Reedy Creek Park (Charlotte, North Carolina) facts for kids

Reedy Creek Park is a super cool 125-acre park located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's a great place for families and friends to have fun outdoors! Right next to the park, there's a huge 737-acre nature preserve. This means you get the best of both worlds: open spaces for sports and quiet trails for exploring nature.

What Can You Do at Reedy Creek Park?

Reedy Creek Park has tons of activities for everyone. You can play many different sports, relax, or enjoy nature.

Sports and Games for Everyone

The main part of the park has lots of courts and fields. You can play:

• Basketball
• Softball
• Tennis
• Soccer
• Horseshoes
• Cricket
• Volleyball

The park is even home to the South Park Cricket Club from Charlotte! If you like throwing discs, there's a fun disc golf course. And if you have a furry friend, they'll love the special dog park where they can run and play.

Relaxing and Exploring the Park

If you're looking for a more relaxed time, Reedy Creek Park has you covered.

• There are picnic areas, both indoors and outdoors, perfect for a meal with family or friends.
• You'll find lots of benches to sit and rest.
• Kids will love the playgrounds designed for different ages.
• There's a community garden where people can grow plants.
• The park has several ponds, and you can even go fishing from a pier by the lake.

Discovering History at the Park

Deep inside Reedy Creek Park, you can find the old ruins of the John Robinson Rockhouse. This building is from the 1780s, around the time of the American Revolutionary War. It's a cool piece of history! You can reach it by following one of the popular trails through the nature preserve. This historic site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, which means it's recognized as an important place in history.

Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve

The nature preserve next to Reedy Creek Park is a beautiful, heavily forested area. It's a fantastic spot to connect with nature and learn about local wildlife.

Hiking and Learning in Nature

The preserve has over ten miles of hiking trails. Some of these trails can be quite challenging, so they're great for adventurers! Inside the preserve's main building, called the Nature Center, you'll find:

• Exhibit halls with cool displays about nature.
• Classrooms where you can learn new things.
• A gift shop to find souvenirs.
• A special National Wildlife Federation certified Habitat Garden. This garden has bird feeding stations, making it a great place to watch different kinds of birds.

Hummingbird Festival

Every year, the Reedy Creek Nature Center hosts a special Hummingbird Festival. This event is very popular and attracts thousands of visitors, sometimes up to 3,000 people! It's a wonderful chance to see these tiny, fast-flying birds up close and learn more about them.

How the Park and Preserve Started

The City of Charlotte first bought the land for Reedy Creek Park in 1981. Later, in 1991, Mecklenburg County took over ownership when the city and county park departments joined together. Soon after, the Reedy Creek Environmental Center was built, which is now known as the Nature Center.

The Nature Explorer Zone

In May 2010, the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department opened a very special playground at the Nature Center. This playground, called the "Nature Explorer Zone," was designed by Robin Moore from North Carolina State University and the Arbor Day Foundation. What makes it special? It's built entirely within the woods! It uses natural materials and features fun activities like:

• Stump jumps
• A sand play area
• Log balancing
• A grapevine crawl
• A fort building area
• A "messy materials" area for creative play
• A stage for putting on dramatic plays

It's a unique playground where kids can explore and play in a natural setting.