Raven Rock State Park: Raven Rock Loop Trail (Blog Hike #1079; Golden Staff Hike)

Trail: Raven Rock Loop Trail
Hike Location: Raven Rock State Park
Geographic Location: west of Lillington, NC (35.46188, -78.91150)
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: September 2025
Overview: A loop hike, mostly easy but with 1 long set of wooden stairs. 
Park Information: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/raven-rock-state-park
Hike Route Map: 

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 27, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Lillington, take US 421 west 6.2 miles to Raven Rock Road and turn right on Raven Rock Rd.  Raven Rock Rd. deadends at the park entrance in 3.3 miles.  Park in the large parking lot for the Raven Rock Loop Trail on the right just after you enter the park or in any of the lots near the Visitor Center.

The hike: Originally named Patterson's Rock after an early settler who found refuge here when his canoe capsized, Raven Rock stretches for a mile and towers up to 150 feet above the Cape Fear River.  The rock is located 40 miles southwest of Raleigh on the geological boundary between the Piedmont to the west and the coastal plain to the east.  Raven Rock is part of the Piedmont's erosion-resistant rocks, and it became exposed when the softer rock and sediment of the coastal plain eroded away.  The rock became the centerpiece of 4667-acre Raven Rock State Park in 1969 due to an act of the North Carolina General Assembly.

            Raven Rock State Park is light on amenities, but it does feature a cozy 24-site developed campground, some picnic areas, and paddling on the Cape Fear River.  This park's main attraction is its trails, of which it has many that total 26 miles of hiking, 13.5 miles of mountain biking, and 8 miles of horseback riding.  The park's signature hiking trail is the popular Raven Rock Loop Trail, which is the trail described here.  Not only does this trail take you to Raven Rock, but it also passes a scenic river overlook and takes you through some nice Piedmont forest.

Start of Raven Rock Loop Trail

            The Raven Rock Loop Trail forms a true loop, and this description goes clockwise around the loop by heading north from the northwest corner of the large trailhead parking lot.  The Raven Rock Loop Trail is marked with orange plastic circles, and the abundant trail markings combined with the wide, well-worn path makes it difficult to lose your way.  The initial segment of trail seems to follow an old road as it gradually descends through the usual Piedmont mixture of pine and broadleaf trees.

Descending gradually on Raven Rock Loop Trail

            Just shy of 0.4 miles, you reach a trail intersection.  The Fish Traps and Northington Ferry Trails continue straight, and both of those trails head for the Cape Fear River.  Our trail turns right to stay atop the bluff; watch for the orange circles.

Cape Fear River overlook

            At 0.85 miles, you reach the point the trail map calls "Overlook."  This point indeed stands atop a cliff roughly 100 feet above the Cape Fear River, but the trees have sufficiently grown up so that only a sliver of the river can be seen.  Past the overlook, the trail continues east, and soon you reach the first noticeable elevation change: a downgrade that uses some wooden steps built into the ground.

Stairs at base of Raven Rock

            1.2 miles into the hike, you reach the trail intersection at the top of Raven Rock.  The loop trail continues to the right, and we will go that way eventually.  First turn left and descend a long wooden staircase to reach the base of Raven Rock.  You should go both left and right on the short exploratory trail at the bottom of the stairs, as interesting sights can be seen each direction.  To the left is a large rock shelter, and to the right is where Raven Rock meets the Cape Fear River.  This area was popular when I came here on a Saturday morning in mid-September.  Take your time and see all there is to see.

Raven Rock and Cape Fear River

Rock shelter in Raven Rock

            Climb back up the stairs, then continue straight to continue the Raven Rock Loop Trail.  The two ends of the Little Creek Trail exit left in quick order, and you could add that 1.5 mile loop if you wanted to extend the hike.  I had a football game to attend that afternoon, so I stayed on the Raven Rock Loop Trail.

Hiking near Little Creek

            The next segment of trail stays near Little Creek.  A decent amount of rhododendron grows here, and I heard a woodpecker searching for lunch in a tree.  A gradual climb that gains 100 feet over 0.25 miles returns you to the trailhead elevation at 2.3 miles.  Ignore the short American Beech Trail that exits left, and return to the parking lot at 2.5 miles.

White Clay Creek State Park: Bryan's Field Trail (Blog Hike #1078)

Trail: Bryan's Field Trail
Hike Location: White Clay Creek State Park
Geographic Location: north of Newark, DE (39.72763, -75.72936)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: September 2025
Overview: A loop hike through old farm fields and past the Mason-Dixon Monument.
Park Information: https://www.destateparks.com/park/white-clay-creek/
Hike Route Map: 

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 31, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Newark, take SR 72 north 5 miles to this park's signed Possum Hill Parking Area on the left.  Pay the park entrance fee, and park in the blacktop lot.

