mountains to sea trail

The Best Spots for Camping, Eating, Drinking & Hiking in Elkin, NC

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“Into the woods I go to lose my mind and find my soul.”

John Muir

A quiet and peaceful escape. It looks different to everyone. For myself, I love being outside exploring a path, whether it’s covered in water, leaves, rock, or sand. In 2019 we purchased a few acres of land with a small creek in the Elkin, NC area. Like the first settlers to the region, we were attracted to the area because of its great wilderness and close proximity to water. Probably less like the first settlers to the region, we fell in love with their mix of restaurants and watering holes. So, over the past two years we’ve spent a lot of time exploring the woods, rivers, and towns in the NC foothills. We settle the Winnie in during warm weather months to make weekend visits comfortable. One day we hope to build a small cabin on it, but for now we’re enjoying it as we camp for short getaways.

History

The earliest known visitors came to this region about 10,000 years ago attracted by the convergence of the Big Elkin Creek and Yadkin River. The Sioux Indians settled along the Yadkin River around 500 BC, and the first Europeans settled in the mid-1700s1. The region also owes a lot to the Gwyn and Chatham families who settled and started successful manufacturing businesses.

Richard Gwyn settled in the area and began a cotton mill, the Elkin Manufacturing Company, along the Big Elkin Creek in the mid-1850s. After serving in the Civil War, Thomas Chatham and his brother-in-law, Thomas Lenoir Gwyn, started woolen mill Chatham Manufacturing, most notable for making woolen blankets2. Years later the mill moved closer to the new railroad system, which also happened to be adjacent to the Yadkin River. After the large flood of 1916, Chatham rebuilt its mill in Elkin on higher ground.

Chatham Manufacturing survived the Great Depression and expanded into complimentary industries as the country’s needs changed throughout the World Wars. The business was a huge economic part of the town, employing over 3,500 people at its peak in the 1970s. A Danish company outbid a stockholder group in the late 1980s for ownership of Chatham Manufacturing, which led to its eventual demise. Sadly, the new company then became wrapped up in financial scandal and piece by piece they divided up and sold off Chatham Manufacturing3.

After researching the history of the area, I’m more intrigued than ever to walk the streets of Downtown Elkin more closely and hunt down old blankets from my childhood to see if they don the Chatham name. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of the Elkin area and I can’t wait to dig deeper!

Camping in Elkin

Sandy Creek Family Campground

Our favorite campground spot in the area is Sandy Creek Family Campground in Traphill. A friendly, local guy named Barry owns the campground, which used to be part of a dairy farm for his cheese making. The land sits along the banks of Big Sandy Creek, which typically boasts kid-friendly wading and tubing spots. The campground is also within walking distance to the southern edge of Stone Mountain State Park, where you can connect to the bridle trails and be at the Lower Falls in a few miles.

Sandy Creek Family Campground has electric and water hook-ups and a dump station along the road. The sites are all very flat, with lots of tent camping options near the creek. Barry works hard to greet each guest, keep the bath house clean and maintain the open field area with fun recreational toys. We’ve stayed here in spring, summer and late fall and my kids always have fun splashing in the water, playing in the sand and making friends with other visitors.

Stone Mountain State Park

Two years ago we camped with two additional families at the group tent site at Stone Mountain State Park. There are four group sites which feature a clean, convenient bath house and easy Upper Trailhead parking lot access. Stone Mountain State Park provides group, backpack camping, RV and tent spots. Each group site holds up to 25 people and comes with a concrete pad, fire ring, water access and table. The families had plenty of space to spread out their tents and the kids had plenty of room to run wild. Though, I plan to upgrade our backpacking tent to a larger size before trying to cram all four of us into one tent next time!

Additional Spots

When we’re not camping or glamping in this area, we highly recommend the Fairfield Inn or the Ridenour Ranch. The Fairfield Inn is a very clean hotel with a swimming pool, great breakfast buffet and close proximity to 77. We stayed at the hotel one fall season and they blew us away with their Halloween decorations.

Ridenour Ranch is a unique place to stay if you’re looking for that country feel. The rental house sits on a working alpaca farm. The owners renovated an old two-bedroom cabin and live in another house on the farm. We stayed here one summer for a few nights and thoroughly enjoyed the peacefulness of the house and visiting with all the animals.

