It took a while for temperatures to drop this year, but it’s safe to say that fall is officially here. And while this season is a favorite for many reasons (the sweaters, the boots, the pumpkin spice everything), the amazing views of fall foliage you can find throughout the County top the list.
There are a lot of things to love about living in the state of North Carolina, but something we love most is the weather. Even though we get some cold months where it’s better to stay inside, most of our year can be spent outdoors! Thanks to our Park and Rec department, we have a lot of opportunities to explore nature in Mecklenburg County. There are our parks, of course, but then there are also our greenways, nature preserves, and programs like mountain biking and sailing.
But let’s focus on our trails for a minute. When was the last time you went for a hike? With over 50 miles of paved trails and several nature preserves with trails, we have something for hikers of all levels. Here are some of our favorites that we encourage you to check out.
This is an update to a 2018 blog by Bill Carroll.
“Are there really any fish in there?”
That’s what a young passerby asked me, skeptically, as he temporarily paused during his jog around Freedom Park. I had just gotten myself comfortable in a fold-out camp chair and cast my line into the still water.
“Sure,” I responded – “Lots of them.” In a made-for-TV instant later, my line jerked down and I started reeling in what turned out to be a fine three-pound channel catfish, the largest one I’d ever caught at Freedom Park Lake.
Yes, there are fish in there!
Edited on 3/21/23.
Written with assistance from Catherine Luckenbaugh of Park and Recreation
If there’s one thing that can brighten up a home pretty quickly, it’s adding plants to your garden. But, part of a having a successful garden includes knowing what is and is not suitable for our environment.
Let’s take a look at some of the native plants our Park and Recreation staff recommends using (if you stick with us until the end, we’ll also touch on some invasive species).
We’re sure we’re not the first to tell you that exercise is important. After all, it can improve your overall wellbeing. Plus it reduces your risk for many chronic diseases. But despite knowing the benefits that physical activity can bring, people often find themselves going days, weeks, or even months without getting the exercise they need. Sound like something you’ve experienced before?
One of the first steps to meeting your health and fitness goals is to know where you can go to exercise. Lucky for you, we have several fitness facilities and tons of programs that can help you on your fitness journey. Here are a few of our favorites.
We know…it’s HOT out there! While the change from cold to warm weather is typically welcomed, we could all still use a spot to cool down when temperatures get too high. Where’s your favorite place to go?
For our residents and visitors, we have several low-cost (some are even FREE!) facilities to help beat the heat. Here are some great spots for you to check out.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word snake? Scary? Slimy? Spooky? Sure, snakes don’t always look as friendly as other wildlife, and certainly there are some species that you don’t want to get close to, but the truth is, snakes really aren’t all that bad once you get to know them!
If you’ve seen more snakes than usual lately, it’s because they are most active during the spring and summer. We know snake sightings can cause some fear and concern though, so we spoke with Park and Rec’s Kristen Haas to learn more about the snakes that call Mecklenburg County home. Today, we explain what you need to know.
Flower gardens, rock gardens, vegetable gardens, roof gardens – there are SO MANY kinds of gardens that you can plant. And if those weren’t enough options, here’s another one for you: pollinator gardens.
Pollinator gardens are a great choice for a couple of reasons: 1) we benefit from the beautiful flowers they produce, 2) pollinators benefit from the food that the plants provide, and 3) the environment benefits because pesticides are not recommended (you don’t want to put the wildlife the plants attract at risk!).
If you’ve got space in your yard and are thinking that a garden is the best way to fill it, here are some pro tips from our horticulturists about how to be successful with a pollinator garden.
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