Milliken Hill is a famous tourist attraction in the beautiful city of Enugu, Enugu State Nigeria. The hill which is about 100 meters above sea level, offers a beautiful standpoint for a panoramic view of Enugu metropolis, at the foot of the hill is the first road that leads into the city of Enugu. Beneath the hills are tunnels, coal mines as well as the Iva valley. The Milken Hill can be found within Ngwo axis of Enugu North Local Government Area. The Milliken hill is the most popular and one of the most visited hill in Enugu, the hill is ideal for mountaineering and top choice for group and individual activities such as hiking, camping and more..
History of Milliken
In 1908, a British expedition on its way to the middle belt region of Nigeria from Awka, sighted the hill at Enugu Ngwo and reported back to Lagos. In appreciation of its natural, beautiful outlook and anticipation of the inherent mineral potentials drew the attention of the colonial government in Lagos. The colonial government to send a team of mining engineers to the place in 1909 to prospect for silver, but the team discovered coal instead. With the discovery of coal, The Europeans settled at Enugu Ngwo on the top of the hill. Beneath the hill is the quarters of the miners at Iva Valley Mines and Onyeama Mines, other mines includes the Ogbete Mines and the Okpara mines.
Also See: A Guide To Hiking In Enugu, Where To Go
Milliken Hill Road
After the discovery of coal within the Hilliken Hill, The 4.8km long Milliken Hill Road was constructed in 1909 and named after the head engineer who designed the road. The road which has about 33 sharp bends winds through the foot of the hill bounded by a deep gully. Underneath the hills are relics of coal mines and its beautiful tunnels. In 2018, the milliken hill road was reconstructed for the first time after its first construction 1909. Before an alternative road leading to Enugu from Ngwo axis of the state was constructed, motorist coming in and out of the city of Enugu had no other choice than to ply the milliken hill road which has recorded the second highest accident rate in the state after the onyeama hill due to its winding nature.
Also see: Top Five Ideal Place For Picnic in Enugu
A tour on the road introduces a first time user to the beautiful green nature of Enugu. An experience described by many as a natural roller coaster. The road further leads to New Market, the second largest market in Enugu, to Polo park shopping mall on Abakaliki Road, one of the biggest mall In West Africa. The road also leads to the famous Ngwo Pine forest, a forest that harbors rows of pine trees to form a natural canopy, ideal for picnic; the natural carpet of pine leaves makes this more interesting as it can serve as a natural blanket. Also, if you enjoy hiking, you can hike down to the valley where a waterfall within a natural cave makes for a good feast for the eyes.
A ride from Ngwo hilltop down to New market through Milliken Hill Road