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Florence Nature Preserve is a publicly-accessible privately owned park in Gerton, Henderson County, North Carolina in the United States. The 600-acre (2.4 km2)[3] park is located 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Asheville, North Carolina, and is owned and managed by Conserving Carolina, a land trust.
| Florence Nature Preserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)[1] | |
  Location of Florence Nature Preserve in North Carolina  Florence Nature Preserve (the United States) | |
| Location | Henderson County, North Carolina, United States |
| Nearest city | Gerton |
| Coordinates | 35°28′26″N 82°19′57″W |
| Area | 600 acres (240 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 2,280 ft (690 m) |
| Established | May 4, 2005 |
| Named for | Tom and Glenna Florence |
| Governing body | Conserving Carolina |
The preserve was named after Dr. Tom and Glenna Florence, who donated the land that makes up the preserve. 300 acres were donated to Conserving Carolina, then known as the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, in 1996, which was the first property that the land trust owned. The Florence couple went on to donate an additional 300 acres in 2001. Conserving Carolina adopted and improved nearly five miles of existing trails and has opened the land to the public as the Florence Nature Preserve.[4] Additionally, a small portion of the land is owned by Henderson County Parks.[5]
The preserve contains five hiking trails. Notable sights on the trails include vistas of the summit of Burnshirt Mountain from Rattlesnake Rock, a scenic view of Chimney Rock State Park's Hickory Nut Gorge from Little Pisgah Point, waterfalls, creeks, and various wildlife.
Additionally, an access hiking trail links the park to nearby Little Bearwallow Falls, as well as the interconnected Bearwallow Mountain, Trombatore, and Strawberry trails, all of which are managed by Conserving Carolina.[6] The preserve is planned to be linked to the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail, which would connect the preserve to Chimney Rock State Park.[7]
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