The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Preserve at Parks Mill

The Creek

The creek bed is home to a large and prosperous population of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies (Hymenocallis coronaria), a 2.5-foot-tall lily with large (4-inch diameter) white flowers that appear in profusion in early May thru mid-June every year, with peak bloom during the middle two weeks of May. The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is the major reason for protecting the site. However, there is also an active aquatic animal community in the creek, including longnose gar and other fish species, with an accompanying predator community, including ospreys, herons, kingfishers, raccoons, and river otters.

Mill Building and Machinery

The mill building and machinery are largely intact but non-functional. In working to restore the mill building, we have uncovered evidence that, in addition to a grist mill, there was a sawmill and a cotton gin on the site. There is a dam and millpond on the neighboring property, with a millrace canal that conveyed water about 200 yards to a penstock and two turbines that generated the torque that operated the mill machinery. We are actively working (and fundraising) to restore the mill building to a sustainable condition.

Visiting The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Preserve at Parks Mill

Access to this protected site is only available by appointment.  Please email Bill Stringer to arrange a tour.

There are opportunities to visit the site in May when the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies are in bloom.  Dates and times are posted to our Events calendar several weeks in advance.