Stormy weather sticks around, for much of the region, though Saturday: Sunday, it’s low 70s and sunny. Perfect weather for getting outside.

But will everyone be thinking along the same lines?

Today, we direct you back to some of our strategies for avoiding the crowds that have caused some state parks in North Carolina to close their gates.

• Hike Where the Horses Do. In this post from yesterday, we tout the virtues of hiking trails developed with horses in mind — but open to hikers as well. North Carolina State Parks, for instance, have 118 miles of horse trails in 11 parks, while hundreds of additional miles of equestrian trail can be found in the state’s four national forests. Read that post here.
• Hike the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The state’s best known trail also, curiously, offers your best bet for a quiet ramble. We offer tips on how to identify some of the statewide trail’s less trod treat, in a post you may read here.
• Finding the right time and place. A few tips in this post about the best time of day to hike and how to find trails that may not be as populated.
• Hike in the rain. Perhaps your best bet at solitude is to hike Saturday, in the rain. Unless there’s also thunder and lightening in the forecast, we’re big fans of hiking in a light to moderate rain. It’s a much different experience, and one in which you’re unlikely to encounter any fellow hikers. Read that post here.
• Embrace the heat. Most people hang up their hiking shoes and boots when the hot, humid weather rolls in. And that’s the perfect time to enjoy a little me-and-only-me time on the trail, Read our post about embracing a hot-weather hike here.

Also, because the number of trails open and closed is constantly changing, we suggest checking ahead to make sure the trail you’d like to hike is actually open. Below are the websites of some of the region’s largest public land managers where you can find the latest trail status:

• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• North Carolina State Parks
• North Carolina National Forests (Croatan, Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie)
• Shenandoah National Park
• Virginia National Forests (George Washington and Jefferson)
• Virginia State Parks

Enjoy your weekend; make sure you GetOut!

Today’s video

Today, we take you back to last summer and our GetBackpacking! trip to Wilson Creek. Why Wilson Creek? Because it’s likely one of the first spots we will backpack this summer, on a trip that will focus on the developing the skills and confidence to backpack solo. For more information on the class, drop us a line expressing your interest, to info@getgoingnc.com.