Riverwalk RV Park is a new campground that opened earlier last summer in the Yadkin Valley area. We haven’t stayed there before, but judging their Instagram photos it looks like campers have a great time and the owners take great pride in maintaining it. Byrds Branch Campground is another camping option in Elkin adjacent to the Mountains to Sea Trail that connects to Carter Falls and Grassy Creek Vineyard.

Grassy Creek Vineyard is home to the Klondike Cabins. Klondike Cabins features unique rental cabins that have been preserved on the former Klondike Farm property. Full of rich local history dating back to the 1920s, I can’t wait to stay here during a visit to the area.

Food & Drink

Food

Since spending so much time in the Elkin area, we’ve gotten to know several local spots for eating and drinking. Skull Camp Brewing features the tenderest brisket and hugest homemade pretzels. They also have a great selection of craft beers – the Tr’ale B’red (Red Ale), Basin Creek Blonde, and Elkin IPA are some of my faves. Skull Camp has a huge facility with lots of outdoor patio area making it very kid-friendly and easy to socially distance.

We also recently dined at Angry Troll Brewing in downtown Elkin for the first time. We were really impressed with their wood fired pizzas, crispy chicken wings and selection of craft beers. Down the block from Angry Troll Brewing is Southern on Main restaurant. Southern on Main features a modern take on comfort food. We devoured their crispy brussels sprouts and fried green BLT. Their prices are very reasonable and their wine menu highlights several Yadkin Valley wineries.

If you’re looking for a more country setting, you can’t beat the fried chicken, potato wedges and slushies at Foothills Grocery & Deli in Thurmond. It’s a one-stop shop for gas, food and friendly service!

What is a trip to the mountains without a stop for ice cream! Creamy Dayz is located in a renovated gas station on Bridge St, not far from Downtown Elkin. Their ice cream is very tasty and they’re always experimenting with new flavors. We recently tried the cookie monster flavor, but haven’t yet tried unicorn poop! They’ve also updated their menu to include new offerings, including a donut ice cream sandwich!

Wines

Situated in the foothills of the mountains, Elkin is also a hot spot for wine country. Located down the street from our camp spot is the striking Jones Von Drehle Winery. They are a family-owned vineyard and winery featuring delicious dry wines near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Over the summers I frequently ran over to grab a few bottles of their scrumptious rose. In the colder months, I’ve enjoyed pairing their cab sauv with a steak. Visitors can grab bottles to go or stay to enjoy a glass or tasting on their outdoor patio while overlooking the breathtaking vineyard. I recently joined their wine club and took home a delicious assortment of bottles.

Another great spot we’ve visited through recommendations of Raleigh friends is Elkin Creek Vineyard. Elkin Creek Vineyard is also located in a picturesque area with beautiful spots along the creek for an outdoor picnic. We visited Elkin Creek Vineyard pre-Covid so their full dining menu was available. Based on their website they’re still offering their famous pre-order wood-fired pizzas on Sunday. As always, you’ll want to call ahead early in the week to reserve your dough (no joke).

During Covid we had the fortunate chance to get away for the night (sans children) in Thurmond. We enjoyed our first trip to Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery, complete with a wine flight and cozy conversation. The owners happily shared the history of their winery as we narrowed down which wines to try! The winery sits on beautiful farm land with outdoor seating, indoor seating, a hiking trailhead, and the Klondike cabin rentals.

Though only Bill has visited, he was a big fan of McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks. The folks were super friendly and the ciders were delicious. He’s more an IPA or cabernet sauvignon guy, but he also really enjoyed their cider.

We recently learned about the Elkin Vine Line, which offers transportation to five different groupings of wineries. You reserve a date/time/line, catch the bus in downtown Elkin and hop between the different wineries. Each bus line serves four wineries so it’s a fun and safe way to visit the vineyards.

