TREASURE TREE TOURS

This route through Latta Park and part of Dilworth takes you to 2 of the original Treasure Trees and 1 new Treasure Tree. In addition, you will be able to see a few potential Treasure Tree candidates as you walk through Latta Park. Plan on taking 45-60 minutes to complete this route.

DISTANCE: 2 miles

TYPE OF TOUR: Walking/hiking or biking

PRIVACY NOTE: For Treasure Trees on private property, please respect the privacy of homeowners. Please do not walk into a homeowner's yard! Enjoy the trees from the street on a bike, or from the sidewalk on foot.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by parking in the small lot behind St. Patrick's Cathedral off Dilworth Road East near the intersection of Romany Road. Walk northwest across Dilworth Road East and Dilworth Road West until you reach the paved path that enters into the middle of Latta Park. Shortly after you meet the path, it splits right and left. Stay left. In about 500 feet, you will see a dirt path leave the paved path to the right. Standing in this spot, look up the trail a few more feet to view a huge twin-trunk Yellow Poplar (not a Treasure Tree, but a marvelous tree).
2. Continue right on the dirt path and cross the bridge over the creek. Follow the right side of the creek about 175 feet until you reach the massive American Sycamore (#135); this is a newer Treasure Tree added to the program in 2022.
3. Continue following the dirt path beside the creek until you connect back up with one of the paved paths in the park over by the children's playground. Pick any path that continues around the left side of the basketball court and make your way up to the sidewalk along East Park Avenue. Continue northwest on East Park Avenue, walking along the sidewalk on the left side of the street. Just after crossing Euclid Avenue, look to the right side of the house on that corner to view the European Sweet Chestnut (#028). This tree still has its original Treasure Tree tag. Please respect private property here!
4. Continue walking northwest on East Park Avenue on the left side sidewalk. Walk one block until you cross Cleveland Avenue. Walk a few feet more up the sidewalk in front of the business on this corner and look straight to the right of the house to see the massive Gingko (056).
5. Go back to Cleveland Avenue and walk southwest one block until you reach East Kingston Avenue. Turn left here and enjoy your walk on the street after it crosses Euclid Avenue and continues about another half mile before it ends at Park Road. Turn left here, then turn right onto East Park Avenue after one block. East Park Avenue merges into Dilworth Road West. Cross back over Dilworth Road East here, and you will be back to the parking lot.

This route takes you across north Charlotte from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte area over to I-77. You will be able to see the stump remains of an original Treasure Tree in addition to 6 other living trees. Plan on taking 2-3 hours to complete this route. 

DISTANCE: 17 miles driving plus 2-3 miles walking/hiking 

TYPE of TOUR: Driving, walking/hiking 

PRIVACY NOTE:  For Treasure Trees on private property, please respect the privacy of homeowners. Please do not walk into a homeowner's yard! Enjoy the trees from the street on a bike, or from the sidewalk on foot.  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Begin your drive by using 3431 Charterhall Lane Charlotte, NC 28215 as your GPS destination. Park streetside and walk into the small community park surrounding one large tree and one tree stump. The stump is what remains of the former state champion Osage Orange (#050), which was destroyed by fire in 2007. The remaining tree is a sibling of the original Osage Orange, and it is a candidate for a future Treasure Tree designation.    

2. Continue your drive by looking for Lot 12 on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus, 3.6 miles from the Osage Orange. This small parking lot is near the intersection of Mary Alexander Road and Cameron Boulevard. Here you will be able to see the Chinkapin Oak (#034), which stands precariously on the slope of a creek bank beside the parking lot. This Oak has a twin trunk and is unusually large for its species in this area. Please practice safe viewing from the parking lot and do not attempt to enter the ravine! If you have additional time, we highly recommend visiting the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens just south of Lot 12.    

3. Continue on from UNCC 2 miles to the University City Hospital, located at the corner of East W.T. Harris Boulevard and North Tryon Street. Park in the drugstore lot at 8538 North Tryon Street and use the pedestrian crosswalk to walk about 500 feet northeast alongside North Tryon Street until you reach the grassy area above the ER parking lot. The American Elm (#074) may be found in the middle of this grassy area.  

4. Continue your drive northwest along West W.T. Harris Boulevard 4.3 miles until you reach the University City United Methodist Church. Park in the back lot just off Brookstone Drive. Here you will find the magnificent Black Walnut (#022) standing watch over the back courtyard of the church. This tree was spared during construction of the church campus, and still displays the original Treasure Tree tag. Please respect church property, and be aware of any church events that may be taking place!  

