The Neuse River Trail, but When It Enters Johnston County, It Changes Its Name to the Clayton River Walk and Then to Sam’S Branch Creek Greenway
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2 | Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1/15/14 Falls Lake Dam to Sam's Branch Greenway | 3 Most of the greenway is called the Neuse River Trail, but when it enters Johnston County, it changes its name to the Clayton River Walk and then to Sam’s Branch Creek Greenway. Travelers will have numerous wildlife viewing opportunities and an education through the many interpretive signs, which bring alive the history and abundance of natural resources along the trail. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE • The Neuse River is the primary natural feature of this segment. The Neuse River is named after the Neusiok tribe, who lived on the south side of the Neuse River near present-day New Bern (Craven and Carteret counties). Around 1700, the remaining 15 warriors of the Neusiok Tribe were probably incorporated into the Tuscarora tribe, who lived along the Neuse River near current-day Raleigh. Further east, the MST includes the Neusiok Trail, which you will find near New Bern. • According to the Knightdale Historical Society, the current Milburnie Dam, built around 1900, marks the location of the first (1855) documented mill at the town of Milburnie. The first dam at this Hikers and bikers enjoy the MST/Neuse River Trail in Raleigh. location was a timber dam. The mill produced as much as 520,000 Photo by Todd Milam, City of Raleigh pounds of paper per year and the New York Times had a standing order for all the paper it could supply. Union troops burned the mill in April THE NEUSE RIVER 1865. To learn more about the mills, the Goat Man, full-immersion baptisms, Raleigh Beach, unfortunate drownings, and the long ago tragic double murder in the area go to http://www.knightdalehistoric. FALLS LAKE DAM IN RALEIGH TO SAM'S BRANCH com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/roadsmillsdams.pdf (Roads, Mills, GREENWAY IN CLAYTON Dams. Milbunie Area); http://lnweb02.co.wake.nc.us/WEB/HISTPRES. by Crawford Crenshaw NSF/aac7d56ca8fd884b852563be00610639/9054f35d0d85ac6385 This 32.8-mile segment roughly follows the Neuse River on a clearly 2564fb006467b5!OpenDocument (Triangle History: Milburnie Dam marked greenway. The western end of this segment is at Falls Lake Dam in a place awash with memories, News and Observer), and http:// Raleigh; the eastern end is in Clayton. The greenway is well marked with raleighnature.com/category/raleigh-history/ (Milburnie Dam Removal helpful signage, regular mile markers, and an easy-to-recognize 10-foot Moves Forward). wide asphalt footprint. The trail crosses the Neuse River numerous times, affording scenic views of the river, the surrounding floodplain, and wildlife. • The town of Clayton has produced its first ever outdoor public art 4 | Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1/15/14 Falls Lake Dam to Sam's Branch Greenway | 5 Special Considerations project, the Butterfly Garden, on the MST. It was provided to enhance There are many access points with parking provided; however water and the greenway and to engage young people in the arts. Clayton grew restrooms are scarce. On road sections, watch for traffic and narrow up around a road blasted by Governor Tryon’s troops in 1770 as they shoulders. marched from New Bern to Hillsborough against the Regulators. (Yes, the same Regulator uprising mentioned in the Revolution and Textiles segment.) By the early 1900s, Clayton’s markets for cotton, watermelon, and tobacco led to the Raleigh Evening Times (1907) claiming that there was “more money per capita in Clayton than any city its size in the world.” Total Distance: 32.8 miles of asphalt greenway Difficulty: Easy Camping None identified Lodging/Supplies/Services Raleigh/Wake County Knightdale/Wake County Garner/Wake County Clayton/Johnston County Water The best sources of water on this segment are at water fountains at parks and bottled water purchased at convenience stores. The Butterfly Garden, a public art project, graces the trail in Hunting Clayton. In this segment, the trail is not on any land that is open for hunting. Photo by Lori Foushee Signs and Blazing The greenway has a 10-foot wide asphalt footprint, excellent signage and mile markers. There is no blazing. Signs along the greenway identify the route as Neuse River Trail, Clayton River Walk, or Sam’s Branch Greenway. 