Annie Louise Wilkerson MD Nature Preserve

Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve is a 156-acre Raleigh park in northern Wake County near Falls Lake in the Research Triangle region.  Dr. Wilkerson was a renowned Raleigh physician, who stipulated in her will that the land be donated to create a nature preserve park with the primary purpose being nature and wildlife education.  Her final resting place is in the Historic Oakwood Cemetery in downtown Raleigh.  The city received the property in 2006 and developed the first nature preserve in the park's system.

Contact Information:

5229 Awls Haven Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614

Phone: (919) 996-6764

Directions:

Wilkerson Preserve is located in North Raleigh near Falls Lake. From I-540 in North Raleigh, take exit 14 for Falls of Neuse Road. Go north on Falls of Neuse Road for 1.7 miles and turn left at the light onto Raven Ridge Road. In 0.3 miles, turn right onto Awls Haven Drive into the park and continue to the parking lot.

Map:

Trails:

There are three loop trails and two short connectors in the preserve, totaling about 2 miles.

Epps Forest Loop:

Length: 0.66 mi
Blaze: Yellow

The Epps Forest Loop is an interpretive trail leading through the forest on the west side of the preserve. See Wilkerson Nature Preserve Hike for more description of this trail.

Hidden Rocks Loop:

Length: 0.93 mi
Blaze: Yellow

Hidden Rocks Loop is the longest trail in the park and passes by some large boulders right along the trail.  See Wilkerson Nature Preserve Hike for more description of this trail.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Connector:

Length: 0.12 mi
Blaze: Yellow

Mountains-to-Sea Trail connector leads from Epps Forest Loop to Section 1 of Falls Lake Trail, part of the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Office Connector:

Length: 0.16 mi
Blaze: Yellow

Office Connector is a short spur trail that connects the overflow parking to the park office. The trail passes through an area with fairy houses.

Pond Loop:

Length: 0.57 mi
Blaze: Yellow

Pond Loop is short loop trail around the one-acre farm pond. There are several benches around the pond to stop and enjoy the view. See Wilkerson Nature Preserve Hike for more description of this trail.

Hikes:

Wilkerson Nature Preserve Hike is a 1.6-mile loop hike around the preserve.

Wildlife:

Resurrection ferns (Pleopeltis michauxiana) are epiphytic ferns that grows on trees and rocks.

Carolina horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) is a toxic wildflower in the nightshade family.

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is an important food source for the caterpillars of the monarch butterfly.

Carolina wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis) is a native species of petunia.

External Links:

Raleigh Parks & Recreation website: https://raleighnc.gov/parks/annie-louise-wilkerson-md-nature-preserve-park