Along the way, I took a 4.4 mile out-and-back hike and encountered a historic farmstead, a flock of sheep and goats, muddy trails, scenic creeks, a distinctive edible mushroom, more muddy trails, an old mill dam, and–oh yeah, did I mention?–more muddy trails. … More Hiking to an Old Mill Dam at Cedarock Park
Stopping in my tracks, I looked left and right. Then I consulted my digital park map. Then I looked left and right again, shaking my head. If there was anywhere there should have been a footbridge, it was here. Yet, even after walking to the edge of Warren Creek, I saw no footbridge of any kind. … More Hiking Warren Creek in Search of Sennett Hole
So, while it’s true that nature would be better off without industry of any kind — whether at the level of the mill dam or the hydroelectric dam — there is nonetheless value in preserving modes of life that do less harm to the land while allowing human communities to exist in relative equilibrium. … More West Point on the Eno: The Mill That Became a Park on the Banks of the Eno River
Returning to Laurel Bluffs Trail, I increased my pace. It was already 5:00, and the light was fading, limiting my ability to take photos. After scaling another steep hill lined with mountain laurel and oak trees, I made a quick descent to the river bank again. … More A Rainy Fall Hike to Bobbitt Hole at Eno River State Park
The real handiwork of the Cabe Family, however, was the mill which bore their name, the ruins of which were standing in front of me in the middle of the woods by the Eno River. … More The Beauty of a Winter Hike on the Cabe Lands Trail
Mark Explores 