6 | Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1/15/14 Mountains-to-Sea Trail http://www. Friends ofMountains-to-SeaTrail http://www. ofClayton Town NeuseRiverTrail.html http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecDesignDevelop/Articles/ Neuse RiverGreenwayTrail ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FMST office: 919-698-9024 or [email protected] or [email protected] 919-698-9024 FMST office: Contact: Photo by Todd Milam,CityofRaleigh Photo byTodd Many suspensionbridges gracethissegmentoftheMST townofclaytonnc.org/Default.aspx ncmst.org PRIMARY PARKING LOCATIONS Locations to Access Trail Segment Mile Available Coordinates Old Falls of Neuse Rd Tailrace 0.0 KN N35.93980 W78.58102 12088 Falls of Neuse Rd. 0.3 K N35.93928 W78.57535 3324 Falls River Ave. 1.6 K N35.92863 W78.55938 10888 Bedfordtown Dr. 2.6 K N35.92013 W78.55978 6100 Thornton Rd. 4.4 K N35.90224 W78.54063 2928 Horseshoe Farm Rd. 7.4 K N35.88682 W78.53437 4901 Elizabeth Dr. 11.0 K N35.84783 W78.53096 5812 Buffaloe Rd. 11.4 KN N35.84074 W78.53451 Falls LakeDamtoSam'sBranchGreenway 2800 Abington Ln. 13.6 K N35.81591 W78.54324 5428 Allen Dr. 14.8 K N35.80029 W78.54245 5611 Loch Raven Pkwy. 15.2 K N35.79863 W78.53919 22 Anderson Point Dr. 17.2. K N35.77459 W78.54234 20 Anderson Point Dr. 17.4 KN N35.77256 W78.54167 1721 Riverview Rd. 19.1 K N35.75509 W78.53324 3241 Auburn Knightdale Rd. 21.9 K N35.72540 W78.51517 6090 Mial Plantation Rd. 26.4 K N35.70363 W78.47789 1358 N. O’Neil St. 32.8 KN N35.66240 W78.44209 A Camping ILodging KParking EFood NRestrooms GSupplies Water LPicnic | 7 8 | Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1/15/14 Falls Lake Dam to Sam's Branch Greenway | 9 3.0 Power line on right and 8-foot chain-link fence with “posted” Hiking Directions, Eastbound signs. 3.2 Cross bridge #207. 3.3 Pass 3¼-mile marker and cross bridge #208. 0.0 Begin at Tailrace Fishing Area parking lot, just below the dam, off 3.4 Cross under railroad trestle. Go up short, relatively steep hill and Old Falls of the Neuse Rd. Area has restrooms and water pass under overhead pipe. Note: A roof built over the NRT fountains. From the parking lot, walk towards Falls of the Neuse protects hikers from the working train tracks above. Rd. and immediately go left onto ramp access. Descend and go 3.6 Just after 3½-mile marker, walk under Capital Boulevard/US 1 under bridge to start paved Neuse River Trail (NRT) asphalt and cross bridge #210. greenway. Note “Falls” to left. KN 3.7 Cross bridge #211. 0.3 Pass ¼-mile marker and see parking area on the right for the 3.8 Pass 3¾-mile marker and find park bench on right. NRT. K 4.3 Pass 4¼-mile marker and cross bridge #212. 0.5 Pass ½-mile marker and cross under double bridges of New Falls 4.4 Unnamed asphalt path goes right to reach Thornton Ave. parking of the Neuse Rd. lot in 0.2 mile. Go straight. K 0.8 Pass ¾-mile marker and cross bridge #200 with homes on right. 4.5 Just past the 4½-mile marker, find River Access Junction on left 0.9 Cross bridge #201 and reach 1-mile marker. with four picnic tables, trash receptacles, and interpretive sign, 1.3 Just past the 1¼-mile marker, a trail leading to River Ave. comes “River Dynamics.” Go straight. Note: If you walk to the river you in from the right. Go straight. To reach up-scale restaurants Note: will see the canoe launch area and a tributary feeding into the and shops, take trail to the right for 0.2 mile. Go right on Falls Neuse River. River Ave.; after 0.1 mile, Shops at Bedford are on left. 4.6 Cross under pedestrian bridge going over the Neuse River. Go 1.6 Just past the 1½-mile marker, a second trail leading to River Ave. straight. Note: If you veer right on the asphalt to cross over bridge comes in from the right. Go straight. If you go right Note: #216, you can turn left after crossing the Neuse River and head about 0.1 mile, you reach 3324 Falls River Ave. parking lot. To towards Wake Forest on the Smith Creek Greenway. reach the restaurants and shops referenced at 1.3-mile point 6.1 Just after 6-mile marker, cross bridge #217 and take sharp right to above, go right on Falls River Ave.; after 0.2 mile, Shops at Bedford stay on NRT. are on left. K 6.2 Just before 6¼-mile marker, pass benches and interpretive sign, 2.3 Pass 2¼-mile marker, benches, and trash receptacles with “Beaver and Wetlands.” interpretive sign, “Stream Buffer.” 6.3 Just past the 6¼-mile marker, a trail leading to Myakka Court 2.6 Just after 2½-mile marker, a trail leading to Bedfordtown Dr. comes in from right. Continue straight. Note: If you turn right, comes in from the right. Go straight. If you go right on Note: you can go 0.1 mile to reach Myakka Court. asphalt trail and follow power line for 0.2 mile, you reach parking 6.5 Walk 175 yards past 6½-mile marker and reach the back of lot at 10888 Bedfordtown Dr.