The Magic of the Peninsula Trail at Harris Lake County Park

The Beauty of Wake County, North Carolina

Harris Lake County Park is one of five parks established by Wake County to support the local population's need for recreation and access to nature.

Directions to Harris Lake County Park:

Harris Lake County Park is located in New Hill, N.C. It is easy to reach off U.S. 1 South at Exit 89. On exiting the highway the ramp takes us to a stop sign where a left onto New Hill - Hollerman Road will take us to County Park Drive 2.8 miles south on the right.

(Nearest NC towns are Cary (Route 64) and Apex (Route 55) with on ramps to U.S. 1 South.)

The Peninsula Trail:

Max O'Well, having exhausted all the city trails in Raleigh, has expanded his wanderings to trails, arboretums and gardens located in Wake County and in the state of North Carolina.

As always, on his trip to Peninsula Trail in Harris Lake County Park, Max was operating with complete and total ignorance of the trails in this park. He prefers to experience a trail, garden, arboretum or business before telling others what it is like.

This day in July 2008, Max drove his small (good mileage) car through the park entrance. Max actually missed the entrance and had to find a safe place to turn around after crossing Harris Lake. For those who like the idea of visiting here, be aware that the sign to the park is recessed, so if you are traveling south it is nearly impossible to see until you are passing it.

Max found the paved road into the park to be in excellent condition with clearly marked signs giving reasonable directions to someone new to the park.

Max followed the central roadway to the parking area near the fishing pier and boat launch. Here he found a play area and rest facilities.

More important, from Max's perspective, was the very well laid out kiosk with maps. The kiosk contained an excellent handout on the trails available to hikers and to bikers. The biker trail is the Hog Run trail that starts near the park office which is near the entrance to the park. There is parking there for the bikers who come with their mountain bikes.

South of the bike trails there is the Buckhorn Disc Golf Course. This is reserved for those who practice this woodland sport.

On this day Max was particularly interested in the Peninsula Trail, which is a four mile walking/hiking trail that follows the shoreline around a natural area that is managed as a preserve. Much of the woods in the managed area consist of longleaf pine trees.

Armed with a map, Max set off following the Peninsula Trail along its southern edge.

One thing that Max noticed immediately was the density and variety of birds. Max isn't much of a bird watcher in the sense that he can't tell one from another without taking a picture and then checking a guide book at home. Today Max was able to tell that there is a wide variety of birds here. Their colors, blue, red, brown, black and yellow; brought home the point.

One bird Max recognized by its behavior was the Yellow Belly Sapsucker. He didn't know it from its appearance, but had recently learned at another county park how these small birds like to punch little holes in trees all the way around to force the sap to flow. It reminded Max of the way people in the north gather maple, without the buckets.

On the pine trees these little birds tap for their meals, the rings of holes form little bulges that make the trees look like they are wearing girdles.

The forest trail quickly leads from the parking lot to the water. Throughout the trip, there were only a few places where the trail is deep enough into the woods that some water is not visible. At the same time, the water near the trail is moving, living water. As a result, Max noticed a lack of the types of insects near the trail associated with stagnant water.

As a hiker, Max appreciated the fact that he could keep his eyes out for the interesting without having to swat at flies or mosquitoes.

One major surprise was the relatively flat nature of the trail. The Piedmont Region, where this park is located, is known for its hills both large and small. In this trail, Max found one of the few trails that travels neither up nor down. It reminded Max of the pine forests in Maine where he played as a child.

Max was pleased to find this trail to be well marked with signs and trail symbols. He also liked the distance markers every half mile. Benches were located along the trail at intervals that would allow most hikers to manage the route. Though the trail is unpaved, it is an easier hike than most of the thirty eight trails that make up the Raleigh Greenway System.

Approximately in the center of the trail Max came across a large kiosk with descriptions of things that live in the park. Max didn't see most of the things on the board during his day on the trail. But he did see a few things.

