Morgan Creek is an approximately 17-mile-long tributary of the New Hope River running through Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties. The creek is named after Mark Morgan, an early white settler in the area who lived along its banks. Morgan Creek begins at Pickards Mountain, flows past Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and becomes part of Jordan Lake. Well-known locally, the creek even makes an appearance in the song “Copperline” by Chapel Hill native James Taylor. The creek is home to a vast array of wildlife, accommodating all sorts of birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals. These residents are represented in the mural by a cardinal, the state bird. One way to enjoy the creek is the Morgan Creek Trail, which opened in Chapel Hill in 2011.
Wildlife on Morgan Creek
