One of our favorite past times with our pups is taking them to Mott Lake. Located on Fort Bragg with public access via Plank Road, this lake has become increasingly popular since we arrived in 2015. However, a recent tragedy may discourage avid goers from future visits.
We often head out to Plank Road for public access to trails on Fort Bragg allowing our dogs to roam around off leash and get lots of exercise. Far away from most of the military training and exercises is Mott Lake and its surrounding trails.
Mott Lake is a respectfully smaller lake surrounded by North Carolina natural vegetation and landscapes. It’s not unlikely to spot various animals in this area. We’ve seen beautiful hawks, a bob cat, and the various rodents animals and birds. Several streams lead to the lake and many sandy trails and roads head off into various directions. From the various inlets to the lake, our pups like taking short swims to cool off from the heat.
As aforementioned, a recent tragedy occurred where a young man drowned swimming in Mott Lake. Although we’ve seen many people and children cooling off in the waters of Mott Lake, there are many very visible signs that warn people from swimming or boating. Try taking a beautiful nature walk or perhaps a mountain biking session on the surrounding trails… Mott Lake holds more beauty than just cooling down from the summer sun.
PS. We’ve walked around the lake and for the avid hiker, it’s a good 8-10 miles depending on which trails you take!
Review the recent tragedy for safety precautions: http://www.fayobserver.com/news/20180709/body-recovered-at-fort-bragg-lake
How to get there: https://goo.gl/maps/k2Hk4REFhVy
Mc Loughlin Living 