Astronomically, fall doesn’t start until Sept. 22 at 2:19 p.m. EST.  Culturally, most of us associate the handoff of summer to fall with Labor Day weekend (this weekend). This year, however, it feels like fall is already well underway: for the past week or so morning temperatures here on the North Carolina/Virginia line have been in the low 50s, daytime highs in the upper 70s. If that doesn’t scream call in sick and grab your pack, I don’t know what does.

One other thing that screams fall?

Crowded trails.

Fall weather brings out the fair weather hikers. That is, everyone who hikes once or twice a year will be hiking come fall.

What’s a solace-seeking hiker to do?

Avoid the trails most traveled in favor of the spots that are just as nice, but not as well known. Here are 5 of our favorites.

Doughton Park: Long Bottom Road Access

Laurel Springs

Grassy Gap/Basin Creek trails

Trail: 9.8 miles (round trip)

Talk about being loved to death! The Blue Ridge Parkway must be the Southeast’s most sought-after date come autumn and the fall color show. Fortunately, Doughton Park has 30 miles of trail, including a 4.8-mile stretch that runs from the base of the escarpment up Basin Creek to the Caudill Cabin. The Grassy Gap portion is relatively flat, making for a nice warmup; Basin Creek adds elevation, but along a rocky, tumbling creek, the beauty of which is more likely to take your breath away than the hike itself.

Learn more here.

Jones Lake State Park

Elizabethtown

Bay Trail

Trail: 4 miles

Keep this one tucked in your back pocket for that first fall day when the temperature isn’t likely to get out of the 50s and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. On such days, the popular state parks will have to close before they open; you, on the other hand, will be enjoying a brisk walk around Jones Lake on a trail that goes through pine savannah and dense coastal woods as it circles this rare Carolina bay. Total elevation gain? Maybe 2 feet.

Learn more here.

Medoc Mountain State Park

Hollister

Trail: 10 miles of hiking trail, another 20 miles of multi-use

Despite the fact it’s just an hour and a half drive from the Triangle, Medoc Mountain continues to fly under the local hiking radar. Why? Beats us. The 10 miles of hiking trail offer a mix of hiking along a Piedmont stream, summiting 300-foot Medoc Mountain, exploring the first vineyard in the country (or what’s left of it). Plus, if you don’t mind sharing, another 20 miles of equestrian and mountain biking trail will give you the long aerobic workout you seek on a 60-degree day. Scenery and solitude, rarely found in the same place but you’ll find it here.

Learn more here.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Falls Lake Day-hike Section T

Red Mill Road in northern Durham County

Trail: 4.2 miles (one way)

There’s something oddly enchanting about this stretch of the MST. Heading west from Red Mill Road, the trail makes its way for a couple miles through bottomland forest, influenced by the nearby Eno River but far enough way that you don’t know it’s there. Then, the trail climbs a bluff overlooking the Eno. It’s not particularly high — maybe 70 feet above the river — but it’s just enough that in the winter, the canopy bare, you have a long view to the north (you can see the Eno below). One of the more quiet stretches of the MST through the Triangle.

Learn more here.

Shallow Ford Natural Area

Elon

Trail: 5 miles in four loops

With four loop trails, you can go short or long at Shallow Ford Natural Area. Got some non-hikers in tow and need to keep it short? The 3/4-mile Basin Creek Trail gives you a nice introduction to the preserve’s bottomland forest. Tack on the 2.2-mile Hidden Hill Trail and you’ll explore meadows and upland hardwoods. Another 2.2-mile option: the Homestead Trail, which takes you along a particularly rocky and impressive stretch of the Haw River. Hike it following a good rain and you’ll develop a keen appreciation for this river that once supported a vast textile mill industry.

Learn more here.

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How about Transylvania and Jackson counties, and their respective basecamps of Brevard and Sylva?

From Tuesday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 14, those communities along with the State of North Carolina’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources are sponsoring two events under Gov. Josh Stein’s Rediscover the Unforgettable campaign. That campaign aims to let folks know that Western North Carolina is rebounding from last September’s Hurricane Helene and is eager to welcome tourists.

