Cox Mountain
The most rugged section of Eno River State Park, and one of the richest in history. Located at a strategic corridor between Durham and Hillsborough, Cox Mountain sits near several historic fords — Fanny's Ford, Few's Ford, and Cates Ford — where the Fish Dam Road and the old Durham-Hillsborough Coach Road once crossed the Eno. Old roadbeds, mill ruins, stone foundations, and even abandoned cars hide in these woods, layered over centuries of use by Native Americans, colonial settlers, and 19th-century industry. Home to the challenging Cox Mountain loop, extensive unofficial trail networks, and access to backcountry camping.
Parking & Access
Lower Parking Lot
Primary trailhead for Cox Mountain loop. Bridge to eastern trails currently closed.
Upper Parking Lot (Few's Ford)
Best for accessing Few's Ford and the northern trail network.
New Visitor Center Parking
Old Visitor Center / Park Office
Trails
Buckquarter Creek Trail
Easy creek-side trail branching off the Cox Mountain approach. Follows Buckquarter Creek east through bottomland hardwoods. Shares the first 0.4 miles with Cox Mountain Trail before splitting at the junction.
Cox Mountain Trail
Rocky loop trail climbing to the highest point in Eno River State Park. Moderate elevation gain with some scrambling near the summit. The approach follows the river before turning uphill at the Buckquarter Creek junction.
Fanny's Ford Campsites Trail
Short trail connecting to the backcountry campsites near Fanny's Ford.
Shakori Trail
Trail named for the Shakori people, one of the Native American tribes who inhabited the Eno River valley.
At a Glance
- Trails
- 4
- Total Miles
- 2.9
- Points of Interest
- 8
Points of Interest
History
Cox Mountain's trails follow paths shaped by geology and economics over centuries. The Eno's shallow crossings here — Few's Ford, Fanny's Ford, Cates Ford — made this a natural corridor long before European settlement. Native Americans established the Fish Dam Road through here as a trading path. Colonial settlers built mills to harness the creek water (Holden's Mill, William Few's Mill c.1758), which attracted roads, which attracted settlement. The Piper-Cox House and surrounding structures are remnants of that era. Today's trails — both official and unofficial — are desire paths that reveal this layered history.