Creek Play Spots in Charlotte, NC
Water Blessings
The Story
Creeks are such perfect water play for young children, even nine and ten year olds easily get engrossed in hours of creek play. Definitely some older children, youth and adults will find their own special love for creeks, too. I certainly have. I didn’t fully realize the magical pull of creeks until 2020, when so many options for play, including playgrounds were closed. A silver lining of Covid to me was finding all the wonderful creeks around Charlotte. I spent the rest of that year taking children to the creek. Since then I never miss an opprotunity to put my feet in a creek and to take chidlren to play in every one we can find. Even with all the confusion and pain of that time I had some intensely moving experiences due to the new spaciousness in my time.
Most things in my life connect to books in one way or another and this was no different. I had long loved Circle Round: Raising Chidlren in the Goddess Tradition by Starhawk. I didn’t know much about the author though, and I had no idea that she was actively doing beautiful things in the world. I realized in that time that she is deeply connected to the Reclaiming Magic tradition, hailing primarily from California. I took an online Elements of Magic course relative to her work that focused on earth, air, water, fire and spirit. I also read for the first time The Fifth Sacred Thing, a novel by Starhawk. I had this book on my shelf for at least 12 years, but I was suddenly thunderstruck finally reading it. In the novel, a renewed version of San Francisco is a utopia in the middle of a disutopian world. I love the description of that city so much that even with all the pain in those stories, it’s worth it to have an image of possibility. The water in the fictional city is so intregal to daily life. The human structures and utilities work with the natural pattern of water flow. The creeks are the city. Starhawk’s work deeply influenced my connection to water and especially creeks.
I used to walk to the little bridge in my neighborhood in those long stretched days and sing blessings to the water that has been relegated to behind a few houses in a ditch. I imagined what if this neighborhood and this city was built around the living water courses and what if our urban lives allowed the water to lead the way. Finding all these creeks was more than a logistical mission to find somewhere for a bunch of five to eight year olds to play. It was a spiritual journey for me to connect with the water. Every time I take myself or children to these places I’m singing the blessings of the water, imagining our joy will give the water a little more space to live.
Here’s the creek list!!
Favorite All Around
Four Mile Creek @Four Mile Creek Greenway
Directions: You can park at Squirrel Lake Park (1631 Pleasant Plains Road, Matthews, NC) or at the parking lot behind Matthews Playhouse (100 E McDowell Street, Matthews, NC). The official entrance on this end to Four Mile Creek Greenway is 307 S. Trade Street, Matthews, NC.
If you park at Matthews Playhouse there is a path through the woods there that leads to Four Mile Creek Greenway. Follow this to Fountain Rock! Small children adore this tiny park in the middle of the woods. It boasts a big rock that spouts water. Magic right there. Continue along Four Mile Creek Greenway. You will pass many sweet places to explore the creek. We stop at all. Eventually you will come to a little bridge with the creek just there beside the path and a little sandy riverbed. This is our favorite spot.
If you park at Squirrel Lake Park, follow the trail past the pond into the woods. You’re on the greenway. Very soon you will come from the other direction to the favorite creek spot mentioned above. You can later continue along the greenway to get to Fountain Rock.
Things to Know: There are bathrooms at Squirrel Lake Park. From our favorite spot we leave our shoes and most items beside the creek and often wade way on down to explore. The water is not very deep though creative children find small swimming holes to submerse in. The playground equipment at Squirrel Lake Park is HOT in the summer. I suggest playing there only in the morning or evening in the summer!
Most Accessible
Four Mile Creek @Windsor Park
Directions: 10140 Northeast Parkway, Matthews
It’s easy to miss the turn but there is signage. Parking is easy. This park is strangely peaceful though right behind Costco!
Things to Know: This is such a sweet creek and literally feet beyond the playgrounds and lots of easy parking. There are only portapotties here so plan ahead to meet your needs. On the front half of the park in front of the creek are two traditional playgrounds with a really great zipline, a grassy field and a covered shelter with tables. On the other side of the creek are some hidden natural playground elements spread through the trees.
