Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve in Charlotte, NC (Blog Hike #1009)

Trails: Stevens Creek, Heelsplitter, Quartz, and Sawmill Trails
Hike Location: Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve
Geographic Location: east side of Charlotte, NC (35.14244, -80.64475)
Length: 3.9 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2024
Overview: A figure-eight route featuring restored wetlands along Stevens Creek.
Park Information: https://parkandrec.mecknc.gov/Places-to-Visit/Nature/stevens-creek-nature-center-and-preserve
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=957890
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 13)

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Charlotte, take I-485 to Lawyers Road (exit 47).  Exit and go north on Lawyers Rd.  At 0.8 miles, take the second exit from the traffic circle to continue on Lawyers Rd., then almost immediately turn left on Thomson Road.  Drive Thomson Rd. south 0.8 miles to the signed Nature Center entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the preserve, and park in the large parking lot in front of the Nature Center building.

The hike: Purchased by Mecklenburg County in 2001, Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve is the newest of the 4 nature preserves owned and operated by Charlotte-Mecklenburg County.  The preserve protects 2 miles of Stevens Creek, which features an extensive wetland that was rebuilt a few years ago in an expensive and time-consuming restoration.  Most of this land was logged and/or farmed before 2001, and this preserve still has its youthful rough-around-the-edges feel.  It will be fun to watch this forest and wetland mature over the next few decades.

            In terms of amenities, the preserve features only a nature center and 4 hiking trails.  The 4 trails form a figure-eight route with the nature center at the north end of the northern lobe.  Thus, it makes sense to combine all 4 trails into a single figure-eight hike, and such is the hike described here.

Trailhead at nature center

            From the nature center, head south on the concrete trail that passes the main information board.  This ADA-accessible path leads to Stevens Creek, and it serves as an entrance trail for the entire trail system.  After about 1000 feet, the concrete turns to elevated boardwalk as you enter the Stevens Creek wetland.  The trees and grasses planted here during the restoration are not yet fully established, and therefore it still looks and feels like a young wetland.  Also, wildlife was not particularly plentiful when I came here, so hopefully more fauna will call this wetland home in the future.

Restored wetland

            On the south side of the wetland, the trail surface turns to dirt, which it will remain for the rest of the trail system.  You are now on the Heelsplitter Trail, which is marked with orange squares painted on trees.  This trail is named for the Carolina Heelsplitter, an endangered freshwater mussel naturalists hope to introduce to this park's wetland in the future.

Hiking the Heelsplitter Trail

            The next 1.6 miles is a very gradual and rolling climb: the trail has a net gain of about 100 feet of elevation over that span.  Where the Sawmill Trail exits left or the Quartz Trail exits right, stay with the orange squares to remain on the Heelsplitter Trail; we will use the other two trails on our return route.  The forest here has the typical Piedmont mix of beech, pine, hickory, and sweet gum.  I-485 forms this park's southern boundary, and while the forest and hills filter out some of the noise, highway sounds are your near constant companion on this hike.

Starting the Quartz Trail

            1.9 miles into the hike, you reach the Heelsplitter Trail's south end at a junction with the Quartz Trail, which goes right and left.  The trail going left leads to a secondary parking area on Hooks Road, so you want to turn right to begin your return route.  The initial segment of the Quartz Trail follows a power line corridor, and I had to navigate a few muddy areas when I hiked here on a warm afternoon in early March.

            After curving right to leave the power line corridor, the trail passes some small exposed quartz veins that give this trail its name.  At 2.4 miles, you reach a stack of bricks, all that remains of an old homesite.  Some daffodils growing here were just getting ready to bloom on my visit.

Old homesite

            Just past 2.5 miles, you reach the north end of the Quartz Trail at an intersection with the Heelsplitter Trail.  You walked through this intersection about a half hour ago: this intersection closes the south lobe of the figure eight.  Turn left to begin retracing your steps on the Heelsplitter Trail, then at the next intersection angle right to begin the Sawmill Trail.  One of several nice benches sits at this intersection, providing ample opportunity to rest, rehydrate, and have a trail snack.

Hiking the Sawmill Trail

            The Sawmill Trail travels through a stand of young forest with skinny dense trees.  This land was cleared not too long ago, and while there is no evidence of a sawmill on this property, the adjacent town of Mint Hill had many sawmills in the 1900's.  At 3.3 miles, you reach the north end of the Sawmill Trail at yet another intersection with the Heelsplitter Trail you passed through before.  This intersection closes the north lobe of the figure eight.  Turn right to retrace your steps to and across the wetland to return to the nature center and complete the hike.