Stream Hike and Geologic Wonders

The Dan River Basin Association's First Saturday Outing on January 3, 2009 was fabulous little two-mile hike along a stream in Ruffin, North Carolina. The hike along Tanyard Creek reveled many of the hidden treasures of this area including a chance to see some very unusual geoligic formations including exposed conglomerate rock from the Triassic period, petrified wood and a picturesque cascading waterfall.

At 10 am on a beautiful "blue bird sky" morning our group gathered at The Happy Home Congregational Christian Church to listen to Will Trunslow and Milton Hundley explain the area we would be hiking too and the wonders we would get to see. A short carpool ride down to the site and we gathered up to hit the trail. The hike was along Tanyard creek with permission form the property owners. The area is on private land and not open to the public except through special arrangement.

Milton Describes the upcoming hike

Tanyard Creek is a real geologic surprise and the weather was perfect for an adventure.
Named for the tannery owned by the family of nineteenth-century governor John Motley Morehead (1796 - 1866), Tanyard Creek creates a gorge as it cuts through Triassic rock on its way to the nearby Dan River.

The group spreads out along the trail. As with all DRBA outings we had quite a large group of hikers and everyone ends up in smaller groups hiking along at their own pace and enjoying the pristine natural surroundings and quiet serenity to be found in another hidden corner of incredible Dan River Basin.

The "puddingstone" conglomerate formation and petrified wood in the stream bed have earned the area's listing as a North Carolina Natural Heritage site.

In the Triassic Era, some 200 million years ago, this section of northern North Carolina and southern Virginia was a deep lake. As rivers flowed into the lake, the slowing water dropped its load of sediment-first the large rocks, then smaller pebbles, then sand and silt. Over the eons, geologic pressures fused the surrounding clay particles, enclosing the rounded rocks and pebbles in a concrete-like mass.

These same geologic forces caused some buried logs to become petrified as minerals replaced the organic matter while retaining the original structure of the wood. Small chunks of petrified wood can be found along Tanyard Creek.

Katherine Mull stops to photograph one of the large examples of petrified wood along the way.

Lines of dark gray rounded boulders, known as igneous dikes, stretch through the woodland along the path to the creek. These dikes were formed when molten rock was forced through underground fissures where it cooled slowly into dense, fine-grained stone that was exposed when the surrounding material eroded away.

Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are open to the public without charge.

Bike Ride & Volunteer Workday Planned at Fieldale Trail

The public is invited to join the Henry County Bike Club (HCBC) and the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) for a joint event to be held at the Fieldale Trail on Saturday, February 28th.

Starting at noon, everyone is encouraged to bring their bicycles and join HCBC for a bike ride. Beginner lessons on the Fieldale Trail will be offered as well as longer road rides that will begin and end at the trailhead. All skill levels are welcome to participate and everyone must wear a helmet.

Following the ride at 1 p.m., DRBA will facilitate a volunteer workday on the trail. Tasks will include litter pick-up, hanging trail marker signs, clearing around the trails benches, and removing fallen limbs & debris from the trail. Please dress appropriately for the weather. Suggested items to bring are work gloves, hammers, rakes, and loppers. Paddlers are also invited to bring their canoes and kayaks so that litter can be picked up along the banks from the river (life jackets must be worn while on the river). DRBA will provide refreshments for all volunteers.

For more information on the event please contact Jennifer Doss, DRBA Rivers & Trails Project Manager at 276-634-2545 or jdoss@danriver.org.
Please pre-register at the following site: http://www.doodle.com/q3k757dsvk69464i

The Fieldale Trail is located in Fieldale, Virginia on South River Road past the water treatment facility. One mile of linear trail is open to the public and an additional 1.5 miles will open later this spring. Ample parking, restroom, river access, and picnic tables are available for your convenience. The Fieldale Trail is funded in part by the Dominion Foundation and operated by Henry County Parks & Recreation.

Water Quality Monitoring Slideshow

Thanks to Linda Drage, President of Friends of Philpott, for creating this slideshow of photos from the recent Water Quality Monitoring Event at Philpott Lake! More information about the event can be seen by clicking here.

