**The boardwalk section of this trail, near the cemetery, is temporarily closed for repairs -- updated 11/08/2022.
The trail north of Murray's Mill Road begins at the information board across the creek from the general store and starts off as a gravel trail which eventually changes to a natural surface trail. The trail is narrow with a number of exposed roots. The trail runs through a heavily wooded area, providing lots of shade in the spring and summer months.
The portion of the trail south of Murray's Mill begins at the two stone circles on the hill near the Carolina Thread Trail sign. The route follows the edge of the lake through the grass and past the two white buildings. Small Carolina Thread Trail blazes on the trees will mark the trail. Continue along the lake and past the agricultural field in order to find where the trail resumes to the right in the woods. At the church cemetery, follow the trail to the right into the woods to arrive at Shiloh Road.
"Preserved intact are the 1913 mill itself, the 1890s Murray & Minges General Store, the 1880s Wheathouse, used as an exhibit gallery, the 1913 John Murray House, furnished to the period, and numerous outbuildings. Run by three generations of the Murray Family, who abandoned operations in 1967, the picturesque structures and surrounding land form the last milling complex in the county, meticulously preserved and interpreted by the Catawba County Historical Association since 1980 when restorations began, Governor James G. Martin attending the opening ceremony in 1988." More history can be found at the Historical Association of Catawba County website.
Visit the Catawba County Historical Association online for more information, or contact:
Parking Address and Trailhead Location: 1489 Murrays Mill Road, Catawba, NC 28609. MAP
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