Eno to Eno Hike: Recap
How DPR's Outdoor Recreation Unit is Connecting Parks Across Durham
On Saturday, November 16th, Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) hosted its first-ever 'Eno to Eno Hike,' covering an 11-mile stretch of the scenic Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). This long-distance trail spans nearly 1,200 miles, connecting the Tennessee state line to North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Section 10 of the MST connects Eno River State Park, West Point on the Eno Park, River Forest Park, Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve, Butner-Falls of Neuse Gamelands, and Falls Lake State Park. This section is unique because it is just over 70 miles of completed natural surface trail. So close to cities, this is a special experience, especially because just over half of the MST is completed trails, whereas many of the other sections include portions walking along roads between parks.
Our Eno to Eno hike program began at the Pleasant Green entrance of Eno River State Park. We began with a short warm up and introduction to navigating trails before we set out east on the Laurel Bluffs Trail, which runs along the Mountains to Sea Trail.
The first portion of this trail includes the most elevation changes and has mountain laurel growing along the river, so it kind of feels like you are in the mountains! Along the trail, we passed by the Eno Quarry and through the Cabelands section of the park, which has ruins of a mill and homestead. The MST also crosses the historic Fish Dam Road, which was used from the 1600’s to connect two Indigenous towns, one in present-day Hillsboro and one along the Neuse River. It continued to be a major travel route until it was replaced by Highway 70 in the 1920’s.
After about 4.5 miles, the trail passes under Cole Mill Road. Our DPR van was waiting for us to give an opportunity to refill our water bottles. From there, we passed by the remains of the old Durham Pump Station. This was the City of Durham’s first public water source, and was eventually replaced by the Lake Michie reservoir, which is still in use today. Later, we passed by the ruins of Guess Mill and the Eno River Association office into West Point on the Eno Park.
The last 2 miles of the trail back to the parking near the Environmental Education Pavilion in West Point on the Eno Park was on the opposite side of the river. We passed by Sennett’s hole and a chimney of a home which once stood nearby.
Our whole group celebrated with high fives when we completed the journey. Some of us were friends already before we started the trail, but at least a few new friendships formed along the way. Hiking is more than just exercise, but it is a chance to connect with nature, history, and other members of the community.
"Our next Eno to Eno Hike is on December 21st, 2024, coinciding with the Winter Solstice. Join us to experience this unique journey on the shortest day of the year. We can’t wait to hike with you!"
Have you hiked any part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail? Share your experiences in the comments!"
