17-Acre Wood

plan your visit

​Running between Indian Trail and Westover Parks, 17-Acre Wood is a celebration of native plant diversity and resident wildlife, including barred owls, beavers, muskrats, and box turtles. This preserve, ECWA’s oldest, is nestled within the Watts-Hillandale neighborhood in Durham. Visitors enjoy the nature trails that wind through the preserve as well as the paved West Ellerbe Creek Trail extending through the preserve’s center.

  • Dawn to dusk year-round.

  • 1900 Maryland Avenue, Durham NC 27705

    View larger map here.

  • 17-Acre Wood is located at the northern border of the Watts Hospital-Hillandale neighborhood, and can be accessed from two sides. 

    From Westover Park: Parking is available beside Westover Park, at the end of Maryland Avenue. After parking, you’ll find the paved West Ellerbe Creek Trail at the end of Maryland Avenue. Take a left to enter 17-Acre Wood and notice the creek on your right. Trailhead signs on the left side of path will guide you to the more wild parts of the preserve. 

    From Indian Trail Park: Park on Albany Street, near the corner of Albany and Perennial Drive (which looks more like a driveway than a street). On this side of the preserve, you’ll find an ECWA kiosk and a small native plant garden with plant ID tags.

  • The closest stop is #5677 on Route 1 at the corner of Broad Street and Guess Road. Walk north on Guess Road, and you will see Westover Park and the entrance to the preserve on your left. 

Click here for larger view.

The 17-Acre Wood Nature Preserve serves as refuge for native plants rescued from development sites elsewhere in the watershed. In addition to resident wildlife like barred owls, beavers, muskrats and box turtles, the preserve provides food and resting place for migrating birds and other wildlife moving up and down the creek. 17-Acre Wood Nature Preserve has a reputation among birders as migratory season “hotspot”. Periodic sightings of wild turkey, great blue heron, deer and fox show that even an urban nature preserve can play an important role in a larger web of life.

The story of 17-acre wood.

ECWA began with a donation of the first six acres of 17-Acre Wood. At that time, the banks of the creek were eroded and the land was difficult to access, choked by invasive plants. Today, after a major creek restoration project with the City of Durham and through the hard work of our stewardship volunteers, the 17-Acre Wood now hosts native plants and wetland gardens. Our dedication to this preserve is demonstrated every day by our Preserve Stewards, who are looking forward to installing a natural play area.