West Rowan…Adventures Everywhere You Look
The western end of Rowan County has many adventures to offer! So many you will have to decide where and what to do first.
Many roads will lead you out of Salisbury and into West Rowan. You can hop off the interstate and take Woodleaf Road, Highway 801, Highway 70, or Highway 150. All these scenic roads from Salisbury lead to some awesome places in the western part of our county.
Leaving Salisbury on Highway 70 you will be heading towards the Town of Woodleaf and the Town of Cleveland. Both have interesting places to visit.
Woodleaf
As you travel out of town on Statesville Boulevard or turning off Jake Alexander Boulevard North you want to take a slight left onto Woodleaf Road. Traveling down this road you also may see signs for some of our great farmers that have open markets where you can shop for local fresh produce such as Wetmore Farms and the Red Barn Market/Correll Farms. I have had some of the best produce from them both be sure to check them out along the way.
Now back to our travel, you will be headed towards River Park at Cooleemee Falls. Also known to locals as Bullhole. This park is located at 645 Erwin Temple Church Rd, Woodleaf, North Carolina. Enjoy a day of hiking, swimming, or picnicking. A fun fact is that each year the first Saturday in August they host the Great Bullhole Duck Race and they have a family festival that same day. Prices are awarded to the ducks that arrive in first, second, and third places. You can find them on social media or visit their website at www.cooleemee.org/riverpark.
Town of Cleveland
After you enjoy some time at the park head back to Highway 70 and travel into the Town of Cleveland. The Town of Cleveland has done a great job of revamping and bringing new life into their town. Along with having the largest barn quilt displayed on the side of the new fire department they also have a wonderful walking trail where you can enjoy the history of the town starting at the new library. On Saturday, August 27 from 1:00-9:00 p.m. they will have a cash-only Community Music Day along with lots of food vendors. So, grab a lawn chair and head out to enjoy live music on Depot Street. You can’t miss it if you let your ears and your nose guide the way. Visit their website at www.townofclevelandnc.gov.
As you enter Cleveland you can’t miss Daimler Trucks of North America. The plant opened for production in 1989 and has been a major employer in Rowan County, and surrounding counties since it opened. They are the largest manufacturer of Freightliner Trucks in the USA, and they also manufacture Western Star Trucks. Daimler is getting ready to roll out its 800,000 truck this week. That’s quite an accomplishment! They are leading the way by working to develop emissions-free vehicles. For more information on them visit their website www.daimlertruck.com.
Just a little past Daimler Trucks if you look to your left, you can’t miss Carolina Malt House. A few years back I was lucky enough to visit with Andy Goss and write a blog about this awesome business in Western Rowan County. Here’s a link to that blog that will go into all the many details of the Carolina Malt house along with some ideas about the awesome breweries that they supply. Looking at the Pint Glass Half Full in Rowan County – Live Original (yourrowan.com).
While you are in the community of Cleveland head down Bear Poplar Road and you will come out on Highway 801. Taking a right turn onto 801 you will be heading towards Mooresville. Be sure to look over on your left for the Rowan Home and Garden Inc. I have written about this store as well because it also has an entire side wall of barn quilts that were all individually painted, and each quilt has a story. Take time to stop and go inside to find some of the most unique gifts and some of the sweetest desserts around! Their address is 11575 NC Highway 801, Mt. Ulla, North Carolina.
Rowan Home and Garden also has the following events scheduled so mark your calendars and be sure to ride in for some special finds.
September 10 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m./Fall Festival and Kids Entrepreneur Day
October 8 from 10 a.m.-4p.m./Halloween Festival
November 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m./Thanksgiving Festival
December 10 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m./Christmas Festival
Highway 150
Now if you are leaving Salisbury on Highway 150 (Mooresville Road) there are several great stops along the way. Our first stop will be Cauble Creek Vineyard which is one of the great vineyards in Rowan County. My favorite is the Sweet Anita appropriately named after one of the owners Anita Yost. Cauble Creek Vineyard located at 700 Cauble Farm Road always has something going on at their vineyard. An event coming Saturday, October 1 from 5-8 p.m. is the Cauble Creek Harvest Party. Live music from Brooke McBride and delicious food from Taqueria El Titi Food Truck. Be sure to bring a lawn chair and sit back with one of their great beverages.
A few miles down the road you will see Millbridge Speedway. I recently was lucky enough to visit the speedway and write a blog about them. I was amazed and still am about how many Nascar drivers and their families you will see up close and personal. Some of the kids that you see out there driving the dirt track are going to be some of the next up-and-coming drivers in the sport of car racing. Be careful and dress for the environment… it’s a red clay track. If you’d like to know more read my blog here: Drivers Start Your Engines… in Rowan County – Live Original (yourrowan.com).
Your next stop on Highway 150 is Historic Sloan Park. Sloan Park offers lots of hiking options on 93 acres. You can do the historic tree trail, play disc golf, and walk across the bridge that connects you to the Kerr Mill House. The Kerr Mill was built in 1823 and was a working mill grinding corn into corn meal. Recently the mill went through a renovation to restore the water wheel and it has brought life back into this historic building. There are playground areas and plenty of picnic shelters for you to enjoy. You can find them at 550 Sloan Road, Mt. Ulla, North Carolina. A beautiful place to visit.
Just a few miles from Sloan Park you will come upon Patterson Farm Market & Tours, Inc.! People come from near and far to enjoy Patterson Farm’s fruits and vegetables. Located at 10390 Caldwell Road, Mt. Ulla, North Carolina you can always find something fun to do there and something fun to eat there. Consider making a night of it on Tuesdays with their Patterson Farm Family Night from 4-8 p.m. where families can get 10% off purchases in the market and even their mystery ice cream flavors! If you are hungry for a meal, then enjoy food by Meadows Italiano serving up pizza and other delicious choices starting at 5 p.m. You can also find discounts at their barnyard and playground area. You’ll find book readings for children, and other games including corn hole. Visit their website at www.visitpattersonfarm.com for a lot more information on coming events.
After you have had your fun at Patterson Farm head to the Lazy 5 Ranch. Now I have to say that I didn’t know what to expect the first time I visited there. You drive your vehicle through the park to see all the live animals that run freely at Lazy 5. You literally may have an animal’s head inside your car wanting some of the tasty treats that they have for visitors to purchase and share. After driving through be sure to stop and get out to walk around the grounds in the petting zoo. You can also take a wagon ride around the ranch. You can find water buffalos, giraffes, antelopes, pigs, huge tortoises, zebras, lemurs, and so much more. It is a fun family day. Visit their website at www.lazy5ranch.com for information on ticket prices for admission. Keep in mind there that they only do cash or checks. No debit or credit cards.
As you can see there are a lot of places to visit and see in Western Rowan County. You deserve it to yourself and your family to go out and explore all that there is right in your own county. You can even make it a staycation by visiting all these communities. If you are traveling from out of town map out your visit and enjoy staying at one of the beautiful locations here in Salisbury and in Rowan County. There are adventures everywhere you look.
