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Places to see

United States

North Carolina

Mecklenburg County

McDowell Nature Center

Discover

Places to see

United States

North Carolina

Mecklenburg County

McDowell Nature Center

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McDowell Nature Center

Name: McDowell Nature Center
Rating: 2

People Who've Recommended This Place

Jamie S.

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Marco

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AlexB

Everything You Need To Get Outside

Ready-Made Inspiration

Browse personalized adventures tailored to your favorite sport

A Better Planning Tool

Build your perfect outdoor experience using the world’s best outdoor tech

More Intuitive Navigation

Turn-by-turn navigation and offline maps keep your adventure on track

A Log of Every Adventure

Save every adventure and share your experiences with your friends

Everything You Need To Get Outside

Ready-Made Inspiration

Browse personalized adventures tailored to your favorite sport

A Better Planning Tool

Build your perfect outdoor experience using the world’s best outdoor tech

More Intuitive Navigation

Turn-by-turn navigation and offline maps keep your adventure on track

A Log of Every Adventure

Save every adventure and share your experiences with your friends

Ralf

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A Better Planning Tool

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Les Kish

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Barbara

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Done

Recommended by 7 hikers

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: McDowell Nature Preserve

Everything You Need To Get Outside

Ready-Made Inspiration

Browse personalized adventures tailored to your favorite sport

A Better Planning Tool

Build your perfect outdoor experience using the world’s best outdoor tech

More Intuitive Navigation

Turn-by-turn navigation and offline maps keep your adventure on track

A Log of Every Adventure

Save every adventure and share your experiences with your friends

Save

Location: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States

Everything You Need To Get Outside

Ready-Made Inspiration

Browse personalized adventures tailored to your favorite sport

A Better Planning Tool

Build your perfect outdoor experience using the world’s best outdoor tech

More Intuitive Navigation

Turn-by-turn navigation and offline maps keep your adventure on track

A Log of Every Adventure

Save every adventure and share your experiences with your friends

Save

See hikes here

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Routes here

Best Hikes to McDowell Nature Center

1. Kingfisher and Shady Hollow Trail loop — McDowell Nature Preserve

2.95km

00:47

30m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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How to understand each route’s difficulty level

Easy Hike

Up to 2 hours and 1,000 ft. of elevation gain. Great for any fitness level.

Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. Corresponds approx.to SAC 1.

Intermediate Hike

Up to 5 hours and 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires good fitness.

Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 2-3.

Expert Hike

More than 5 hours long or 3000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires very good fitness.

Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 4–6.

Technical difficulty rating based on the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) Hiking Scale.

Easy

5.0

(4)

hikers

2. McDowell Nature Center – Lake Wylie Cove loop from Nations Ford

4.90km

01:18

50m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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How to understand each route’s difficulty level

Easy Hike

Up to 2 hours and 1,000 ft. of elevation gain. Great for any fitness level.

Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. Corresponds approx.to SAC 1.

Intermediate Hike

Up to 5 hours and 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires good fitness.

Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 2-3.

Expert Hike

More than 5 hours long or 3000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires very good fitness.

Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 4–6.

Technical difficulty rating based on the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) Hiking Scale.

Easy

3.0

(1)

hikers

3. McDowell Nature Center loop from Nations Ford

5.33km

01:25

50m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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How to understand each route’s difficulty level

Easy Hike

Up to 2 hours and 1,000 ft. of elevation gain. Great for any fitness level.

Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. Corresponds approx.to SAC 1.

Intermediate Hike

Up to 5 hours and 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires good fitness.

Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 2-3.

Expert Hike

More than 5 hours long or 3000 ft. of elevation gain. Requires very good fitness.

Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. Corresponds approx. to SAC 4–6.

Technical difficulty rating based on the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) Hiking Scale.

Easy

Tips

Jamie S.

June 16, 2023

McDowell Nature Center features live native animals, a discovery hall, and a gift shop for visitors to the county’s oldest and largest nature preserve. There are also educational programs ranging from kayak tours to kids summer camps at the center. This is a great place to stop whether its your first or fortieth visit to the McDowell Nature Preserve.

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Details

Informations

Elevation 200 m

Weather

Today

Friday 26 September

28°C

19°C

64 %

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Max wind speed: 4.0 km/h

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Porter Branch

River Run Trail

View of Lake Wylie from McDowell Nature Preserve

Seven Oaks Preserve

Westfield Rd. at Brandywine

Freedom Park

Lake Wylie Cove

Briar Creek Greenway

Swinging Bridge

View of the Prairie, Anne Springs Close Greenway

Confluence Bar

Avery Lake

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