MST Big Dig on the Eno 

Join us for the MST Big Dig, a weekend of trail building and maintenance as we work to close a 7 mile gap in the MST. The Eno River task force is leading the charge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 14th, 15th, 16th., from 9 am to 4 pm each day at Eno River State Park. Come one day, or come all! There is work for experienced and novice trail volunteers.

The goal is to close a 7 mile gap in the MST in Orange County that exists between the Hillsborough Riverwalk/Occoneechee speedway segment and the 105 miles of MST to the east (the second longest section of continuous MST in the state, including 75 miles of natural surface trail along the Eno River and Falls Lake and 30 miles of paved greenway along the Neuse River from the Falls Lake dam to Clayton).

The Big Dig will help repair and replace existing trail in this gap before incorporating it into the MST. There are numerous design and maintenance problems that will be addressed over the weekend including building stone steps, installing rockbars and large rocks at stream crossings, repairing riverbank trails, additional trail construction and other projects.

The Eno River Task Force has a great group of local volunteers, and they hope to have others join in from across the state to lend a hand. There is beauty on the MST from the mountains to the shore, and we invite you to come experience some of the most beautiful parts of the trail in the piedmont.  If you have questions about the work, please e-mail Fred Dietrich at  dietrich@duke.edu.

Logistics for the weekend:
- Meet at the Eno River State park main parking area at 6101 Cole Mill Road in Orange County – work will be going on from 9 to 4 each day.
- Camping is available within walking distance of the worksites, for those interested, at the Cox Mountain Group Camp. Motels are also available nearby. There will be a cookout at the campsite both Friday and Saturday nights, and all are welcome.
- Wear work clothes you can get dirty, wear solid shoes or boots, and bring water, work gloves, and lunch.
- People are welcome to come for one day, two days or all three days.
- Tools will be provided. Note that these work days will need be canceled in the event of severe weather, and an E-mail sent out to that effect the day before.