McDowell Nature Preserve, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an oasis in the city. It offers hiking trails, picnic shelters, a playground, nature center, campground, and stunning views of Lake Wylie.
I have been to McDowell a few times over the years in the spring, summer, and fall. There are 12 hiking trails ranging from 0.1 miles to 1.1 miles, including the universally accessible Four Seasons Trail.
I have hiked eight of the trails. We made two wide loops by connecting several trails. Each time I started at the Nature Center parking lot.
First Loop Option
Shady Hollow Trail
Shady Hollow starts across from the Nature Center. This 0.5-mile dirt path is blazed with yellow circles. It is a moderately difficult trail through the pine forest toward the lake.
Shady Hollow connects to the Kingfisher Trail near the Red Fox Shelter.
Kingfisher Trail
From Shady Hollow, we turned on the 1.1-mile Kingfisher Trail. Blazed with blue triangles, it leads to the campground and picnic area. The path hugs the peninsula’s shoreline of Lake Wylie with beautiful views of the water.
Our first glimpse of the lake was a small cove. We saw a great blue heron standing on a log near three yellow-bellied sliders.
At the cove, we took the left fork, heading uphill. Then Kingfisher led to a long, wooden waterfront deck with picnic tables and benches. Copperhead Island sits across the water.
After watching canoes and boats and spying an osprey and several Canada geese flying by, we left the boardwalk to head back into the woods.
Wooden posts acted as direction markers when we ran into other trails. The Kingfisher and Chestnut trails are the same for a segment before Kingfisher breaks off to head to the campground.
Chestnut Trail
We turned left onto the Chestnut Trail. The 1.1-mile trail is moderate-to-difficult with some steep inclines. Red circle blazes mark the path through the hardwood forest.
Oak Hill Trail
From the Chestnut Trail, we hopped on the 0.1-mile Oak Hill Trail. This short trail connects the Chestnut and Sierra trails. Orange square blazes direct the way, which helped as it crosses McDowell Park Drive shortly before the Nature Center.
Sierra Trail
Sierra Trail is a 0.25-mile trail with green circle blazes. It is an easy loop directly behind the Nature Center with access to the Pine Hollow, Oak Hill, and Chestnut trails.
Along the path through hardwood trees, there are numbered learning sites and information signs. We also found some bright yellow mushrooms and a pair of eastern bluebirds.
Second Loop Option
Shady Hollow Trail
This loop also started with the Shady Hollow Trail to the Kingfisher Trail.
Kingfisher Trail
At the cove, we took the right fork this time. We spied a pair of ducks close to the shoreline. They drew quite a crowd as we watched them swim and splash in the water.
Lovely green and golden hues filled the water. We saw hundreds of small white seashells in the sand.
The path continued to hug the curving shoreline into Lake Wylie. There are several benches to rest on as well as a couple of fishing piers.
From Kingfisher, we spied Canada geese, tufted titmice, and dark-eyed juncos.
The trail ends at a parking lot, and we had to walk up McDowell Park Drive for a bit before it connected to the Cove Trail on the left.
Cove Trail
This moderate 0.8-mile trail follows the lake’s shoreline from a higher ridge. The narrower path is marked with blue square blazes. You can listen to an audio tour although we chose not to so we could be fully absorbed in the sights and sounds of nature.
There were red buds and dogwoods in bloom. A cheeky Carolina anole lizard side-eyed us as it climbed over fallen leaves.
We crossed a couple of short wooden bridges over creek beds.
Shortly before connecting to the Four Seasons Trail, Cove Trail lives up to its name, leading to a beautiful cove nestled in the woods.
A pair of mallards enjoyed the sunshine while Carolina chickadees sang from the trees.
Four Seasons Trail
Four Season is the only universally accessible trail. It is a 0.4-mile paved loop blazed with red triangles.
Four Seasons starts by meandering along a creek before looping back in the woods. There is a picnic area and a couple of benches.
We watched two Carolina chickadees fly in and out of their nest at least a dozen times.
Pine Hollow Trail
To get back to the Nature Center, we took the Pine Hollow Trail from the start of the Four Seasons Trail. If you are planning to do the same thing, take care because Pine Hollow connects to Four Seasons in two places; if you take the other connection, it will be a much longer hike back to the center.
Pine Hollow is 0.8 miles in total. The loop trail is marked with yellow square blazes. Red cedars grow along the path.
From Four Seasons, this is an uphill climb. It is a moderate trail, but after a long day of hiking this was a rough way to end.
Close to the Nature Center, there were signs describing local snake species.
McDowell Nature Preserve offers hiking trails for all ages and skill levels as well as water activities. The Nature Center also provides learning opportunities about local wildlife through exhibits and live animals.
I love that you shared what busy Charlotte has to offer. My next visit to Charlotte will need to include a hike through McDowell!