Rock Springs Nature Preserve Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Spring · Wildlife

Public restrooms are available at Rock Springs Nature Preserve.

This trail begins at the Rock Springs Nature Preserve, a public park that offers a large playground, event shelter, amphitheater and an outdoor classroom/wildlife viewing area.

The beginning of the trail is paved and begins on the western side of the park and continues for 0.1 miles around the playground. Turn right at the fork to enter the wooded portion of the trail and then take the next right to continue along the natural surface trail for approximately 0.4 miles until the end of the trail.

The Carolina Thread Trail portion of Rock Springs Nature Preserve Trail is 0.5 miles. The trail and park is located on land protected by the Catawba Lands Conservancy in partnership with Lincoln County.

Parking is available in the parking lot for Rock Springs Nature Preserve (6684 Pine Ridge Dr, Denver, NC 28037).

This 108-acre preserve is protected by Catawba Lands Conservancy. The majority of the forest is dry oak-hickory with pines dominating the tops of the ridges. The floodplain areas are home to river birch, yellow poplar and sycamore among other wetland plant species. From the wildlife viewing area or along the trails you may encounter a Box turtle, barred owl, white-tailed deer and numerous types of birds.