10 great wildflower walks in the Charlotte area

Walking in nature is special in every season, and in the springtime and summer, one of the delights is the wide variety of wildflowers that bloom in our region.

If you love wildflowers, one helpful resource is the North Carolina Plant Society. The Southern Piedmont Chapter, which includes the Charlotte area, presents a wide variety of programs, including guided wildflower walks. To join the walks you need to become a member, but membership is only $25 a year for adults, $15 a year for students, and $35 a year for families.

There is also a wealth of information on their YouTube library.

A recent talk by guest speaker Laura Domingo, a naturalist with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, detailed 10 wildflower walks near Charlotte.

With permission of the Southern Piedmont Chapter of North Carolina Plant Society, we are sharing those 10 wildflower walks. You’ll learn a lot about each of these trails by watching the video of the talk.

When you go on walks, please don’t pick the wildflowers or disturb them.

I like the LeafSnap app for identifying flowers, leaves, and bark.

Reedy Creek Nature Preserve

Reedy Creek Nature Preserve
2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte, NC 28215

Reedy Creek Nature Preserve contains over 10 miles of hiking trails, including a walk to the ruins of Robinson Rock House, which was built in the 1700s. You can read about the walk to Robinson Rock House here.

For an easy wildflower walk, try the 1-mile long Umbrella Trail, which starts at the Nature Center. You’ll waslk through a mature hardwood forest containing the Umbrella Tree.

Some wildflowers you might see are Virginia Pennywort, Perfoliate Bellwort, Star Chickweed, and Pink Lady’s Slipper.

Here’s a map of Reedy Creek Park and Nature Preserve.

McDowell Nature Preserve

McDowell Nature Preserve
15222 South York Road, Charlotte, NC 28278

McDowell Nature Preserve is another Mecklenburg County Nature Preserve with miles and miles of trails. Try the 1.1 mile Chestnut Trail for wildflowers.

You might see Early Saxifrage, Bloodroot and Catesby’s Trillium.

Here’s  map of McDowell Nature Preserve.

Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve

Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve
5901 Stephens Road, Huntersville, 28078

Buckeye Cove (formerly called Stephens Road) Nature Preserve, is a 352-acre preserve along the Catawba River, with plenty of trails. It’s near Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge and Latta Nature Preserve. There’s just a small parking lot here, for maybe 6-10 cars.

Walk along the cove on the very southern part of the preserve, and look for Round lobed Hetapica, Green and Gold, Wild Geranium, and Northern Maidenhair Fern. 

Here’s a map of Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve.

Broad River Greenway

Broad River Greenway
126 Broad River Drive, Shelby, NC 28152

If you’re not a Cleveland County resident, there’s a $5 fee, but it’s worth it. This Greenway is 1500 acres and contains about 20 miles of trails. Walk along the 2.2 mile River Trail, which goes beside the Broad River. 

Look for Drosera Brevifolia, Catesby’s Trillium, Mayapple and Sweet Shrub.

Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail

Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail
7911 Malibu Road, Mt. Pleasant, 28124

Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail goes through a diverse landscape, including a restored oak savanna, along the fields of a working farm and through a young forest along a bluff high above a creek. You’ll cross the creek on a swinging bridge (seen above.)

The trail is 2.1 miles in each direction. You’ll need to walk about a mile on the trail, past the savanna, and into the woods, before you get to the part with the most wildflowers. Look for Trout Lily, Little Sweet Betsy, and Thread Leaf Toothwort. 

More information on hiking Buffalo Creek Preserve Trail.

Lake Corriher Wilderness Area

Lake Corriher Wilderness Area
955 Kimball Road, China Grove, NC 28023

This area is across from the South Rowan Library and South Rowan YMCA. Parking is in the YMCA soccer field parking lot at the Lake Corriher main entrance. 

This 98-acre preserve contains over 5 miles of hiking trails. The trails go along two lakes and into the woodlands.

Look for Fairy Wand, Maple Leaf Viburnum, and Pinxterbloom Azalea.

Here’s a map of Lake Corriher Wilderness Area.

40 Acre Rock Heritage Preserve

40 Acre Rock Heritage Preserve
2207 Conservancy Rd, Kershaw, SC 29067

This whole area is 2,965 acres and includes about 4 miles of trails. The rocks are 14 acres (not 40 acres.) There are some special plants that bloom here, including Elp Orpine. You might also see Pool Sprite, Atamasco Lily, and Golden Alexander.

Read more about Forty Acre Rock.

Boone’s Cave Park

Boone’s Cave Park
3552 Boones Cave Road, Lexington, NC 27292

This park is over 100 acres and offers great diversity, including wetlands and some fairly steep trails, as well as two caves. There are about 7.5 miles of trails, and two caves.

Local legend has it that Daniel Boone and his family spent a year in North Carolina near this site.

There have been over 100 native wildflowers documented here, including some that you’d see in the mountains. Look for Mountain Laurel, Rue Anemone, Dwarf Crested Iris and Plantain Pussytoes.

Map and brochure of Boone’s Cave Park.

The South Fork River Trail

South Fork River Trail
119 Willow Drive, McAdenville, NC 28191

This trail is 2 miles each way and goes through the Pharr Yarns Preserve, and along the South Fork of the Catawba River. 

Look for Foamflower, Spring Beauty and False Solomon’s Seal.

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
23734 US-1, McBee, SC 29101This is a longer drive, about an hour and a drive from Charlotte, but must be mentioned in any discussion of wildflowers, because of the hundreds of varieties of wildflowers it has on its 47,850 acres. There are miles of trails, but you can also find parking areas and just explore the nooks and crannies around them.

You’ll find many wildflowers here, including Pixie Moss, Blue Sandhills Lupine and Yellow Pitcher Plant.

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