Eno River

There are approximately 31 miles of hiking trails within Eno River State Park. These trails vary from easy to moderate in difficulty and vary in length from 0.5 mile to 3.75 miles, although much longer hikes can be accomplished by combining trails. Sections of trails around the river are subject to flooding when the river runs high. Watch for slippery conditions. The trails are marked with blazes painted on trees. Cole Mill Blaze: yellow ● Bobbitt Hole Buckquarter Creek Blaze: red ● Pea Creek Blaze: blue ● This trail, starting at the south end of the Cole Mill parking lot, goes down to the river, follows it under the Cole Mill Road bridge and intersects with a short loop that follows the river and Pea Creek, and returns through the upland forest. The round trip from the parking lot is 1.3 miles. Dunnagan Park Hours: North Carolina State Parks are open every day, with the exception of Christmas Day. Park hours vary with the seasons. Please visit the North Carolina State Parks website or contact the park office for the most current information about seasonal hours, activities, alerts, camping fees, programs, rules and weather. Contact Information: Eno River State Park 6101 Cole Mill Road Durham, NC 27705-9275 919-383-1686 eno.river@ncparks.gov www.ncparks.gov N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources 1615 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 919-707-9300 Rains can turn the river into a raging torrent, yet it quickly settles into a gentle current. It is a chain of rapids, pools and riffles meandering through forest on a bed of rock. Eno River State Park lies here, in the beauty of more than 4,000 acres of natural resources. Five ­accesses—Cabe Lands, Cole Mill, Fews Ford, Pleasant Green and Pump Station—offer entry into this largely unspoiled river environment. Blaze: red ● This 1.8-mile loop is accessed from the Pea Creek Trail by crossing the creek on a footbridge. From there, it's an easy 0.75 mile along the river and paralleling the river on the adjacent ridge. Pump Station Blaze: red ● This easy hike is known as the best spring wildflower trail in the park. It begins at the Nancy Rhodes Creek bridge on Rivermont Road and makes a 1.5-mile loop. The foundations of Durham’s first water pumping station are at the northeast section of the loop near the river. Laurel Bluffs Blaze: yellow ● The Laurel Bluffs Trail has three distinct parts, all of which are part of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail. The eastern portion is 2.2 miles long and links Pump Station Trail to the eastern boundary of the park at Guess Road. The middle section is 2.5 miles long and links Cabelands Trail to Pump Station Trail. The western part of the trail is 1.4 miles long and links Eno Quarry Trail to the Pleasant Green Access. Mountains-to-Sea Blaze: white ● The Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (MST) will eventually span the state of North Carolina, connecting the Great Smoky Mountains with the Outer Banks. Currently, Eno River State Park has 7.5 miles of trail connecting Pleasant Green Access (in the western part of the park) with West Point on the Eno City Park trails (at Guess Road). Sections of the MST trail are always marked with white circles. Cox Mountain The Eno River is a swift, shallow stream flowing from northwest Orange County into Durham County for 33 miles. There, it joins the Flat River to become the Neuse River and flows into Falls Lake. Its waters roll through wilderness, passing historic mill sites, river bluffs covered with flowering shrubs and fords used by early settlers. Blaze: red ● This self-guided nature trail has information stations posted about Eno River ecology. Eno Trace turns west off the Cox Mountain Trail on top of the bluff between the picnic area and the river. Round trip from the picnic area is 0.5 mile. This 1.65-mile loop extends the Cole Mill Trail upriver, intersecting the western section of Cole Mill Trail twice. A short spur at the southern end of the Bobbitt Hole loop dead ends at the hole. GPS: 36.0783, -79.0050 Eno River State Park is located in Durham and Orange counties, northwest of Durham and east of Hillsborough. Five access areas may be reached from I-85 by exit 173 Cole Mill Road or exit 170 U.S. 70 West. Eno Trace This trail is a 1.2-mile loop beginning at the Cole Mill picnic area from either end of the parking lot. Most of the trail is an easy hike along the river with a short climb through the upland forest. Scenic laurel-covered bluffs dominate the opposite river bank. Blaze: blue ● Begin this hike in the Fews Ford picnic area. It is a 4.1-mile loop. The hike can be lengthened by adding the Fanny’s Ford Trail loop, which intersects from the northeast. The trail passes beside the picnic area, heads down to the river and crosses the river on a suspension foot bridge. The trail climbs 270 feet in elevation from the river to the hilltop. A long steep climb and descent is required. Fanny’s Ford Blaze: purple ● This trail is accessed by hiking the Cox Mountain Trail from the picnic area north to the Fanny’s Ford loop. This trail is a 1.01-mile loop, but the round trip from the picnic area is 2.85 miles. The hike is generally easy with gentle hills and flat terrain along the river. Blaze: red ● This 1.5-mile loop begins at the Piper-Cox Museum parking lot and turns upriver at Few’s Ford. The most spectacular rapids on the river are viewed from a rock outcrop along the trail. A staircase takes hikers over the outcrop. Holden Mill Blaze: yellow ● This 2.6-mile combination of two loops continues west from the Buckquarter Creek Trail from a bridge spanning the creek. Round trip from the Piper-Cox House parking lot is 4.1 miles. The smaller western loop is an easy hike around the stone remnants of Holden’s Mill. The river segment is characterized by rock outcrops, giant boulders and frequent rapids. Fieldstone Blaze: Blue ● This 0.6-mile trail connects Holden Mill Trail to Ridge Trail as it rolls through old farm fields