MST-19

Raven Ridge Road to Tailrace Fishing Area

April 9. A straight-forward out-and-back, for a total of 7.2 miles.

And so, so sad—this is the last hike of section 10 of the MST!

MST miles: 78.6

Actual miles hiked, about double that–nearly 150 miles, since I always had to hike back to the car!

It’s been so beautiful, and motivational, too!
I’ve always been eager to get back out there hiking, because there was still another part of the trail to explore.

And now, I’m not sure what to do next.

Sections 9 and 11 of the MST are not nearly so interesting.
To the east—it’s all asphalt.
To the west–it’s mostly roadside walking.

And I prefer actual TRAILS!

<<<deep sigh>>

But I didn’t want to stay sad on this last hike, so I did my best to enjoy all the beauty along the trail.

Getting near the end, near Falls Dam

There it is, the beginning of the Neuse River as it pours out from Falls Lake Dam.

The Neuse River is the longest river that is entirely within North Carolina.
In about 300 miles it flows into Pamlico Sound.

This seemed like a good place for a short break before turning around.

Heading back, I had the option of taking the “Blue Dot Trail” for a mile or so. Same distance, but some different scenery.

Yeah, I think that sort of sums up my mix of emotions at this point!