There is a run-able thoroughfare on the left side with a concrete bridge connecting the island with the riverbank. This area was once the site of a Native-American settlement and numerous artifacts have been recovered here. Leak Island is a good stopping point along the trail and is worth a quick exploration. As you paddle further downstream, you will be passing land that is part of the 9,000-acre Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge. The Pee Dee Refuge is the only inland wildlife refuge in North Carolina and is home to a variety of wildlife.
Brown Creek is a major tributary that crosses the wildlife refuge.
The parking area and river access is located on the south side of the NC 109 bridge in Anson County. While the Pee Dee River generally flows north to south, this section of the trail contains a length of the river that runs to the east and slightly north. Depending on the wind speed and direction, the breezes will vary significantly along this stretch. Much of the riverbank has been cleared for farm fields during this stretch, unfortunately, so there isn't a lot of shade on a hot day. As the river turns southward again, be sure to keep an eye out for an old roadbed through the trees that seems to stop right at the water's edge.