Two wild islands.
Forever protected.
PLC and Yadkin Riverkeeper Partner to Protect Islands on the Yadkin River
APRIL 2026
Piedmont Land Conservancy and Yadkin Riverkeeper have partnered to protect 20 acres of land along the Yadkin River, including two forested islands. The islands will be opened for use as a rest stop and primitive campsite for paddlers traveling down the Yadkin River. Together, the organizations are filling a long-standing need for public access along the Yadkin River State Trail while protecting an ecologically rich stretch of the river corridor. The islands were generously donated to PLC by previous land owners Bud and Zanne Baker.
Located near mile marker 95 on the Yadkin River, the islands are approximately four miles downstream from the Donnaha put-in (mile marker 99 in Yadkin County) and three miles upstream from the Old 421 Park Access (mile marker 92 in Forsyth County). While paddlers can find a stopping point further downstream at a portage around a dam, it offers little of what most people are looking for on a river trip as it’s surrounded by concrete and without the privacy or natural setting that makes time on the water worth savoring. These islands are something different entirely: a shaded, wild, river-intimate place to rest, camp, and reconnect with the landscape.
Help Name the Islands: Public Vote Now Open
As part of this conservation milestone, PLC and Yadkin Riverkeeper are inviting the public to help choose the official name of the islands. Five names have been pre-approved as candidates, each reflecting the history, ecology, and character of this special stretch of the Yadkin River:
- Speas Ferry Islands — recognizing the historic Speas Ferry that once crossed the Yadkin on this stretch of river
- Saura Islands — a nod to the Indigenous Saura people who historically inhabited the Yadkin River valley
- Donnaha Islands — honoring the last known chief of the Saura, and a nearby archaeological site and river access point
- Spicebush Shoals — inspired by the dense spicebush that fills the understory and supports native wildlife
- Otter Banks — celebrating the river otters and wildlife that call this corridor home
Community members are also welcome to submit alternative name suggestions for consideration. While PLC and Yadkin Riverkeeper will make the final naming decision, we are committed to hearing from the people who love and use this river. Voting and name suggestions are open at www.piedmontland.org/castyourvote. The voting period will close on April 30th at midnight.
Where Paddlers Need it Most
The need for this kind of access point has been recognized for years. Located about halfway between two existing river access points, the islands sit in a stretch that has long left paddlers without a safe or legal place to land.
“These islands fill a gap on this stretch of the Yadkin,” said Ward Swann, Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator at Yadkin Riverkeeper. “Having a designated, well-managed place to stop that people actually want to use protects private land, improves safety, and helps ensure the river can be enjoyed responsibly for years to come.”
Without designated stopping points, paddlers can be forced to make difficult decisions about where to land, increasing risks on the water and encroaching on private property along the riverbanks. One of the islands includes a natural rocky beach area that allows paddlers to land safely.
The islands themselves are a beautiful place to camp or have a picnic. Water-loving tree species like box elder, hackberry, and pawpaw cover the islands, supporting wildlife with their varieties of fruit and seeds. Dense spicebush fills the understory, offering food for birds and serving as the host plant for spicebush swallowtail butterflies. Towering sycamores anchor the main island, their immense size reflecting decades of resilience in spite of flooding.
Yadkin Riverkeeper identified the islands as a place where conservation and low-impact recreation could coexist and brought PLC into the conversation. While PLC worked on steps to acquire the land, Yadkin Riverkeeper evaluated how the islands could function as a responsible river stop. Staff have scouted and identified potential campsite locations that are spaced to allow multiple groups to use the island while maintaining privacy and minimizing ecological impact. Yadkin Riverkeeper will oversee long-term campsite management and upkeep.
PLC’s role in acquiring and permanently protecting the land ensures that the islands will remain conserved, while supporting public access that is intentional, limited, and guided by stewardship principles.
“We’re excited to bring the community along in this next step by letting them have a say in what this place will be called,” said Mindy Mock, PLC Land Stewardship Director and avid paddler.
PLC and Yadkin Riverkeeper are now working together on stewardship planning and next steps for public use. The islands are open to paddlers now, and campsite improvements will continue through the spring and early summer. The goal is to establish four designated tent camping sites, with picnic and fire ring installations planned in partnership with local Eagle Scout candidates. The official name of the islands will be announced following the close of the public vote on April 30th.