GetHiking! 2020

GetHiking! is designed to get you out on the trail, discovering North Carolina’s diverse natural areas on foot. We provide tips on the gear you need to get started, and we offer various programs taking you into the woods.

Hiking the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake.

Because we get it. When a walk turns down a dirt path and disappears into the woods, a walk becomes hike and questions creep in: Where does the trail lead? Is it difficult? Can I trust the people I’m hiking with to lead me back out?

Legitimate concerns all—and these are the concerns that drive our GetHiking! program.

Where does the trail lead? We’ve got a map for that. Also, we’ve been down this trail many times before, and we can tell you what to expect (and get you excited as well!).

Is it difficult? Some trails are difficult and not suitable for a beginner. When that’s the case, we let you know well in advance: we want you to have fun, and no one has fun when they find themselves climbing Mount Everest when they thought they’d be strolling up Mount Easy.

Can I trust the people I’m hiking with? We started GetHiking! after hearing too many stories of hikers who couldn’t keep pace getting left behind. Our hikes are led from the back, so you will never be the last hiker— we will always be behind you.

Let’s get hiking!

Ready to walk in the woods? Check below for information on Get Hiking! programs.

Beginning Hiker Series. You’ve wondered about hiking, now’s your opportunity to act. Our Beginning Hiker Series consists of eight weekly hikes at different locations around the Triangle intended to introduce you to the world of hiking. The hikes are 2 to 4 miles long, are on Sunday afternoons, and — and this is especially important for you beginners — are led from the back, so you’ll never be left behind. Learn more about our Winter 2020 Series that runs January 5 through February 23 and sign up here.

Experienced Hiker Series. Need a little motivation to keep hiking in winter? Every Sunday afternoon through February, we’ll hike a different trail in the Triangle area. We’ll start with a 4.2-mile hike along the Eno and finish with an 8.9-mile hike on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. In between, our hikes will be 5 to 7 miles — just long enough to get you ready for the spring hiking season. Learn more about our Winter 2020 Series that runs January 5 through February 25 and sign up here.

Tuesday Night Hikes. Just because the sun sets on Daylight Saving Time doesn’t mean it needs to set on your midweek afterwork hiking. One Tuesday night a month, from November through March, we’ll don our headlamps and hit one of our favorite trails — in the dark. The hikes are 3 to 4 miles long. In addition, in January and February, we’ll do a longer weekend night hike. Learn more and sign up here.

Winter Wild. Winter is the honest season. Stripped of busy ground cover, an obscuring understory and a thick canopy, winter keeps no secrets. Stone foundations from homesteads long abandoned lie exposed. Distant mountain peaks are revealed. Critters have nowhere to hide. It’s the perfect time to be in the woods. Especially if you head off the beaten path. That’s the aim of our new Winter Wild Hike Series. We’ll take you to five places you may have hiked, but explore portions of them we’re pretty sure you haven’t. In most cases, we’ll start out on trail, but we won’t stay there long. We’ll spend most of each hike using abandoned roadbeds and game paths to discover the hidden secrets exposed by winter. Learn more and sign up here.