Company Mill Preserve Heritage Trail - Climax, NC
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” - Albert Einstein
“Let the forest do its thang.” - Ginger Shields - in her best southern twang, opting to leave a Butt Rot mushroom, more formerly known as a Dyer’s Polypore, a toxic fungi that can kill conifer trees, undisturbed at the base of a pine tree we encountered on our hike.
The Story -
On Sunday afternoon, Ginger, Sophie and I traveled to southeastern Guilford County to hike almost 5 miles on the Company Mill Preserve Heritage Trail in Climax, NC. This wonderful trail is yet another hidden gem in the heart of the Triad, and one definitely worth a visit.
A Tale of Two Hikers & Their Dog -
The trailhead is located just off US 421 near the Hagan-Stone Park entrance. Almost as soon as you leave the parking area, you pass an old mill dam with a slight but steady waterfall and a moderately emerged antiquated grist mill wheel. I imagine it would be a fun spot to visit during the summer when the weather and the water were warmer, with adventurers perhaps even going for a swim. The rest of the somewhat easy and mostly shaded trail provided many items of interest including an observation deck overlooking the lake, numerous boardwalks and bridges spanning the vast wetlands, several old tobacco barns and even an old turn of the century school building.
Just My Imagination (Running away with me) - The Temptations
Do you ever take moments during your day or week to use your imagination and perhaps be creative? I know some jobs and hobbies require it and being a parent or caregiver certainly require a large degree of creativity. I have found that one lesser known benefit of hiking is the ability to intentionally practice using my imagination and lighting my faint creative fire. Not on all hikes of course, yet new experiences and being in nature have a way of opening your mind, giving you opportunities to be curious and creative.
Pet Sematary -
Since this hike was on the afternoon of Halloween, Ginger and I came up with several spooky stories based on things we saw on the trail. A mysterious burned-out stump used by a devil-worshiping cult, a moonshine midnight run ending in disaster for Jethro, possessed crawfish and toxic mushrooms taking over the world are just three examples. (Note that I did not mention any requirement that your stories actually have to be good, like Stephen Kings 😂) So next time you are in nature, be curious and creative, use your imagination and see what fun stories you can come up with.
Wrap It Up -
The Company Mill Preserve Heritage Trail is a leisurely hike with much to offer and something for everyone. If you only have a short amount of time and are looking for an easy to moderate hike with many items to peak your curiosity and imagination, the Company Mill Trail should definitely be added to your list.