some of which are full of old field stones. *Ridge Blaze: blue U Make your visit a safe and rewarding experience. Some of our regulations are posted for the protection of our visitors and our park. A complete list is available at the park office. To prevent accidents, please remember these safety tips. Bicycles are not permitted on Eno River State Park trails. No motorized vehicles other than official state park vehicles are permitted on state park trails. Pets must be on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet. Fires are permitted only in the fire rings at the camping and picnic areas. Take only photographs, leave only footprints. The removal or damage of any plant, animal, rock or artifact is prohibited. Dispose of trash in the bins provided. Alcoholic beverages are dangerous in the wilderness and prohibited in N.C. state parks. The river and streams are not tested for drinking purposes. Drink only properly purified water. Water fountains and spigots are at the picnic areas and the park office. Chiggers and ticks are seasonally plentiful in weedy areas of the park. Avoid them by staying on the trails. Check for ticks after passing through bushes or tall weeds. Poison ivy is plentiful in some areas of the park. Learn to identify and avoid it. Stay on maintained trails to avoid exposure. The Ridge Trail is part of the old Ridge Road to Roxboro. Hikers may see what remains of three 19th-century homes along this 1.27-mile route. It starts at an intersection with the Buckquarter Creek Trail and provides access to the Shakori and Knight trails. This trail can be combined with Shakori Trail to make a loop. Trails are often slippery when wet, particularly near the river. *Shakori There are no protected swimming areas in the park. All water bodies are natural and have subsurface hazards. Avoid water when thunder or lightning are present. Blaze: yellow U This 1.04-mile hike intersects with the Ridge Trail at the south and northwest ends. It joins with the Ridge Trail to make a loop. *Knight & Piedmont Blaze: red U Cabe Lands Blaze: red ● Knight and Piedmont trails are primarily accesses for neighborhoods off Pleasant Green Road but any hiker may use them. The Knight Trail turns east off Ridge Trail and goes up a steep hill 0.34-mile to the park boundary. The Piedmont Trail is 0.18-mile of utility right-of-way, which crosses the Knight Trail. There is no parking access to these trails. This is a 1.2-mile loop starting from the Cabe Lands Access parking lot. Stone foundations and the millrace earthworks of the old Cabe Mill are visible from the trail, especially when the leaves are off the trees. This stretch of river is known as Cabe’s Gorge and is a particularly rocky area. Eno Quarry Blaze: blue ● This trail starts from the upper loop of the Cabe Lands Trail and descends a gentle ridge 0.38, mile crossing Rhodes Creek at the base of the Eno Quarry. The trail continues with a 0.42-mile loop around the quarry rim. Caution should be taken around the quarry. It is dangerous with steep drop offs and no shallow areas, and the depths at the banks generally exceeding 25 feet with maximum depths of 60 feet. There are hidden hazards below the surface near the banks. Banks are difficult to climb. For safety, stay on the marked trail. There are openings on the bank suitable for fishing. *These trails exit the park. Enter private property with permission only. Watch your step. Footing is rough and uneven on the trails. Off trail exploring and orienteering are permitted, but it is recommended to attempt these activities only with persons trained in wilderness land navigation. Camping requires a permit and fee. Camping is allowed only in the backcountry sites off Bobbitt Hole Trail in the Cole Mill Access, the backcountry sites off Fanny’s Ford Trail, the group camp at Buckquarter Creek and the group camp at Cox Mountain Trail at the Fews Ford Access. Registration is at the park office. Check with park staff regarding other North Carolina State Parks regulations. More detailed information regarding camping, educational programs, fishing, picnicking, facilities, nature and history can be obtained from staff and park publications. Contact park staff for other safety tips or an explanation of park rules. See the Division’s website for a full listing of rules and regulations at www.ncparks.gov Roy Cooper Governor Susi H. Hamilton Secretary When you have finished with this publication, help save our earth by sharing it with a friend, returning it to the park or recycling it. 20,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $1,310.83 or $0.07 per copy. 04/19 a rter C reek Piper-Cox House Buc kqu Ri d g e Tr ail stone Trail Field n i ght Trai l ail Rid g e Tr l il TreaTi ra aTcreac r o T EnoEn Parking Discovery Trail Picnic Area Foot Bridge Picnic Shelter Group Camping Primitive Camping Hiking Trail - Mountains-to-Sea State Trail Restrooms Historic Site Waterways Roads Hospital - Durham Regional Emergency 911 Umstead Rd. RE ll Rd. Cole Mi EK C RE EK E EK Y CR M ILE C PEA DR B R A N CH SEVEN R O C KY Canoe Access Ples ant K FEWS FORD *enlarged Park Office BOWLIN Tra i l ountain Co x M GC E Bridge Gree n Rd. rail Fanny’s Ford Trail REDDI N RE Piedmont Trail er Creek Trail uart Buck q nT i Cox Mounta Cabin K rai l Holde n Mill T ainTrTarialil Mo u n tain CoCxoxMoun t Park Boundary GC Sha kori Trail Accessible REE K North 1 Mile arro f Sh Rose o Pea Creek Trail P I P ER nt R d. Riv erm o ll Tr a i l PUMP STATION Eno River State Park RE E K ’S C 03/18 uar r y il Cabe Lands Trail Umstea d R d. La CABE LANDS H o w e St. 85 70 Col e 85 noQ Tra O to Durham E E D E S CRE RH 11 miles K 70 s Trail Bluff Laurel NE S TO u r e l Bluffs Trai l Ple a sant Green Rd. Plea sant Rd. Bobbitt Hole Rd. Mill rger S pa Cole PLEASANT GREEN gree n rd . N AN C R EEK le M i Co Bobbitt Hole Trail d. nR Pump Station Trail COLE MILL CY R H OD E S CREE K 0.5 d. ss R 0 Laurel Bluffs Tra i l Fish Dam Island Gue Dunna g an Tra i l GUESS ROAD Gebel Rock Mi ll R d.