Jamison Mill Cleanup, Saturday, February 7 & 14

Last weekend was a HUGE corridor clearing day at Jamison's. In fact, clearing was performed all the way to the bottom of Mill Hill leaving only dirt work going forward. There was a real nice turnout of volunteers that worked well together. On top, the "A" ditchwitch crew bypassed the huge beech tree and battled frozen earth to complete that section. Down the hill, the "B" class operator abandoned work there due to an 8" frostline with the other ditchwitch; however, that allowed the team to put nearly everyone to work at getting that clearing done, and the route of the trail corridor really feels nice and is attractive. Therefore, it was decided to do it again THIS Saturday, February 14th, to use both machines on completely thawed ground. Hopefully being dry, it will really eat it up.

The work will start at 9 AM again to continue the progress.

No more need for chainsaws but one blower to recover what has been finished would be great. This time it will be all dirt finishing, ditchwitching, and root removal.

For more information, please contact Linda Drage at ldrage@comcast.net.

Article and photo contributed by: Linda Drage
Edited and posted by: Vicky Thomas

DRBA Annual Celebration March 7

Features Talk on North Carolina's
Mountains-to-Sea Trail

The Dan River Basin Association’s Annual Membership Celebration on Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m., in the City Hall of Eden, North Carolina, will include all the major elements of the Association’s mission in its business session, invited speaker and after-meeting hike. The organization’s mission is preserving and promoting the region’s rivers and culture through education, recreation and stewardship. The short business session will include recognition of exceptional volunteer service, election of board members, and staff reports on the Virginia and the North Carolina activities of the Association. Featured speaker for the Celebration is Kate Dixon, Executive Director of the Friends of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, who will bring the audience up to date on the rapidly developing trail, which seeks via foot paths, waterways, and multi-use trails to connect Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The trail’s primary and alternate routes pass through portions of the Dan River Basin, including Hanging Rock and Mayo River state parks, and follow the Dan River in Stokes and Rockingham counties. In October, the Association held its first two-day paddle on the Dan River in Stokes County as part of the commemoration of Mountains-to-Sea Trail Month. “The Dan is such a beautiful and historic river,” Kate Dixon says, “and we know that future hikers will enjoy the opportunity to see it as they explore North Carolinaon the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. I look forward to talking to DRBA members,” she continues, “about how we can work together to build the trail along the Dan in Stokes and Rockingham counties.” Members and guests will hear reports from the Association’s staff, including those who have joined the DRBA team since the celebration last March. Jenny Edwards and Chad Hall, Program Managers in Virginia and North Carolina, respectively, are located with Executive Director Katherine Mull in the Association’s Eden headquarters. Assisting them is the Association’s first office manager, Robin Light, who has been with DRBA since January. Jennifer Doss, Rivers and Trails Project Manager, and Brian Williams, Education and Conservation Coordinator, work out of DRBA’s Virginia office in Collinsville, assisted by administrative assistant Vicky Thomas.

Following the meeting and lunch at a local restaurant of the participant’s choosing, Lindley Butler will lead a hike for members and visitors on Eden’s Smith River Greenway, a 1.5-mile smooth path between the Eden YMCA and Meadow Road. The Greenway is part of an alternate route for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The hike, rated as easy, can be a three-mile round-trip, or a one-way walk for those who wish to take part in a shuttle. Hikers can see the site of a new Smith River Access point near the Lone Island Bridge on Meadow Road. Participants in the walk are asked to wear hiking boots or walking shoes, dress in layers and bring water to drink.


DIRECTIONS: To reach the Eden City Hall from the north, take NC14 into Eden. At Meadow Road the highway widens into five lanes. At the next traffic light turn left onto Stadium Drive. Go through the next traffic light (Pierce Street). The Eden City Hall is on the right, the large white building set back from the road on the corner of Stadium Drive and Pierce Street.

From the south, take NC14 north into Eden. Cross the Dan River, and go about 1.5 miles. You will pass Morehead Hospital (on the right). At the next traffic light, turn right onto Stadium Drive. Go through the next traffic light (Pierce Street). The Eden City Hall is on the right, the large white building set back from the road on the corner of Stadium Drive and Pierce Street.

Meetings and outings of the Dan River Basin Association are free and open to the public. For information about the celebration or the hike, contact T Butler, 336-349-5727 or members@danriver.org. Membership information is available at http://www.danriver.org.

Article and photo contributed by: T Butler
Posted by: Vicky Thomas