Tag Archives: Umstead State Park

Where to cross-country ski in urban North Carolina

As of 9 a.m. on Friday, the prospects for cross-country skiing were grim in the Triangle: the nearly six inches of snow forecast the night before — the minimum amount creating a sufficient base on some trails — had taken more the form of ice, a surface good for little more than hockey and busting your keister. But hey, it’s still early in this weather event dubbed Jonas. read more

This weekend: Find a swan, a bald, your way

Tens of thousands of tundra swans make their way south from Canada to the North Carolina coast every year, never once stopping to ask directions. Yet we got lost between the parking lot and the trailhead. Check out those navigationally gifted tundra swans at the coast this weekend, or learn how to successfully find the trailhead in the Piedmont. Or, go to the mountains and climb a high bald you’ve likely never heard. read more

90 Second Escape: Walking in the Rain

Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video or slide show of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb. read more

Trails for walkin’ in the rain

Hiking along the Eno
Hiking along the Eno

To the glass-half-empty crowd, this weekend’s forecast of rain followed by more rain topped by a dash of drizzle (and more rain) may seem discouraging. But if you don’t mind seeing that half-full glass fill further, the wet weekend offers opportunity. You just need to know how to dress for it and where to best enjoy a walk in the wet woods. read more

90 Second Escape: First Light

Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video or slide show of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb. read more