A disclosure before pressing on: My day job is with the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and a good deal of my time lately has been spent helping to put these events together. Thus, I’m exceptionally excited about both events, which you can find out more about by clicking the links below:

• Rediscover the Unforgettable: The Art of Exploring Brevard (this event coincides with Brevard’s second annual Plein Air Festival), Sept. 9-10
• Rediscover the Unforgettable: Sylva Adventure Sampler, Sept. 12-14

Both events include a smorgasbord of adventures, from rafting, paddling and tubing, to mountain biking, waterfall chasing and Forest Bathing.

And, of course, hiking.

There are 7 hikes as part of both events. And because the events are back-to-back, that’s nearly a week’s worth of continuous hiking. All the incentive you need to make a getaway out of it.

The hikes

The hike schedule follows. Although most hikes are free, space is limited; If you see a hike of interest, click the link and sign up. Additional information — trailhead location, weather forecast two days out, what to wear and bring — will be sent upon registration.

• 

  Tuesday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. John Rock Hike, 4.7 miles, moderate difficulty. This lollipop loop hike starts and ends from the Fish Hatchery near the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, and includes a break atop the trail’s namesake, a rock outcrop offering stellar views. Learn more and sign up here.

• Tuesday, Sept. 9, 4 p.m., Pink Beds Loop, 5 miles, moderate difficulty. A surprisingly flat hike, this trail spends much of its time navigating a rare mountain bog, elevated in the swampy parts by strategically placed boardwalk. Learn more and sign up here.

• 

  Wednesday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m., Sam Knob Hike, 8.7 miles, moderate difficulty. This hike includes great views of the Shining Rock Wilderness and passage along mountain streams, a waterfall, through a high-altitude Balsam Forest and more. Learn more and sign up here.’

• Friday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m., Pinnacle Park in. Sylva.  This 6.2-mile up-and-back hike on the Pinnacle Trail will be led by Jackson County Parks and Recreation. It gains 2,000 vertical feet and is recommended “for those who have previous experience hiking, although anyone is encouraged to try.” Learn more and sign up here.
• Saturday, Sept, 13, 9:30 a.m. – noon, Forest bathing at Pinnacle Park, If you’ve heard of forest bathing, the Japanese practice of restoring your soul through nature, here’s your chance to check it out. This hike will be led by Mark Ellison, a certified forest therapy guide and forest therapy trail consultant by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Learn more and sign up here.
• Saturday, Sept. 13, 5 p.m., Late Day Walk on the Jackson County Greenway, Sylva, 5 p.m. We wind down the day with a mellow 2.3-mile walk on the Jackson County Greenway in Sylva. Learn more and sign up here.
• Sunday, Sept. 14, 9 a.m., Hike the Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Soco Gap to Waterrock Knob, 8.8 miles. moderately difficult. On this out-and-back hike we will ascend to the highest point on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 6,692-foot Waterrock Knob, then descend back to the trailhead. Learn more and sign up here.

This is a great lineup of hikes and the perfect opportunity to reintroduce your hiking self to Western North Carolina. Not a bad way to get a jump on the fall hiking season.

Hope to see you there!

The post Rediscover Western NC with a week of great hikes appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

And the truth is, not matter how long the trail and how much time you have, even a long hike — a really long hike — can’t solve all your problems. But, as I discovered, a hike of even two hours can certainly take the edge off. And if you can invest an entire day on the trail? So much better.

We have a collection of long hikes that we draw from hen we have the time, the motivation, and the need, to spend the day divorced from the world. Here are nine favorites.

Company Mill Trail with Sycamore Loop

Umstead State Park, Raleigh

10 miles

A figure-eight double lollipop loop that exposes you to the best of Umstead. Starting from the Harrison Avenue entrance (a k a the Reedy Creek entrance), take the Company Mill Trail over three small ridges to Crabtree Creek. Cross the green metal bridge and go right. You’ll follow Crabtree for a spell, climb to the bike and bridle trail that bisects the park and continue. Shortly, you’ll hit a kiosk indicating a short spur to the Sycamore Trail; do the 4-mile loop portion of Sycamore, then return to the Company Mill Trail and hike the portion you haven’t. Lots of up and down on this hike, but nothing grueling. Be advised that the first mile of Company Mill, down to Crabtree Creek, can be crowded on a nice weekend; it becomes less popular from there.

