With five miles of Lake Wylie waterfront, a network of walking trails, a future public park, community gardens and both the Seven Oaks Nature Preserve and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden next door, who at McLean can resist the lure of the great outdoors?

And that lure is at its zenith right now. Here’s a quick look at the many ways you can enjoy the natural treasures within and around McLean.

National Trails Day celebration

National Trails Day celebration will be June 2 in Cramerton

National Trails Day celebration – June 2 on Goat Island in Cramerton. Our community partner, the Catawba Lands Conservancy, is throwing a daylong outdoor bash to celebrate the rapidly growing regional network of greenways and “blueways” that include both Lake Wylie and our Seven Oaks Preserve trail next to The Conservancy. Enjoy nature walks, bike rides, kayak trips and a community festival. Details

Sip & Stroll at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden – Thursday evenings throughout the summer beginning May 31. Enjoy wine, craft beer, live music and more each week as evening settles over the Charlotte region’s No. 1 floral oasis. Details

Summer Camp at the Garden – Give your kids a hands-on learning experience with the outdoor experts at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Come for a week, a day or even a half-day. Several themes throughout the summer. Details

patio dining at Seven Oaks Cafe

Enjoy patio dining at Seven Oaks Café

Patio dining at Seven Oaks Café – Our new dining venue at the historic Mclean House has a beautiful front porch and enticing wine and beer lists – the perfect ingredients for winding down with friends and family. The Café serves lunch and dinner from 11 am to 8 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays and Sunday brunch from 10 am to 3 p.m. Details

Community garden at the historic McLean House – We invite you to join our “growing” group of green thumbs as we launch a community garden beside the McLean House on Armstrong Road. Check out the thriving raised beds, provided by us and nurtured by McLean residents. Seven Oaks Café has a plot, too, for our dining enjoyment later this summer. Details: Ann Davis at 980-987-9040 or anndavis@discovermclean.com.

Hikers on the Seven Oaks Trail

Hikers on the Seven Oaks Trail

Nature hikes in Seven Oaks Preserve – The 78-acre Seven Oaks Preserve stretches for more than 2 miles of Lake Wylie Shoreline beginning from the McLean community trailhead on South New Hope Road. The Conservancy also has two neighborhood entrances to the trail.

Turkey, deer, hawks and other wildlife abound. The lake teams with fish. Peace reigns.

This trail is a small piece of the vast Carolina Thread Trail. Get a map of the Seven Oaks Trail and details of the Carolina Thread Trail.