McAlpine Creek Park, Charlotte, North Carolina
Learn More About McAlpine Creek Park
McAlpine Creek Park sits at 8715 Monroe Road, about a half-mile south of the Monroe road and Village Lake Drive intersection. The park lies inside the expansive McAlpine Creek watershed, the largest in Mecklenburg County, which covers a significant portion of south and southwest Charlotte. It originates east of the former Eastland Mall in Charlotte before flowing into Sugar Creek in South Carolina and then into the Catawba River.
A cross-country trail in McAlpine Creek Park, Charlotte, is popular with hikers, runners, and cross-country teams from nearby schools. There are numerous pathways, a lake with a fishing pier, and large soccer or other sports areas. The dog park has an off-leash area where you can throw balls and other fun stuff. The park is a great spot to spend the day unwinding from the pressures of everyday life. There is enough parking space in the main lot and the overflow sections for sporting events.
History
The McAlpine Creek Greenway was Charlotte’s first public greenway route when it was constructed in 1978. Together, the McAlpine Creek Greenway and the Campbell Creek Greenway form more than four miles of interconnected greenways. The McAlpine Creek Greenway features two more trails that branch off it, i.e., the 1.5-mile Cottonwood Nature Trail and the 3.1-mile McAlpine Cross Country Course, for nearly 8.7 miles of public trails.
The British forces led by General Cornwallis camped at Little Sugar Creek, behind Carolina Place Mall, a few days before the Battle of Charlotte on September 26, 1780. However, the American troops set up camp close by, along McAlpine Creek. The remnants of a grist mill erected by the Lucas family along Campbell Creek in the 1930s are visible from the greenway.
This watershed is larger than the entire cities of Asheville, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina. It has 59.2 square miles of land, most of which is used for residential development rather than for businesses like shops, factories, or offices. There are 99.1 miles of perennial streams in the McAlpine Creekshed, more than any other creek in Mecklenburg County.
It has numerous tributaries, including Swan Run, Rea Branch, Sardis Branch, Campbell Creek, and Irvins Creek. The watershed is home to many well-known parks, including James Boyce Community, Albemarle Road Community Park, Idlewild Road Regional Park, and McAlpine Creek Regional Park.
McAlpine Creek Park, Charlotte, NC Neighborhood
McAlpine Creek Park lies in East Charlotte in the Coventry Woods neighborhood with mature trees and original and generational owners. The district includes the historic Cohen-Fumero House, Cedarwood Park, and the Cul-de-Sac community with many late 1960s and early 70’s brick homes. In the neighborhood, the average rent for studio apartments is $974, $1,174 for one-bedroom, $1,483 for two-bedroom, and $1,643 for three-bedroom apartments. The median home price is $290,000.
The Coventry Woods community includes families that moved in over 40 years ago and people who just arrived. Residents include bankers, business owners, professors, potters, mechanics, symphony musicians, sales reps, and retirees.
