Camping: Find solitude and peace among tall trees and a symphony of forest creatures camping at Eno River State Park. The park has backcountry camping available to families, individuals, and groups at the Fews Ford and Cole Mill Accesses. A permit is required and there is a modest fee. Obtain a camping permit at the park office. A self registration station is available when the office is closed. All sites require hiking in and supplies must be carried in. There is not a potable water source at the sites.

Family/Small Group/Individual Camping: At Fews Ford Access follow a secondary trail off the Fanny's Ford trail to reach the Fanny's Ford Campground, one mile from the parking lot. There are five sites on a hill a short distance from the river. At Cole Mill Access follow the Bobbitt Hole Trail to the Piper Creek Campground about 1.2 miles from the parking lot. Five sites are near Piper Creek and a short walk to the river. Each site has a pad for tents, fire ring, lantern hook, and bench and a pit toilet serves each campground. Reservations are not accepted and permits must be obtained the first day of camping.

Group Camping: The Cox Mountain Group Camp is a short distance from the Cox Mountain Trail and the suspension bridge across the river and is set on a wooded ridge near the river. The hike is 3/8 mile from parking. Maximum accommodation is 26 persons. The Buckquarter Creek Group Camp has two sites near the junction of Buckquarter and Martin Cabin Creeks, just off the Ridge Trail. The hike is 1.2 miles from parking. Each site accommodates a maximum of 15 people. All group sites have tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings with benches, and a pit toilet. All tents must fit on the pads. Reservations are required.

Canoeing: Travel the Eno by canoe or kayak passing through rolling hills and deep forest. Canoeing is usually difficult due to shallow water but is great fun right after a rain which raises the water level creating class I, II, and III rapids. Levels are measured from gauges painted on road bridges and the Durham station USGS river gauge which can be viewed on the internet. Optimal canoeing is 1 to 3 feet on the bridge gauges and 3 to 5 feet on the USGS gauge. Below these levels requires some portaging. Above these levels is dangerous. Personal flotation devices should always be worn.

The best rapids are between Highway 70 Bypass in Hillsborough and Roxboro Road in Durham. The river continues at a slower pace from there down stream to Falls Lake. Canoe accesses are located in several areas of the park. Please respect the rights of private landowners along the river.

Education and Events: Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Eno River State Park. Please click the Events link on the park menu to the left to search our database of park events.

To arrange a special exploration of Eno River State Park for your group or class, contact the park office.

Educational materials about Eno River State Park have been developed for grades 5-7 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Eno River program introduces students to the Eno River and focuses on water quality, indicator species, water testing, watersheds, aquatic sampling, resource management and stewardship. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. To learn more about environmental education at the parks or to search our database of upcoming workshops, please click the Education tab above.

Fishing: Wet your line in one of the best fishing streams in the Neuse River Basin. The Eno is a great place for fly-fishing, casting lures, or baiting with the ever reliable worms and crickets. Most of the river can be waded and there are many openings for bank fishing. Commonly caught game fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, and the feisty Roanoke bass. Roanoke bass, locally know as "red-eye" are found in only four river drainages in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Chubs and bullheads add to the fishing fun. All North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission fishing regulations are enforced.

Occoneechee Mountain, a nearby state natural area that is a administered by Eno River State Park, also offers fishing. Please use the "Find a park" dropdown (left) to visit the Occoneechee Mountain website.

Hiking:Stepping on to an Eno River trail is a journey into tranquility. Follow the river bank, journey through the woodlands, or hike a short nature trail for a close look at Eno River State Park. Go up Cox Mountain for a challenging climb through scenic hardwood forest. Travel the Bobbitt Hole Trail to one of the most scenic spots on the river, where water rushes over rocks and greenery hangs from stone-lined bluffs. Eno River has more than 24 miles of trail to take you into the heart of nature. All trails are blazed and signed. Request a park trail map for descriptions and distances.

Occoneechee Mountain, a nearby state natural area that is a administered by Eno River State Park, also offers hiking. Please use the "Find a park" dropdown (left) to visit the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area website.

Picnicking: Two picnic areas provide the perfect spot for enjoying a meal in the open air. One of the picnic grounds is located in the Few's Ford access area, adjacent to the parking lot. Few's Ford has 20 picnic sites, 10 of which are handicapped accessible. An accessible water fountain and restrooms are nearby. A 12-table picnic shelter with a fireplace and grill is also accessible and can be reserved for a fee. The Cole Mill picnic area, nestled in a wooded setting, includes 10 tables and four grills with drinking water and restrooms nearby. A group picnic area includes three tables and grill. Cole Mill also has two wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and an accessible picnic shelter with eight tables and a grill. The shelter may be reserved for a modest fee. The reservation form is available on the menu to the left under 'Forms & Permits'.