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Take a Break at Boone’s Cave Park WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Mary Bohlen PHOTOS COURTESY DAVIDSON COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION www.co.davidson.nc.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Boones-Cave-Park-10
The park’s Jim Monroe
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Need to get outdoors, go for a walk, have a picnic, stretch your body and rest your spirit? A day trip to one of the Piedmont's most scenic spots along the Yadkin River near Lexington might be your answer. Boone’s Cave Park is so named because legend has it Daniel Boone and his family lived here when they first arrived from Pennsylvania in the 1750s. It is most probable Boone hunted this area and camped, or hid out in the bluff caves. Although there is no historical documentation to prove this, many believe it to be true based on local tradition. The hundred year old park offers a variety of activities for young and old. Park’s grounds keeper, Jim Monroe says, “There are a lot of things to do for a lot of people.” Earlier this year I met Jim for a tour of the park via his Cub Cadet. The entrance to the park picnic pavilion and parking is on a high bluff overlooking the Yadkin River and where my introduction to the park began. Jim noted the 100 plus acre park has over seven miles of trails. Some short easy treks and others a little tougher. Better wear good walking shoes and ones that won’t matter if they get a little muddy or wet. Our first stop was the Kayak/Canoe trail. A new amenity for the river travelers is the road that has been established so one can drive down to the river put-in at Baptism Rock and load and unload. Looking out over the massive flat rock, Jim explained, “This place has been used for many, many years for baptism services. It still is by special permission from Park Management.” Jim believes this place may also have been used as a ford at one time because the rock bed goes way out into the river which would have provided a desirable crossing. Moving along the trails we passed through wetlands areas, mixed hardwoods, rolling slopes and flood plains. Some trails are raised to overcome wet spots but being so close to the river sometimes makes that a challenge. Jim reminded me this is a natural setting, largely undisturbed. In spring and summer there is an abundance of wildflowers and mushrooms in the park. Many of the flora are normally found in the Appalachian Mountains. Examples are Catawba Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. Visitors can kayak or canoe the river, hike, fish, picnic, play disc golf, ride bikes or just set on a bench, listen for birds and breath in fresh air. Camping is both primitive and semi-primitive. The difference? One site is near the restrooms and one is not! Firewood is available for purchase. There are also tent pads down at the river edge for boaters to overnight camp.
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