GEOCACHE CHARLOTTE 2023
The preserve offers numerous ways to enjoy the outdoors. Boating enthusiasts can take advantage of the public boat ramps or launch their own kayak at Copperhead Island. There are a number of fishing docks for public use.
Shaded playgrounds and a variety of picnic areas can be used on a first-come-first-served basis, while a few larger shelters and the waterfront deck are available for reservation. Public restrooms available at the large shelters, nature center, campground, and waterfront.
McDowell Nature Preserve protects habitat for at least 119 species of birds, 21 species of mammals, 21 species of reptiles, and 14 species of amphibians. Among the unusual species that have been found at the Preserve are: Seminole bat - first record in NC, spotted salamander, Gulf Coast spiny soft-shelled turtle, and Loggerhead Shrike. McDowell Nature Preserve is also well known for its diversity of spring ephemeral wild flowers and is among the best areas in Mecklenburg County to view Pileated Woodpeckers. The piedmont prairie restoration area of the preserve provides habitat for a federally endangered plant: Schweinitz's sunflower, a federal candidate species: Georgia aster, and one rare plant: prairie dock.
McDowell Nature Preserve Trail Map