Living near the Eno River, we enjoy a little bit of nature there most every day. Not far from us, the Eno combines with the Flat River forming Falls Lake, a major water supply for Raleigh, the capitol city of North Carolina. The outfall of that lake is the beginning of the Neuse River.

For a semi-local camping excursion, we followed the water flowing from our neighborhood as it winds 275 miles eastward to become part of the Pamlico Sound and Atlantic Ocean.
 

Our first stop was in Kinston at   Neuseway Nature Park where we checked out the campground. No reservations are accepted, and stays are reasonable at $20 with full hookups or $10 for primitive sites.

Flooding has been a big deal here as these markers show.

A small nature center is part of the park.

The lowest numbered sites are next to the river. Note that the utilities are higher than those in the average RV park.

The park continues to surprise as a Planetarium and small ride on train round out the offerings.

Beth relaxed on one of several swings overlooking the Neuse before we continued on.

From Kinston, we continued east with a stop at the, new to us, New Bern Battlefield Park. In March of 1862, Federal and Confederate troops fought here resulting in “1,085 men killed, wounded, or captured. The Federal Army occupied New Bern for the remainder of the Civil War.” 

The grounds offered a pleasant hike in comparison to the horrific scenes that played out here over a hundred years ago.

 

Flanners Beach Campground was our destination for the night. Situated on the shore of the Neuse River in the Croatan National Forest, it is a delightful small campground.

Some sites are reserved for same day arrivals.

Site 29 is one of those and we were fortunate that it was unoccupied.

 

Having a river view from the van was a real treat.

The bathhouse is modern with individual shower rooms.

Here’s a map of the 40 sites.

 

Easily accessed from the campground, trails in the Croatan are well marked and provide a shaded respite from the North Carolina sun.

New growth is popping up around downed trees.

Shallow root systems were revealed when trees topple in hurricane winds.

Unfortunately, the beach area is closed due to erosion caused by recent hurricanes.

Flowers from vines climbing the long leaf pines were falling to the sandy trail.

National Forest Service staff have done a good job keeping the trails clear. This would have been a significant tree to climb over!

Located between Beaufort and New Bern, the campground is a good location for exploring the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound areas. We did swing by Beaufort to see this new bridge, but decided to spend more time this trip in New Bern.

Finding a spot in front of the Federal Building, we set-out to see some of New Bern’s historic buildings.

Much of the town survived the Civil War.  This corner mansion is one of our favorite homes. In the fall, the town has a “Ghost Walk” where many of the homes are opened to visitors. Every year has a different theme and we highly recommend attending.

Bears like this one are present all over town.

The Fireman’s Museum is worth a stop, but was closed this trip because of the pandemic.

A traditional stop for our family is the Cow Cafe. Originally located in the Maola Dairy Plant, it now offers ice cream in the heart of downtown.

 

Strolling the streets we met a young goat on a leash. He was being trained for educational outreach. He certainly caught the attention of this toddler.

Many walls and gardens have unique little features.

Colonial era buildings have been well maintained like this wedding dress shop.

Fenced gardens keep plants from being eaten by the local deer population.

James Taylor fans might note that the Taylor family has ties to New Bern.

Town Hall is one of the most iconic buildings in the area.

New Bern is the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola.

Brad’s Pharmacy sells Pepsi souvenirs and looks much like it did in 1898.

The North Carolina History Center has a large lot with free parking with a view of the Trent River.

I walked the riverfront trail while Beth visited the gardens next door. This marker shows the river levels during different hurricanes. We can remember when docks from the marina on the other side of the river broke loose and blew to this side, with boats still attached, during a hurricane.

Tryon Palace was completed in 1770 as the Colonial Capitol of North Carolina. Historical reenactments and restored room settings are well done.

Having visited the palace several times, Beth just wanted to wander the gardens to see what might be blooming in March.

Columbine is always one of our favorite flowering plants. With a misty rain starting to fall, we decided to head back towards home.

Not liking to travel the same route twice in a row, we headed home via Trenton, NC where we stopped at Brock’s Mill Pond Park.

It was a pretty setting for a picnic lunch with the historic mill closed, and the grounds open.

Three-hundred and twenty-one years is a good run for a wooden building, especially one near a stream in hurricane country.

Listening to water flow over the dam while watching the moss blow in the wind made for a relaxing stop.

Our last stop before home was Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Swimming, hiking, kayaking, and camping are available here. An overlook is easily accessed from the parking lot.

Lots of steps lead from the overlook down to the Neuse River.

Striations in the sand add interest to exploring the trails. 

We hope you enjoyed a glimpse of our quick exploration of the Neuse River basin. 

– March 2021