Get Outside
Parks, Trails, Preserves, and Greenways
What do you love to do outdoors? There are so many ways to enjoy nature, from family outings to adventure sports, fly fishing to photography, rock climbing to riding horses. At Conserving Carolina, we’re passionate about providing great places to enjoy the outdoors.
From state parks to nature preserves to local parks and greenways, we have protected over 23,000 acres of land for recreation!
Find a Place to Play
Here are the places that we’ve helped protect that are now open to the public. There are many more places where we’re currently working create trails or infrastructure so you can come play or explore there. Help us create great places for recreation!
Buncombe County
Henderson County
- Bearwallow Mountain
- Cane Creek Greenway at Bill Moore Community Park
- Florence Nature Preserve
- Horseshoe French Broad River Put-In
- Mud Creek Campsite on the French Broad River
- Oklawaha Greenway
- The Park at Flat Rock
- Additions to Pisgah National Forest
- Trombatore Trail
- Twin Lakes Park (Saluda)
- Wildcat Rock Trail
- Rhododendron Lake Nature Park
Rutherford County
Polk County
- Alexander’s Ford at Bradley Nature Preserve
- Norman Wilder Forest—CLOSED until further notice, due to landslides
- Vaughn Creek Greenway
- Foothills Equestrian Nature Center
Transylvania County
- DuPont State Recreational Forest
- Headwaters State Forest
- Additions to Pisgah National Forest
- Connestee Falls Park
Guided Hikes and Volunteer Days
Do you want to make a difference by building trails or restoring habitat? Do you want to discover some sweet new hiking spots? Do you want to connect with other people who enjoy the outdoors? Would you like to learn more about our region’s unique natural habitats?
If so, there are lots of ways you can get outside with Conserving Carolina and we’d love to have you. Check out our events calendar for upcoming hikes and volunteer days. Or learn more about volunteering.
Pathways to Parks: A Nature Group for People of Color
Parks and trails are for everyone—but, often, people of color don’t benefit from them as much as white people. At an event co-sponsored by Conserving Carolina, Frank and Audrey Peterman asked “Where are the black and brown faces?” The Petermans inspired members of the audience to start a new group, called Pathways to Parks. See their story.
This group encourages black and brown people to take advantage of parks, trails, and nature preserves through activities such as hiking, camping, cycling, tennis, walking, and picnicking. To learn about upcoming activities, please contact Tanya Shahid-Cummings at pathwaystoparks@yahoo.com.