Canoeing and kayaking are wonderful and exciting ways to experience the Eno River. However, the river is generally shallow and rocky. Under normal conditions, the boaters must frequently get out and pull their boats over shallow, rocky places. The best time to run the Eno is after heavy rains raise the water level. Good canoeing conditions can occur any time during the year but are most common during the winter and spring and happen less frequently during the summer and fall.
Eno River State Park staff maintain painted gauges on the Pleasant Green and Cole Mill Road bridges. The gauges are relative to canoeing conditions and do not reflect actual river depths. Normally these gauges indicate a river level of three inches or less, which is poor for canoeing. At three to six inches, canoeing is fair, six to twelve inches is good, and one to three feet is excellent. When the bridge gauges exceed three feet, the river is dangerous. Above three feet, the river exceeds its banks, turning adjacent trees into strainers and moves at a speed and force beyond the capacity of most people to self-rescue. A correlation has been made between the bridge gauges and the Durham river depth gauge maintained by the USGS. The USGS updates their gauge on an hourly basis and it can be viewed at the USGS website (See 'Current Conditions' on the menu to the left). The correlation is to simply subtract two feet from the USGS gauge to get the approximate gauge reading found at the Pleasant Green and Cole Mill Road bridges. For example if the USGS gauge shows a depth of three feet, you would expect the river level to be about one foot. Therefore, if you were viewing the USGS gauge, canoeing conditions would be as follows: less than 2.25 feet is poor, 2.25 to 2.50 feet is fair, 2.50 to 3.00 feet is good, 3.00 to 5.00 feet is excellent, and greater than 5.00 feet is dangerous.
Kayaks generally do better than canoes when the river is shallow because they draw less water. Canoes with one person do better than those with two or three for the same reason.
The Eno River State Park Staff can advise current river levels. Telephone them at (919)-383-1686.
Not all of the Eno River is park land. Respect private property. Carry a map and know where you are. There are no canoe rentals at Eno River State Park.
Suggested Trips:
All trips, except one, follow the river’s current one way requiring transportation be placed at the up stream launch site and the down stream take out site. Trip times vary depending on water level, skill, and weight. Travel times given are average.
1. LAUNCH: U.S. 70 at the Eno River bridge, east of Hillsborough. Park on the broad DOT road shoulder at the NW corner - Hwy. 70 & Riverside Rd. Steep bank down to the river with kudzu and poison ivy, use caution as slipping is easy. There is no developed launch.
TAKE OUT: Few’s Ford in Eno River State Park at the Piper-Cox Parking Lot. There is a 160 yard walk on a trail between the lot and
the ford.
DISTANCE TIME: 5.37 miles/ 2 ¾ hours
ELEVATION DROP: 73 feet (14 feet per mile)
NOTES: A lot of Class I rapids, (2) Class 2 rapids, (1) Class 3 rapid just before the take out. This Class 3 should be scouted
before running. It is best to run it at the slick and stay to the left of the rock. This section of the river, known as the
Eno Wilderness, is wild and scenic with little evidence of man. Historic points include the ruins of Berry’s Public Mill,
Holden’s Mill, and the Few’s Mill Ford site.
2. LAUNCH: Few’s Ford in Eno River State Park at the Piper-Cox parking lot. There is a 160 yard walk on trail between the lot and ford.
TAKE OUT: Pleasant Green Access in Eno River State Park. Parking lot is 20 yards from take out.
DISTANCE/TIME: 2.79 miles/1 ¾ hours
ELEVATION DROP: 13 feet (5 feet/mile)
NOTES: This is a novice section with a few Class I rapids. At the historic Cabe Ford the river passes an old weir. Stone’s Creek
enters from the west 300 yards up stream from the Pleasant Green parking lot. It is a scenic cascade resembling a mountain stream.
3. LAUNCH: Below the parking lot at the Eno River State Park Pleasant Green Access. A narrow set of steps lead down the river bank from the park lot 20 yards away.
TAKE OUT: Cole Mill Access in the Eno River State Park. A small landing dock is provided on the left and steps lead up the hill to
the parking lot 60 yards away.
DISTANCE/TIME: 3.51 miles/2 hours
ELEVATION DROP: 50 feet (14 feet/mile)
NOTES: This is one of the most scenic sections of the Eno as it passes through Cabe Gorge and by several old mill sites. Many short
Class I and a few Class II rapids. Dropping into the Bobbitt’s Hole is borderline Class II/III. Technical paddling is needed
through the rocks in Cabe Gorge.
4. LAUNCH: Cole Mill Access in the Eno River State Park. A small landing dock is provided and steps lead down from the parking lot 60 yards away.
TAKE OUT: West Point on the Eno City Park. Take out on the cleared, right bank as you approach the mill dam. Park road and parking
is 100 yards from take out.
DISTANCE/TIME: 5.19 miles/ 2 ½ hours
ELEVATION DROP: 67 feet (13 feet/mile)
NOTES: Many short Class I and Class II rapids. You will pass by the Old Pump Station, Guess Mill Dam (broken through on the right
side), and Sennett Hole. The West Point Mill is at the take out. Use caution above the mill dam, it is a dangerous drop and a
powerful hydraulic during high water.
5. LAUNCH: Below Mill Dam at West Point on the Eno City Park, about 100 yards from parking lot.
TAKE OUT: Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve at the Old Oxford Highway bridge. Parking lot is near the river on Snow Hill Road at the
intersection with Old Oxford Highway.
DISTANCE/TIME: 4.54 miles/2 ½ hours
ELEVATION DROP: 23 feet (5 feet/mile)
NOTES: Frequent short Class I riffles. The river begins to slow down upon the Triassic Basin. More development is seen but the
river is still pretty. The river is less rocky than upstream.
6. LAUNCH: Old Oxford Highway at Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve. Parking is in the lot near the river at the intersection on Snow Hill Road at the intersection with Old Oxford Highway.
TAKE OUT: Eno River Boat Ramp on Akzo Blvd. Near Red Mill Road.
DISTANCE/TIME: 4.78 miles/3 hours
ELEVATION DROP: 4 feet (1 foot/mile)
NOTES: After leaving Penny’s Bend, there are few riffles. If Falls Lake is at normal level, you will reach the backwater of the lake
in 1.6 miles. From there, it is flat water to the ramp operated by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The river is deep but not
wide. The surrounding lands, relatively flat, are State Gamelands.
Notes About Rapids:
The rapids described are present when water levels exceed six inches on the bridge gauges or 2.25 feet on the USGS Durham gauge. Rapids in the Eno are short in duration, broken by stretches of quiet water.
For Your Safety:
- Know your physical condition. The river will wear you out.
- Rangers patrol the State Park accesses. All cars are expected to be out of State Park areas at the gate closing times, which are
posted at the entrance to each State Park access. Rangers will investigate cars in State Park accesses at closing time and try to
determine if canoeists need assistance. If you park at the Pleasant Green, Cole Mill, or Guess Road bridges in the State Park, you
run the risk of rangers being unaware that you may be in trouble. Leave a float plan visible in your vehicles.
- The launch sites/take outs that are not in the State Park are not routinely patrolled.
- Do not canoe alone. Buddy boats are good.
- Bring an extra paddle.
- Brink drinking water.
- There is a strong risk of hypothermia paddling in cold weather. When air temperatures are less than 60 degrees, paddlers should wear
appropriate wet or dry suits for warmth.
- Expect to spill and be prepared.
- No alcohol