Trails of Big Canoe: Blackwell Creek Trail

Photos by Mark Green.

Today we showcase the Blackwell Creek Trail, a particularly beautiful trail that meanders through the woods, and overlooks a lovely trout stream flanked by majestic hemlocks and rhododendrons.

The lovely stream, showing summer water levels.

It is a half mile in length, marked with white blazes on the trees and mostly easy with some steep sections. This trail is part of the Meditation Park, which hosts 4 primary trails that connect under the covered bridge on Wilderness Parkway.

Map of all the trails in Meditation Park.

Blackwell Creek trail starts at the Scout Hut, near the Terraces, also part of the Meditation Park. The main entrance to the park is just north of the Main Gate, off Steve Tate Hwy. The trail ends under the covered bridge where walkways connect to the downstream trails. It also connects just before the bridge to the Nature Trail which returns you to the Terraces, forming a 1 mile loop.

This stream, the largest in Big Canoe, and along which the trail devotes two thirds of its length, carries the waters of Disharoon Creek from Nature Valley, Petit Creek from the lake by that name, and Blackwell Creek from the Waterford Lakes. In the summertime it has water just ankle deep in most places, but after prolonged periods of rain the water is deep and flows rapidly, offering the hiker some impressive views.

Woodland views.

Big Canoe’s trail committee rebuilding the aged portions of the trail.

A dragonfly rests overlooking the stream.

There are several places with benches along the stream for restful enjoyment of the vistas.

The trail was built by the Trails Committee back in 2003. A staircase, as you hike down from the Scout Hut, was built by Eagle Scouts at that time. Recently the Trails Committee has been improving the footing on the trail, which is now 19 years old, and is showing wear.

The trail can also be accessed from the end of Twin Creeks Drive and crossing the stream on a rather bouncy bridge. But the best place to park is at the main entrance to the Terraces off Steve Tate.

Please consider this trail when planning your next hike. Happy trails!

The author persuaded Mark Green to take pictures. L to R: Mark Green, Liz Scherer and Terry Stewart. Mark and Terry are 2022 POA Board candidates and Liz is the 2022 President’s Award recipient.