The Summit at Haw River State Park, NC

The was my third hike of December 30, 2018 after two short hikes in Mayo River State Park. For this hike I visited The Summit at Haw River State Park, which is home to the park office, an environmental education and conference center, and lodging for retreats. Haw River State Park is one of the newest state parks in North Carolina. Established in 2005, this state park has two tracts along the upper Haw River: The Summit Access and Iron Ore Belt Access. There are 3 official trails within The Summit Access, including a massive boardwalk over wetlands of the Haw River.

I started my hike at the park office, picking up the Lake Loop Trail behind the building. Then I followed the Piedmont Loop Trail away from the lake to meet the Wetlands Boardwalk. The boardwalk is the highlight of this park, crossing wetlands of the Haw River for hundreds of feet before ending on the main channel of the river. I was told by a few hikers that it's a great place to see wildlife, including otters and herons. After taking in the scenery of the river, I continued on the Piedmont Loop Trail through pine forests. Then I reconnected with the Lake Loop Trail and followed it around Robins Nest Lake while the sun was setting. Overall it was a nice short hike to end 2018. If you are choosing to hike the more outdoorsy Iron Ore Belt Access, I recommend driving to The Summit to check out the boardwalk.

Distance - 2.2 miles
Elevation gain - 270 feet
Time - 1 hour and 20 minutes

Hike location
https://goo.gl/maps/gTXomR5LqhfYoWRcA

Haw River State Park website
https://www.ncparks.gov/haw-river-sta...

North Carolina State Parks Passport Program
https://www.ncparks.gov/passport-program

Other hikes mentioned:
Mayo River State Park
   • Mayo River State Park, NC