Sweetest
Stream @Sedgefield Park
Directions: 620 Elmhurst Road, Charlotte, NC
There is no parking lot, just street parking. Even on a busy Saturday, though, it isn’t difficult to find a spot to park.
Things to Know: The creek at this park is in the back and lined by trees. It’s a georgeous place to spread out a blanket, a picnic, chat with friends. This is an ideal spot for youngest children to explore the little stream that is an offshoot of the Little Sugar Creek.
There are several playareas at the park. All the paths in the park together make the shape of a butterfly! There are no bathrooms. Harris Teeter is a near drive for bathroom super needs. There is access from the way back of the park, behind the creek to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
Most Secret
Irvin Creek @Idelwild Road Park
Directions: 10512 Idlewild Road, Matthews, NC
There is plenty of parking! There are many spots to access the creek. Follow the many trails and you will eventually find creek access. There are easy access spots off the Irwin Creek Greenway within the park as well as on other trails behind the playground.
Things to Know: There are bathrooms and a fun playground at the park. Overall this is one of our favorite parks in the Charlotte area. Plenty of trees, covered areas, and never busy.
Most Secluded
McAlpine Creek @James Boyce Park
Directions: 300 Boyce Road, Charlotte, NC
Plenty of parking is available. This is a fun one to explore. There are many places to access the creek from the park, which has multipel trails and entryways to McAlpine Creek Greenway. Our favorite spot to date was found off the trail that runs behind the little playground.
Things to Know: I love this park. It’s a nature lover’s space for sure. There is a small playground with swings and a huge field great for soccer, etc, but this park is really about the woods. There are always multiple shelters kids and adults have made of sticks out in the woods to play in just behind the shelter. The trails circle back around to the park making easy hikes for young children. There are bathrooms.
Best Nature Center
Steven’s Creek @Steven’s Creek Nature Preserve
Directions: 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC
It’s easy to park at the Nature Center at Steven’s Creek. From there follow the main trail into the woods. You’ll see the creek pretty soon.
Things to Know: The preserve has a sweet trail that is great for young kids. The creek is sometimes more grown up around and harder to access. Other times it’s easy to wade right in. The nature center here is lovely. There is great outdoor seating, a cool aquarium and sensory activities as well as bathrooms. The nature center is free. This makes for a wonderful rainy day creek adventure since you can take shelter inside or outside the nature center as desired.
Best picnic area
Four Seasons Creek @McDowell Nature Preserve
Directions: 15222 York Road, Charlotte, NC
Follow signs to the Nature Center once inside the preserve. You can park here, check out the nature center and hike down to the creek on the Pine Hollow Trail. You’ll know the spot when you cross a little bridge and see the picnic area scooped right off the trail. It’s not quite a mile hike.
Alternately you can keep going past the nature center parking lot and keep driving toward McDowell Pavilion, which you will pass on your left. Follow the road until it ends in a little parking lot, which is the trailhead of the Four Seasons Trail. Follow the path to the right of the parking lot that leads over a little bridge you can see from the parking lot. You’ll quickly see the picnic area described above.
Things to Know: This creek has it all, rocks to climb and jump between, a sandy beach area, a bridge, and plenty of creek landscape easy to supervise from the picnic area. Bathrooms are located back at the nature center or more easily at the McDowell Pavilion. There are plenty more trails and more creek access for those wanting. We almost always see a snake in the deeper and less flowing water area. It’s a good opportunity to talk about respect and responsibility with nature. Depending on the weather trend at the time of your visit there may be more or less water in different areas. I generally encourage kids to play where the water is moving and not where the water is stagnant.
Most Urban Magic
Litter Sugar Creek @Freedom Park
Directions: 1908 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC
We usually park at the “train playground” aka “panthers playground.” This is a huge park with several parking areas. Any one will be easy to get you to the creek. The creek runs right behind the swings at the playground, but we usually like to scoot over to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway that runs right through the park and access the creek on that less crowded, shadier side where the water seems better quality. From the greenway there are several little footpaths running down to the creek.
