Governor Morehead Park – Eden NC

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 0.4 miles / 0.6 km
Duration: 1 hour or less

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Overview: This is a good spot to check out for those that like history or for those who just want to get out and relax on a nice day. The open field area makes a good spot for a picnic, though there are not restrooms on site. The walking is easy and suitable for young children. Those wishing for more to do can venture to the nearby Smith River Greenway (North of this site off of Meadow Road) or to one of the many river access that are located near Eden.

Tips: Bring water and a snack. If you plan to spend a lot of time on site, be aware that there are no bathrooms there, though there are gas stations nearby. If you should workup an apatite you can refuel at the nearby Circle Drive Inn. Also, there is very little tree coverage so you may want to bring sunscreen. You will be mostly walking through field so boots are not necessary but I’d advise you not do this trip in sandals. The site has something to see year round, with flowers in bloom spring through fall and while the ice in the waterfall area is cool to check out in winter. In the warmer weather shorts and t-shirts would be fine to walk around the park with a shift to jeans and a jacket in winter.

Points of Interest

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Trail head parking

Parking is across the street from the old Spray Mill (a large brick complex that is hard to miss). Currently the Dan River Basin Association as well as Three River outfitters and Troublesome Creek outfitters have offices in the mill.

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Barnett Canal

The Barnett Canal is to the north of the parking lot. This canal once powered the Spay Mill complex earlier mentioned. The canal is still used to generate power today that is sold back to local power companies.

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Interpretive marker.

This tells the story of the ruins of Morehead’s mill, including its use during the Civil War. History buffs may want to take a quick walk along the sidewalk after this tirp to view two nearby historical makers: one of the canal and one for the creation of calcium carbide.

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The remains of the mill

Much of the mill is gone, but some of the walls still remain. You can walk up and explore the walls but please note the signs warning against climbing. Additional ruins can be seen on the opposite side of the creek later on in the walk.

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Bridge

The view from the bridge is very picturesque. If you look closely you can see not only the rocks one would typically expect to find in the stream but also bricks and pipes left over from the mill. Red tail hawks, blue herons and other birds may also be seen from this locality.

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“Waterfall”

When the canal is releasing water it creates a nice waterfall, best viewed from this spot. If there is no water flowing, as in the picture, it is a good spot to get a look at how the canal was engineered

Pictures in this guide taken by: heathbald

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About the Author

heathbald
1 guide
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I enjoy to hike, camp, kayak, and canoe.

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