Mountain Island Park in Mount Holly, NC (Blog Hike #886)

Trail: Mountain Island Park Trail
Hike Location: Mountain Island Park
Geographic Location: Mount Holly, NC
Length: 3.1 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: An out-and-back along the west bank of the Catawba River.
Park Information: https://www.carolinathreadtrailmap.org/trails/trail/mountain-island-park-trail
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=896383
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: On the west side of Charlotte, take I-85 to SR 273 (exit 27).  Exit and go north on SR 273.  Drive SR 273 north 6.5 miles to the entrance for Mountain Island Park on the right.  There is no park sign here, but you reach the park entrance right before you reach the Mount Holly water treatment plant.  Turn right to enter the park, then turn right on the gravel park road to descend to the Catawba River access.  Park in the gravel lot at the river access.

The hike: Built in 1924 for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power, Mountain Island Lake is the smallest of the three hydroelectric-related lakes on the Catawba River northwest of Charlotte.  (Aside: Lake Norman and Lake Wylie, both of which are featured elsewhere in this trail journal, are the other two.)  The lake gets its name from a small unnamed mountain that now forms an island in the middle of the lake.  The 3281 acre lake has 61 miles of shoreline, and it is also a major source of drinking water for the Charlotte metro area.

            Located just downstream from the Mountain Island Hydro Station is Mountain Island Park.  The park sits on the west bank of the Catawba River, and it is owned and maintained by the City of Mount Holly.  The park offers a playground, river access, mountain bike trails, and the out-and-back hiking trail described here.  The hiking trail is also part of the Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of 300 miles of trails that weave throughout the 15 counties that comprise metro Charlotte.

Trailhead at Mountain Island Park

            Start by picking up the gravel trail that heads south from the parking lot.  A chain strung across the trail blocks vehicle access, and an information board and playground also stand here.  If you look over your left shoulder, you will see the downstream side of Mountain Island Hydro Station, a brick and concrete structure that towers over you.  Also, an overlook platform on the left gives a nice view of the Catawba River as it flows through a relatively natural area.

Mountain Island Hydro Station

            The wide flat trail follows what appears to be an old road or railroad grade.  Distance markers appear every 0.25 miles, allowing you to track your progress.  Just shy of 0.5 miles, the trail splits.  The two options come back together in only 0.2 miles, so you can go either way here.  I chose to use the left option closest to the river going out and the right option higher on the hillside coming back.

Hiking on the old roadbed

            Just after the two options come back together, you pass the entrance to Mountain Island Park's mountain bike trails on the right.  Stay left to remain on the Carolina Thread Trail and cross the first of several nice wooden bridges.  The area around the trailhead consists of a nice broadleaf forest dominated by beech, maple, and sweetgum, but some pines mix in as you get further downstream.  Plenty of benches offer opportunities to rest, and I got to enjoy the rhythmic pecking of a woodpecker when I took a break near the midpoint of this hike.

Hiking along the river

            As you continue downstream, more nice Catawba River views emerge, but the natural area across the river is replaced by fancy riverside houses.  When a mountain bike trail appears on the left, stay right to remain on the wider Carolina Thread Trail.  The flat riverside hiking is now replaced by gentle ups and downs as you cross more small streams on wooden footbridges.

Old truck frame

            At 1.4 miles, you start around the short loop that is currently this trail's end.  Future plans call for extending this trail further south to link up with other sections of the Carolina Thread Trail, but for now a sign at the south end of this loop abruptly tells you "Trail Ends Here."  An interesting rusty old truck frame also sits in the woods here.  After completing the short loop, retrace your steps back to the trailhead, maybe taking the other option at the trail split for a short change of scenery.

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Blog Hike #885)

Trails: Nature, Wetland Boardwalk, and Prairie Trails
Hike Location: Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Geographic Location: north of Monroe, LA (32.60448, -92.05136)
Length: 1.25 miles
Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A double loop featuring a long boardwalk over open water.
Refuge Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/black-bayou-lake
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=896005
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: Near Monroe, take I-20 to US 165 (exit 118).  Exit and go north on US 165.  Drive US 165 north 7.5 miles to Richland Place and turn right on Richland Pl.  At the next intersection, bear right to stay on Richland Pl.  Drive Richland Pl. east 0.8 miles to the second signed refuge entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the refuge, and park in the paved parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Established only in 1997, Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge is centered around its namesake 1600 acre lake.  The refuge is located within the city limits of Monroe, and many local residents and college groups come here to recreate and study.  The lake is also the City of Monroe's back-up water source, and it is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under a 99-year lease.

            The refuge offers several options for hikers, but the highlight of the refuge's trail system is its spectacular boardwalk that takes you over the lake's open waters.  Thus, the refuge's most popular trails pass through the wetlands on the north shore of Black Bayou Lake and lead to this boardwalk.  This hike takes you through said wetlands to said boardwalk, but it also features an interesting loop through a small tallgrass prairie, thus sampling all the refuge has to offer.

Trailhead near Visitor Center

            Begin with the Nature Trail, which is a gravel trail with wooden side beams that starts to the right (west) of the Visitor Center.  An information board and garbage can also stand here.  The trail heads into the woods and quickly reaches a 3-way split.  Take the right option to begin heading counterclockwise around the Nature Trail's longest loop.

Boardwalk over seasonal wetland

            The trail approaches a railroad track that runs along the west boundary of this natural area before curving left to begin a boardwalk.  This boardwalk was rather new on my visit, and it takes you over a periodically inundated wetland that features dense lowland forest.  At the other end of the boardwalk, stay straight where a short-cut trail exits left to head back to the Visitor Center.

            Soon you start to see bald cypress knees beside the trail, and they indicate your approach to Black Bayou Lake.  At the next intersection, turn right to head out onto the spectacular boardwalk that carries you over the lake's open waters.  Two small shelters make for great places to watch waterfowl, and I saw multiple herons, egrets, coots, ibis, and cormorants while I slowly walked along this boardwalk.  This boardwalk is the highlight of the refuge, so take your time out here to see what you can see.

Black Bayou Lake

Egret near the boardwalk

            The boardwalk makes two 90-degree left turns to head back to solid land.  Just past 0.7 miles, you reach the parking area for the refuge's boat ramp on Black Bayou Lake.  To continue this hike, turn left on a gravel trail that connects back to the Nature Trail's main loop.  Two more right turns on the Nature Trail return you to your car at the Visitor Center parking area.

Prairie Trail

            If you want to do a little more hiking, walk across the parking area to find the signed start of the Prairie Trail.  Though only 0.25 miles in length, the concrete Prairie Trail forms a short loop through a fantastic tallgrass prairie.  Only light brown prairie grass could be seen when I came here, but this prairie comes alive with color in late summer when flowers such as purple coneflower, blazing star, and butterfly weed bloom.  This dry prairie forms a nice contrast to the wooded wetland you saw on the rest of this hike.