Blackwood Farm Park
Blackwood Farm Park
4.4
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TwoBills
Dansville, NY69 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
We hiked April's Trail through woods. Trail was well marked and was near fields and lake/pond. There were others there but not many. The hike was not strenuous but gradual up and down. There were not places to sit and rest which would have been nice. There were picnic tables around the pond. It was very pretty. BTW the address is right but location on TripAdvisors map was north of Hillsborough and it should have been south of HIllsborough.
Written 17 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don N
Raleigh, NC2,635 contributions
Apr 2021 • Solo
This park is part of a farm given to Orange County. It has the farm with the farmhouse and buildings and a large pond. In addition there are about 4 miles of trails.
The positives of the park is it is scenic and well maintained in the grass being mowed and there are nice picnic tables near the pond and good informational signs near the farmhouse and along the trails. There is even an old slave cemetery on Mary's trail.
The negatives are the use port a lets as restrooms. Come on Orange County you can do better than that. Also at least on Mary's trail the longest in the park most of the trail has a lot of roots and rocks on it many are trip hazards. Also the bridges are pitiful and where they have wet areas they use uneven large rocks for you to walk on. It could be better for sure
So a mixed bag both Durham and Orange County don't do as good a job in terms of restrooms and trails as does Wake County.
But a scenic park overall
The no
The positives of the park is it is scenic and well maintained in the grass being mowed and there are nice picnic tables near the pond and good informational signs near the farmhouse and along the trails. There is even an old slave cemetery on Mary's trail.
The negatives are the use port a lets as restrooms. Come on Orange County you can do better than that. Also at least on Mary's trail the longest in the park most of the trail has a lot of roots and rocks on it many are trip hazards. Also the bridges are pitiful and where they have wet areas they use uneven large rocks for you to walk on. It could be better for sure
So a mixed bag both Durham and Orange County don't do as good a job in terms of restrooms and trails as does Wake County.
But a scenic park overall
The no
Written 29 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
madurobob
Hillsborough, NC20 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
This is a large tract of land most recentlyhome to the Blackwood family farm. The original farmhouse and outbuildings are well preserved and available for tours. The last living Blackwood matriarch donated the farm (sold it very cheaply) to the County around 2001 with the agreement it would become a park. The park opened in 2015, tho is only lightly used most of the time.
The big old farmhouse and outbuildings are worth checking out. But, for me the real attractions are the big, open fields and the miles of hiking trails. Oh, and of course the 1 acre pond that is great of fishing or just watching the dragon flies on a sunny afternoon. A wonderful afternoon could be spent having a picnic on one of the large picnic tables under the shade of the ancient trees around the farm house, wandering around the grounds, and checking out the pond.
Need a place to fly a kite? This is it. Big fields abound, and rarely any other pedestrians to be worried about.
The hiking/jogging trails are relatively new and that shows in places. But, they are getting well broken in and are well maintained, so getting better every day. The main trail around the perimeter of the park amounts to about a 5K trek through classic Piedmont hardwood forest, and there are nearly enough side and connecting trails to double that length. There is a detailed map at the entrance, and all the trails are clearly marked with their names (named after members of the Blackwood family, I believe).
Also of note, along the perimeter trail as it passes near the dam of the pond, is the old Strayhorn slave cemetery. Long ago this property was part of the Strayhorn plantation. The cemetery is haunting in its history. The gravemarkers are simply stones placed edgewise in the ground, and the entire cemetery would be very easy not notice even while walking through it, but for the fact that local preservationists have raked away the leaves and put ribbon around it. But one gravemarker, much younger than the rest, is a large, carved headstone off to the side of the main cemetery. I'd love to know the story of that marker.
The big old farmhouse and outbuildings are worth checking out. But, for me the real attractions are the big, open fields and the miles of hiking trails. Oh, and of course the 1 acre pond that is great of fishing or just watching the dragon flies on a sunny afternoon. A wonderful afternoon could be spent having a picnic on one of the large picnic tables under the shade of the ancient trees around the farm house, wandering around the grounds, and checking out the pond.
Need a place to fly a kite? This is it. Big fields abound, and rarely any other pedestrians to be worried about.
The hiking/jogging trails are relatively new and that shows in places. But, they are getting well broken in and are well maintained, so getting better every day. The main trail around the perimeter of the park amounts to about a 5K trek through classic Piedmont hardwood forest, and there are nearly enough side and connecting trails to double that length. There is a detailed map at the entrance, and all the trails are clearly marked with their names (named after members of the Blackwood family, I believe).
Also of note, along the perimeter trail as it passes near the dam of the pond, is the old Strayhorn slave cemetery. Long ago this property was part of the Strayhorn plantation. The cemetery is haunting in its history. The gravemarkers are simply stones placed edgewise in the ground, and the entire cemetery would be very easy not notice even while walking through it, but for the fact that local preservationists have raked away the leaves and put ribbon around it. But one gravemarker, much younger than the rest, is a large, carved headstone off to the side of the main cemetery. I'd love to know the story of that marker.
Written 15 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
873kay
North Carolina48 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
This is a nice, easy place to hike. Great place to walk your dog (on a leash, of course). It's close to town and there are tables if you'd like to picnic.
Written 3 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brigit-polymath
Norfolk, VA16 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
This is a lovely quiet spot. I went to make art. The map is less than perfect but the place is small so that's no biggie.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Betty E
Hillsborough, NC125 contributions
Aug 2019
Blackwood Farm Park gives you the peace of mind you need when you are stressed. Just seeing the different flowers and trees is so comforting and all you hear are nature sounds
Written 4 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JustDriving71
Fort Myers, FL692 contributions
Jul 2019
The park is a easy drive and there are nice places to walk along the water and plenty of pretty flowers.
Written 22 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stuart h
Hillsborough, NC42 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
can be alittle swampy but nice place to take dogs to room the outside only open on the weekends since it is an active farm but nice change of pace
Written 5 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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