Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park

Overview

At the park office, you can find hands-on displays designed especially for children, free nature craft activities changed monthly, free loaner equipment: Explorer backpacks, Woodland Village backpack, Art Backpack, sandbox kit, binoculars, kites, and other nature play items. Staff are available when the park is open to answer your nature questions. 

View Park Rules

Programs

We are all about helping groups and individuals foster a connection with the natural world through programs like bird watching, astronomy nights, nature play, and art classes. We offer public, group, and self-guided programs. 

Find out more about nature programs

Amenities

The park offers a number of features to help you get the most of out nature including: electric car charging station, exhibits and displays, free loaner equipment (binoculars, kites, etc.), nature play areas, hiking and wildlife watching, pollinator gardens and comfort station (restrooms, water fountain, etc.). The Annie Louise Wilkerson Education Center is open to the public with exhibits, fun activities, live animals, and a new Nature Library.

Learn more about these amenities

Site Rentals

Request your rental online using RecLink or contact Bryan England.

Take note: Requests will be subject to staff approval. Upon approval, payment will be required to confirm the reservation. Your reservation is not finalized until you receive confirmation of your payment.

Education Center

The former home of Dr. Wilkerson has been fully renovated for conversion into a nature park research center. It includes a multi-purpose room, a science/wet lab, an exhibit space, a reception area and a catering kitchen, pedestrian walkways and outdoor teaching space.

Dr. Annie’s will specifies that the park property be used only for nature study, wildlife education and/or conservation research. We do not host parties, weddings or similar events.

Picnic Shelter

Groups with the mission or purpose of nature study, wildlife education or conservation research may rent the shelter for educational programs when the park staff is not using it. The shelter is not rented for parties, weddings, and similar events.

• Capacity: 60
• $12/hr (2-hr. minimum)
• Access to electricity

Trails

New Trails Open for 2026

Five loop trails have been created within Wilkerson Nature Preserve's 157-acre property. All trails are natural surface (not paved) walking trails with gentle to moderate hills. Most trails include some stairs (see trail map).  Bicycles are not permitted on the Nature Preserve's walking trails.

• The Epps Forest Loop (0.65 mi) loops through some of the Preserve's oldest oak-hickory forests.
• The Hidden Rocks Loop (0.81 mi) winds through pine-oak forests to visit a series of natural rock and boulder outcrops.
• The Pond Loop (0.54 mi) circles a one-acre pond with active beaver dams surrounded by young successional forest.
• The Prairie Loop (0.31 mi) circles Wilkerson's west field along the forest edge, offering scenic views.
• The Overflow Loop (0.26 mi) and Overflow-to-Office Connector Trail (0.13 mi) can be combined to create a mostly flat looping path through Wilkerson's east field and pine forests (0.45 mi total loop length).

Hikers seeking longer hikes starting from Wilkerson can follow the Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail (0.14 mi), which branches off from the Epps Forest Loop and connects with the state-wide Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which exits the Preserve and follows the south shore of Falls Lake to the Neuse River.  

Hiking distance from Wilkerson Main Parking to Falls Lake Dam and Neuse River is approximately 3.0 miles one-way (or a 6.0 mi round-trip).

Download Trail Map

Hours

We are open Tuesday – Saturday at 10 a.m.
We are open on Sundays at 1 p.m.
We are closed on Mondays

Call Preserve at 919-996-6764 to confirm hours during City Holidays.
Upcoming 2026 Closures:  April 5, June 19, July 4, Nov. 11, Nov. 26, and Dec. 24-26