Moores Creek Battlefield: Pleasant Walk, Well Interpreted

You know those brown road signs that point you towards attractions?  You should follow them every now and again.  On a recent trip back from Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, we passed a sign for Moores Creek Battlefield, an American Revolution site.  The battle at Moores Creek had significant implications for British strategy and caused North Carolina to be "all in" for independence at a new level.  You may not have heard of it before, but it is worth your time.

The National Park Service has done a fabulous job making the story of Moores Creek easy to access in a very pleasant commemorative setting.  Many battlefields are either undeveloped or full of monuments--this one is a nice mix of natural setting and human-made memorial.  There are short, stroller-navigable trails, including a boardwalk over a swamp-like area.  Pause at the monuments, especially the monument to Cape Fear women of the revolution and the Scottish loyalists who fought on site.  Allow an hour or so and walk a trail or two--the paths are pretty flat, the main walk is paved, and you'll see lizards, long-leaf pines, turtles, and the like.

If you didn't already know, North Carolina is the site of several revolutionary battles.  On the way to the Brunswick County beaches and/or the Grand Strand?  It's pretty easy to work in Guilford Courthouse near Greensboro and Moores Creek.  If you go, consider packing a picnic--it's a great site for a pit stop while driving, and plus, there's no site entry fee.  If you are interested in taking in the small exhibit and gift shop in the visitor's center, be sure to check visitor's center hours before stopping.  The park is in a rural area about 15-18 miles from the main road.  You'll travel paved secondary roads to get there, passing some churches, homes, and the occasional gas station--but there are no fast food outlets or stores.