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Squirrel Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,315 Google reviews · Running trail in Matthews, North Carolina · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Squirrel Lake Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Recreation area with a playground, charcoal grills, picnic tables, fishing piers & restrooms.
What runners say about Squirrel Lake Park
“Lots of benches and seating options for parents (including a covered pavilion), clean restrooms, a fun playground area for the littlest.”
“Squirrel Lake Park is a peaceful green space in Matthews with scenic trails, a calm lake, playground, and disc golf course, perfect for walks, picnics, or just relaxing in nature.”
“It is easy to get to, provides beautiful shade, and has something for everyone.”
“Squirrel Lake Park is a peaceful green space in Matthews with scenic trails, a calm lake, playground, and disc golf course, perfect for walks, picnics, or just relaxing in nature.”
This was my first time at this park. We arrived just before the gate open at 6:45am to let us enter the park. There were lots of parking spaces near the restroom and playground. The park is connected to a 4 mile paved greenway that has a story displayed through the trail. Cool!
Edit: We come here all the time with our new puppy and she absolutely loves walking the trail. What a great park. We took our sweet dog there and we enjoyed walking to the creek. It had been raining so it was muddy but the park is beautiful. We’ll be back to have a picnic now that the weather is cooling off.
Convenient and easy to get to, enough parking and a nice bathroom facility, this park is a great place for the kids and a run! I did not explore the whole place, but many reviewers like the whole thing. I went fishing. I saw a couple of 8 inch bass, bit no bites on 3 different lures. #stinker as a fisherman.
Me and my children absolutely love this place!! Me and my son got to experience a summer camp program here which included us fishing in the pond and going on a nature scavenger hunt that was really fun and informative!
Trail conditions & character
“Squirrel Lake Park is a peaceful green space in Matthews with scenic trails, a calm lake, playground, and disc golf course, perfect for walks, picnics, or just relaxing in nature.”
“Lots of benches and seating options for parents (including a covered pavilion), clean restrooms, a fun playground area for the littlest.”
“Convenient and easy to get to, enough parking and a nice bathroom facility, this park is a great place for the kids and a run!”
“It is easy to get to, provides beautiful shade, and has something for everyone.”
Plan your run at Squirrel Lake Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Distance4 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitematthewsnc.gov
- Phone+1 704-708-1260
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Thursday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Friday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Saturday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
| Sunday | 6:30 am–7:30 pm |
Running trails near Matthews
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Four Mile Creek Greenway, Matthews
4.7 ★★★★★ 280 reviews
Easy-going trail stretching through a suburban greenway, with scenic views.
Four Mile Creek Greenway (Sportsplex Matthews)
5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
Matthews-Sardis Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 167 reviews
Small, shaded neighborhood park featuring play equipment, picnic tables and swings.
Stallings Municipal Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,241 reviews
Park with a splash pad, 4 playgrounds, tennis and pickleball courts, picnic areas, and a walking loop.
