FEB FSO Knight Brown Nature Preserve

February 1, 2025
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM

Join DRBA at our February First Saturday Outing (FSO) at the Knight Brown Nature Preserve in Rockingham County owned by the Piedmont Land Conservancy on February 1, 2025 at 10:00 am. The hike will be about 3 ½ miles with some moderate climbs.

The Piedmont Land Conservancy was given 150 acres of land by Cecilia Brown in 2008 who inherited it from her partner Paul Brown who grew up in Rockingham County. Ms. Brown was living in Santa Monica, CA and contacted PLC with the offer of the gift. Later, 30 more acres were included to make the Preserve 180 acres. About 3 miles of trails were completed and opened 2013 with an additional 1.2 miles of trials were built in 2023. Much of the Preserve is mature oak, hickory and beech forest. Occasionally deer, fox, black squirrels, turkeys, and bob cat have been spotted. The main creek that extends through much of the Preserve is Mountain Creek and joins Belews Creek before entering the Dan River.

“The Knight Brown Preserve is a very nice forest to find solitude to hike and be away form the hustle and bustle and rejuvenate. Being winter and no leaves, we’ll have some nice forest views,” says FSO coordinator Will Truslow.

For more information, contact trip coordinator, Will Truslow.

willtruslow@hotmail.com or 336-314-5022.

Participants should dress in layers, wear hiking shoes or boots, bring hiking sticks, food and water. All participants will be required to sign a waiver.

Note: If the hike needs to be canceled because of weather, visit www.danriver.org by Friday, January 31, 2025, for updated information.

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Directions:

Knight Brown Nature Preserve

221 Waterfield LN Stokesdale NC

GPS: 36.31150°N, 80.00419°W

From Greensboro, go north on US 220 and turn left on Simpson Rd about 1 mile past the NC 68 and US 220 merge in Rockingham County. Follow Simpson Road to the 2nd stop sign and turn left on Ellisboro Rd. Go 1/3 mile and turn right on Shelton Rd (sign missing) and you see the Carolina Marina sign. Then take 2nd right on Campsite Rd, then next right on Waterfield LN to the end of road.

From Virginia, go south on US 220 about 5 miles past the NC 704 Madison exit, looking for the Simpson Road sign to turn right. Follow above instructions.

From Winston-Salem, follow US 158 west to Stokesdale. Go straight onto NC 65 at a stoplight. Take NC 65 to NC 68 and go left. In a few miles NC 68 merges with US 220, and start looking for Simpson Rd to turn left and follow above directions.