Crisp Fall days are perfect for hiking, and if you’re looking for a new place to explore, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust’s newly-opened Edward Baker Preserve is a great choice.
HCLT acquired the property in 2021 as a gift made in the memory of Edward Baker from his family. The 63 acres provide a range of varied habitat that supports a wealth of biodiversity. Streams crisscross the lower portion of the property, with areas of boggy wetlands; dense undergrowth gives way to open hardwood forests as the property climbs toward its southern border with open vistas of neighboring ridgelines.
This ecological variety, coupled with the property’s easily-accessed location, made the Edward Baker Preserve an ideal opportunity for public trails, and for the past four years HCLT staff, assisted by a dedicated group of volunteers, have constructed more than 3 miles of interlaced trails that highlight the tract’s attributes. Hikers can stay on the lower loop, which provides minimal elevation gain and traverses two bridges, or opt for the bigger loop toward the far end of the property with its vistas and a fifty-foot boardwalk over wetlands.
The Preserve is dog-friendly, although you’ll want to keep your furry companion on a leash for their own safety and that of the wildlife. At the parking area hikers will be able to access the stream via a stone path and steps and witness an in-process stream restoration project. Only steps from the parking area you’ll pass another in-process project, this one restoring an historic cabbage patch to once-again allow plantings that will provide a home for pollinators.
The Preserve is only minutes from the Cashiers Crossroads; take Hwy 107 north for 1.3 miles and turn left on Laurel Knob Road, proceeding about 2.4 miles to the intersection with Kettle Creek Road. Turn left, and the preserve is immediately on the left. If approaching from Highlands, from Hwy 64 turn left on Norton Road, proceeding 2.7 miles to the intersection with Laurel Knob Road, take a right and in .4 miles Kettle Creek Road will be on the right.
HCLT’s Edward Baker Preserve was opened to the public in June 2025 and is now open daily between sunrise and sunset. It is quickly becoming “discovered” as a fun new place to hike, and we hope that you will try it out as well! For more information on HCLT please see our website hcltnc.org and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
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