Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Haw River Hike
























While staying in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, recently, one day I checked out a section of the Haw River trail across the main bridge. The official Haw River Trail -- if you include waterpaths as well as footpaths -- already covers a great deal of the river way, which extends for more than one hundred miles. The trail in Saxapahaw is open access, but primitive, more like a logging road (which it probably once was) that parallels the river. Walking along, I saw a few parked vehicles, small trucks or Jeep-like autos tucked in the woods, people fishing off the banks or even wading into the river, or using rock ourcroppings as perches.

At the time of this posting, the trail is more vehicle-friendly than hike or bike friendly. I had to keep my eyes out for oncoming backwoods traffic and muddy wheel ruts. But it's a start and better than crossing private property.   
 

















The name "Haw River" is not some kind of a joke. Fittingly for my hike, the name derives from the Catawba Nation word sak'yápha, "hill step," i.e. Saxapahaw, or Sax-apa-haw, an appropriate name for both village and river. The area is indeed hilly, and you must tread carefully. Further explorations are on the docket.

Today's RuneSignals.  

2 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

NC is the only state along the eastern coast we have not been to. Must rectify that.

Charles Gramlich said...

Kind of sorry to hear about the vehicles, but it looks like there's some awesome scenery in there.