Things to Know: The water quality of the Little Sugar Creek is disputable. However my kids have fully swam there without ill effects. Still I usually put up a little magic shield and make them shower after. It’s an urban park and our most fully urban creek in Charlotte. There is ongoing work to clean the creek, but it’s a work in progress. Still I feel something special to know this public and free water is right here for everyone. We all have a responsibility to improve the water quality. I do recommend water shoes or waterproof sandles, but my kids have also gone barefoot. Use your own judgement, but if you choose to join us in the water, it might just change your life priorities.
Best Free Play Areas Creekside
Long Creek Tributary @Schiele Museum of Natural History
Directions: 1500 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, NC
Plenty of free parking here. Follow the nature trail from the parking lot. It’s a loop and includes many different creek access spots and much more.
Things to Know: There are so many fun places to access the creek! The water seems clear and clean. Along the looped trail there are not only places and even a mini farm animal area to stop for the creek, but also play spaces built just off the path. It can make for a whole day adventure. The first time I went I didn’t realize how deep the water was around the old Gris Mill. I always have my wits about me with the adventurous kids in my crew over the years, but for this one surely keep a close eye on water levels, especially for non swimmers. There are plenty of shallow places for easy creek play as well. The museum itself has bathrooms in the lobby accessible whether or not you are visiting the rest of the museum and all of the outdoor exhibits are free. The Catawba Village is generally only open by reservation thought once we caught the tail end of some kind of event and the kind hosts let our group go check it out. Especially if needed for the weather or if they are hosting a particularly interesting exhibit the indoor museum can be a good place to visit as well. The group rate at my last visit was only $4 per child, so it’s well worth the add on if needed.
Best Dam Creek
Lake Crawford Outflow Stream @Kings Mountain State Park
Directions: 1277 Park Road, Blacksburg, SC
This is a 52 minute drive for Charlotte. That might seem like a long ways to drive for a creek, but my bumper sticker might as well read: “Will Drive for Water Play.” There is plenty of parking in the main lot. You’ll pass Lake Crawford. The playground will be to the far right. That is also where bathrooms are located. We park closer to the building on the left. You should see the dam from the parking lot area. Follow the short trail and staircase down to the creek and dam area.
Things to Know: There is a little bridge, plenty of places to spread a blanket, little creek rivulets everywhere and the water running down the small Lake Crawford dam. The kids love fishing here. Well there was a group a few years ago that loved fishing anywhere, but I have memories of their actually catching a good many fish in this spot. There are trails but for our youngest children this spot is plenty. We spend the whole day by the creek. Some children will definitely want to climb the staircase looking dam. Except in rare circumstances that has worked well. Most children who spend lots of free time in nature, know well their own physical limits. It’s usually the adults needing to consider our baggage. Good to know going in if you might need to set boundaries around climbing!
Best Creek to Pair with Rollerskating or Scooters
West Branch Rocky River Creek @Fisher Farm
Directions: 21215 Shearers Road, Davidson, NC
This is out in the middle of nowhere! There is plenty of parking. From the parking lot follow the trail down into the park. We typically take a right once you hit the end of this trail and meet up with the primary park trail. The creek runs parallel to this one. if you walk on this to the right for a short ways and keep your eyes peeled you will see different spots to access the creek. There are even a couple of benches. Most of the trails down are a little steep, but that only made it more fun for most of the kids.
Things to Know: This is a clean and gentle creek. There was a huge rollerskating frenzy a few years ago when I first came to this park and now that has become our “thing” to do at Fisher Farm. It’s easy to transport a bunch of roller skates with a vanful of kids and the trail is mostly pretty flat. The trail is not long at all, the perfect length for roller skating down with kids. There is a big hill from the parking lot!! Watch out roller skaters! I have the funniest memory and ouch thoughts of watching all the kids flying off into the grass to break their falls as they tried to make it down the hill. It doesn’t look that steep from the top, but I promise you it will get your wheels going fast!!
