The Park at Flat Rock - Conserving Carolina

In support of more community green space and outdoor recreational opportunities, Conserving Carolina aided in establishment of The Park at Flat Rock in 2014. Conserving Carolina provided
assistance to the Village of Flat Rock to secure funding for land acquisition of the former Highland Lake Golf Club—including authoring an NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund grant. The grant provided significant funding to help defray the costs of acquiring the land.

The 68-acre park is “a place for all generations to enjoy its natural beauty and reap the benefits of outdoor recreation and leisure while protecting and preserving the wildlife that make its home there.” It features a 1.5-mile natural surface perimeter trail suitable for a wide range of physical abilities and uses, including bicycling, strollers and dog-walking.

CHALLENGE: Walk, run, or bike the Park Perimeter Trail

Primary Route: Perimeter Trail
Hiking Distance: 1.5 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain: 20 feet
Difficulty: Easy

Trailhead:

Click here to enter your address and receive turn-by- turn directions to the trailhead. GPS users may enter N35.2888, W-82.4327 in their units.

The Park at Flat Rock is signed off of Highland Gold Drive, just beyond its junction with Highland Lake Drive. A large parking lot in front of a visitor center and picnic pavilion marks the start of the Perimeter Trail—which departs the parking lot on both of its sides.

HIKING DIRECTIONS:

This trail is described as walked in the clockwise direction. It is suitable for walking, running, biking, and even strollers. From the parking lot, head toward the left side of the visitor center/office to find the start of the paved path. Follow it downhill, passing the park’s new picnic pavilion on the left. The trail turns to gravel shortly thereafter. It crosses over tiny Dye Creek and then passes a scenic pond frequently covered in lily pads at 0.3 mi. After paralleling Highland Lake Road for about 100 yards, the trail curves sharply to the right and soon leaves the noise of traffic behind. To the right of the path are newly planted trees—part of the park’s reforestation effort.

The trail begins paralleling the course of the much wider and pleasing King Creek on the left. A bench at 0.6 mi. alongside the trail offers a peaceful spot for a break to enjoy the sights and sounds of the stream. A long but well-shaded straightaway follows, finally ending when it curves sharply right at 0.9 mi. at the northern edge of the park property. The final half mile leads back to the parking area, passing the park’s new playground at 1.4 mi. before completing the loop in front of the visitor center at 1.5 mi. Repeat as desired!