Hiking in Elkin

Stone Mountain Hiking

When I first hiked Stone Mountain, I felt as if I were an astronaut who landed on the moon. Stone Mountain features massive granite domes with craters large enough for your family to camp in. From the upper trailhead parking lot we hiked the Stone Mountain Loop Trail (summit side) to the summit (elevation 2,305 ft) and back. It starts off rocky and flat, and then becomes wooded and steep with several switchbacks. Along the way we crossed over the large domes of Stone Mountain’s face. We gingerly walked down the face a few yards to sit among the craters and gawk at the forests below, feeling like Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins. The entire loop trail is about 4.5 miles. If you only hike from the upper trailhead parking lot to the summit and back it’s about 2 miles. The views from the summit and along the way are gorgeous!

During our group camping visit to Stone Mountain we hiked to the Lower Falls from the upper trailhead parking lot. It was a hot summer day, so everyone loved playing in the Stone Mountain Falls. We came prepared with towels, bathing suits and water shoes. After playing in the water, some of the group hiked down to the Lower Falls which was about one mile away.

During a different summer visit to Stone Mountain we parked at the lower trailhead parking lot and hiked to the Hutchinson Homestead area. Hutchinson Homestead is a historic homestead from the mid-19th century that was recently restored. The farm features old buildings to learn what life was like during that time. The homestead sits below the huge granite outcrops, giving guests that jaw-dropping feeling from a different perspective.

Hiking at Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery

Last year during one of our many trips to the area we hiked from Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery to Carter Falls. The trailhead is located adjacent to the vineyard parking lot and is about a total 5 mile out and back hike. After about 1/2 mile, the Grassy Creek Trail connects with the Mountains to Sea Trail segment 6. We headed westbound on the trail where we crossed a few bridges, hiked through pine forests, walked along old country roads and farms, and hiked by Byrd’s Campground.

After hiking past Byrd’s Campground (feel free to stop by the camp store for ice cream) we crossed over Pheasant Ridge Rd. Then we hiked along the Powerhouse Trail which winds downward through the woods to a beautiful section of Big Elkin Creek. We played in the water, took in the waterfalls sights, and the girls played on the rocky/sandy island for almost an hour. We brought water shoes to change into from hiking shoes, which helped cross onto the island. Previous hikers built small cairns, man-made rock formations, on the small island.

The Rivers

As noted earlier, the nearby rivers are a huge attraction for visitors. East Prong Roaring River is known for its trout fishing. Big Elkin Creek and the Yadkin River converge near downtown Elkin, providing great recreational sources today. The New River snakes way north of Elkin, also offering fun adventure options.

We haven’t done much exploring on the rivers yet, except for tubing down the New River. We rented tubes at the New River Campground in Independence, Va. They drove us up to the takeout spot and we spent about an hour floating. Summer thunderstorms popped up while we floated causing some scary moments. However, we stayed the course and limited our stops so we could float as quickly as possible. My husband and kids have returned for Y-Guides trips and each had awesome, thunderstorm-free trips!

Years ago we hiked Ivy Bluff Trail along the eastern section of the Yadkin River at Pilot Mountain State Park. This summer we hope to bring our paddleboard and kayak to the Yadkin River for some local paddle trips. The Elkin Valley Trail Association is a great resource for finding a network of connected hiking, biking and paddle trails in the area.

Celebrations

Fourth of July

If you’re looking for down-home family fun the Fourth of July celebration at Mountain Park is amazing. When we visited during 2019 they blew us away with their fireworks display. Other fun annual festivals include:

Additional Resources

Thumbs up:

  • variety of recreational activities, small town feel, network of connected trails/wineries, breathtaking views at Stone Mountain State Park, great restaurants

Thumbs down:

  • construction on I-77
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Citations

  1. “History of Elkin, North Carolina“, Town of Elkin North Carolina, http://www.elkinnc.org/residents/living_in_elkin/history.php.
  2. “Elkin: A Town Woven Together by Chatham“, Explore Elkin, https://youtu.be/fbFv25L8LFI.
  3. “Chatham Manufacturing Was Engine That Drove Town of Elkin for over a Century“, Wilkes Journal-Patriot, 28 July 2017, www.journalpatriot.com/news/chatham-manufacturing-was-engine-that-drove-town-of-elkin-for-over-a-century/article_fe7518ce-73d9-11e7-8418-33de212843ab.html.

