Cape Fear area residents - Brunswick Nature Park

[Floppin]

I know we have quite a few posters on here from this area and I don't know if anyone ever uses this resource, but it's fairly unknown.

 

I brought my daughter and dogs down to the Brunswick Nature Park a few years ago, right after it was formed. There wasn't much there at the time, the gazebo wasn't finished and none of the trails were really done either. But it was intriguing. 

 

Over the last few years due to a few grants from the county and from some private mountain biking groups they have really turned the area into a premiere hiking and biking playground with relatively little use. 

 

There's like 20 miles of biking and hiking trails of varying difficulty. I took my daughter and two dogs along approximately 5.5miles of trails today - part of an intermediate trail that connected to a beginner trail. Had a great time, although I forgot bug spray and had to pick about a thousand microscopic ticks off myself and my daughter when we got home.....I can't wait to pick some off my dogs. Needless to say, bring some bug spray during the summer.

 

The Park is located off HWY 133 just a few miles south of Leland/Belville

 

 

my daughter stole the camera and took a sneak attack photo of me.

cape fear river

 

[Doyle]

I love going on day hikes.  Amazingly there are plenty of places here in Charlotte to do the same.

[Floppin]

I love going on day hikes.  Amazingly there are plenty of places here in Charlotte to do the same.

Yeah man, this park is open dawn till dusk and it's completely free. It has public bathrooms with showers, picnic tables, and a gazebo with charcoal grills. 

[Darth Biscuit]

See any snakes?

 

[Floppin]

See any snakes?

Nope, one big ass skink lizard that too quick for me to get a picture of. He was probably a good 6 inches...which is huge for a skink. And a couple of big ass spiders.

 

here's one

 

 

 

This one would have probably been almost the size of my palm if it had been all spread out. 

[Darth Biscuit]

Holy double fug batman.  Those big ass spiders freak me out.  what is that thing?

 

I'll take a snake any day.

[Doyle]

Holy double fug batman.  Those big ass spiders freak me out.  what is that thing?

 

I'll take a snake any day.

 

 

Snakes and spiders never have really bothered me but if a bee gets near me I freak out like a little girl.

[Floppin]

Holy double fug batman.  Those big ass spiders freak me out.  what is that thing?

 

I'll take a snake any day.

 

Not sure, some sort of regular North American funnel web spider, they usually don't get all that big but the two that I saw today were enormous. They must be pretty old and far along in their life cycle. Also saw a few large garden spiders...you know, the ones with those long ass yellow hinged legs. 

[Darth Biscuit]

yeah, I just looked those up... looks like a funnel spider.  Not dangerous but freaky...

 

Those large yellow spiders are Golden Silk Orb Weavers.  We have two giant ones in our yard right now... from tip to tip their legs are as big as my hand.

 

They'll bite but aren't poisonous.  Most spiders are very good to have around... but the sight of them freaks me out.

[Guest]

looks like nice running trails.  I love parks like that. 

[iamcline]

Spent the weekend in Southport, drove past the entrance on my way in and out.  Definitely a big difference from 10 years ago.

[cookinbrak]

Castle Hayne Park has similar trails, a baseball/softball field, playgrounds, grills, etc. And a frisbee golf course. Nobody is ever there.

[P.I.A]

The Kure beach area is gorgeous!