Seven Oaks Preserve Trail
6900 South New Hope Road, Belmont, NC, USA
7:00 am - 7:00 pm
$
hikes, run
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Escape the city and take a hike on this beautiful trail.
Located in Belmont, this is a family-friendly 2.6 mile out and back, natural surface trail that runs along the shoreline of Lake Wylie. This trail is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail system and is managed by the Catawba Land Conservancy. Seven Oaks Preserve is 78 acres of preserved land with various terrain; the trail also connects to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden with two segments that create a 5-mile loop from the Seven Oaks Preserve trailhead. Visitors do not have to pay for the gardens to go onto these trails. Parts of this trail goes by nearby neighborhoods. About two-thirds of the way in there is a perfect area to picnic with a small open field and a view of the water. This was a perfect turnaround for the smaller kids to give a three-mile or so hike. During the summer, this area would be well shaded but can be pretty buggy being near the water. Bring bug repellent and wear light-colored clothing. During winter and the rainy season, the trail can become fairly muddy but doable. Bring extra clothes and shoes for when you are done.
Do note that bikes are allowed on the Seven Oaks Preserve Trail but not allowed on the garden trails. Be courteous to not bike when there has been recent rain.
Seven Oaks Preserve protects sensitive areas around the lake and is a safe haven for wild turkeys, turtles, and native wildflowers. In the spring, you will get the fragrance of blooming snowbells. This preserve is also home to the magnificent swamp chestnut oak trees. This particular species was known in history for their wood once serving to make farm baskets as well as producing large sweet acorns, a favorite for many animals. In addition to these oaks, you can find tulip poplar, pawpaw, and persimmon trees. Some birds you might see along the way are eagles, ospreys, herons, and kingfishers. This trail system is also a part of the Butterfly Highway. The Butterfly Highway is a statewide restoration project that aims to restore native pollinator habitats to areas impacted by urbanization.