Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge

A diamond in the rough but needs to be polished.
This place is hard to believe in that it is very undeveloped, in most cases, being restored to what the area was like 200 years but not being used the way it should.
This is a very educational and at the same time, relaxing venue. It’s about a mile from the entrance to the parking lot along one of the most spectacular and dramatic drives in the area through an arch of Red Cedar.
Get to the parking lot and you get to walk down to two gazebos from which you can look at grassland restoration, duck ponds etc.
Only problem is that unless you are part of an organized event, you’re not premitted off of the paths and those paths are minimal.
The place should remain as pristine as possible to protect the birds and the animals. People also should be give greater access so that they can explore and appreciate the native flora and fauna but you can’t do that from just a parking lot.
Depending on what numbers you read, there is up to 800 + acres here. Open up a few, provide a small area for a couple of picknik tables and at least one public trail to explore and teach the kids. Would suggest that Riverbend Park in Conover NC as an example.