Serene. Tranquil. Secluded. Like the name implies, Meditation Park is the perfect spot to catch a quiet waterside hike, surrounded by the sounds of a tumbling creek and the scents of fragrant hemlock and lush forest. Explore Meditation Park’s four ultra-scenic trails, visiting spilling waterfalls, abundant wildflowers, one of Big Canoe’s covered bridges, historic bridge ruins and a historic cabin.
Nearby, the Choctaw Trail offers 1.4 miles of rolling, mixed-surface trails, great for a trail run or nature walk. The trail meanders through the Choctaw neighborhood along the banks of Disharoon Creek. Hike the Choctaw Trail to views of Big Canoe’s golf greens through the trees, and drop along a spur trail to a moss-covered creek bed and the remains of a historic bridge.
Hike the Botanical Garden Nature Trail as it descends from the Big Canoe Terraces through a forest filled with rhododendron, hemlock and native flora. Explore a historic cabin, and then follow the trail’s white blazes along the banks of a mossy, trickling creek, crossing the creek via rustic wood bridges. The trail ends under the beautiful covered bridge on Wilderness Parkway.
To make a scenic loop, follow the path under the covered bridge to cross Blackwell Creek, following the Blackwell Creek Trail to complete a 1.1 mile loop back to the Terraces. Or, for a longer adventure, cross under the covered bridge to hike the Covered Bridge Trail or the John Williams Trail to explore a small waterfall downstream.
Maps & parking info
Hike the Blackwell Creek Trail to explore a shady creek valley, the banks of Blackwell Creek and the Meditation Park Scout Hut. From the Big Canoe Terraces, hike a short connecting trail, following a gravel road. Reaching the hike’s official trailhead at the Scout Hut, the trail drops elevation on wooden stairs to a creek valley. The trail follows Blackwell Creek upstream, reaching a swinging span bridge that offers excellent views of the rocky creek and a connection to Twin Creeks Drive. Wooden benches on the trail offer the perfect spot for a mid-hike rest to enjoy the sounds of the rushing creek and the cool, shady forest.
The Blackwell Creek Trail ends at the covered bridge on Wilderness Parkway. Cross the creek to follow the Botanical Garden Nature Trail to complete a 1.1 mile loop back to the Terraces. If you’re up for some additional mileage, hike under the covered bridge and follow the Covered Bridge Trail or John Williams Trail downstream to a fragrant grove of evergreen trees that tower over a tumbling waterfall.
Maps & parking info
Hike the John Williams Trail, one of the most scenic in Big Canoe, to visit several small waterfalls along the boulder-filled Blackwell Creek. The blue-blazed trail departs from a small parking area off Trotters Lane in the Equestrian neighborhood. The trail climbs elevation above the creek under the canopy of a mixed coniferous and hardwood forest, and then drops to the creek banks to visit a small, tumbling waterfall. Following the creek upstream, the trail passes a wooden bridge that connects to the Covered Bridge Trail, and passes the historic stone remains of a large bridge that once spanned the creek. Built in 1915, the stone columns held a bridge that led to a large house in Wolfscratch Village; all that remains of the house today are the towering chimneys, now a popular wedding and event venue.
The John Williams Trail ends at the covered bridge on Wilderness Parkway. From the covered bridge, extend your hike and soak up some more Blackwell Creek beauty on the Covered Bridge Trail, Nature Trail or Blackwell Creek Trail.
Maps & parking info
Hike the Covered Bridge Trail through a beautiful pine and hardwood forest to a spilling, rocky waterfall, historic bridge ruins and a large rock island on Blackwell Creek. The Covered Bridge Trail is easily accessed from any of the other three trails in Meditation Park. From the covered bridge at Wilderness Parkway, the Covered Bridge Trail explores the eastern banks of Blackwell Creek, crossing several small streams and passing the stone ruins of a historic bridge. Mid-hike, the trail passes a tumbling waterfall and a large rock island in the middle of Blackwell Creek, and then climbs to loop around a large rock outcrop before retracing back to the covered bridge.
While the best (and most scenic) route to the Covered Bridge Trail is via the John Williams Trail, there’s also a short access path that departs from Blackwell Creek Way. For the ultimate hike in Meditation Park, hike the John Williams Trail, Covered Bridge Trail, Botanical Garden Trail and Blackwell Creek Trail on a scenic, 3.3 mile adventure. (You’ll hike the John Williams Trail and Covered Bridge Trail twice, as out-and-back hikes, and the Nature Trail and Blackwell Creek Tail once, as a loop.)
Maps & parking info
The main Meditation Park parking area is located off Steve Tate Highway, just north of the Big Canoe Main Gate. A small parking area for the John Williams Trail is located in the Equestrian neighborhood off Trotters Lane. Street parking for the Choctaw Trail is available on Choctaw Pass, off Golf Course Road.