Riverwalk in Hillsborough

Lovely riverwalk reachable from the heart of Hillsborough and running about 1.8 miles along the Eno River. If you’re looking for an afternoon stroll or a place for a short run, this riverwalk is your spot. I recommend picking up the trail either at Gold Park or right behind Weaver Street Marketing (free marking at both locations). The trail unfortunately doesn’t have mile markers but DOES have emergency markers every .1 miles. Lovely wooden bridges, at least one picnic table and some wonderful history placards runs the length of the trail. Enjoy this paved and well shaded trail throughout the year and during any trip to Hillsborough and make sure you’re on the lookout for woodland creatures!

I took the hike along this recently opened (Fall 2014) Riverwalk with 8 fellow members of the Golden Trails program, set up by the enterprising Recreation& Parks department of my nearby town of Carrboro. The time we allowed for it was two hours. Hillsborough is to be congratulated for inaugurating such a lovely pathway along the picturesque Eno River (though on an early morning in late August the flow was somewhat sluggish and there was algae growth at one point along the way) Riverwalk has at ;least one loop you can take through the woods to increase the length of the endeavor if you wish. Nearby is a convenient parking lot backing up on the excellent Weaver Street Co-​Op market, which is also near the downtown, the county courthouse for Orange County, and the Mystery Brewing company if you feel like a locally crafted seasonal beer. If you’re anywhere in the area I recommend Riverwalk as an attraction worth taking the time for.

The Hillsborough Riverwalk, 1.8 miles of sweetness in an «urban» environment, is well worth the drive to Hillsborough.
According to their website, «This section of Riverwalk is the primary route for the N.C. Mountains-​to-​Sea Trail and will be the first section of the statewide trail system to be constructed in Orange County. Riverwalk II is one of the few sections of the Mountains-​to-​Sea Trail located in an urban environment.» (sic) That was written a few years ago. This section is now open, and a favorite for locals and visitors alike.
The western terminus is (currently) at Gold Park, where children can play, a soccer field beckons, a pavillion with charcoal grills invite the hungry, and there is a general feeling of — «What — is this the park? Is this all there is?» — but it is plenty! (Oh, should I mention Gold Park is a short stroll from Hillsborough’s own Mystery Brewing Company, and just across the tracks from the Hillsborough Barbeque, The Whistle Stop and The Mystery Taproom, all designed to slake your thirst and feed your soul?)
The Riverwalk continues east along the Eno River, arriving downtown by the main drag — Churton Street. You’ll know you’re there when you see the parking garage (free, by the way…) and the Weaver Street Market. (Wait…what?!? You can pick up a healthy, wholesome, locally-​sourced picnic meal right alongside the trail?!?) Yup.
Keep heading east, and eventually you’ll hit the (current) eastern terminus… behind the property of Ayr Mount. (Be sure to check out the Federalist mansion and the Poet’s Walk there while you’re in town!)
I’ve been visiting this trail since before Phase I was completed, and I continue to enjoy it. I love to see how it is growing, and what a wonderful bunch of folks it attracts.