Monday:  we find it hard to transition from a weekend of adventure to a workweek of … work.  So we typically find ourself easing into reality with a bit of weekend reflection. Or daydreaming as some might call it …

Today, we find ourself back on the trail at Raven Rock State Park Sunday afternoon. Now, if you were at Raven Rock around 12:30 you likely found yourself in a queue waiting to get into the popular park, which is currently limiting access due to the pandemic. That’s if you were trying to get into the main part of the park, on the south side of the Cape Fear River. Ah, but if you had been with us on the north side of the park, in the Avents Creek Access Area, you would have had far less company — and most of it four-footed.

Avents Creek has a pair of 4-mile loop trails that both begin from the parking lot. Start on the West Loop, hike down through some Appalachian-like terrain to Avents Creek and Jumping Fish Falls, then enjoy a mellow climb back out. If your legs are willing and the weather cooperating, tack on the more Piedmont-like East Loop. A great way to spend a warm day in the woods, minus the crowds.

The accompanying video is from the Avents Creek trails, some from Sunday’s hike, some from two weeks earlier. If you like what you see, check it out, it won’t disappoint. We’ve put together a GetHiking! Guide to Hiking Raven Rock | Avents Creek Trails, with all the pertinent information you need to hike here. One thing to emphasize: Horse trails in North Carolina State Parks are subject to closure when wet; a good idea to check the website to make sure they’re open before heading out.

And you? How was your weekend? Feel free to let us know and post photos on our GetGoingNC Facebook page.

Until next weekend, have a swell week!

Resources

• Find the GetHiking! Guide for Raven Rock | Avents Creek Trails and other GetHiking! Guides at our Explore with Us! page at GetGoingNC.com. 
• Like the idea of hiking in summer, but have trouble reconciling the trails with the temperatures? Our GetHiking! Guide to Summer Hiking offers tips and perspective on how you, too, can stop worrying and love the balm. Find it here.

Both guides are 99 cents.

Facebook Live Follow

On this morning’s Morning Walk with Joe on Facebook Live, I mentioned benefitting from the vast trove of prose on nature provided by Riverdave Owen via his classes and Facebook page. You, too, can benefit from Riverdave’s insights here.

And you can tag along on our Morning Walk with Joe every weekday morning around 7:30, on our Facebook page, here.