The newest section of the Haw River Trail is from Sellers falls or mill to Red Slide Park. It is a 4 mile track which also serves as the Mountains to Sea Trail. The hike began at the entrance to Stony Creek Marina just a few minutes from Burlington and Graham. There is a small parking area and port-a-john just outside the marina gate. The marina is only open Friday and Saturday so parking is limited to this small lot the rest of the time. The marina is on a tributary, Stony Creek. It is backed up by a dam here forming Stony Creek Reservoir. The dam is located a couple hundred yards from the confluence with the Haw.
From the parking area follow the MST signs into the woods for a nice wood walk with nice patches of Mayapple before crossing Carolina Rd and Carolina Mill Rd. The Haw River Trail is sandwiched between the river and Carolina Mill Rd, right in the litter zone of that road. There was trash and lots of broken glass in the trail. This trail has been hacked out of a thicket of small trees, Privat and briars. It is also uneven being in a flood plain that had flooded back in January.
After a short distance, the trail heads onto the road to get by a massive mill, formerly Copeland Fabrics. After about 1/2 mile the trail is back next to the river. This time it is between the river and a gas pipeline. Through here, the river has several ledges separated by flat sections. It looks like a lively paddle with frequent ledges.
After seeing so many wildflowers at White Pines Preserve, I expected a similar treat today but that was not the case. The flood plain was overgrown with small shrubs and only supported a few wildflowers.
Although the trail was getting more scenic, I was running out of time and turned back before the trail got into a wooded area without homes on either side of the river. Time to turn around.
Copeland Fabrics mill is ahead
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