Latta Plantation Nature Preserve

Amenities: Handicap Accessibility, Restrooms, Information Available, Fishing, Hiking, Picnic Facilities, Canoeing, Horseback Riding

Unique Features:
This 1,338 acre preserve, Mecklenburg County’s largest, forms a green peninsula extending into Mountain Island Lake. Sixteen miles of trails, thirteen of which are open to horseback riding, provide nature enthusiasts with scenic views of the lake, forests, and streams. Bald eagle, wild turkey, red fox, gray fox, and eastern newt are among the unusual species that have been found here. A Piedmont Prairie restoration site protects two federally listed plants, Schweinitz’s sunflower and Georgia aster. The preserve is part of the Mountain Island Lake Important Bird Area, designated by the National Audubon Society due to its diversity of wintering waterfowl and breeding and migratory songbird species. The preserve also features Carolina Raptor Center, home to the Southeast’s largest eagle aviary, and Historic Latta Plantation, a restored 19th century federal-style home and living history farm of James Latta, open to public tours and interpretive programs.

Habitat: Upland Forest, Piedmont Prairie, Floodplain Forest

Seasonal Information: Sunflowers and other prairie plants peak mid-September to mid-October.

Additional Information: Latta Plantation Nature Center offers interpretive displays, live native animals, and educational programs. Carolina Raptor Center and Historic Latta Plantation charge admission fees. Call for current hours and fees.

Directions: From Interstate 77, Exit 16B. Travel west on Sunset Road approximately 1 mile. Turn right onto Beatties Ford Road and travel north 5 miles. Turn left onto Sample Road. The nature preserve entrance is 1 mile straight ahead.

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve Map

Hours: Open daily 7:00 a.m. – Sunset.

Contact Information:
Latta Plantation Nature Center
6211 Sample Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
704-875-1391
Latta Plantation