5. Continue from here 3.9 miles south on West Sugar Creek Road and Nevin Road until you reach the small parking lot for Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve. All trails begin with the straight Hoyt Hinson Trail, which leads to the ponds. After about a quarter mile, pass between the ponds and continue straight through the corridor of large pine trees. Just before you reach the massive White Oak in the clearing, look to the right in the edge of the woods to see the big Post Oak (#110). 

6. After viewing the Post Oak and the White Oak, continue north on the Hoyt Hinson Trail until it reaches the Beech Walk Trail. Turn right onto this trail, and you will soon walk into the American Beech Grove (088). Along the trail, you will find an interpretive marker identifying the large grove of mature Beech trees. Continue along the Beech Walk Trail until it runs back into the Hoyt Hinson Trail, and then return back to the parking lot the way you came in. 

7. From the Ribbonwalk parking lot, turn left back onto Nevin Road and continue 3.8 miles via Statesville Road and Old Statesville Road to the Denny's at 4541 Sunset Road. The restaurant is just across I-77 on the right side of the road. Park on the left side of the building, and you can't miss the giant Bur Oak (#032) that sits between the parking lot and Banner Elk Drive. This is one of the largest of all remaining original Treasure Trees in Mecklenburg County.  

These 2 routes through Myers Park and Freedom Park take you to 11  Treasure Trees total (8 trees for the Myers Park route and 3 trees for the Freedom Park route). Please be aware that visiting Wing Haven Gardens includes an admission fee. Plan on taking 1-2 hours for the Myers Park route and about 30 minutes for Freedom Park. 

DISTANCE, Myers Park: 4 miles

DISTANCE, Freedom Park: 1 mile

TYPE OF TOUR: Walking/hiking or biking 

PRIVACY NOTE:  For Treasure Trees on private property, please respect the privacy of homeowners. Please do not walk into a homeowner's yard! Enjoy the trees from the street on a bike, or from the sidewalk on foot.  

DIRECTIONS, Myers Park:

1. Begin at Wing Haven Gardens to view 2 Treasure Trees-- Chaste Tree (#024) and Yellow Poplar (#139).  The Chaste Tree (#024) is a former national champion and is a part of the original 123 Treasure Trees. It stands on the southwest corner of the main garden immediately behind the Clarkson home. The Yellow Poplar (#139) is a newer Treasure Tree added in 2022 and is located in the northwest area of the gardens. The giant Yellow Poplar has a unique hallow center that you can climb into!
2. Head east on Ridgewood Ave toward Croydon Rd.  You may be able to see the top of a Treasure Tree from the year 2000, Pecan (#112) located in a private backyard. 
3. Turn left when you reach Selwyn Rd, turn right on Queens Road West, make another right on Chilton Place, and a left on Bucknell.  The state champion Japanese Zelcova (#064) sits on the front right corner of the house at 2735 Bucknell Avenue.    
4. Continue North on Bucknell and make a right on Queens Road East. Make another right on Briarcliff Place. The state champion Deodar Cedar (#035) sits on the intersection of Westminster Place and Briarcliff Place.
5. Turn around and continue back up Briarcliff to make a right on Queens Road East.  Stay headed north on Queens Road East until you come upon the front of Queens University Harris Welcome Center.  There, you will find Gingko (#054). If you look very closely on the front right side of the tree, you can see the original Treasure Tree tag that has been swallowed up by the growth of the tree.
6. Just around the corner on Randcliff Ave and Queen Rd, you will see Crimean Linden (#036) on the left side of Radcliffe.    
7. Head southeast on Radcliffe Ave toward Selwyn Ave and turn right onto Selwyn Ave.  Take a slight right onto Westfield Rd and continue for about 0.7 miles.  Take a right on Ridgewood and you will reach the Elizabeth Lawrence House at 348 Ridgewood Avenue. Enter the gardens behind the house and walk out the main path around the pool. Standing in front of the Madonna & Child Plaque, turn right and view the Japanese Stewartia (#069) near the path on the right corner. Enjoy the rest of the Elizabeth Lawrence gardens!   

DIRECTIONS, Freedom Park:

1. Begin at the Lilac Rd parking lot near the Freedom Park Demonstration Garden.
2. Walk down the path towards the lake and turn left of loop around the north side of the lake.  Walk just past the bridge to get onto the island and you will spot Green Ash (#138) on your left. This ash is currently being treated for Emerald Ash Borer.
3. Continue south along the lake and exit Freedom Park onto Princeton Ave. Take a right on Princeton Ave and another right on Idlewood Circle.  The fourth house on your left is home to Water Oak (#137), a newer Treasure Tree added in 2022. Look up and notice the cabling holding this old tree together. 
4. Two homes down you will see the stately Deodar Cedar (#071), the one original Treasure Tree on route.
5. Keep walking up Idlewood and turn right onto Lilac Rd.  The parking lot will be on your right. 

