Hollow Rock and Piney Mountain nature walk and read

Over the summer we'll do some of these hikes in the morning (instead of our usual late afternoon times) to try to beat the summer heat! This is our first morning one in a while.

We'll start at the Hollow Rock Nature Park between Durham and Chapel Hill, follow a path along New Hope Creek under Erwin Road and into Duke Forest, do a loop at Piney Mountain, and return along Mrs. Brown's Foot Trail, for a total of about 3 miles - approximately the route shown here. We'll stop along the creek around mid-way to read, talk, meditate, write, draw, birdwatch, or other quiet activity for about 20-30 minutes before heading back.

This trail can be muddy, and there is a short section where we'll have to scramble over large rocks, another place where we'll walk over a plank for a creek crossing, and there's a steep climb when we go up and down Piney Mountain, so it will be more challenging than the hikes we usually do with this group. But worth it! This is one of my favorite hikes in the area.

Wear hiking shoes with good grip and bring water to stay hydrated. Sunblock, insect repellent, and hiking poles may also be useful on this hike.

There are some photos here https://www.meetup.com/triangle-reading-and-nature-walk-meetup-group/photos/34854422/ from a hike there with this group in a previous summer, where you can see what the rock scramble and creek crossing are like.

We'll pass some historically significant sites along the way, so if you're interested in local history, read the info at these links before joining the hike. One of the earliest European naturalists to explore the Carolinas, John Lawson, passed right through here in 1701 and recorded what he saw in his journal, including describing some hollow rocks we'll see on this trail. He also describes the Native Americans who lived along this creek (there was once a town called Adshusheer somewhere near here) and some curious things they did with these rocks. You can read more about this in these blog posts by journalist Scott Huler who retraced Lawson's trek a few years ago and wrote a book about it: The Hollow Rocks and The Hollow Rocks Redux. There's other information at these links about the nature and history of this site as well as some colonial roads that intersected right near here.

We'll meet at 9:00am on Sunday July 12 by the old Hollow Rock Store in the parking lot of Hollow Rock Nature Park: 692 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27707 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/YoeBjQWKqXB252Ku8 ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YoeBjQWKqXB252Ku8)

If the parking lot at Hollow Rock is already full when you get there, you could try around the corner on Pickett Road (a gravel road nearby - approximately here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dLM4pJpdU4YP3Hch9 ). I don’t know if it’s officially allowed to park here but I didn’t see any signs saying not to!

We'll get started a few minutes after 9:00am and aim to be back at the parking lot by 11:00am.

We hope to see some of the "regulars" there, and to meet new folks! This group is a great way to meet people who both enjoy walking in nature and reading and talking about books and ideas. It's a fun group, with friendly people.

A couple of other notes:

• If you sign up and later realize you can no longer come, please change your RSVP to indicate that, so it will open up your space for someone on the waitlist, and so we know not to wait for you at the trailhead.
• If you're on the waitlist, check Meetup up to the day of the event, because often people drop out late and spaces open up at the last minute.
• We’ll still plan to walk if it’s drizzling or raining lightly. But if there’s heavy rain or extreme heat or cold in the forecast, we’ll reschedule and send a notice by the morning of the event to people who have registered.
• Participation in this hike and any of the events organized by this group are at your own risk. These hikes are on public and well-used trails, but there may be dangers like tripping over tree roots, snake or insect bites, poison ivy, or other unpredictable risks. By joining this event you agree not to hold the organizers responsible for any injuries, and that you understand that you participate at your own risk.

See you soon!