Eagle Spur Trail

We've always headed up to Eno River (http://stircrazymomsofdurham.blogspot.com/2010/03/eno-river-state-park.html) or over to Umstead State Park (http://stircrazymomsofdurham.blogspot.com/2010/09/umstead-state-park.html) when we wanted to do some family hiking, so we were so excited when one of our friends told us about a hiking opportunity in South Durham!  We had to check it out!

What it is:  The Eagle Spur Trail is a flat trail through marshy woodlands that leads you 2.2 miles to a beautiful jetty of land into Jordan Lake.  We headed out one Saturday morning to check it out as a family.  We parked on the side of Stagecoach Rd. near its intersection with Hwy. 751, put our youngest son in the pack and headed out on the trail with our friends, also with baby pack.  Our oldest son, who is 3, was walking with us.  You can tell how this will turn out, can't you?  We did not make it the whole 2.4 miles to the beautiful viewpoint of the lake.  (However, our resident Stir Crazy Dad has made it before and tells us its absolutely beautiful.)

Even though we didn't make it all the way to the end of the trail, it was still a lovely hike.  The wetlands on either side of the trail were fun to look at.  The kids loved exploring the pools on either side of the trail as well as the sticks and logs.  While it was fairly flat and easy terrain, it was not stroller friendly and just made us feel like we were more out in the middle of nature than the similar and nearby American Tobacco Trail.

What we liked:  We loved the little slice of nature only several miles away from our house.  We can't wait to head back and actually make it all 2.2 miles down to the lake!

What we would change:  This is definitely an important note!  Keep in mind that this trail and many parts of the American Tobacco Trail in Wake County are on NC Gamelands.  This means that hunting is permitted during hunting season.  We did see several hunters using the trail and heard shots fired in the distance.  This made me a little nervous.  So, in doing a little research online my advice is to check out this gem of a trail in the hunting off-season or on Sundays when hunting is not permitted.  In addition, when you do go out on the trail, where bright colors including orange when possible just to be careful.

Website and other important information:

Here are several other reviews of this trail from others who have traveled the entirety of the trail: http://www.ncrailtrails.org/web/trails/eagle-spur, http://www.traillink.com/trail/eagle-spur-rail-trail.aspx

Here's a cool photo of the end of the trail jutting off into the lake: http://www.ncrailtrails.org/web/node/90

How to find it: Look for the trail off of Stagecoach Rd. near it's intersection with Hwy. 751.  You will see gates on both sides of the road.  The trail to the lake is on the South side of the road.

Photos: 

1. Hiking down the trail

2. A view off the side of the trail at the marshy areas