Top 10 Short Hikes in Raleigh

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“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

John Muir

My mom was always a big believer in the healing powers of being outdoors. She didn’t do much hiking or camping, but she was really into gardening and birding. She used to joke about telling my teachers that I needed more fresh air and sunshine instead of homework and projects. Over the years, we’ve tried instilling this in our kids by trying to spend a lot of time outdoors. When it comes to hiking our kids might push (a lot) at first, but in the end their bodies naturally pull and they have a wonderful time. Therefore, we’ll keep pushing!

In light of all the local closings (including Wake County Public Schools) because of coronavirus, I’ve compiled a list of the Top 10 Short Hikes in Raleigh to do with kids. The weather forecast is looking soggy, but don’t let that stop you from suiting up in boots, raincoats and umbrellas. Finally, before heading to a park check with the individual parks to verify their operating status and follow any CDC guidelines.

Top 10 Short Hikes in Raleigh

  1. Umstead Park: Oak Rock Trail (northwest Raleigh) – this unpaved trail is about 1/2 mile long and meanders through the forest. It’s also part of the Kids in Parks TRACK trails system of family-friendly hikes. Bring water shoes, fishing nets and buckets if you want to further explore the shallow stream that crosses the trail. TRACK trails also offers several printable activities by season to incorporate while hiking.
  2. Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve (northeast Raleigh) – features 1/2 mile natural hiking trail that runs along the tree line of the park. With over 140 acres of park land, this nature preserve is full of sun and also a great spot for flying kites, having picnics, and accessing the Neuse River Greenway.
  3. Top of the Hill Trail @ North Wake Landfill Park (north Raleigh) – features 1/4 mile walk up the gravel trail to the top of the old landfill. Once on the top, you have beautiful 360-degree views and can even see downtown Raleigh on clear days. Surrounding the bottom of the hill is a paved pedestrian path great for biking, running, scootering, etc.
  4. Museum Art Park @ NC Art Museum (west Raleigh) – features miles of paved and natural walking trails in full sun and through the woods. Our favorite things include sliding down the piggie slide, finding art in the forest (as of a few weeks ago the Hobbit House exhibit was closed and under construction), jumping over the streams, and walking along the Reedy Creek Greenway and pedestrian bridge.
  5. Durant Nature Preserve: White House Road & South Lakeside Trail (north Raleigh) – features a one-mile hike through the woods crossing streams and has lake views. Another fun shaded hike is Secret Creek Trail which starts opposite the playground. It follows a stream where we’ve regularly seen huge snapping turtles, deer and birds. If your kids love exploring aquatic habitats, bring their nets and buckets to this park! Try scooping with nets near the dock to find tadpoles and dragonfly nypmhs!
  6. Falls Lake Day Hike M Little Creek Bridge (north Raleigh) – a few months ago we hiked a portion of this more adventurous Mountains-to-Sea trail. First, we parked at the dead end of Santee Rd. Then, we hiked west across the Little Creek Bridge, which is a narrow footbridge crossing Falls Lake. After crossing the bridge we back tracked to continue on the trail in the eastern direction. The trail parallels the water and is a little hilly. We turned around after about 1.5 miles, making our whole hike about 3 miles long. Though I never blogged about this hike, I’m sharing some pictures below. It’s a must-do hike with beautiful lake views, interesting old artifacts, and
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  1. Hiking Trails @ Blue Jay Point County Park (north Raleigh) – features easy, shaded trails that start near the visitor center and the playground area. Trails feature beautiful views of Falls Lake and lots of open green space throughout the park.
  2. Pott’s Branch Trail @ Umstead Park (northwest Raleigh) – relatively easy 1.6 mile hiking trail through the shaded woods. Bring your water shoes if you want to explore the small stream that parallels a portion of the stream. You access this trail from the entrance at Glenwood Ave.
  3. Loblolly Trail @ Umstead Park (west Raleigh) – beautiful out and back hike (5.4 mile round-trip distance) through the woods, so you can shorten this hike to the needs of your companions. You access this trail from the entrance at Reedy Creek Rd. The trailhead is located in the back right section of the parking lot. Though I never wrote a blog post about this trail, I’ve hiked it a few times solo and with family over the past two years. Its terrain varies with a few hills and streams to cross. The scenic Davie Pond
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  1. Loop Trail @ Anderson Point Park – features a half-mile paved loop trail in the middle of the park. Great park for walking, biking, having picnics and accessing the Neuse River Greenway or Crabtree Creek Greenway.

