding neighborhoods, conveniently located trash cans w/​«doggy bags» for your four legged friends & even a few pieces of art in one area. The Squirrel Lake section has a huge playground & picnic areas along with a 12 hole disc golf course. I’m out here at least once or twice a week for a good run. The E. John St entrance is just off the Matthews I-​485 exit (this is where I start). To run it from one end to the other and hit a few side paths, I can easily get in a 5 mile run. Plus it’s has some good elevations which keeps it challenging. Whether you jog, walk, bike, hang with the family or are just looking to get back to nature, you can do it here!