More info here

Birkhead Mountain Wilderness lollipop loop

Uwharrie National Forest, Asheboro
11.8 miles

Starting from the trailhead off Tot Hill Road, hike the Birkhead Mountain Trail south for two miles before hitting the popular loop that Boy Scouts, among others, have been using for years to cut their backpacking teeth. Where the Robbins Branch Trail enters from the right, continue straight on the Birkhead for two miles. (Despite the fact this is a designated wilderness, the trail is well blazed.) After two miles, go right on the Hannahs Creek Trail, where, for the first time, you abandon ridgelines in favor of passage along holly-clogged creeks. After a mile and a half, go right on the Robbins Branch Trail, which climbs a ridge before dropping to its namesake creek and rejoining the Birkhead after 3.2 miles. A great hike year-round, but winter is the only time you’ll catch views from the ridge.

More info: For information on hiking the Uwharries, consult the “Uwharrie Lakes Region Trail Guide,” by Don Childrey, here; find a detailed trip description of the 22.9-mile hike from NC 24/27 to the Jumpingoff Rock Trailhead in “Backpacking North Carolina” (UNC Press, 2011).

Moore’s Knob and Indian Creek trails

Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury
11.5 miles

Starting from the Visitor Center, the 4.3-mile Moore’s Knob Loop Trail offers a dandy warm-up, passing the lake and bathhouse, then probing a tunnel of holly. About a mile in, it’s time to get down to business, with a long ridge ascent to Moore’s Knob. Continue the loop back to the Visitor Center for Round 2: the Indian Creek Trail descends to Hidden and Window falls, then drops its load of hikers before continuing another three miles to the Dan River. And back. Moore’s Knob offers the best views in the park and is considerably less crowded than the park’s namesake creek. Least crowded of all is Indian Creek Trail beyond the falls. An especially good option if you need to take a break midway — or you need to warm up.

More info here

Ridgeline Trail

Crowders Mountain State Park/Kings Mountain State Park (S.C.), Kings Mountain
12 miles
The 12-mile Ridgeline Trail joins two state parks — North Carolina’s Crowders Mountain and Kings Mountain in South Carolina, plus S.C.’s Kings Mountain National Military Park. Start from the North Carolina Visitor Center, hike to the base of Kings Pinnacle — don’t pass the opportunity to take the short spur to the top for great views— then continue south through rolling Piedmont countryside to the park’s Boulders Access, then on to the South Carolina state line (once the trail hits the Palmetto State, it is flat for the remainder). The ridgeline section may not seem sexy, but it’s the only trail in the park that’s not overrun; its quiet is amplified on a winter hike.

More info here

Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Eno River

Durham and Orange counties

10.2 miles

Starting upstream on the Eno at the Pleasant Green Access, hike up a bluff overlooking the Eno, around an abandoned quarry, through surprising stretches of steep climbs and sharp drops. Pass under Cole Mill Road and the trail mellows, heading through flood plain forest and occasionally taking a more upland route. At Guess Road you hike up to the bridge, stay on your side of the road, cross the bridge, then curl under the bridge to continue downstream. The beauty of this hike is that on parts of it, you’ll feel like you’re on a mountain hike, with quick ups and downs through narrow coves. And the rocky Eno does a good job of mimicking a mountain  stream, especially after a nice rain.

More info here

Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Falls Lake

Wake and Durham counties

21.8 miles (out of 60 total)

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail runs 60 miles along the south shore of Falls Lake through the Triangle. With the trail broken down into 18 day-hike sections, ranging in length from just under a mile to nearly seven, there are plenty of long-hike permutations. Here’s a favorite. Starting from the Falls Lake ranger station off NC 50, hike west. Immediately, you are in the most remote stretch of the MST along Falls Lake, a nearly seven-mile run where signs of your fellow humans are rare (save for the remains of an old tobacco barn and what appears to have been a commercial chicken coop). The trail ducks in and out of coves on the lake, loses sight of it occasionally, has some boardwalked, swampy passages. At Little Lick Creek there’s an impressive pedestrian footbridge followed by an impressively narrow and long boardwalk. From there, it’s more hiking typical of a Piedmont hardwood forest. This 21.8-mile stretch concludes at the Hickory Hill Boat Ramp: no facilities but lots of parking. There is no water along the way; be sure to pack in plenty, even in winter.
More info: For more information on navigating this stretch and for scouting your own 20-mile hike on the MST at Falls Lake, go here.

