Walnut Creek Preserve

Walnut Creek Preserve – A Conservation Equestrian Community Dedicated to Protecting Forest and Streams for the Good of Nature and Educating Us All about Nature's Gifts.

Who We Are: Walnut Creek Preserve is 2,100-acre equestrian conservation community located near Lake Lure, North Carolina, at the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A few horse loving families have joined to protect this beautiful land from heavy development, and their farms surround and protect the forest. Over 1,600 acres have been permanently protected by conservation easements granted to Conserving Carolina, a North Carolina Land Trust. These easements assure that the land, waters and wildlife will never be threatened by growth pressures that are inevitable, especially since the development of the Tryon International Equestrian Center located just down the road.

Walnut Creek Preserve owns and operates the Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center located at 179 Wood Thrush Lane, Mill Spring, NC 28756, a private drive off Aden Green Road, Mill Spring (State Road 1308), three miles south of Lake Lure, North Carolina, and 10 miles north of Columbus, North Carolina. See the Directions page for directions to the Nature Center.

The Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center provides monthly programs focusing on nature education, the culture of this region, and other topics relating to the environment of the Southern Appalachians. These programs are open to the public at no cost. Program details are available on the Calendar page of this website and also can be accessed at the website of Conserving Carolina, www.conservingcarolina.org.

Walnut Creek Preserve is a supporting organization of Conserving Carolina. The forest trails in Walnut Creek Preserve are available for guided hikes in conjunction with Conserving Carolina and other non-profit groups but are not open to the public otherwise. Please contact Walnut Creek Preserve for information at 828-625-1122.