Bull Creek Preserve
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Bull Creek Preserve at Warren Wilson College
Update 8/12/2026: The trails at Bull Creek Preserve may be impacted by road repair and debris cleanup as part of ongoing Helene recovery work in partnership with the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you please do not touch equipment or hike on closed trails at this time.
Conservation Story
In September 2025, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 191 acres on the shoulder of Warren Wilson College in the Swannanoa valley to conserve a tract of forest, open pasture, and section of Bull Creek.
SAHC’s purchase ensures the property will be protected forever from real estate development, preserving its scenic beauty, and its water resources, habitat, and trails for people to enjoy. We will own and manage the land for the long-term as a nature preserve, and partner with Warren Wilson College, which will continue to use the property for education and land-management training.
“This property on Bull Creek is beloved in the Swannanoa community,” shares Farmland Protection Director Jess Laggis. “I grew up visiting the trails and bends of Bull Creek with my family. My husband and I hiked here the night before our son was born. SAHC’s purchase of the land conserves a highly-developable property, so that it will remain here for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. This acquisition also provides an exciting opportunity to forge a strong partnership with the College. SAHC will own the land for the long term and partner with Warren Wilson College in a cooperative management agreement.”
Project Highlights
“This acquisition adds to a highly visible legacy of conservation in Swannanoa,” says SAHC Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “We are deeply grateful to the generous conservation leaders who made it possible for SAHC to purchase and permanently protect this important community resource with hiking trails through the working farm and forest.”
The property, known as the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Bull Creek Preserve at Warren Wilson College, consists of a beautiful cove and mixed forest, an open 17-acre pasture with stunning views of the Black Mountains, and lovely sections of Bull Creek with rocky streambanks and wading pools. A tributary of the Swannanoa River, Bull Creek originates in the Black Mountains just south of Rattlesnake Lodge and the Blue Ridge Parkway, draining an area of more than 10 square miles.
Approximately 3 miles of single track hiking and biking trails traverse the property in an existing trail system.
Please Note:
The trails on the property have been created and maintained by Warren Wilson College. There are several small, interconnecting trails, which may be confusing to new users. We do not yet have a comprehensive public map of the trail system, but will be working on creating one in the future.
On one section of the Bull Creek Preserve land stands remnants of a decommissioned hydroelectric dam, built in 1910 to supply power and light to the Asheville Farm School (now Warren Wilson College). The dam, which briefly created Dodge Lake, served just six years before it was destroyed by the historic flood of 1916. Local residents still refer to the open field as ‘Dam Pasture.’ Both the forest and open pasture provide habitat for a variety of wildlife and native pollinator plants.
Partnership – Continuing Trail Access and Education
The trails along the Bull Creek Preserve property that have been created and maintained by the College will continue to remain open to the public for daytime recreation. Warren Wilson College will continue to use the pasture area in their rotational grazing program and the forest as part of the “living laboratory” of their campus.
“The preserve is a major win for the College, our neighbors and the natural systems that will be protected from development in perpetuity,” says Dave Ellum, Dean and Director of the Center for Working Lands at Warren Wilson. “The Center for Working Lands will continue to serve our mission of providing students with hands-on, applied learning, skill-building and research in forest management and regenerative agriculture. The preserve will also strengthen our recently launched programs in Animal Science and Applied Climate Studies by serving as an in-situ learning lab. Our neighbors in the region will still have access to recreational activities on the preserve and will benefit from increased engagement with Warren Wilson College and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. It is not often that a single effort provides this many wins!”
About our partners:
The Center for Working Lands at Warren Wilson College provides a landscape for investigating and demonstrating land management practices that integrate ecological services with economic and social returns. The College’s managed farm, forests and gardens provide students with the opportunity to learn about and experiment with practical and innovative methods that demonstrate the possibilities for multiple outcomes. Through outreach to regional landowners, they are able to collaborate on research and the development of land management solutions that strengthen the ties between human and non-human communities for the benefit of both.
Access to the trails will be through existing entrances, with a small parking area at the Dam Pasture Trailhead off Riceville Road. Parking at the trailhead is limited, and visitors are asked to be considerate of the surrounding community and neighboring church and businesses. Please park only in designated areas, or return to visit another time if these are full. Recreation uses include hiking and biking – no fires or camping. Use at your own risk; visitors are cautioned to be especially careful around stream banks.
How to Visit
Public Access is from Dawn to Dusk
Hiking and biking are allowed. Please note – Some trails are ‘no bikes’ to protect ecological sensitivity.
No camping, no fires.
Practice “Leave No Trace” principles.
You assume all risks by using these trails.
Keep dogs leashed at all times
Please be mindful of other visitors and wildlife. Off-leash dogs are more likely to provoke a bear encounter.
Pack out your trash - no littering
Please help preserve the natural setting for all to enjoy. There are no trash or recycling receptacles on the preserve. Scoop your pet waste and pack it out, too.
No alcohol, no illegal substances
No firearms, no fireworks
Be Bear Aware
Black bears live here. Please be vigilant, especially when trail running. Do not approach bears.
Practice Caution Around Streams
Watch for slippery rocks and be aware that steep, potentially unstable ground may occur along stream banks.
Watch children at all times
Directions to Parking Area
There is a small gravel parking area for the preserve trails directly opposite Berea Baptist Church. Please be considerate of our neighbors. Do not park at Berea Baptist Church during church events or service hours – Sunday mornings/evenings & Wednesday evenings. If parking areas are full, please return to visit another time.
Do NOT park alongside the preserve on Riceville Road outside of the gravel parking area. There are four additional pedestrian entrances into the preserve from surrounding neighborhoods and connecting with other Warren Wilson College trails.
What People Are Saying
“Warren Wilson College is leading the way in redefining education for our times,” says Damián J. Fernández, Ph.D., President of Warren Wilson College. “We have refined our curriculum to focus on real-world problem-solving. We are engaging students’ hands, minds and hearts through academics, work, and community service for every student in every major. The partnership with SAHC saves forever a treasured piece of land and advances the College’s capacity to invest in high-touch, high impact-experiential education practices that empower our students to be world-ready.”
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