Pilot Creek Trail

Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle

6.6 miles (out and back)

Quiet and solitude are not qualities generally associated with Pilot Mountain. Over the last three years in particular, the summit of this park anchoring the west end of the Sauratown Mountain Range has become so popular that on weekends you can’t drive to the top, you must take a shuttle. Not the case when you hike from the Boyd Nelson Road access on the north side of the park. Here, catch the Pilot Creek Trail for a 3.3-mile hike that may not have the views the summit can offer, but is rich in rocky terrain and good winter vibes. At the 3.3-mile mark, if you’re hankering for those views, take the Grindstone Trail for a vigorous climb to the top. Or, do an about face for the 3.3-mile hike back.

More info here.

Great Dismal Swamp NWR

Chesapeake, Suffolk, VA 

40+ miles

One of the most memorable days of hiking I’ve had in the last 20 years was on a bitter cold, stunningly sunny day at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge outside Suffolk. I headed out early and just started walking — and walking and walking. The refuge, like many of its fellow NWRs in the region, us designed for the long saunter. More than 40 miles of natural surface roads, closed to traffic, penetrate this 113,000-acre preserve (the Great Dismal once covered more than a million acres). Though there are some shorter trails, the four “ditch trail” systems cover from 11 to 16 miles each. Flat, quiet hiking on level surface penetrating a vast swamp, hiking that accommodates miles of thought-free wandering, especially on a cold winter’s day.

More info here.

High Bridge Trail

High Bridge Trail State Park, Green Bay, VA

31.2 miles

You can’t discuss long winter hikes and not include a rail-trail in the mix. The High Bridge Trail follows the old Southside Railroad (and later, Norfolk Southern) line, which once linked Petersburg and Lynchburg. Since 2012, it’s been a recreational trail open to hiking, biking and horseback riding, and takes travelers through several towns, including Morgan, Rice, FarmVille, Tuggle, Prospect, Elam and Pamplin. Shuttles are easily set up (the trail parallels, at different points, VA 406, VA 600 and Prince Edward Highway. An especially good option for folks new to long hiking.

More info here.

The post 9 Long Hikes to Help Restore Your Spirit appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

60 degrees!

I knew it was supposed to cool off this week, but 60? I couldn’t remember the last time it had been so cool in this summer of record heat. A good two months, at least. 

A spirit-lifting temperature, but still shy of my fall benchmark. Then, an hour later I took out Dog #2 (she likes to sleep in) and it was 58. Within a half hour it would drop another degree, to 57.

I have a standing deal with myself as summer wears on: When the temperature finally drops below 60, I drop what I’m doing and go for a hike. Psychologically, that first sub-60 breaks summer’s spell; I can finally let myself think about fall and the fall hiking season. I will hike when it’s hot, up to 90, maybe 92. But in this summer of sustained upper 90s, the spirit hasn’t been willing. This morning, though, I dropped my guard and thought of the first 5 hikes I wanted to do come fall. And because I don’t like wasting time, I went out that morning and did two of them. 

My top 5 Hikes to kick off fall:

Ruben Mountain Loop Trail

Hanging Rock State Park

5.6 miles 

Moderate

Trailhead: Tory’s Den parking lot, 1185 Charlie Young Road, Westfield, NC

This distance gets an asterisk. Two, in fact. First, the loop is advertised on the State Park website as 2.9 miles — but first you have to get to the trailhead. The shortest way to do that: take the Tory’s Den Trail for 1 mile from its namesake parking lot. OK, you say, a mile to get there, a mile to get back, that’s 2 miles, for a total of 4.9. Hang on: the loop doesn’t exactly connect; you need to tack on another seven-tenths of a mile on the Tory’s Den Trail to make that happen. All that said, this was my first time on Ruben Mountain, the first, I suspect, of many. AllTrails says there’s a 715-foot total elevation gain on this hike; I’m guessing 75 percent of that is on the 1-mile hike in. The loop itself is surprisingly flat. The trail is also open to equestrians, so it’s a good social hiking trail, accommodating hikers side-by-side. It also has great fall color potential and, I’m guessing, is sparsely hiked, even in Hanging Rock’s busy fall hiking season. 

More info here.

