There is always much discussion around Monadnocks. Is it or isn’t a Monadnock. They say the Sauratown Mountains are Monadnocks but I find they are just a few misplaced mountains, probably once a part of the Appalachians but now separated by erosion of the land between. Medoc Mountain is a true Monadnock. Situated to the Northeast of Raleigh it lies near the fall line between the Piedmont Plateau and the Coastal Plain. Though not tall at 325 feet, Medoc Mountain towers over relatively flat terrain. Made of granite Medoc Mountain is an elongated ridge that was the core of a large ancient mountain range. Only this Monadnock remains. Now that is a true description of a Monadnock!
Medoc Mountain got it’s name from Sidney Weller who owned the property in the 19th century. Weller was a grape farmer and winemaker who produced a highly acclaimed, in it’s time, wine. He named the mountain Medoc for a grape growing region in Boudreaux , France.
“Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read”.
Athenaeus
Fishing Creek runs through the park on one side of Medoc Mountain. Though a calm stream a walk along the Fishing Creek Loop Trail shows a different stream as driftwood can be found in trees about 5 feet above the trail. What Medoc Mountain has is hiking and lots of it.
I started out along Fishing Creek heading for the Summit Trail. After crossing the bridge the summit trail rises 160 feet in a quarter mile to the summit Medoc Mountain.
Now being only 325 feet tall Medoc Mountain is tree covered so there is no view only a lot of forest.
After following the ridge the trail drops back towards Fishing Creek. I then took the Dam Site Trail to view the remains of a dam from the grape growing years.
I hiked back in through a very old Pine forest where a controlled burn had been taking place. About six miles total hiking today. Medoc Mountain was not an exciting place but it was a very nice, quiet place to hike. most times I went here I didn’t see any other people. Ahhhhhhhh!….just the way I like it.
Old Man Wandering 