Dix Park Trolls

On Sunday, we took Harper and Amaroq to Dorothea Dix Park to hunt for Thomas Dambo’s giant trolls, all crafted from recycled materials like old whiskey barrels.

We parked at the sunflower field, hiked past the cemetery, and entered the woods where the first troll, Dix, stood sentinel at the edge.

A shady trail led deeper to Mother Strong Tail - my favorite.

Harper scrambled happily along her sweeping tail.

Heading back, we passed the dog park to find Dax, then continued across the big field to Dux.

A short stroll down Umstead Drive brought us to a grove and the final troll, Daddy Bird Eyes, lounging against a tree.

There was a vibrant art installation right here.

Then a short hike back along the road.

With time to spare, we drove to Lake Johnson for a relaxed walk along the greenway. We stuck to the paved east loop, perfect for the stroller.  Along the ways, the small waterfall trickled modestly.

Near the dam, a great blue heron waded gracefully in the shallows.

We  finished up back at the dam.

After completing the loop, Amaroq and I squeezed in one more adventure at Lake Raleigh Woods. Starting from the Alumni Center lot, we followed Lakeview Trail for sweeping lake views.

The mile-long path ends at a rocky outcrop above Walnut Creek.

On the return, we linked Ridge Trail to Fern Trail, a fun biking loop through fern-covered slopes.

Valley Trail as a short connector between Fern Trail and Lakeview Trail.

We took a short detouronto the mile-long Tulip Poplar Trail, another mountain biking trail.

Finally, we closed with Pine Trail, hiking every trail in the forest.

We emerged near our starting point just as the sun broke through, warming the air.

Occoneechee Panhandle Hike

On Sunday, we stirred before dawn, broke camp in the half-light, and slipped into the Tupelo Birding Trailhead just beyond the campground gate in Occoneechee State Park.

The path ducked past the splash of the spray park, crossed Panhandle Road, and spilled onto the park’s main artery. A quick hop across carried us to the Mossy Creek Nature Trail, where a clear tributary tumbled over velvet-green rocks.

From there, Warrior’s Path Nature Trail guided us down to the boat-ramp lot.

Mossy Creek surrendered to the Old Plantation Trail beside a lone brick chimney—the last sentinel of the Occoneechee Plantation.

The loop circled the vanished estate passing an old cemetery.

Only terraced gardens remain, stepping down the hillside like green staircases, each level littered with knobby Osage oranges glowing chartreuse against the leaves.

We closed the circle on the Big Oak Nature Trail and rolled back to the car, stomachs growling.

A short drive into town yielded hot coffee and biscuits, then we returned to the Panhandle Trailhead for the park’s grand finale. Seven miles long, the Panhandle Trail shadows the paved road to the equestrian campground, then slips behind a gate onto a forgotten lane that ribbons down a narrow peninsula.

Open meadows flashed by, but mostly we walked beneath a tunnel of hickory and oak, the fallen leaves a rust-red carpet underfoot. No grand overlook waited at the tip - only a quiet cove.

We picked our way down the bank, boots sliding on pine needles, until Buggs Island Lake opened wide and blue before us. A heron lifted off the water, slow wings beating the morning still. We turned, seven miles back the way we came, legs warm, the peninsula now ours alone.

Munford Trail Hike

On Saturday, I loaded Amaroq into the car and pointed north toward Virginia for a weekend of hiking and camping. Our first stop was Greenwood Wildlife Management Area on Kerr Lake.

We picked up the Robert Munford Trail and followed gravel roads for the opening mile until a right turn aimed us at the old Munford Cemetery tucked in the pines.

Past here, the path shrank to singletrack - faint, rooty, and half-swallowed by leaves. It spat us out beside a weathered cabin, then hugged the lakeshore, trading forest shade for sudden flashes of water.

We ducked under powerlines a few times before the trail spilled onto Eagle Point, seven honest miles behind us.

Rather than retrace every step, we cut back on the cemetery loop, boots lighter with the lake still glittering in our eyes. 

At the trailhead I jogged down to the water’s edge for a couple last shots.

From here, we rolled into Clarksville. Lunch was burgers and cold pints on the dog-friendly patio at Buggs Island Brewing - lake breeze, bridge views, tail wags all around. By early afternoon we reached Occoneechee State Park and claimed a campsite under the oaks. With daylight to burn, we parked at the Beaver Pond Trail and set off.

A hundred yards in, a clearing full of turkey vultures stared down like silent gargoyles.

The path looped another mile through hardwoods, breaking open twice for postcard views of the lake shimmering below.

Back at camp we stacked firewood, struck a match, and let the flames push the chill away as the sun slipped behind the trees and the stars took over the sky.