McDowell Nature Preserve — Attraction in Tega Cay

I Reserved my camping stay this past weekend, Friday, October 4th to the 6th 2024. This was my 3rd year camping at this Preserve. I stay with my group of friends all married couples which is like family we always travel together. I truly love Camping here because it's refreshing, clean and a fun place to kick back relax and enjoy yourself. But unfortunately Friday 10/04/2024 there was a Mecklenburg Sheriff patrolling the park which is fine safety 1st. I want to be very clear on my experience and for those who know the camp site will know I'm speaking the truth. I booked 8 sites at the end of the camp site section D19 to D26. Which will hold 14 of us 7 adult couples ranging from age 46 to 63 upstanding and well put together folks. On Friday only 4 couples attended the 1st day. We all sat in site D26 because of the large group we would need a space to sit and cook. So as our day begin around 5pm for the afternoon the sheriff drove around looked at all the sites and left. Then he came 2 more times. This time he he said hi and left again. Mind you I never seen this done each year I stayed here. Then the 4th time around 10pm the sheriff approached us on foot and startled us. His temper was at 100. He began to yell at us like we was kids saying they ( mind you the office closed at 5pm) so who made this complaint. Then he yelled he was going to make us leave the park and turn the music off and drink your alcohol. Now before anyone jump the gun its no crime to unwind getting off work. We all was just laughing sitting in our folding chairs. Everyone stayed quiet because we was afraid and I'm not a fool for him as a white sheriff say any of us all african american did or say anything to him. We all upstanding citizens we live well off. 1st I'm a retired Police Officer and for the 1st time in my life I felt racially profiled. Im also a member of the sheriff department and have sheriff plates on my car that he was standing near and I respect the law. He needs a class on virbo judo. That quick it could have been a bad situation for no reason. Respectfully all he had to say was. It's past 10pm can you quiet it down and lower the music and that would have been it. Then he came back again after all that. Wanting to talk. When he calmed down he didn't remember his lies because I went in asked the other campers was we making noise and they said no. Also the high school across from the park had a game and we heard that from outside the park so it's no way he heard anything. He then just said I'm just here for easy money. So tag we was it just being a bully. That god he wasn't there Saturday so we had a wonderful rest of our stay and I did mention what happened to the staff member cleaning the camp ground. This is why the community don't like law enforcement because of things like this. I hope Mcdowell do better in who they left...

KAREN ALERT! BEWARE OF KAREN. Take your dogs here and have a great time!! Been going here for years with my dog. Once we get out on the trails I let her off leash. She's socialized as well as a registered service animal, she never strays far and when other dogs approach she lays down or sits till the other dogs pass. We typically go on week days because there's less people. Towards the end of our walk bailey likes to go off trail and she goes down to the creek and splashes around then she comes back and I put her on leash and we leave. Today (monday) after bailey splashed for a bit we walked by the first person we had seen the entire day. After we passed her the lady screamed at me that i need to leash my dog and she threatened to call the cops as well as she told me she worked there. I told her good luck with that and went on my way. Now after years of going to this park with I've met tons of people and bailey has met many friends aswell. There are alot of us out there that know our dogs are fine off leash and this is not meant to scare anyone. If anything i hope it brings more people with there dogs because after ten years this is the first time this has happened to me. She was also wearing a mask on the trail if that tells you anything.. If your dog is friendly and socialized feel free to go off leash and have a great time with your dog. They will absolutely love you for it and it took 10 years until I ran into a karen...

Such an amazing place!! I've been living in Charlotte for a few years now, and discover thanks to Yelp this true gem. (I'm embarrassed actually).

The McDowell nature preserve is huge. There's a campground place in the entrance, if you love fishing you will love this quiet and beautiful place, there's a waterfront, try not to skip it.

Signs everywhere, very easy to follow.

Trails everywhere. Even I went on a cold day and there weren't many persons, the restrooms were open and very clean.

Picnic tables all of them with grills, and camping spots.

Garbages cans everywhere as well.

I actually had my breakfast with a beautiful view of the lake.

Playground for the kids, and the nature center that is amazing.

But this will become my favorite park/outdoor place to walk or just have a meal or breakfast.

It's totally free and I'm leaving this review during the winter season (they close at 5:30)

Very convenient place close to Charlotte, where you can connect with the nature.

Check everything you can do before you go. Every season has something different to offer you and to your...