Long term quarantine is a depressing concept for those of us with wanderlust. Our streak of taking our kids to a new country every year will be broken this year thanks to Covid-19. But we’re trying to look on the bright side and explore more locally and take some day trips.
And we’re not the only ones. My FaceBook feed has been flooded with people taking “socially distant” adventures in the Charlotte area. One place that popped up quite a bit is Big Rock Nature Preserve. I had never heard of it before and then saw 4 or 5 different friends visit over the course of a week or two. So on a day when quarantine was getting to my boys and they needed to socially distance from each other, I took my youngest boy and dog to check it out.
At only 22 acres, Big Rock Nature Preserve is one of the smallest nature preserves in Mecklenburg County. It is named for the large granite rocks in the middle of the preserve, which are the largest such geologic formations in the county. Aside from its geological significance, the preserve is culturally and archaeologically important as well. Native Americans inhabited the land over 7,000 years ago and the site is a designated Historic Landmark.
While I was prepared for the park to be small, I was not prepared for it to be literally squeezed into a neighborhood development. I was confused when GPS led me into a neighborhood behind a major shopping center and then surprised when a county parks sign was plunked down on the side of the road across from some houses and in front of a small opening in the woods. There was no parking lot, we simply parked on the side of the road and walked into the woods.
It didn’t take long to come to the centerpiece of the preserve. After only a minute or two, the rock formations were in sight. And they were impressive!
The main rock formations were huge and really unique. Some were inexplicably split straight down the middle as if a laser had divided them, and some even had trees growing through and over them. They were really cool to explore, walk between, and climb over.
After playing on the rocks for a while, we decided to explore the rest of the preserve. I was concerned that there seemed to be multiple trails but no maps or trail markers, but it quickly become obvious that all trails basically ran in a circle around the preserve. The park was small enough that you could practically see from one end to the other.
At the back of the preserve, a tributary of McAlpine Creek creates a border between the park and another neighborhood. It was strange to see directly into people’s backyards from the preserve… and to hear the traffic of I-485 whizzing nearby. It took away a little of the mystic of the park that it was within eye and ear shot of the Charlotte suburbs. Still, the creek was pretty to walk along and there were some really unique trees in the preserve.
On our way out, we walked around the backside of the main rock formation. It was really cool to see it towering over the path.
Big Rock Nature Preserve is a great quick nature escape in Charlotte. Don’t go expecting hours of hiking on trails in the wilderness. Take your adventurous spirit and let your kids climb the huge rocks and splash in the creek. It is a great opportunity for a low-commitment socially distant break from quarantining in your house.
