oday my husband and I explored the Pea Creek Trail, a 1.25-mile loop at the Cole Mill Road access point of Eno River State Park in north Durham. For a longer option, this trail connects to the Dunnagan Loop (2 miles).
We started our hike in oak and beech uplands—white oak (Quercus alba), post oak (Quercus stellata), and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). The whisper of the beeches’ tawny leaves in the wind added a bit of magical music to the low sound of traffic. Soon we entered the bottomlands, where the trail hugged the river’s edge tightly, taking us beneath river birch (Betula nigra) and American sycamores (Platanus occidentalis), whose varied bark added visual appeal on a wintry day. At one point we paused to admire a river birch up close, and a little later the trail opened to a lovely view of the Eno sliding past the rocks.
We were also lucky to see a number of colorful birds this afternoon, including a downy woodpecker, yellow-rumped warblers, golden-crowned kinglets, and white-throated sparrows, plus the more typical Carolina chickadees and northern cardinals.
The rocky outcroppings on this trail are also beautiful, topped with large persimmons (Diospyros virginiana), beeches, and resurrection fern (Polypodium polypodioides)—an epiphyte that gets its name honestly, surviving drought by drying out and curling up, appearing dead until it gets water, unfurls, and “resurrects.” We found a particularly nice patch of resurrection fern growing on a persimmon, tucked into the bark’s crevices like a small green promise.
We had one more encounter on the trail that was both exciting and sad: a great blue heron (Ardea herodias). This normally keen and quick heron was barely moving along the side of the trail. My husband (who is also a local veterinarian) was able to assess the bird’s condition, and we rushed it to the Piedmont Wildlife Center, where it is hoped to recover quickly from its unknown trauma.
A note of caution: handling herons can be very dangerous. If you ever come across one, be aware that they can be quite ferocious and may strike at your eyes with their very accurate beaks. When in doubt, it’s best to keep your distance and call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
All in all, our mid-afternoon walk on the Pea Creek Trail at Eno River State Park was surprising and rewarding. While I can’t guarantee animal rescue opportunities in the future, I can attest to the magnificent trees, chatty birds, and beautiful scenery available to everyone along this stretch of the Eno River.
Sense of Place 