I've been visiting Dan Nicholas Park for as long as I remember and even got married in the park, so the park and I go back quite a ways. One of the favorite activities for my crew is to walk around Lake Murtis at the park.
Dan Nicholas Park is located at 6800 Bringle Ferry Road in Salisbury, North Carolina. No admission is charged to enter or park at Dan Nicholas. Here is the easiest way to get to the lake: after entering the park, take the first road to the right. Go straight past the picnic shelters and miniature golf area and park in the parking lot by the large ADA accessible playground and newer bathrooms. From the parking lot, walk through a wooded area with picnic tables and past the carousel, splash pad, and along the walkway to the left of the Animal Adventures. You'll see the lake just past the brown building housing restrooms and a concession stand.
The Lake Murtis walking trail is part of the Carolina Thread Trail and features natural terrain, lots of shaded areas and three bridges. One of the bridges reminds me a bit of Monet's Japanese footbridge painting. If you look away from the lake while standing on Foltz Bridge (the largest one), you can see the small bridge that was used years ago on an older trail around the lake. Yep, I remember walking on that bridge! The trail is easy to navigate but with the natural terrain, those in wheelchairs or who are prone to tripping might need extra help. We've seen quite a few people pushing children in strollers around the lake.
Several folks fish at the lake - you'll need a license to do so. During warmer months, paddle boat rentals are offered. I recommend doing this at cooler times if you wish to enjoy that activity. No swimming is allowed at the lake, but they do have a splash pad nearby. Ensure that your dog is on a leash if you wish to walk around the lake with your furry friend.
The campground is located near the back of the lake to the right of the bridge. An additional, longer trail is located near where the woods start on the right side of the lake near the campground.
You can discover great views and awesome photo opportunities throughout the trail. We've visited during each season of the year, and each one offers a nice variety of native plants and animals to enjoy. Turtles often enjoy sunning on logs in the lake and may come up to visit near the bridge at the back of the lake. We were thrilled to see a blue heron the other day as well.
We usually pack some seeds and corn or halved grapes to feed the ducks and geese when we visit. Bread and crackers are not recommended for feeding waterfowl. We've seen goslings and ducklings recently at the lake on our walks. The duck groups tend to spread out around the lake. My kids have named a few of them. "Speckles" is one of our favorites.
The staff at Dan Nicholas Park do a great job keeping the park, trails, and facilities clean. This park offers quite a few activities that are free and a few additional activities for reasonable prices, such as the carousel ride and mini zoo with black bears, owls, wolves, bald eagles, and alligator.
Find more information about Dan Nicholas Park, including a map and directions and information about their activities at their official web site. Thank you for visiting Travel NC With Kids. Read more of my articles via the site map, using my search bar, or you may wish to read the articles below:
