Neuse River Trail milepost 19 - 17.75 (Poole Rd. to Anderson Point Park)

      Took my toddler on this section in the one-child stroller. Some significant hills on this section - the first one is about half a mile from milepost 19. Also some twisty turns. View of the river is mostly obscured by trees and underbrush but would probably be better in winter.

      Saw a cow in someone's backyard. Briefly paralleled a neighborhood street. You encounter the bridge shortly before entering Anderson Point Park. Trail spits you out at the corner of Anderson by the Retreat Cottage and a small softball field.

Neuse River Trail milepost 17 - 15.5 - Raleigh

Website

       Trailhead and parking for this section is at Anderson Point Park near the boat launch, before you drive over the overpass. I chose this entrance to the Trail because it was the closest trailhead to the new Mingo Creek Greenway. I had seen an article on the Town of Knightdale website about a portion of Mingo Creek opening and I wanted to try it out.

          We reached the Mingo Creek Greenway trailhead rather quickly off of the NRT.

And crossed a very impressive bridge over the Neuse.

      There are no mileposts yet on the Mingo Creek Trail, but I would guess about a quarter of a mile from the bridge the asphalt ends and the gravel and mud begins. I just wasn't in the mood to push two kids in the small-wheeled, double stroller through gravel so we headed back to the NRT and kept going.

Where the pavement ends on the Mingo Creek Trail

       Most of this section of the NRT is swampy but shaded. The smell of honeysuckle was thick in the air.

       We ended our hike where New Bern Avenue crosses the Neuse River. A number of monarch butterflies were clustering under the bridge.

       On the way back we interrupted a small turtle trying to cross the Trail.

     

Anderson Point Park - Raleigh

Park Website

      Anderson Point is a great park if you live on the eastern side of Raleigh. The Park has picnic shelters, a playground, a nature trail through the meadow, a cottage that can be rented for meetings, and clean, heated bathrooms. There is also a ball field where I taught my daughter how to fly her first kite. But my favorite thing at Anderson Point is......

the porch swings on the top of the hill. I only wish they were closer to the playground so I could swing while I supervise my kids.

    The playground is nicely equipped and is surrounded by magnolia trees. There are several slides, and  water fountains and bathrooms are close by. On the day we were there, the bridge on the play structure was missing and blocked off by yellow caution tape. I've been to Anderson many times before and never seen the playground in disrepair so I'm sure this is only a temporary situation.

    While we were at the playground, one of those quick and heavy rainstorms caught us and the only place we could take shelter was under one of the slides. So here is a grown man, huddled under a very thin slide  and wearing his infant son in a carrier while clutching his toddler next to him to try and stay dry. Eventually the rain started coming in sideways and I decided to grab my toddler and make a run for the picnic shelter across the field. The field was wet and sloshy but we made it to the picnic shelter to wait out the storm - which is when we discovered the heated restrooms.

The parking lot is a decent walk from the playground so I took the stroller so I wouldn't have to carry the toddler the whole way. Signage on how to get to the Park is not great so I offer the following directions:

• turn on Rogers Lane towards the Food Lion shopping center
• take a right at the stop sign to stay on Rogers
• left on Neuse View
• take a right on Anderson Pointe to cross the overpass over 264 and enter the Park

There is a canoe launch into the Neuse River and a greenway before you cross the overpass, but the Park is on the other side of 264.