Off trail

Your choice; in my case Hanging Rock State Park

2 miles (in this case) 

Moderate to strenuous

Trailhead: The end of Sheep Rock Road in Danbury,  NC 36.408063, -80.215629

This may be my favorite hike — and there’s not even a trail. From the east end of the park in Danbury, at the end of Sheep Rock Road, is a modest entry point into the park. A chain keeps cars off the gravel roadbed that disappears downhill past a tobacco barn, then climbs 2.5 miles to and along the ridge marking the eastern extent of the park. In summer, you can follow the road up to and along the ridge past the second of three unnamed peaks referred to as the “Three Sisters” (there are actually four). The route has all the character of Hanging Rock — the rock outcrops, the oak and pine woods — but no people: In 20 years of hiking I’ve never seen anyone other than myself and the hikers I’ve been with. Plus, the elevation is high enough — about 2,000 feet at the top — you can get a jumpstart on fall color.

More info here.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake

Day-hike Section S (Red Mill Road to Red Mill Road)

4.8 miles (one way)

Moderate

Trailhead: Red Mill Road, Durham

The whole 60-mile stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake’s southern shoreline says fall to me: the trail here is dominated by hardwoods that come alive with color in fall, the season’s quiet is underscored along the lake, open meadows let the season’s angling sunlight slip through. But the 4.8-mile run of MST that starts and ends off Red Mill Road seems especially appropriate for the season. It travels a bit further from civilization than much of the rest of the MST along the lake, it has numerous meadows for sungazing, it offers peeks at the more remote stretches of Falls Lake, and it’s relatively flat. In short, it’s easy to lose yourself in thought on this hike.

More info here.

Rock Castle Gorge Trail

Rocky Knob Recreation Area

Blue Ridge Parkway, Floyd VA

10.8 miles 

Strenuous

Trailhead: BRP MP 169

The entire 10.8 miles may be a bit to chew off this early in the season. If so, concentrate on the roughly 3.5 miles that stays along or just below the ridge along the Parkway, passing through vast mountain meadows and Southern Appalachian hardwoods. There’s elevation in spots, but generally this moderate section of the trail will get you excited for fall. At 3,000 feet you’ll experience early fall color as well as crisp fall air. Looking for something more remote and less crowded? Hike the 3-mile stretch that follows Rock Castle Creek at the base of the gorge. 

More info here.

Confluence Natural Area

Hillsborough

4 miles (recommended; 5 miles total) 

Moderate

Trailhead: 4214 Highland Farm Road, Hillsborough

Let us not forget the natural areas brought to us by our land conservancies, in this case the Eno River Association. Confluence comes to mind because the Eno River Association recently added another 2 miles of trail with the Poplar Bend Loop. When I lived in Hillsborough, I spent a lot of time on this 270-acre preserve’s main trail, Two Forks, which offers an intimate encounter with both the East and West branches of the Eno River. The just-opened Poplar Bend Loop is more of an upland ramble through a maturing hardwood forest, that should offer good color followed by great sightlines through a naked forest. Four miles of diverse hiking.

More info here.

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Hiking Guidance

Looking for hiking tips, gear reviews, resources and info on podcasts, videos, books and additional media? Check out our help guides at GetGoingNC.com. 

The post 5 Hikes to Welcome Fall appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

For the past few years, since turning 60, whenever I’ve finished a favorite challenging hike, I’ve wondered: Will I hike this trail again?

In part, that’s because there’s a limited amount of time in life and a growing number of trails. We like hiking our favorites, we like hiking new trails. And since the pandemic, more trails coming on line. Decisions, decisions.

But there’s another factor. I’ve come to the slow-dawning realization that I while I’ll mylikely be able to hike another 20 years, I may not always be able to hike 15 miles in a day. Or 10. Or 7 or 8. 

That’s why when I had a day off recently and a forecast favorable for a long day on the trail — high temperature of 50, cloudless skies — I knew what I had to do. And I knew where I wanted to do it.

When I started GetHiking! more than a decade ago, the first long mountain hike we did was at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Doughton offers the best hiking along Parkway: 30 miles of trail consisting of the most challenge hiking near Charlotte, the Triad, the Triangle. Four trails — Cedar Ridge, Bluff Ridge, Grassy Gap Fire Road and Flat Rock Ridge — climb the Blue Ridge escarpment, where they all connect with the 7.5-mile Bluff Mountain Trail (also the Mountains-to-Sea Trail). You can put together three long loops, ranging up to 17 miles. That first year we did the longest (up Cedar Ridge, across Bluff Mountain, down Flat Rock); a couple weeks back, because of time and available sunlight (not an area you want to hike after dark), I chose the Cedar Ridge/Bluff Mountain/Bluff Ridge route, about 15 miles. 