Beyond Raleigh

If you’re looking for a quick day trip idea, here’s a few trails we’ve explored within an hour from Raleigh:

Bonus Fun

If your family hasn’t tried geocaching yet, now is the time! Our girls have recently gotten into it and especially enjoy doing it with friends. Geocaching is essentially treasure hunting in nature and all you need is your phone with GPS enabled. Geocaches are usually stored in a small container and hold a paper log of people who’ve previously found it. Sometimes the container holds small collectible items and the geocache owner might offer a trinket to you if you leave a trinket.

To begin geocaching, first you need to download the free Geocaching app. Then, scroll around the map and pick a geocache to find. Then, hunt for the geocache by following its GPS coordinates and descriptions. Finally, log the item as found in the app and sign the log book – it’s that simple! We love explore open public spaces with multiple geocaches nearby. Geocaches are everywhere – even in urban areas like downtown Raleigh. Eastgate Park is a great spot to start for geocaching, plus you can try to find the Star Wars themed geocache we added a few weeks ago!

Some additional lists I’ve compiled over the years are our favorite bike riding spots (for preschoolers), our favorite picnic spots, and drop-in rainy day to do with art ideas.

When talking with a friend earlier this week she remarked that maybe families will embrace the time together talking, reading, and playing. I love the simplicity of that thought, and will try to remember it as the days go on. Whether that time is indoors or outdoors may your families be in good health and positive spirit!

Honeycutt Creek Trail: Strickland Rd to Honeycutt Park (MP 2.25 to 3.5)

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honeycutt creek trailAfter exploring the northernmost section of East Mine Fork Trail, we crossed Strickland Road via the pedestrian access near West Millbrook Middle School to catch up with Honeycutt Creek Trail.  Heading east on Strickland Rd, we shortly passed mile marker 3.5 for Honeycutt Creek Trail.  Honeycutt Creek Trail was part of the 2003 & 2007 bond referendum that opened about a year ago and features 5.6 miles of greenway, some of which is unpaved.
Continuing on Strickland Rd, we followed greenway signs and turned left onto Carriage Tour Ln, which offered some great views of the gorgeous homes in the neighborhood.  Following the signs, we turned right on Chatterson Dr and found the official entrance to Honeycutt Creek Trail at 305 Chatterson Dr.  The beginning of the trail starts in dramatic fashion along a tall concrete walkway built between the homes of the Bent Tree neighborhood and forest that backs up to I-540.  The concrete walkway then leads into a slightly inclined wooden walkway that sits high off the ground offering great views of the nearby creek, residential homes and neighborhood pond.

pedestrian tunnelAfter running along the walkways we crossed under the I-540 pedestrian tunnel near the 2.75 mile marker.  I was pretty out of breath pushing the double stroller up the small hills we’d run so far, but I was definitely not prepared for the long, steep hills on the other side of the pedestrian tunnel.  Holy hills, Batman! Thankfully, Honeycutt Park (our destination) was only 1/2 mile away.  Honeycutt Park seems to be one of the lesser visited parks, yet it has great playgrounds with fun features for kids of all ages.  It also holds a special place in my heart as it was the last park our then family of 3 visited before little Claire was born (I have vivid memories of sweating it out in the full July sun).  The playground is in full sun, but there is a large nearby pavilion along with other park features including sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, and baseball fields.

After some playground time and a picnic lunch at the pavilion we headed back the way we came.  I was thankful the route was downhill, but had to work hard to control the heavy stroller down the steep hills.

