We needed a nearby venue with moderate hills to break in Karen’s new hiking boots. Anne Springs Close Greenway sounded perfect. Separating Charlotte from historic Fort Mills, South Carolina the 2,100 acre nature preserve offers 40-miles of hiking trails along with a fishing lake, nature center, historic cabin, swinging bridges, camp sites, mountain biking trails, horseback riding, kayaking and much more.
Spring shoots break through winter’s remnants to signal the return to outdoor exploration.
We set out to take a short 3-mile stroll around Haigler Lake. Spring runoff muddied the waters of the small man-made reservoir so we veered away to explore the heavily wooded trails along Steele Creek.
The Haigler Lake spillway.
Towering pines provided the only greenery in the treetops as the hardwoods’ leaves have yet to bloom.
We followed the trail along the south side of Steele Creek and returned on the north side. Each side offers a unique perspective.
There are few easy crossing points along Steele Creek. The creek is full of fallen trees and driftwood that would have tempted younger hikers to try a precarious traverse. Rocks placed by hikers have been used to cross the creek under the railroad bridge, but we patiently trudged onward.
The old railroad trestle is still in use. We heard several trains cross as we walked through the forest.
Our 3-mile hike ended up being well over 7-miles by the time we found the swinging bridge and headed back on the north side of Steele Creek.
Anne Springs Greenway is very well maintained. We saw zero garbage and signs of trail cleaning and clearing were everywhere. This is an easy place to hike and the $5 cover per entrant kept the crowds away. We encountered only a handful of fellow nature lovers during our trek.
Keeping the trails cleared of the many deadfalls is a big job in a preserve of this size, but the staff does an excellent job. This is an easy and fun place to meander through nature, but you must keep an eye on the many roots that cross the trails that can trip you up. Our 2018 hiking begins!