Ballantyne District Park
Distance: 3 mi Elevation Gain: 200 ft Est. Time: About 30 minutes for one lap of all three loops Difficulty: Intermediate
Three short, distinct loops add up to about 3 miles of lappable singletrack: smooth Flow Loop for newer riders, rooty old-school Field Loop, and Tech Loop with its rock garden and berms.
Ballantyne District Park is a Mecklenburg County park off Bryant Farms Road in south Charlotte, tucked behind the Morrison Family YMCA.
Its trail system has three short loops, each with its own personality, that add up to about 3 miles. Every loop is around a mile, so it's easy to mix and match or ride a few laps.
Flow Loop is smooth and fast, with little to no technical terrain. An easy climb leads into a flowy run back down through the trees, with rollers, a few small jumps and switchback berms. It's the best place for newer riders to start.
Field Loop is old-school, hand-cut singletrack around the ball fields. Expect roots and rocks, a double-roller wooden bridge and several bermed turns.
Tech Loop is the most challenging of the three. It has a large rock garden, switchbacks and a fast, bermed downhill. An optional side line leads to a wall ride, the first one built in the Charlotte area.
The trails opened in 2017, and Tech Loop was added in 2018. They are maintained by Tarheel Trailblazers volunteers and shared with walkers and runners.
Locals often call the trails "277," after the Ballantyne ZIP code.
The trails close when wet, so check the trail status before you head out.
Interactive Trail Map
Details & Logistics
Trailhead Parking Lot
No help text. Renders: Parking card 9405 Bryant Farms Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
The trailhead parking lot is behind the Morrison Family YMCA near the Bojangles Outdoor Pavilion. It can be accessed either through the YMCA entrance or off the Community House Road traffic circle entrance. The trailhead kiosk is at the start of Field Loop, just past the gate on the paved access road. Flow Loop and Tech Loop are reached by a short, rooty connector from the lot.
Get DirectionsPark is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on trails. Class 1 means bikes that only provide electric assistance when pedaling, don’t have a throttle and don't provide assistance over 20mph. Any bike with a throttle or that can provide electric assistance over 20mph is not allowed on trails because of the safety risk to other trail users, and the hard to repair trail damage they cause.
Trails close when wet, usually for about 24 hours after rain. Check the trail status at the top of this page before you go, and please don't ride muddy trails.
Ride each loop in the signed direction and follow the arrows. Field Loop and Tech Loop run clockwise. Flow Loop runs counterclockwise. The trails are shared with walkers, runners and leashed dogs, so ride in control, call out before passing and yield to people on foot.
Night riding is possible during park opening hours. Make sure you have good lights.
Plenty of places to eat, get gas etc in all directions around Ballantyne. Bike shop on Johnston Rd just inside 485.
Restrooms are available in the park at the outdoor pavilion.
Trail Segments
Flow Loop
Smooth and fast with little to no technical terrain. An easy climb leads into a flowy descent through the trees, with rollers, a few small jumps and switchback berms. The best loop for newer riders and a great warm-up for everyone.
Field Loop
Old-school, hand-cut singletrack that circles the ball fields. Mostly natural terrain with roots, rocks, a double-roller wooden bridge and several bermed turns. It starts at the trailhead kiosk and runs clockwise. Watch for trail markers, as it can be tricky to follow in places.
Tech Loop
The most challenging loop, with a large rock garden, switchbacks and a fast, bermed downhill. An optional side line leads to the signature wall ride for advanced riders. One-way only: ride it clockwise.
First Timer Tips
- Start on Flow Loop. It's smooth and fast with few roots or rocks, so it's the best first loop and a good warm-up.
- The connector from the parking lot to Flow Loop is the rootiest bit of the whole system. Ride with caution!
- Field Loop has more roots and rocks, plus a double-roller wooden bridge. Watch for trail markers as you go.
- Tech Loop is the toughest: a large rock garden, switchbacks and a fast, bermed descent. The wall ride is an optional side line, so look before you ride it and skip it if you're unsure.
- Ride every loop in the signed direction, and yield to walkers and runners.
- The loops are short, so easy to adjust do as many laps as you have time or energy! A full lap of all three takes about 30 minutes.
- Trails close when wet. Check the status before you leave home.