Hike the trails of Big Canoe – Part 1

Nature Valley Park features multiple beautiful waterfalls, like the Upper Falls pictured here. Photos by Liz Scherer.

There are over 25 miles of trails in Big Canoe, whose appeal draws people to move here. The past two years has seen many newcomers to this idyllic place in the Georgia mountains. For those yet to familiarize themselves with the trail system, this guide should help you get started.

Most of the trails are part of given parks, some of which are interconnected, allowing for extended hikes if desired. You have probably already heard of Wildcat Park, and may be even quite familiar. It is a nice place to start, with many options. The main parking is at the Wildcat Recreation Center, near the North Gate. From there you can have a short half-mile walk on the Perimeter trail, or you can go all out and loop in the Wildcat paths, the McDaniel Meadows and High Gap trails for a total of around 10 miles.

The Wildcat and Meadows paths are also wide enough to walk side by side with a friend and your dogs. There are 3 dog parks for your canine companions at Wildcat, plus another at the Meadows.

To access this system of interconnected parks there are several places to park, besides the Wildcat Recreation Area. The Meadows has its main parking at Wilderness Parkway, about a half mile from the North Gate. Wildcat Park has a second parking area on Wildcat Parkway about a half mile north of the recreation area, on the right. Another half mile up and and you’ll see the High Gap parking on your left.

Hand-built bridge and other structures, using fallen trees milled on site, characterize the system of beautiful trails in High Gap Park.

The next place to explore is Nature Valley with its varied trails, from flat and easy like the Wildflower Trail to the most rugged and steep in all of Big Canoe, the Nancy Womack Trail. The main parking is on Wilderness Parkway. If heading toward the dam on Lake Petit from the Marina, stay to the left at the fork with Petit Ridge, then at the stop sign with Buckskull Ridge take a right, to remain on Wilderness. A half mile later you’ll see the parking area on your right.

The McDaniel Meadows is a bird and other wildlife sanctuary, featuring many flowering plants.

You can access the Nature Valley Park from the Wellness Center/Beach Club parking lot as well, and take the Lake Trail around the back of the indoor tennis building, over Lake Disharoon’s dam and onwards. You can go all the way to the top of Nancy Womack trail and back for a good 8 miles of hard hiking.

What if you like your path short and flat? The Playfield’s running track is for you. It is exactly .25 miles, wide enough for a stroll with your friends and family, with convenient parking at the base of the dam and at the back of the playfield.

An Indian marker tree on Wildcat Park’s Blue Loop reminds us of the tribes that lived on these lands long ago.

There are quite a few more trails in Big Canoe, but this overview should get you started. On the next issue we will explore the other beautiful parks and trails of Big Canoe.

There are additional hiking suggestion and detailed information on the Big Canoe Trails website: bigcanoetrails.com. You can download the most recent Trails Brochure from there, or pick one up at the gates, Wellness Center, or at the kiosks located at the main entrances to the parks.

Happy trails!