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Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 106 Google reviews · Running trail in Huntersville, North Carolina · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 2.5 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Kid-friendly preserve featuring marked hiking trails, a river view and a lake, plus a fairy garden.
What runners say about Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve
“5 mile trek with winding loops, well maintained and marked well.”
“This nature preserve and very beautiful to walk through and has a variety of trails to pick from.”
“Very pretty trails, well marked and off the beaten path!”
“There are houses along the beginning of the Maine Trail , but after that it was very quiet and peaceful.”
Nice secluded trail in Huntersville, NC just off Beatties Ford Road. Easy 2.5 mile trek with winding loops, well maintained and marked well. Nice views of wildlife with a small lake halfway through your walk. Trail has a small parking lot at the end of Stephens Road, just past Stephen's Grove Subdivision.
What a hidden gem! Plenty of trails to keep you hiking for at least a few hours. Most of the main trials are very well maintained. The trails that serve as shortcuts as well as the ones that loop off themselves are less maintained and feel more "off the path" which is great if you want something slightly more…
It's a rugged trail. I'm amazed to see people running on it...but to each his own. It's a 1 1/4 miles to water...once you're there it's time to turn around or take some of the side trail. Another trail I'll visit again.
Great trail options! It’s mostly shaded, several paths to follow and fairly secluded.
Trail conditions & character
“07 ~06:45 i arrived at the Parking - South Access, parked and then headed out for a walk, CW-Loop ~7 mi of Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve and the neighborhood .”
“This nature preserve and very beautiful to walk through and has a variety of trails to pick from.”
“There are houses along the beginning of the Maine Trail , but after that it was very quiet and peaceful.”
“Very nice, as another reviewer said I walked a large portion of the trails with my dog and I never saw another person.”
“The trails are raw earth interspersed with rocks, roots an occasional fallen tree one or two bridges over waterways or dry creeks.”
“07 ~06:45 i arrived at the Parking - South Access, parked and then headed out for a walk, CW-Loop ~7 mi of Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve and the neighborhood .”
“Very pretty trails, well marked and off the beaten path!”
Plan your run at Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance2.5 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitemecknc.gov
Hours
| Monday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Friday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Saturday | 7 am–7 pm |
| Sunday | 7 am–7 pm |
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