We’re finally catching up with the mail bag — and just in time for what appears to be the first warm weekend in a while.
You write to us for a variety of reasons. To find out where to take visiting kin hiking. To see if we know what the latest bear situation is in the Smokies. To ask if you can optimize our visibility on the Web, for a modest fee. You also write to point out certain … deficiencies in GetGoingNC’s content. Your latest batch of constructive comments comes in time to help others make the most of a weekend that will see sun and temperatures climbing into the mid 60s.
Paddling. The Dan River Company writes to note that they had been omitted for our list of 41 Places (now 42) to rent a canoe or kayak in North Carolina. An especially bad oversight on our behalf because: a) the paddling in the northern Piedmont — on the Dan and Mayo in particular — is stellar, b) the Dan River Co. has been around for a while, and c) we’ve used their service. In addition to canoe and kayak rentals and providing shuttle service, the Dan River Co.’s base camp has a new neighbor, the Green Heron Club, which sounds like a nice apres paddle spot for a drink and live music.
Our apologies, DRC. Your listing has been added to our now list of 42 Places to Rent a Canoe or Kayak in North Carolina. It looks like this:
Dan River Company, 336.593.2628
Boats: Canoes, kayaks, shuttle service
Rates: Kayak trips, including being put on and taken off the river, start at $35 per person for a 3-hour trip on the Dan River; canoe trips start at $55. Shuttle rates are $12 to $22
Camping. Mary D. writes to point out a bad link in our Local Campground, Local Escape listings. The listings, which can be found here, are done in our collaboration with the Great Outdoor Provision Co. and include five local campgrounds in seven major North Carolina markets: Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. Mary noted that our link for camping in fact took you to Lake Norman. (You bloggers know how tedious doing links can be, that to stem the mind-numbing boredom you find yourself dreaming about the weekend or checking out the latest cat video? If memory serves, the day we did those links we got hooked on cat-in-cardboard-box videos. But we digress … .)
Anyway, thanks to Mary if you want information on camping at McDowell Nature Preserve, you will now get information on camping at McDowell Nature Preserve, here. For information on camping options near the state’s metro areas, go here.
Hiking. David Gardner writes: “Please add the Uwharrie Trail as a good hiking location. It is 22.5 miles from the trailhead on NC 24/27 west of Troy to Jump Off Rock Trail Head on Flint Hill Road. Can also hike a new section north from Jump Off Rock. Contact me if you want a neat medal to remember this hike.”
A medal? Groovy.
In fact, David, in addition to our guide to great hikes near seven major North Carolina cities (yes, another collaboration with our friends at the Great Outdoor Provision Co.) we are about to unveil a list of 25 great hikes in North Carolina. That list, to be posted March 20, the first day of spring, will indeed include the Uwharrie National Recreation Trail, a fave of GetGoingNC. (Until then, you can find information on the Uwharrie National Recreation Trail here — and pardon the self-promotion in advance.)
So there you have it, in time for a springlike weather, updated and accurate info to help you plan an active weekend. In addition to Paddling, Camping and Hiking, you can also find direction in the areas of Climbing, Cross-Country Skiing, Greenway travel, Mountain Biking and Trail Running.
Have a swell weekend.
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