Stevens Creek Nature Center, at 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, North Carolina, is within Stevens Creek Nature Preserve.
The nature center features live native animals, two classrooms (including one rentable space), gift shop, and an exhibit hall with interactive exhibits. The exhibits focus on protecting water quality and include an augmented reality sand table, living stream with fish and turtles, and 5-foot tall model of the federally endangered Carolina Heelsplitter mussel.
Environmental education and outdoor recreation staff offer public and private programming for all ages. Visitors can borrow loaner backpacks to take activities out on the trails or busy bags for smaller children to play with inside.
Events at Stevens Creek Nature Center and Preserve
Visit Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s activity search website for even more events. Some have fees. Keep in mind that for most of the events you need to call in advance or register online. Also check out the intended age range.
To register, find the event in Park and Recreation’s activity search website or call the phone number for the nature center. We provide links to register and for more information for each event, when available.
Here are just a very few of the upcoming events!
Birding at Stevens Creek
Thursdays, May 7 and 21, 2026
9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Stevens Creek
Free (register at above link)
Ages 18+
Step out onto the trails as we explore the preserve and search the skies for our beloved winged friends. From the radiant Northern Cardinals to the majestic Red-shouldered Hawks, the list of potential sightings is endless. Along the way, work on identification techniques to help everyone become better birders. Open to all levels of bird watching; BYO binoculars or borrow a pair from the nature center.
World Otter Day (Drop-in)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
1 to 3 p.m.
Free (no registration required)
All ages
Otters are some of the most intelligent and crafty mammals in our ecosystem – that’s worthy of celebration! Drop in today to interact with otter ‘biofacts’ like a pelt, skull and scat, and make a take-home craft.
Creek Crawl
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Saturday, July 18, 2026
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Free (register at above link)
Ages 5+
Dip your toes and a net in a cool creek this summer, searching for aquatic critters. Stevens Creek is home to fish, frogs, salamanders and oh so many baby bugs, hiding just below the water’s surface. Gently collect some specimens, then identify them to assess habitat health.
Trails Day: Science of the Trails Hike
Saturday, June 6, 2026
10 to 11:15 a.m.
Free (register at above link)
Ages 18+
Have you ever wondered why your favorite trails go where they go? Or how they were built? Celebrate National Trails Day with a guided hike around the first loop of the SCNC trail system. Together we’ll explore the history of trails and the surprising engineering that goes into creating and maintaining them.
Firefly Night Hike
Sunday, June 21, 2026
8 to 9:30 p.m.
$5 for Mecklenburg County residents; $6 for non-residents
Ages 5+
It’s the first night of the summer and the night sky has its summer twinkle once again. But it’s not just the stars twinkling, the fireflies are out too! Look for, observe and hopefully catch some fireflies on this night hike. They will help light the way as we set out on the trails for a 1-mile guided hike. All fireflies caught will be released back to the wild.
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However, sometimes things change without notice, and we are not always notified. It’s also possible that we can make a mistake.
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Upcoming Events in the Charlotte area
Check out our full events calendar, where you can enter any date, or look at the events for the next few days here:Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center
15700 Thompson Road
Mint Hill, NC
