History of Buffalo Creek Park and Weed Patch Mountain
Located on the rugged and remote slopes of Weed Patch Mountain near the head of the Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure, Buffalo Creek Park features more than 12 miles of hiking and mountain biking, front country, and backcountry trails so that visitors may explore its scenic, natural splendor.
As one of North Carolina’s largest town-owned parks, Buffalo Creek Park is protected land that was made possible and forever conserved, Located on the rugged and remote slopes of Weed Patch Mountain near the head of the Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure, Buffalo Creek Park features more than 12 miles of hiking and mountain biking, front country and backcountry trails so that visitors may explore its scenic, natural splendor.
As one of North Carolina’s largest town-owned parks, Buffalo Creek Park is protected land that was made possible and forever conserved through extensive local and regional partnerships.
Formerly slated for residential development, the land was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2009 by a local land trust Conserving Carolina (then Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) for the purpose of conservation.
Conserving Carolina then forever protected all of its 1,500+ acres in partnership with the Clean Water Management Trust Fund via a conservation easement in 2011. This protection ensures that its forest, waters, soils, and serene landscape are forever safeguarded from negative impacts such as development, logging, mining, and erosion & sedimentation.
The Town of Lake Lure partnered with Conserving Carolina and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) in 2012 to purchase an initial 200 acres of the protected land on Weed Patch Mountain. With funding from PARTF and the Recreational Trails Program, a 3.5 mile Loop Trail for mountain biking and hiking was completed in 2013. An initial 0.7 miles of the Weed Patch Mountain Trail was also completed through extensive local and regional partnerships.
Formerly slated for residential development, the land was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2009 by a local land trust Conserving Carolina (then Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy) for the purpose of conservation.
Conserving Carolina then forever protected all of its 1,500+ acres in partnership with the Clean Water Management Trust Fund via a conservation easement in 2011. This protection ensures that its forest, waters, soils, and serene landscape are forever safeguarded from negative impacts such as development, logging, mining, and erosion & sedimentation.
The Town of Lake Lure partnered with Conserving Carolina and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) in 2012 to purchase an initial 200 acres of the protected land on Weed Patch Mountain. With funding from PARTF and the Recreational Trails Program, a 3.5 mile Loop Trail for mountain biking and hiking was completed in 2013. An initial 0.7 miles of the Weed Patch Mountain Trail was also completed. An additional 8 miles of trail was then constructed. In 2020, the Town of Lake lure took over management of the Weed Patch Mountain Trail.
In 2023, the Upper Boulders Trail was installed on the north end of the Buffalo Creek Park loop. This new trail was made possible thanks to a partnership between the Town of Lake Lure and the Carolina Climbers Coalition, as well as generous sponsors, including the Tourism Development Authority and RHI Legacy Foundation.
This 1.5-mile, out-and-back trail was installed by The Carolina Climbers Coalition staff and volunteers to increase bouldering opportunities within Buffalo Creek Park. There are many bouldering opportunities along the trail, along with scenic creeks, and a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains at the top. This new trail is rated as strenuous and is open for hiking only, due to the terrain. The map below illustrates the trails.