This hike is best done starting from the little-used Longbottom Road Access at the base of the escarpment. The reason: you get 80 percent of the climbing out of the way on the hike up. This is good for the obvious reason: who doesn’t like finishing a long day hiking downhill? It’s good, too, because if you overestimate your fitness and the climb is winning, you simply reverse course and head back down. I’d know within an hour if I had a 15-mile mountain hike in me.

Why?

Because the first mile and a quarter of Cedar Ridge is the worst; it’s not until the 2.2-mile mark that you encounter level ground, even a short descent. You still trend uphill for another two miles, but it’s not nearly as taxing. By the time you hit the Bluff Mountain Trail at mile 4.3, the bulk of your climb is over. For the day.

As I walked, I recalled my previous hikes on the trail. On that first GetHiking! hike, when I would have been 55, I don’t recall being overly tired after our 17-mile day. That’s in large part because when you’re leading a group you can’t feel overly tired: your charges get wind that you’re flagging and suddenly they’re really tired, too. I remember being especially invigorated on the long, mellow downhill on Flat Rock Ridge back to the trailhead. Same with a corporate group I took that returned down Grassy Gap Trail (we encountered a dusting of snow on that winter hike). I remember the first time taking the shorter, steeper Ridge Mountain Primitive Trail and seeing a momma bear and her two cubs, I remember scouting the trail for book projects  twice. The last time, in 2021, we base camped at the Basin Cove primitive camp, then spent a very cold and windy November Saturday on the trail, returning at dusk. Brief flashes of previous adventures suggested at least three other times doing a Doughton loop.

They were all good memories, and I’m sure that contributed to the fact it wasn’t until mile 13.5, coming off the Bluff Ridge Trail, that it occurred to me I was on the verge of being tired. Before hiking the last mile and a half on gently trending downhill, I took off my hiking shoes and stuck my feet in a very nippy Basin Creek. 

As my feet slowly went numb I realized I was as happy on the trail as I’ve been in a while. I recounted particularly memorable parts of the hike — drawing water from the Brinegar spring, the views from the open meadows near Bluff Mountain, the sun, the fact I only saw one other hiker — and smiled. 

I can’t wait to do this hike again, I thought.

And I’m pretty sure I will.

* * *

Forever hikes

Here’s the skinny on my top 5 Forever Hikes.

Doughton Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Sparta

30 miles of trail, 3 long loops

The trail in today’s tale. 

Learn more here.

Standing Indian Recreation Area, Nantahala National Forest, Franklin

40 miles of trail, various loops involving the Appalachian Trail

As the AT enters Standing Indian, it traces a horseshoe-shaped ridge; about a dozen trails snaking up from the Standing Indian Recreation Area over a variety of loop options. Note: Three weeks after doing Doughton Park, I lead a two-day, one-night backpack trip on a favorite loop, starting from the backcountry trailhead: Long Branch Trail to the AT to Lower Trail Ridge Way, for 24 miles. 

Learn more here.

Appalachian Trail: Carver’s Gap to US 19E, Roan Mountain, Tenn.

13.7 miles

I’ve only done this as a day hike twice — largely because it’s such a stunningly gorgeous hike that you don’t want to rush it. We usually do it as a two-nighter, staying Night 1 at the Overmountain Victory Trail crossing and Night 2 at Doll Flats.

Learn more here.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake, Durham/Raleigh

16.4 miles: Penny’s Bend to Cheek Road (Day-Hike sections P,Q,R,S,T)

The MST spends 60 of its 1,175 miles along Falls Lake’s south shore, and all it makes for good hiking. We like this leg-stretcher because it’s among the more remote stretches of MST through the Triangle — and it’s probably the latest stretch!

Learn more here.

Weetock Trail, Croatan National Forest, Cape Carteret

11 miles

I love off-trail hiking, which is why I love this trail. The first 7 or so miles are fairly easy, over mostly flat coastal forest terrain with the occasional gully dip. The last 5 miles or so is an exercise in wayfinding, thanks to a hurricane a few years back that turned the trail into an obstacle course, an especially fun one.

Learn more here. 

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