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Beatty's Black & Blue

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
 4.1 (55)
  1. Areas
  2. NC
  3. …Central N. Carolina
  4. …Charlotte
  5. Colonel Francis Beatty Park
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“A fast paced, fun five mile loop encompassing all of the advanced options of Francis J Beatty. ”

Vinnie Connors
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5.9

Miles

9.5

KM

90%

Singletrack

731' 223 m

High

658' 200 m

Low

217' 66 m

Up

218' 66 m

Down

1%

Avg Grade (1°)

6%

Max Grade (3°)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Closes for 24 hours after rain. For current condition go to: tarheeltrailblazers.com/

Overview

Beatty is a very popular multi-use trail and gets decent amount of traffic especially on the weekends. Bikes go counterclockwise, runners go clockwise. Recently improved with grants from REI, this trail has some of the best man-made features in the area. Separate from the main loop, there is a pump track ("The Colonel"), which is smooth, fast, and truly a joy to ride at any age.

Need to Know

This ride starts from the tennis court parking lot (1st left after park entrance) and not the trail kiosk. You could easily start this ride from the Trail Kiosk as well - there's parking in both areas.

Description

Follow the road back to the main road and the trail starts 0.1 mile on the right. After a road crossing and a short twisting climb, you are greeted with a nice downhill natural jump line. This leads to the first intersection of the ride, take the left option and continue on Beatty's Black.

Beatty's Black is Francis J Beatty's recently improved black diamond section. This section will test your skills to say the least. Lots of roots, berms, tight trees, logs, skinnies, a few jumps, a 4 foot wooden ledge drop, and the best man-made feature in Charlotte, a ski jump kicker. Beatty's Black rejoins the green loop and continues for 1/4 mile to the next intersection.

Take the right, blue option up the step-up root ledge and continue for 1/4 mile where the trail merges back with the green loop. At the next, immediate intersection continue straight with the blue option, as the green loop continues to the left. After a short rocky, rooty climb, a mellow downhill section with a wooden berm and a log skinny leads back to the "start" of the trail.

At the trail entrance intersection, take the right option as the left trail takes you to the parking lot and trail kiosk. After a short climb, a short downhill section with a berm and two jumps awaits. Another climb then leads to fastest part of the trail where speeds can exceed 20 mph. This downhill section has a few nice jumps, a couple of berms and concludes after 1/2 mile where the trail merges with the service road for 0.1 mile before turning right back into the woods.

Take the right black diamond option immediately after reentering the woods. This section is mostly a climb and has many technical root sections, some logs, and a "S" ladder bridge. The trail reconnects with the green loop and continues 0.1 mile to a road crossing where a right will lead back to the parking lot and the end of the ride.

Contacts

Local Club: Tarheel Trailblazers

Land Manager: Mecklenburg County - Park and Recreation

Shared By:

Vinnie Connors with improvements by Sean D
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.1 from 55 votes

#1

in Colonel Francis Beatty Park

#346

Overall
  4.1 from 55 votes
5 Star
38%
4 Star
44%
3 Star
13%
2 Star
4%
1 Star
2%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Colonel Francis Beatty…

#24

in North Carolina

#346

Overall
55 Views Last Month
13,809 Since Jul 23, 2013
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
2%
2%
41%
22%
33%
0%
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Photos

Riding on the main loop at Colonel Francis Beatty park, trying out all the black diamonds for the first time
Nov 23, 2020 near Matthews, NC
A wooden obstacle
May 24, 2015 near Weddington, NC
great ride 4/21
Apr 5, 2021 near Matthews, NC
nice rock and ramp obstacle you can get creative on
Apr 5, 2021 near Matthews, NC
medium wooden obstacle
Apr 5, 2021 near Weddington, NC
lovely "ski" jump
Apr 5, 2021 near Weddington, NC

4 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 3 days ago
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Aug 28, 2023
Jordan Sternik
tons of wet roots 5.9mi
Dec 30, 2022
Daniel daniel.ryan.paulsen@gmail.com
Dec 30, 2022
Joe Pay
Oct 9, 2022
Joe Pay
Sep 9, 2022
Brandon P
Oct 11, 2021
Kevin McCarthy
Jul 13, 2021
Joe Pay
May 30, 2021
Joe Pay
3h 17m

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