The Purgatory Mountain Trails - Asheboro, NC
“Remember, this day will never dawn again.” - Dante
Purgatory : a place or state of temporary suffering or misery - Merriam Webster
“Fungi are the interface organisms between life and death.” - Paul Stamets, an American mycologist featured in the Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi.
“Can I take it home?” - Chris Shields, excitingly asking Ginger about the Lion’s Mane mushroom he found on the hike. (He did not, no mushrooms were harmed for the writing of this blog)
The Story -
On Sunday afternoon, Ginger and Sophie met me to hike The Purgatory Mountain Trails located on the edge of the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. I was nearby at a church retreat with ten teenagers all weekend and needed some time in nature to decompress 😂
If you are curious like I was about how Purgatory Mountain got its name, I’ve included several thoughts based on my research at the end of this blog under the heading Moonshine, Quakers and The Hunter.
The Zoo, Church, Fungi, Purgatory, Teenagers and Moonshine - Weekend Fun or the Makings of a Terrible Horror Movie? -
Halloween is fast approaching so when The Purgatory Mountain Trail showed up on my Google search for trails near Asheboro, I knew the universe was telling me that I must go. Fortunately, it wasn’t the dark side of the universe guiding me, as The Purgatory Mountain Trail was a peaceful hike in the woods with many things to spark my interest, including seeps, numerous large boulders, and literally hundreds of mushrooms. Also interestingly, the summit of Purgatory Mountain is considered to be the geographical center of North Carolina.
Spill the “Spiced” Tea -
The trailhead to The Purgatory Mountain Trail is easy to find and is located at the end of the North American parking lot of the NC Zoo. At only one mile each way, The Purgatory Mountain Trail is not a long trail so we combined it with the Moonshine Run, Mountain Laurel and Middle Mountain Trails for a very relaxed hike of about five miles. Ginger mentioned it felt more like a leisurely walk in the woods than a hike, offering few if any views and not much water except for a small creek on the Moonshine Run Trail and several seeps, or areas where groundwater leaks onto the surface. There are also enormous rock outcroppings spread throughout the trail and mushrooms were literally everywhere. And even though it was more of a walk than a hike, it was a very enjoyable and a great way to spend the afternoon. I believe it is a perfect setting for those looking for a serene environment, those new to hiking, families looking to get outdoors, or for experienced hikers wanting a simple relaxed “walk in the woods.”
North American Destroying Angel, Stink Horn, False Death Cap, Jack-O-Lantern, Bleeding Fairy Helmet, Charcoal Burner… Names of Mushrooms or Villians From the Next Avengers movie?
The highlight of our hike was the variety and the vast amount of mushrooms along the trail and in the woods. While I have always been intrigued by mushrooms, having bought several grow-at-home kits from the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, it wasn’t until after watching the Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi that I became obsessed. Using the free Seek IPhone app published by Stanford University, Ginger and I were able to identify well over thirty different types of mushrooms! By the end of our hike, we were able to name most of the mushrooms without even stopping to consult our phones. Budding mycologists or just old nerds, I'll let you decide 😂
Wrap It Up -
While The Purgatory Mountain Trails are nothing spectacular, they are a pleasant “walk in the woods”. If I lived closer I would definitely visit more often and with an intriguing name like Purgatory, its one to add to your list. However, if not for the mushrooms and the seasonal interest connection, the trails are not ones I would make a special trip for again.
Moonshine, Quakers and The Hunter - How Purgatory Mountain Got Its Name -
One theory on how Purgatory Mountain got its name dates back to the American Civil War, involving a sinister bounty hunter identified only as “The Hunter” and a Quaker settlement near Asheboro. The Hunter was hired by the Confederacy to capture war resisters, forcing them to fight in the army. Since Quakers were pacifists, who refused to fight in any way, and particularly in a war which was dedicated to preserving such an unjust system, The Hunter thought they would be weak and easily captured. The Hunter and his men proceeded to kidnap twenty-two Quaker boys at gunpoint, taking them to Wilmington, NC. While in route, the boys escaped, returning to a “hill” near the settlement. The Hunter pursued them, unaware that the boys had set a trap for him. The boys caught The Hunter in a snare and now were faced with an impossible decision, one in which went against all their beliefs. They agonizingly decided to hang him from a tree with the same rope they had used to ensnare him, vowing not to tell anyone or to speak of what they had done ever again. Some time after that, and after the war had ended, the terrifying ghostly figure of The Hunter began to be seen on the mountain. And it was for this ghostly figure, a dead man neither in Heaven nor in Hell, that Purgatory Mountain was named.
I asked two local Quaker historians about the story and neither were familiar with The Hunter or a Quaker settlement near Asheboro. Maybe the boys were able to keep it a secret, but I think it was more likely a story created by Moonshiners in the area during Prohibition to frighten people away from visiting the area. One of the trails is aptly named Moonshine Run, and Ginger and I did see what could have been an old still near the stream off the path. I find this story more credible and believable.