The hike: Located in extreme northwest Delaware flush against the Pennsylvania State Line, White Clay Creek State Park protects 3559 acres of reverting farm fields.  The park was established in 1968 when overdevelopment in northern Delaware encouraged state leaders to buy small pieces of land for recreation.  In 1975, these land plots were consolidated and named Walter S. Carpenter State Park to honor the former President and Chairman of the DuPont Corporation.  Additional purchases and donations enlarged the park to the size we see today.  The park's name changed in 1995, and the current name refers to the kaolin, or white clay, that was once mined in this area.

            Recreation remains the park's main focus today, and the park offers several picnic areas, a disc golf course, and a playground but no developed campground.  For hikers, the park offers 33 different trails totaling over 41 miles.  This hike features the Bryan's Field Trail, which explores several of the many old farm fields in this park.  Even better, the Bryan's Field Trail passes the Mason-Dixon Monument, a key point in the survey of the famous Mason-Dixon line.  Thus, this hike offers some national history in addition to the local farming history.

Trailhead at Possum Hill Parking Area

            From the restroom building and information kiosk at the Possum Hill Parking Area, head downhill on the asphalt entrance trail, then turn left to begin heading clockwise around the Bryan's Field Trail.  Marked with blue trail markers, the Bryan's Field Trail curves right as it heads gradually downhill through an old field that is now a warm sunny prairie.  The asphalt quickly runs out, and the trail surface becomes dirt, which it will remain for the rest of this hike.

Pond with algae

            At 0.2 miles, you reach a floating dock on a small pond that has a thick covering of algae.  I hoped to see some wildlife around this pond, but all was still and quiet when I came here.  Past the pond, the trail continues gradually downhill, and soon it exits the prairie and enters the woods.  Vehicle noise from busy SR 72 through the woods to the left is your near constant companion, but otherwise the hiking is pleasant.

Hiking through the prairie

            At 0.5 miles, you reach a trail intersection where the Bryan's Field Trail Shortcut exits right.  We will continue straight to hike the full Bryan's Field Trail eventually, but first turn right to reach a point of interest 500 feet down the shortcut trail.  Pass a couple of numbered spur trails that access primitive hunting stands to reach the Mason-Dixon Monument.

Mason-Dixon Monument

            In 1763, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon were hired to mark "an east-west line 15 miles south of the southern-most part of Philadelphia" that would be the boundary between the Provinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania.  The point you are standing at is the point they found to be 15 miles south of the southern-most part of Philadelphia, and they started marking their Mason-Dixon line westward from here.  The original oak post they placed at this point has been lost, and the stone monument you see today was placed here in 1953 by Halleck DuPont.  A bench invites you to sit and ponder all of the history this site has seen.

Footbridge over main stream

            Backtrack to the outer loop of the Bryan's Field Trail and turn right to continue the loop.  0.8 miles into the hike, a connector trail exits left to cross SR 72; it leads to the Lenape Trail and the Middle Run Valley Natural Area.  Angle right to cross an unnamed stream on a wooden footbridge; this stream's ravine contains the entire hike.  After a brief streamside area with lots of black walnut trees, the trail embarks on a gradual climb up the south side of the ravine.  This climb gains about 140 feet of elevation in just over 0.4 miles, and all of the grades on this trail are fairly gradual.

South end of loop

            Just past 1.3 miles, a connector trail that leads south to another trailhead exits left.  Our trail curves sharply right to gain the crest of the ridge.  An open field soon appears to the left, and a white water tower can be seen beyond the field.  Your sojourn on the south rim of the ravine is brief, and soon you begin the gradual descent back into the ravine.

Hiking through the woods

            Ignore 2 trails that exit left; follow the blue trail markers at each of these intersections.  At 1.7 miles you cross another footbridge back to the north side of the main stream.  Some of the largest trees in this forest grow in this area, and I was very impressed by the beech, maple, and tulip trees I passed here.  Gradual climbing brings you beside a privately-owned parcel of land at 1.9 miles; a wooden barn with stone foundation stands here.  I mentioned the piecemeal history of this park in the introduction, and several privately-owned land plots remain within the park's boundaries today.

Old stone barn foundation

            2.1 miles into the hike, you reach the top of the hill and a trail intersection.  The trail going left leads to the Tri-Valley Trail and the Whitely Farm Loop.  As directed by the blue trail markers, our hike turns right to begin the final segment of the Bryan's Field Trail.  This segment of trail is fairly flat, and it passes first a park maintenance area and then an old stone barn foundation on the left as you hike east through sunny prairie.  Just shy of 2.4 miles, you return to the trailhead to complete the hike.