Eno River State Park

North Carolina Outdoors

Eno River State Park

Eno River Photo Tour

Just the Facts... Local Links Regional Books & Music

Given its proximity to the triangle, Eno River State Park could qualify as an urban park. But judged by the quality of its wilderness, this park deserves its statewide recognition. Within this linear park's 2700 acres (five access areas) are 21 miles of maintained hiking trails.

The park is named for the Eno Indians, who, along with the Shakori and Occoneechee tribes, lived near the river prior to European settlement.

Like many other natural treasures, efforts to preserve a portion of the Eno did not begin until the area was threatened with destruction. In 1965, the city of Durham proposed building a reservoir that would flood this portion of the Eno River valley. Concerned citizens responded with the formation of the Association for the Preservation of the Eno Valley (now called the Eno River Association ) in October of 1966, and a spirited lobbying campaign for the river's protection ensued. The campaign succeeded, and the park was officially welcomed into the state parks system on June 15, 1973. Since then, Eno River State Park has grown from a few hundred to 2694 acres. (For a detailed history , visit the Eno River Association website.)

In addition to hiking and nature study, canoeing and fishing are popular pastimes in the park. Individual and group camping sites are available. Reservations are required for the group sites.

For more information, call (919) 383-1686.

Summary - Eno River

Location: Durham and Orange counties, northwest of the city of Durham.

Access: Various. From I-85 in Durham, take exit 173 northwest onto Cole Mill Road, which leads to the park .

Established: 1973.

Size: 2694 acres in 2002.

Elevation: 700 ft. at Cox Mountain in the Few's Ford section of the park.

Local Links

Eno River State Park - The park's official website.

Eno River State Park Map

Eno River Association

Festival for the Eno - One of the state's top outdoor festivals. July 4th weekend.

Triangle Land Conservancy - The local land conservancy for Orange and Durham counties.

Sierra Club Headwaters Group (Durham)

Streamflow - Eno River at Hillsborough.

Click for Durham, North Carolina Forecast

Books on the Eno River,
the Piedmont, and Southern Appalachians

Field Guide to the Piedmont - by Michael A. Godfrey. Thorough and scholarly, yet very readable, this is the ultimate natural history guide to the area between the Blue Ridge and the coastal plain.

The Piedmont Almanac - by Dave Cook. Essays and observations inspired by a year living in a tent on nearby Bolin Creek.

The Dying of the Trees : The Pandemic in America's Forests - by Charles Little. A good introduction to the effects of acid rain and exotic pests on the Blacks and other mountains.

An Appalachian Tragedy : Air Pollution and Tree Death in the Eastern Forests of North America - edited by Harvard Ayers and Charles Little. Photos by Jenny Hager. A disturbing and provocative book. Spectacular photography.

Cabins in the Laurel - by Muriel Earley Sheppard. A classic. Wonderful photos from the 20s and 30s, as well as compelling descriptions of life and people in the Toe River valley of the Black Mountains prior to WWII.

Our Southern Highlanders : A Narrative of Adventure in the Southern Appalachians and a Study of Life Among the Mountaineers - by Horace Kephart. Simply the best book on life in the Southern Appalachians prior to the First World War. Humorous and insightful. If I could have only one book on this region, this would be my choice.

Highroad Guide to the North Carolina Mountains - by Lynda McDaniel. Rated 5 stars by Amazon reviewers.

North Carolina Hiking Trails - by Allen de Hart. Comprehensive. Covers 968 trails. My favorite.

Hiking North Carolina (Falcon Guide) - by Randy Johnson. Covers fewer trails than de Hart's book, but covers them in more detail; maps and photos included.

Trails of the Triad : Over 140 Hikes in the Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point Area - by Allen de Hart. A detailed look at trails in the triad. Maps and photos included.

Exploring North Carolina's Natural Areas: Parks, Nature Preserves, and Hiking Trails - edited by Dirk Frankenberger. New. According to Amazon, #1 in Charlotte and # 4 in Chapel Hill (Aug. 2000.)

Newcomb's Wildflower Guide - The best field guide. My copy is only two years old, but already dogeared.

Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains Belongs on the bookshelf, not in the backpack. With over 600 color plates, this is an excellent keep-at-home companion to Newcomb's guide.

Eastern Trees (Peterson Field Guides)

A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians (Peterson Field Guides)

A Field Guide to the Birds (Peterson Field Guides)

Music of the Southern Appalachians

O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Soundtrack from the movie. An incredible collection of old time music. This is REAL country music. It is everything that today's slick new Nashville pop isn't. Featuring Norman Blake, Emmy Lou Harris, Gillian Welch, Allison Kraus, John Hartford, The Stanley Brothers, and more. An astonishing collection! Rated five stars by Amazon reviewers.

Salt Sea Bound - Polecat Creek. First release (March 2002) from this triad-based group. Original music in the Old Time tradition. Outstanding song writing and beautiful harmonies. My favorite album of 2002.

Ballads, Banjo Tunes, And Sacred Songs of Western North Carolina - by Bascom Lamar Lunsford. A Smithsonian Folkways CD, rated five stars by Amazon reviewers.

Clarence Ashley And Doc Watson: The Original Folkways Recordings, 1960-1962 - Doc is a NC legend and national treasure. This is one of his earliest recordings. A Smithsonian Folkways 2-CD Set. Rated five stars by Amazon reviewers.

The High Lonesome Sound - by Roscoe Holcomb. One of the greatest of the old-time banjo players, Holcomb did almost all of his playing at Holiness Church services and square dances. A Smithsonian Folkways recording. Rated five stars by Amazon reviewers.

Music From The Lost Provinces: Old-Time-Stringbands From Ashe County, North Carolina & Vicinity 1927-1931 Various artists. A classic of the old-time genre. Rated four stars by Amazon reviewers.

The Legacy Of Tommy Jarrell, Vol. 1: 1: Sail Away Ladies - Tommy Jarrell was one of the greatest old-time fiddlers. Rated five stars by Amazon reviewers.

Ways That are Dark - by Daniel Gore, with Peter Rowan, Tim O'Brien, Jack Lawrence, and others. A musical companion to Horace Kephart's classic book, Our Southern Highlanders .