After three days of subfreezing temperatures, it warmed to the 60s in Charlotte on Saturday (2-2-19). One of the great things about living in this city are the many outdoor recreation opportunities. Big Rock Nature Preserve (BRNP) is just an 8-minute drive from our front door.
BRNP is named for the largest granite extrusions in MecKlenburg County. This group of massive rocks is 100 yards from Elmstone Drive in a quiet neighborhood with just a single sign at the trailhead to mark the location.
Native Americans hung out here 7,000 years ago and considered the large rock outcroppings, called plutons, to be sacred.
BRNP is 22 acres of dense forest that drops 70-feet in elevation from the entry to where 4-mile creek separates the park from a tall wall along the outer lanes of Loop 485. Some of the many plant species are rare and most are native as the protected area has remained undisturbed since 1940.
The hiking trail is a 1-mile loop that leaves plenty of energy for climbing and posing on the rocks.
We’ve lived in Charlotte for two years and Big Rock Nature Preserve was a new discovery for us. We look forward to exploring many more of these hidden jewels that are sprinkled throughout the Queen City.