T


he cool, clear waters of the Mayo River in Rockingham County offer one of the Piedmont’s finest recre- ational opportunities – and perhaps one of its least known.


Both the North and South Forks of the


Mayo River have ori- gins in Patrick Coun- ty, near Stuart, Vir- ginia and come to- gether just inside the NC state line.


The Mayo River, just as the nearby Haw River, was a perfect candidate. It had al- most all the things a new State Park unit should – healthy ecosystem, recreational opportunities and nearby growing popula- tions to utilize it.


both sides of the Mayo River. Six months later, the property was conveyed over to State Parks system where it is now part of the publicly accessible Mayo River State Park.


The


steady flow of these cool waters


create


one of North Caroli- na’s cleanest rivers. Smallmouth bass, other game fish and a number of rare aquat- ic creatures call this portion of the Mayo River home.


It also


offers some of the best paddling of any Piedmont river. The river quietly


In the years to come, paddling access points will be added to allow greater ac- cess to the river. Trails may be installed to provide walking and hiking opportunities along the forested river’s edge. For those of us lucky enough to call


flows from north to south through Rock- ingham County before making its connec- tion with the Dan River just south of the Town of Madison. Tucked just west, and out of site, off US Highway 220, you’d only know it’s there if you veer off along a country road and traverse the rolling hills. With the newly opened Interstates shorten- ing the trip, the river is now less than a 45 minute drive from downtown Greensboro. In the 1950’s two Greensboro busi- nessmen concocted a plan to buy up the land along the Mayo River to build a res- ervoir. With Greensboro growing in population and lacking a steady water supply, they envisioned piping water from the Mayo River to Greensboro and making their fortune. Luck was not on their side. Soon after accumulating hundreds of acres, but before a dam could be built, Greensboro’s leadership set sites on the Randleman Reservoir and history was changed forever. There was no more need for a Mayo River dam. The river kept flow- ing, the fish kept swimming and for the next few decades little changed. As scientists and water quality experts learned more about the healthy ecosystem within the Mayo River, interest grew in finding ways to protect it. In the early 2000s, with a rapidly growing population and interest in outdoor recreation return- ing, North Carolina officials were looking for new additions to our State Park system.


Mayo River State Park: A Little Known Treasure The only thing holding the Mayo


River State Park back from reaching its full potential was access to its namesake wa- ters. After the reservoir idea fell through, the private ownership of much of the Mayo’s riverside lands fell to a complex array of trusts, estates and generational turnover.


Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC), acting as a partner with the State Parks system, reached out to the family but the stars never aligned to allow for the park to acquire the much-needed property. Finally, in June of 2016, with financial support from Duke Energy and the coop- eration of numerous family members scat- tered across the country, PLC acquired 352 acres of low-lying riverside land contain- ing nearly six miles of river frontage on


the Piedmont home, this is our chance. We can en- joy this wonderful stretch of river teem- ing with fish, birds and other wildlife before the rest of the world catches on. For paddlers, this newly-protected


property begins just below the well-known “Boiling Hole,” following the river all the way down to where US HWY 220 crosses the the Mayo River. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy this family-friendly river which offers easy paddling for begin- ners. Boat rentals are available with Three Rivers Outfitters in Eden, and seasonal paddle trips are often available through Mayo River State Park staff.


To learn more about the Mayo River and PLC’s conservation of the property, please watch a video at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=p8407b6FqzA. or visit PLC’s website: www.piedmontland.org. See ad on page 11.


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3723 West Market Street, Unit B • Greensboro 27403 336.456.4743 • www.TheNaturalPathwithJillClarey.com


OCTOBER 2017 25


Offering:


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