The public trails closest to Charlotte that allow horses are Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville, the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Cane Creek Park near Waxhaw. For a full day out, Morrow Mountain State Park, the Uwharrie National Forest, Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina, and South Mountains State Park all have bridle trails with horse camping or trailer parking. Carry a current negative Coggins test: North Carolina State Parks, South Carolina State Parks, and the Greenway all ask for one.
At a glance
Mileage and rules below come from each site's managing agency or another government or trail-network page, as of October 2026. Trails close for weather and construction, so check before you load.
| Trail | Location | Horse trail miles (as published) | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latta Nature Preserve | Huntersville, Mecklenburg County | 15 | Closes when wet |
| Anne Springs Close Greenway | Fort Mill, SC | 12 | $25 day fee per rider and horse; Coggins copy |
| Cane Creek Park | Waxhaw, Union County | 7+ shared with bikes and hikers | Seasonal entrance fee |
| Morrow Mountain State Park | Stanly County | 33 | No day-use fee; Coggins proof |
| Uwharrie National Forest | Badin Lake Recreation Area | 40+ | Coggins on request at Canebrake camp |
| Kings Mountain State Park | Blacksburg, SC | 30 | Park admission; Coggins papers |
| South Mountains State Park | Burke County | 35 at Jacob Fork | No day-use fee; Coggins proof |
Close to the city
Latta Nature Preserve (Huntersville)
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation lists Latta as its horseback riding location, with 15 miles of equestrian trails open to the public. You can pull a horse trailer in for a day ride. The county's blog puts the preserve at 1,460 acres. The county's main caution:
"Trails subject to closure when wet."
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Hiking and Horseback Riding
Call the county's trail hotline at (980) 314-1004 before you hitch up.
Where horse owners live nearby: Huntersville, Davidson's rural area, and the Mooresville side of the county line. Our Huntersville guide covers the zoning picture, and our Mooresville area page covers the town to the north.
Anne Springs Close Greenway (Fort Mill, SC)
The Greenway's stables sit on more than 2,100 acres with 12 miles of equestrian trails. Riders who trailer in their own horses use the Lake Haigler Entrance (2573 Lake Haigler Drive, Fort Mill) from 7 a.m. to sunset, seven days a week, and pay a day ride and entrance fee of $25 per rider and horse.
"They will need to bring a copy of their horse's current Coggins Test."
The Greenway closes horse trails when water is pooling or the tread is wet enough for horses to damage it, and sustained winds above 20 mph also close them. Its trail hotline is 803.547.1019. The Greenway also offers pasture boarding at its Dairy Barn, listed as starting at $90 per week effective December 27, 2025, with annual membership and trail access included.
Where horse owners live nearby: Fort Mill and the rest of York County, South Carolina, plus the south side of the Charlotte region. Our Charlotte horse farms page lists current options on both sides of the state line.
Cane Creek Park (Waxhaw)
Union County's Cane Creek Park is at 5213 Harkey Road in Waxhaw. N.C. Cooperative Extension's Union County Center describes the park as more than 1,000 acres around a 350-acre lake, with many miles of multi-use trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The Carolina Thread Trail listing for the park says more than 7 miles of trails are open to horseback riders, bikers, and hikers, and that there is no entrance fee from November 1 to February 28. Check Union County's park page for current fees and trail status, since the trails are shared with bikes.
Where horse owners live nearby: Waxhaw and western Union County. See our Waxhaw area page.
A day trip east: Morrow Mountain and the Uwharries
Morrow Mountain State Park
NC State Parks places Morrow Mountain in Stanly County, 50 miles northeast of Charlotte. The park lists 33 miles of horseback riding trails and horse trailer parking, and charges no fee for day use. Gate hours change by month (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in October), and day-use areas close an hour before the gate does.
The statewide park rules apply here and at every NC state park with bridle trails:
"Proof of equine testing certification must be carried by the horse owner at all times while the animal is within the state park."
The same rules require a negative Coggins test no more than 12 months old for all horses over 6 months of age. Horses must stay on designated trails and out of camping (except equestrian camping), swimming, picnic, and other day-use areas. You may load and unload only in designated areas, you must remove manure from trailer parking areas, and carts and carriages are not allowed on park trails. The rules also note that not every park with bridle trails has horse trailer parking, so call ahead.
