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Description:
This is the first developed section of McDowell Creek Greenway and the first greenway to connect 
two towns: Huntersville and Cornelius. The greenway links several neighborhoods to great destinations including
Birkdale Village, Westmoreland
Regional Park and Robbins Park in Cornelius. This 1.5 miles of greenway extends from
Westmoreland Road to Sam Furr Road. It offers a green oasis for town
dwellers and excellent access to retail, office and residential areas. This route is also part of the Carolina Thread Trail and the Lake Norman Bike Route.
Nature Facts:
Diverse environments along the trail include
rich woodlands, old fields and wet meadows.
When flowers are in bloom, you may see various butterfly species on a
leisurely walk, including the beautiful Zebra Swallowtail. Several species of milkweed can be found
along the greenway. 
These plants get
their name from their milky sap, which can be toxic to many animals. Several types of insects feed upon this sap
and store the toxins in their bodies which makes them distasteful to
predators. Some of these insects,
including the milkweed beetle, the milkweed bug and the monarch butterfly, wear
nature’s warning colors for poison such as “orange and black” or “red and
black”. Keep an eye out for them as you
walk along the greenway.
The woodlands and open areas along the greenway support numerous species of birds, including several which have become uncommon in Mecklenburg County in recent years. Field sparrows which can be seen and heard in grassy and weedy fields and clearings, and Kentucky warblers can be found in rich woodlands along McDowell Creek. Low lying depressions along the greenway hold water for much of the year and become breeding locations for several amphibian species including fowler's toads and upland chorus frogs. Listen for the various calls of these and other frog species in late winter and early to mid spring.
Length:
Paved Greenway = 1.52 Miles
Parking:
8925 Townley Road Charlotte, NC 28078
8430 Westmoreland Road Cornelius, NC 28031 (Westmoreland
Regional Park)
Click here for Google Maps
Alternative Transportation:
CATS (Confirm route, schedule, and stop before beginning trip)
Nearby Amenities:
Birkdale Village
Westmoreland Regional Park
Robbins Park
J.V. Washam Elementary School
Birkdale Golf Course
For more information:
Capital Planning Services at 980-314-1000 or by
email at PRK-planners@Mecklenburgcountync.gov