Dunn’s Mountain Park was once the hot spot for partying in Granite Quarry. There are beautiful slabs of flat granite that make for a great location to hang out with friends and enjoy nature.

The land was donated by Friends of the Mountain, a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant, and The Land Trust for Central North Carolina which helped it to become the newest Rowan County Park. According to the Rowan County Parks and Recreation website, the land was officially dedicated and opened to the public on November 29, 2006. The 83-acre piece of land is protected by a conservation easement, so no more partying at Dunn’s Mountain.

Catawba College’s Tri Beta and Dr. Bolin’s Resource Ecology Class recently dedicated their time to begin a “Dunn’s Mountain Cleanup.” For those of us that have visited the park, some areas look like they have been littered with garbage for years. The granite flats were covered in old beer cans, old mattresses, and sprinkled pieces of broken glass. Students and volunteers came geared with garbage bags, gloves, shovels, and brooms to clean the land.

Dr. Bolin says that the Dunn’s Mountain Park is a very important area for the Catawba College Science Department. He takes many of his classes on trips to look at the plants and wildlife of the park. Jason Walser, the attorney that was a part of the Dunn’s Mountain project, is thrilled to see that the unique land has been appreciated by the Rowan County community.

At the end of the day, students and volunteers were able to clear four truckloads and trailer of garbage from Dunn’s Mountain. TriBeta president Joel Schlaudt, was very pleased with the outcome and was excited to be a part of the project. Dunn’s Mountain Park is now one step closer to being the natural park it was planned out to be thanks to Catawba College students and faculty.