Carolina Thread Trail segment now open on Long Creek

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle – A new trail that is part of the Carolina Thread Trail opened last summer in the River District in Mecklenburg County. The trail runs through a Catawba Lands Conservancy conserved area and connects with existing trails at the U.S. Whitewater Center. Recreation on the trail includes walking, hiking, running and mountain biking.

The trail is 2.2 miles long and is an out-and-back trail (two way trail).  The access is at the Whitewater Center figure 8 trail at First Aid Marker F-4. Park at the Whitewater Center (parking fee is $5).  The difficulty is rated as moderate.

Map of new Long Creek Trail from carolinathreadtrail.com

This trail was made possible through the cooperation of Clariant, ReVenture Park and the Catawba Lands Conservancy.  The conserved land through which the trail runs is 175 acres. (CLICK HERE to learn more about how the land was protected earlier this year.) Long Creek runs through the conserved land and eventually enters the Catawba River.  The property includes four miles of stream/river frontage and 153 acres of floodplain.

This property provides watershed protection and wildlife habitat in an area where significant development is planned.  It improves surface water quality and helps protect our waterways.

The Carolina Thread Trail is a regional effort to build a network of greenways and conserved corridors linking 15 counties across the Charlotte region. Nearly 100 miles of trails are open. For more information, go to www.carolinathreadtrail.com. Then click on “Find a Trail” in the left column.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.