Tag Archives: Paddling

Will you remember where you were on the first Great Trails State Day?

I remember where I was on the very first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970: Standing mid-thigh in central Pennsylvania’s Buffalo Creek, ostensibly taking measurements of stream flow but instead watching the very expensive stream-flow measuring device break its cable and disappear quickly downstream. I remember this more than a half century later because our usually mild-mannered science teacher, Mr. Morris, became wildly animated as he told just how expensive the device, which he’d borrowed, was. read more

Weekend Festival opens new adventure near Edenton 

We get excited over the opening of a new trail, so imagine our excitement over the opening of a new park. Then multiply that by two because two new parks are actually opening. It’s all happening this Saturday as part of the Year of the Trail Weekend Festival in Edenton. read more

Explore the Albemarle Sound region

There’s never been a better time to sample the breadth of great paddling to be had in the Albemarle Sound region.

Yes, we’re usually about hiking. But we’re always about exploring, and this three-day Year of the Trail celebration of paddling by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Hometown Strong initiative and local entities, you will get a good introduction to the joys of exploring this region. Among other things, you’ll paddle a mill pond (Bennett’s), take evening paddles on Pembroke and Queen Anne’s creeks, and explore the Roanoke River State Trail and the new Salmon Creek State Natural Area, the latter in Big Canoes, no less. We’ll also expose you to the newest park in Bertie County, where you can paddle, hike, and swim. And then there’s Saturday’s Sounds of Summer celebration at Colonial Park on Edenton’s waterfront, which features vendors, food and live music, featuring the Band of Oz. read more

A Year of Weekend Festivals Celebrating Trails

Weekend trail festivals — a weekend devoted to all things trails — are great fun. Trouble is, what trail festivals there are in the area — AT Trail Days in Damascus, Va.; NC Trail Days in Elkin — are few and far between.

Until this year.

This year, as part of North Carolina’s observance of Year of the Trail, among the hundreds of Year of the Trail events are 11 weekend trail festivals. Most will follow this format: read more

GetOut! 5 ways to explore this holiday weekend

The three-day Fourth of July weekend is upon us, and boy do we have some great — and patriotically appropriate —  options!

Cannon Day, Monday, July 4, five demonstrations from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fort Macon State Park, Atlantic Beach. What says the 4th more than the firing of one of the biggest fireworks around — a cannon! Learn about the various cannons at this installation that dates back to 1747 and efforts to protect English settlers from Spanish raiders. At the end of each demonstration, they fire a cannon1 (It’s a blank, but still … .) Work in an ocean walk during your visit. More info here.  read more