Recreation Review: Toby Creek and Mallard Creek Greenways
UNC Charlotte campus is lucky to have two greenways near and on campus! Toby Creek Greenway winds through the middle of campus along Toby Creek, and connects with Mallard Creek Greenway running east to west towards University City Research Park. These two greenways, along with Clarks Creek Greenway, provide a total of 8.5 miles of connected greenways.
Both greenways are part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of trails that connect 2.9 million people in 15 counties in North and South Carolina. You can access both directly from campus or from nearby trailheads that are easily accessible via bike or walking. The paths provide an opportunity for UNC Charlotte students and employees living close to campus to easily commute to work via bike or on foot.
Toby creek greenway
Toby Creek Greenway, also known as the Ruth G. Shaw Trail, is 2.8 miles long and features scenic views of UNC Charlotte athletic fields and buildings, the Calisthenic Outdoor Recreation Equipment set (CORE), native wildlife like white-tailed deer, spring peepers, red-tailed hawks, and blue heron, and multiple benches along the trail. There are various access points from campus, including an entry across from Miltimore Hall along Cameron Blvd, behind the Hauser Alumni Pavilion, at the Philips Rd crossing, and at the Johnson Alumni Blvd/lot 27. The trailhead is at University City Blvd, with easy access from the Town Center Plaza/Harris Teeter parking lot. You can also access the Toby Creek Greenway from the Mallard Creek Greenway near Kirk Farm Fields.
Toby Creek Greenway offers a space for community members to enjoy a walk, run, scooter, or bike ride on a nice day, or enjoy a picnic on the grassy areas on campus. Toby Creek itself serves as a resource for campus labs – offering a space for faculty to take classes to conduct water sampling, discuss stormwater management, study wildlife species using the habitat, or host an outdoor class. To learn more about Toby Creek’s role as a recreational, ecological, and educational resource, view this storymap developed by UNC Charlotte’s Office of Emergency Management.
mallard creek greenway
Mallard Creek Greenway is 4.7 miles long and connects with the Toby Creek Greenway and Clarks Creek Greenway. The greenway runs along Mallard Creek and is part of the Cross-Charlotte Trail – a collaborative effort between the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to create a continuous ~30-mile trail across Charlotte to eventually connect the NC/SC state line with the Cabarrus County line.
The Mallard Creek Greenway is a great place for walkers, runners, bikers, and commuters to enjoy the view of the creek and wetlands, spot wildlife, and easily access residential neighborhoods in the University City area. The path is mostly paved, but the middle section (~1.2 miles) of the route has a gravel surface through University Research Park. There are multiple benches and trash bins along the path.
The Greenway is accessible from the Kirk Farm Fields parking lot at the eastern trailhead, and at the Clarks Creek Greenway trailhead at 9729 Mallard Creek Rd.