He did see the cooling tower. Max still acts like a little boy when he sees these huge monuments. He stood in the trail and gawked at massive tower as it made its own clouds. The sun shining on the clouds of steam created shadows on the side of the tower that created the impression that something was flowing down the outside, like what happens when Max boils water for spaghetti and isn't watching.

Max also saw some living things that he took great pleasure in. The first creature he saw, other than the birds, happened upon him suddenly. Max was tromp, tromp, tromping so that he wouldn't accidentally come upon a bear or snake.

Something was clomp, clomp, clomping even louder. Max stopped and held his camera up. Suddenly, out of the woods, a large silver fox came lopping along without a care in the world.

Max he just started taking pictures without worrying about all the noise his camera makes. He usually only gets one chance to capture a decent picture. This noisy fox didn't even hear the camera shutter until after the third shot. The final shot was of the fox hightailing it back into the forest.

When things happen in Max's world they seem to happen quickly. That was true this day.

Max walked along at a fine pace, elated that he had captured a good picture of a silver fox. This is probably the first silver fox Max has ever seen, at least outside a zoo. Max was feeling pretty good as he tromped along.

Wouldn't you know, just as soon as one noisy critter leaves another enters! Max could hardly believe what he was hearing. Something was moving through the woods, breaking every small twig it could. Whatever it was, it wasn't afraid to let its presence be known.

Max froze. This sounded a lot bigger than a fox. Sure enough, it was a lot bigger. It wasn't particularly dangerous, though. Max raised his camera again and waited till he could see it clearly.

Max got one very big surprise. Max captured a large deer literally prancing through the forest. The deer didn't notice immediately that it was being observed. Then, when it noticed Max, it just stared at him. Max claims it was giving him the evil eye so that he would go away. Max finally took the hint after sevral good photographs and left the poor creature so that it could continue its day dreaming romp.

Max figured he had every picture he would get. But this was one of those days. Max took pictures of small birds, squirrels, frogs, hawks, beavers and lizards.

In his fast walking style, Max lost an opportunity to get a picture of a snake when he nearly stomped it. The snake made a hasty retreat into deep leaves. Max knows the snake will have a story to tell its mates about how it escaped a serious accident by using its quick wit.

Completing the trek around the Peninsula Trail, Max returned to the parking area. He noticed that the park had a small garden area so, given his love of plants, he decided to see how they grew flowers in a park full of deer and other critters.

Most of the garden was devoid of anything that resembled a flower. Two sections of the garden had been surrounded by high fences with the intent of protecting the flowers within.

One of the two areas had clearly been breached by the deer. The fence was pushed down and the garden was well cropped, leaving only the stubble of green plants and what may have been flowers.

The other fence protected some cone flowers and a few other flowering plants. The fence was bent over in attempts by the deer to breach it. The deer may yet find a way to taste the flowers.

For Gardens:

Max noticed that Lamb's Ear and Shasta daisies grew outside of the fences with no apparent damage from the deer or other critters.

Recommendations:

For walkers and hikers:

Max found Harris Lake County Park an excellent place for hill free hiking. The primary walking trail is the Peninsula Trail. The trail is suitable for most ages.

For shorter trail walks, one choice is a Fox Run Trail guide with a short, cultural walking trail. There is also a short portion of the Peninsula Trail that leads to a small historical site. Trail distance markers make it possible to do part of the trail and turn back. As the distant markers are at half mile intervals distances as short as one mile and up to eight miles can be done on the same trail.

For bird watchers:

Harris Lake is a haven for many species of birds. The clear space between trees makes sightings easy. One can just sit by the parking lot and see birds of many species flitter through the trees.

The park has many other recreational opportunities. These are fishing, including a handicap accessible fishing pier; several mountain bike trails; an 18 hole disc hockey course; onsite primitive camping; several large group (50-100) shelters; a playground; and picnic areas.

Harris Lake County Park is open 8 am to sunset seven days a week.

Location:
Harris County Park
2112 County Park Drive
New Hill. N.C. 27562

Telephone: (919) 387-4342

Comments are always welcome.

If you have used trails or facilities not mentioned please feel free to add some of your experiences.