If you wanted to continue north along Honeycutt Creek Greenway, follow the trail through the park and along Honeycutt Road to the Durant Rd intersection where it transitions to an unpaved trail.  According to the map, it continues north to Raven Ridge Rd where it connects with the South Shore Trail (part of Mountains-to-Sea Trail).  A note of caution: a portion of the unpaved trail between Durant Rd and Raven Ridge Rd is managed by the NC Wildlife Refuge Commission, which allows seasonal bow hunting.  According to the website, brightly colored vests are available for temporary use and signs display making it obvious of the game lands you’re entering.

Additional Resources:

Thumbs up: connectivity to Honeycutt Park and beyond

Thumbs down: steep hills

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Falls Lake Day-Hike D: Flipped Car Hike

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IMG_3606We took advantage of the gorgeous weather over Christmas break and spent a lot of time exploring new places outside.  The day after Christmas we drove north to Falls Lake for a 2.5 mile morning hike.  If you haven’t checked out the day hike ideas by the folks at Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST), make it something you do this Spring.  The day-hike information includes detailed directions (including distance, difficulty ratings, for day-hikes in the mountains of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Raleigh-Durham (Triangle) region and the Coastal Plain.

IMG_3612We hiked Day-Hike D that starts near 15009 Possum Track Rd with roadside parking.  After getting the backpack gear on, we headed for the nearby trailhead with “Mountains to Sea Trail” markings and hiked in a westerly direction. This complete hike is about 2.9 miles one way, but we hiked about 1.25 miles out and back for 2.5 total miles.  This stretch of the trail features mostly flat land, hardwood forests with pines, a few views of the lake, some creek views and a flipped vintage car (about a mile into the hike).  According to an MST hiker, this car might be a 1951 Hudson Pacemaker. Ever so often we came to a clearing that was pretty muddy due to all the recent rains.  Before we turned around we stopped in a clearing for a quick apple snack and also caught sight of a few residential homes.

Along our hike we also passed several hunters (and hikers, too) so be sure to wear bright colors if you go on this hike.  Some or all of this land is on game lands and hunting is allowed (I overlooked this detail when initially planning our hike).  The hunters we passed were friendly, they just caught us off guard.

The girls are starting to get to the ages where hikes are more fun than work (imagine less complaining and more smiling).  Ashley likes to point out things in nature (the girl loves identifying some moss) and Claire enjoys looking around in her backpack and pretending she’s riding a horse.  After our last hiking fiasco in Nags Head, it felt rewarding that we didn’t leave any tears on this trail!

Thumbs up: easy family hike with little ones, cool vintage car to gawk over

Thumbs down: be prepared to share the land with hunters as this is part of game lands

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Falls Lake Dam

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IMG_4949This fall we wanted to further explore Falls Lake so we set off with intentions to start closer to the dam and finish Day Hike A of the Mountains-to-Sea trail.  Falls Lake Dam is on the eastern side of the lake (see map) and has helped control flooding from the Neuse River ever since its completion in 1981.  Having previously hiked a portion of Falls Lake starting at Raven Ridge Rd we wanted to start closer to the dam in hopes of actually seeing it before the kiddos got too tuckered.

Unfortunately the main entrance gates to Falls Lake park were closed on this Sunday morning so we had to park in the small parking lot near Falls Center Management Rd/Falls of Neuse Rd intersection.  After a long walk into the park on the paved trail that parallels the road, the little ones in the group were restless for any trail hiking so we explored the areas around the dam including the (surprise!) playground instead.

IMG_4938The playground is designed for ages 5-12 and includes a few slides, climbing structures, tic-tac-toe, and several nearby picnic tables and benches.  It’s a small playground, but the perfect size for a park with so many more activities.  After taking in the views from the top of the dam, we walked down the unpaved trail adjacent to the playground where we got up close and personal with the beginning of the Neuse River.  The girls enjoyed throwing rocks in the water while we saw fishermen and birds.  There’s also a small parking lot, canoe launch, restrooms, information map, picnic tables, and access to the start of the Neuse River Trail greenway at the bottom of the dam.

Even though we didn’t make it to our planned trail that day, everyone had a fun time whether it was on the playground, along the river bank, or finding furry caterpillars.  I look forward to attempting Day Hike A again sometime soon where we’ll park in the lot closest to the dam!

