Alexander's Ford

Alexander's Ford is an easy 1.3 mile jaunt in Rutherford County that allows hikers to step into history. The volunteer patriot army followed this path and camped on this land the night before the infamous Battle of Kings Mountain, which proved to be a turning point of the Revolutionary War. This trail is largely flat and on an even surface, making it a trail friendly to all hikers of all experience levels. The stage this land set for important events in the Revolutionary War also attracts history buffs from all over. Every autumn, re-enactors travel the 330-mile route of the Overmountain Men, as the original patriot militia came to be known, camping in the same locations and following the same trails and roads. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail stretches through four states (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina), ending at the site of the pivotal Kings Mountain battle. About 87 miles is now open to walk. Conserving Carolina and Polk County Community Foundation facilitated permanent conservation and public ownership of 162 acres to create the Bradley Nature Preserve at Alexander's Ford in 2012. The Preserve includes the trail and the site of the militia's encampment on the banks of the river, just prior to their victory at the Battle of Kings Mountain, the turning point of the Revolutionary War.