Uwharrie National Forest
"the Badin Lake Recreation Area in the Uwharrie National Forest has two horse camps and 25 named trails accounting for more than 40 miles of horseback trails."
Montgomery County, NC, Uwharrie National Forest: Horseback Riding
The U.S. Forest Service lists Canebrake Horse Camp and Badin Horse Camp, a primitive area where riders camp in self-contained RVs or horse trailers with tie-outs. The Forest Service's Badin Lake map describes Canebrake as having parking spurs for trailers, electric hookups, showers, flush toilets, and a horse wash station, and says horse owners must provide a negative Coggins test if Forest Service employees or the camp host ask.
Where horse owners live nearby: eastern Mecklenburg and the counties east of it. From most of Charlotte, both destinations are a long haul with a trailer, so plan them as full-day or camping trips.
West and southwest: Kings Mountain and South Mountains
Kings Mountain State Park (Blacksburg, SC)
South Carolina State Parks lists 30 miles of equestrian trails and 15 equestrian campsites at Kings Mountain. Each equestrian site has 20/30/50-amp electric service and two corrals. Park admission is $3 for adults. The state's equestrian page describes the terrain and the paperwork:
"Guests will need to contact the park for rental rates and availability, and must have negative Coggins papers for their horse to use the park's facilities."
That page also notes that challenging rides can be found along the rocky outcroppings at Kings Mountain. Nearby Crowders Mountain State Park in Gaston County, which connects to Kings Mountain State Park by the Ridgeline Trail, does not list horseback riding among its activities, so plan Kings Mountain as the riding destination on that side.
South Mountains State Park
NC State Parks places South Mountains in Burke County. It lists 35 miles of horseback riding at the Jacob Fork access, equestrian campsites, and horse trailer parking, with no day-use fee. As of October 20, 2026, the park says equestrian trails at Jacob Fork are open, the separate Clear Creek access has been closed since March 27, 2026 for construction of a new entrance road and parking area, and road construction on Wards Gap Road requires a detour. The state park Coggins rules above apply.
Trails that are not public
Two notes on trails that are not open to public riders:
- Lake Norman State Park in Iredell County lists hiking and biking trails, not horseback riding.
- FETA trails around Tryon are private. The Foothills Equestrian Trails Association says its trails cross private property and are open only to members.
"The trails are all on private property and available only for horseback riding and only to FETA members."
FETA membership is open to riders who own property, reside, or board their horse in Polk County, North Carolina, or in Landrum or Campobello, South Carolina. That makes trail access a real factor in where you buy. Our Tryon buyer's guide covers FETA in more detail.
Before you load the trailer
- Put a current negative Coggins in the truck, and check its date against the 12-month rule at NC state parks.
- Call the trail hotline or park office the morning of the ride.
- Check gate closing times, especially in winter when parks close earlier.
- Know where trailer parking is before you arrive; not every bridle trail has it.
- Pack a manure fork for the trailer lot.
If you are choosing a farm partly for trail access and want help comparing drive times and properties, contact us.
Sources
- Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Hiking and Horseback Riding
- Mecklenburg County Blog, Latta Nature Preserve: What's There to Do?
- Anne Springs Close Greenway, Horseback Ride
- Visit York County, SC, Get to know the Anne Springs Close Greenway
- N.C. Cooperative Extension, Union County Center: Cane Creek Park
- Carolina Thread Trail, Cane Creek Park Trail
- NC State Parks, Morrow Mountain State Park
- NC State Parks, Park Rules
- Montgomery County, NC, Uwharrie National Forest: Horseback Riding
- USDA Forest Service, Uwharrie National Forest
- USDA Forest Service, Badin Lake Recreation Area map
- South Carolina State Parks, Kings Mountain State Park
- South Carolina State Parks, Kings Mountain Camping
- South Carolina State Parks, Equestrian Trails
- NC State Parks, Crowders Mountain State Park
- NC State Parks, South Mountains State Park
- NC State Parks, Lake Norman State Park
- Foothills Equestrian Trails Association
