A giant fort is coming to Charlotte's Whitewater Center
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Construction on Wildwoods phase II is underway. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
The U.S. National Whitewater Center plans to open phase II of its Wildwoods activity area this September, complete with a historic fort, mining cave, event space and expanded treehouse village.
Why it matters: Wildwoods will more than double in size to meet the demand for kid-focused space.
Between the lines: Many of the Whitewater Center's other activity areas have age or weight limits for safety, such as whitewater rafting. In response to visitor feedback, Whitewater CEO Jeff Wise challenged his team to recreate the dreams they had as five-year-olds.
Flashback: Phase I of Wildwoods opened in July 2024 with a treehouse village connected by floating hammocks, a boulder garden, a low-rope challenge course and a balance-bike trail. The first phase also included a cabin offering snacks, drinks and activity passes. There's also a covered pavilion.
What to expect: Wildwoods phase II will expand the area to roughly 4 acres. It will include an elevated treehouse village that is connected by nets and reaches the original treehouse village.
- There will also be a new enclosed event space with a large fireplace. It's ideal for the winter, the Whitewater team tells Axios.
- Phase II will also include a rock amphitheater for kids, plus a front porch stage.
The circular fort will represent life in the late 18th century into the 19th century, complete with a fort wall with a parapet (the walkway near the top of a fort).
- In the settler's village, which is inside the fort, there will be seven structures of varying sizes, including a post office, school house, a residence and an operating blacksmith.
- There will also be a mining cave outside of the fort as a nod to the area's gold mining history.
- A new barn will be built to house chickens, sheep and goats for educational purposes (this is not a petting zoo).
The bottom line: The goal is for kids to unplug from screens, Wise tells Axios.
Zoom out: The Whitewater Center includes the Tuckaseegee Ford, which was the first recorded ford crossing the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission.
- The Tuckaseegee Trail, also located there, was a key trading route for Native American and later European settlers. This history inspired the settler's village idea at the Whitewater Center.
The big picture: The Whitewater Center turns 25 in August. Last year, it saw 1.4 Million visitors. In the last few years, the popular destination has added a massive off-leash dog park, plus swinging bridges and new zip lines. Whitewater has also expanded to include adventure lodging outside of Charlotte.
If you go: The Whitewater Center is at 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy. Access to Wildwoods access is included in a day, monthly or annual pass. A monthly activity pass for Wildwoods is $40. A single activity pass for Wildwoods is $18.
- Parking at the Whitewater Center is $13 per vehicle or $45 for an annual parking pass.