This route along Edgehill Park and Stevens Park takes you to 3 of the original Treasure Trees. Plan on taking 30-45 minutes to complete this route. 

DISTANCE: 1 mile 

TYPE of TOUR: Walking/hiking or biking 

PRIVACY NOTE:  For Treasure Trees on private property, please respect the privacy of homeowners. Please do not walk into a homeowner's yard! Enjoy the trees from the street on a bike, or from the sidewalk on foot.  

DIRECTIONS:  

1. Begin at St. Mark's Lutheran Church off Queens Road. Start on Edgehill Road South and follow it east along the south side of Edgehill Neighborhood Park. At the end of Edgehill, you will see the main entrance to the Duke Mansion on the right side of the street. Just a few feet up the entrance road, you will immediately see the large Yellow Poplar (096). Although it is not a state champion, this is one of the largest and oldest Yellow Poplar trees in the state.  
   
   2. Continue just a few more feet up the entrance road, and you should see the Eastern Red Cedar (097). This tree still has the original Treasure Tree tags on it! The Duke Mansion property was originally home to 3 other Treasure Trees, but those have since deceased.
   
   3. Leave the entrance to Duke Mansion and turn right onto Hermitage Road. Stay on Hermitage after it passes the intersection with Ardsley Road. From the intersection, travel about 450 feet south on Hermitage. Look to the left in Stevens Park a few feet from the street to see the rare Bigleaf Magnolia (043). The trunk of the tree is quite small, only about 3' in circumference. This tree species boasts the largest simple leaf and single flower of any native plant in North America. The leaves are 12" to 36" long.  
    
   4. Continue south on Hermitage until you reach Granville Road and turn right. Follow Granville to the intersection of Queens Road. A Willow Oak (030) used to stand on this corner which was one of the original and largest of all Treasure Trees. Turn right onto Queens Road and continue back to St. Mark's Lutheran Church to finish this route.  

This route through the gardens of Historic Rosedale takes you to 5 of the original Treasure Trees. Plan on taking about an hour for the historic house tour, and then 30-45 minutes to see all of the trees. You may want to plan for additional time to enjoy all of the gardens.  

DISTANCE: < 1 mile 

TYPE OF TOUR: Walking 

DIRECTIONS: 

Historic Rosedale is located at 3427 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28206. Note: There's an admission fee to the house and grounds. Check HistoricRosedale.org for details. 

1. After completing a guided tour of the historic house, walk out to the back right corner and view the Green Ash (#004), which sits in the middle of a landscaped area between the house and the parking area. While this original Treasure Tree was originally identified as a Green Ash, it was later determined to be a White Ash. The tree still has its original Treasure Tree tag on it.    

2. From the Ash, walk north across the parking area toward the right side of the welcome center building. Behind the wooden fence you can't miss the giant Swamp Chestnut Oak (#006). This tree also has an interpretive sign in front of it, in addition to the original Treasure Tree tag.    

3. If you walk out behind the Swamp Chestnut Oak, you will be able to look out toward the back wooded area of the property to see the remains of the Osage Orange (#005). You will see multiple trunks emerging from one area where the original grove was planted back in 1857. The original trees caught fire in the 1960s when one of the barns burned down. This burned the original trees, but then new trunks grew out of the same spot.    

5. Leave the area around the Osage Orange and walk back down the entrance drive south. Just before you reach the entrance gate, turn left and walk across the grass lawn. Walk toward the white fence, and you will see the Chinese Parasol Tree (#001). This tree with its unusual smooth grey bark has an interpretive sign and the original Treasure Tree tag in place. This tree was originally planted from seed in 1950.    
6. Walk straight west from here across the entrance drive and toward the main gardens on the left side of the house. Look for an open path that continues west around the front edge of the gardens and continue on it for about 80 feet until it makes a right turn. Stay on this gravel path until it makes another right turn in 80 more feet. The Oriental Arborvitae (#044) stands as the anchor for this southern part of the main gardens. It is believed this tree dates back to the early 1800s, when the original owner of the house lived here.  

From here, enjoy the rest of the Rosedale gardens. Return back to the parking area by heading east around the back side of the house.