More Resources:

Thumbs up: views from top of dam, playground, considerable amount of picnic tables

Thumbs down: signage in park, nc state park information online lacks details (no mention of gate closure, playground, parking near dam)

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Falls Lake Hike Day Hike A: Raven Ridge Rd towards Dam

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img_4946Every New Year’s Day, NC hosts First Day Hikes all over their state parks to promote a healthy start to the year. Even though the organized First Day Hikes didn’t exactly work with our kiddo schedules we drove up for a short hike of our own near Falls Lake.

Falls Lake is a state recreation area just 10 miles north of Raleigh with 7 individual parks, a 12,000-acre lake and 26,000 acres of woodlands.  For our hike, we chose one of the southeastern fingers to explore.  The portion of the trail we hiked is from Day Hike A (from Shinleaf Rec Area to Falls Lake Dam) of the Mountains to Sea Trail.  Mark Edelstein provides a very detailed description of the hiking trails through Falls Lake, which I used to help navigate the area.  We hiked a portion of this trail heading west to east.

img_4947To find the gravel pull-off parking area (noted at the 3.5mi mark in Section 1) we drove north on Falls of Neuse Rd and turned left on Raven Ridge Rd and parked along the side of the road shortly after passing Annie Wilkerson Nature Park.  After getting everyone strapped in their gear, we set off by following the small sign pointing east towards Falls Lake Dam, which is 3.5 miles away.

This is a very moderate hike with small hills and a fairly wide trail throughout.  It is a heavily wooded area, giving a lot of shade to the trail.  Most of this section also closely follows much of the lake, so there are several lake inhabitants and small waterfalls to discover along the way (great for puddle stomping during summer time).  We also passed a trail entrance into Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Park, which happened to be closed for the New Year holiday, but would be fun to incorporate into a short hike.

We only hiked about 2.4 total miles that day and didn’t make it to Falls Lake Dam, but I’m looking forward to starting at the dam and heading west on our next hike through Falls Lake.

Resources:

  • list of day hikes through Falls Lake as compiled by the Mountains to Sea Trail campaign
  • Detailed hiking descriptions from Falls Lake Dam to Raven Ridge Rd
  • Falls Lake map (although not detailed enough for hiking trails)

Thumbs up: views along stream, clear hiking signage along trail, great shade

Thumbs down: planning a hike in Falls Lake using NC Parks online resources (use the Mountains to Sea Trail site instead)

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Neuse River Trail Opening

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img_3079

A couple of months ago we attended the Neuse River Trail grand opening at Anderson Point Park located at 20 Anderson Point Dr.  Most grand openings we attend are usually low-key and only involve a few important speakers, but this celebration was full of food trucks, live music, crafts for kids, local vendors and more.  As typical, we sat through 5 minutes of the grand opening speeches and then played on the playground before hitting up the food, vendors and crafts.

The Neuse River Trail is located on the eastern side of Raleigh paralleling the Neuse River with 7 bridges over the river throughout the trail; it  begins at Falls Dam Lake and continues south past the WRAL Soccer Park, Buffaloe Rd Park, Milburnie Park, Anderson Pointe Park and to the Johnston County line.  The new section of trail added 20 additional miles, bringing the total distance of this paved trail to 27.5 miles.  The Neuse River Trail allows for easy connections west to Crabtree Creek Trail or Walnut Creek Trail and is a great connection between the municipalities of Wake Forest, Raleigh, Knightdale, and Johnston County.  Part of the trail is also a segment of the Mountains to Sea Trail that extends from the Great Smokey Mountains to the Outer Banks.

img_3085After devouring some delicious pizza from my favorite local food truck, Klausie’s, Ashley and I headed south on the trail for about a mile before her patience and the time got the best of us.  The parts of the trail we walked were gorgeous – the trails are 10ft wide, the views of the river are amazing, and the bridges make for exciting photo ops.

To access the Neuse River Trail near Anderson Point Park, the parking spots are either inside the park or at the parking lot near the canoe put-in at 22 Anderson Point Dr. At this location, you’ll be near mile marker 17 of 27.5.  I can’t wait to return and explore more of the trail on bike next time!

Additional Resources:

Thumbs up: condition of trail, scenic views of river, photo ops, bridges

Thumbs down: signage to trails from within park

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