Hidden Gems: Charlotte NC and Beyond Series Overview
Some of the most unique outdoor adventures take place at your lesser-known spots. This series of articles aims to give you the inside scoop about some of my favorite places to be outside of my travels. Whether you’re down to hike, bike, run, or just enjoy the fresh air, this series is for you. These locations are based around the Charlotte NC metro region (where I grew up), but I will bring spots that are more of a day trip or weekend getaway.
I hope you enjoy this series. Please always remember to leave these areas better than you found them. It’s up to us as individuals to conserve these beautiful spots. Thank you!
Fisher Farm Park in Davidson, NC
If you’ve ever spent time in the Lake Norman area, you’ll know the town of Davidson is a quaint and a bit quirky place to visit. It’s a simple main street with unique shops and food around The College of Davidson. Plus, even the nearby area around downtown brings some refreshing difference to the Lake Norman area. However, nestled just a short drive from downtown Davidson is a park that brings those vibes into the wilderness.
Located a handful of minutes from main street Davidson, Fisher Farm Park is a 200-acre property located just off of the West Brand Rocky River. It’s home to a variety of activities, from hiking trails to mountain biking, the West Branch Greenway, and places to picnic on a lazy Sunday. Located about 3 miles away from downtown Davidson. It’s in a fairly convenient location to enjoy the Lake Norman area but also get away from it all. You can find Fisher Farm Park off Shearer Road. It’s a simple drive from exit 30 on I-77.
From what I can gather, Fisher Farm Park is fairly new. Its name would suggest it’s an old farm that was turning into a park. The old farm equipment does suggest this too! When you enter and go down the gravel road to the end, you’ll notice a few things. Most notably, there are some old remains of what I assume was used for farming. A grain silo maybe, a shed, and this beautiful Internation tractor.
Activities: Mountain Biking and More
Coming back to Fisher Farm Park itself, there’s a handful of activities that I mentioned earlier. One of the most prominent features is the mountain biking trails. Mountain biking is something that I partake in every so often. I have a Trek Marlin 5 that comes out of my closet on occasion to hit the local trails. Another place I love is Mountain Creek Park, where I’ve done most of my riding. If you’re like me or a much more avid mountain biker, you will wholeheartedly enjoy Fisher Farm Park. There’s a trail for almost every skill level.
The Main Loop Trail right by the bathrooms is your beginner’s entrance trail that brings you to some more advanced sections. If you stick to the Main Loop, it will be an easy ride with some slight challenges for a novice. However, if you’re looking for more advanced trails, a handful exist off the Main Loop. These come at various skill levels and can be quite challenging, from what I heard. For the sake of my comfort, I chose to stay on the Main Loop.
The other section of trails at Fisher Farm Park exists along the gravel road you took to enter. Look for the powerlines; people park there to access Allison Farm Access Road. This more or less dirt trail will take you to a handful of challenging trails for your riding pleasure. I personally did not check these trails out, but I’ve read some details about them over at Tarheel Trailblazer.
If you’re not looking for killer airtime or rocky biking, there are tame activities in store for you. A major attraction is the West Branch Greenway. At the main section of the park, you can stroll right down to the West Branch Greenway. This paved trail follows along the West Branch Rocky River. Furthermore, there are some grassy trails that go right up to the river. These trails seemed to be maintained often and allow you to enjoy a more natural surface trail when exploring the river.
Adding my Own Chronolog
After some biking on the Main Loop trail at Fisher Farm Park, I decided to bike along the West Branch Greenway. I noticed these grassy paths that came right up to the river, so I decided to explore myself. Something out of the ordinary I noticed was these posts located right next to the West Branch Rocky River. Turns out, these are Chronolog photograph posts. These posts allow you to mount your phone in an exact spot to capture a particular nature scene. Which, over time with uploads, becomes a time-lapse of that scene.
The two I discovered were DLC-104 and DLC-105 which were approximately located right next to each other. Click on the respective links to see the time lapse. I noticed that the vegetation practically hides the entire waterway when I was there. This would add up for late August after a quite rainy summer. In the wintertime photos from each scene, the West Branch Rocky River is clearly visible. It will be interesting to see this progression as we approach the fall and winter months.
If you get the chance to make it out to Fisher Farm Park and the West Branch Greenway, add your own Chronolog. The process of uploading is straightforward. Simply email your photo to the address specified on the sign. DLC-104 and DLC-105 are located around the coordinates 35.487966, -80.803437 which is right next to the greenway entrance for Fisher Farm Park. Three additional Chronolog posts are located just upstream of 104 and 105.
Now Go Out and Enjoy the Day!
All in all, Fisher Farm Park and the surrounding greenway is a perfect little spot for a day outside. Bring the entire family, a picnic and maybe some bikes to enjoy a great time. If you get the chance to explore Fisher Farm Park, please post about your adventures here. Now get out there and enjoy the day!
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