When I stepped out the front door early Sunday morning I was immediately struck by an odd thought: Do I need a coat?

That thought hadn’t crossed my mind in nearly four months.

We look forward to Labor Day because, psychologically at least, it marks the transition from summer to fall. More often than not, this transition is in theory. The holiday weekend usually is better-served for one last fling at the pool than it is for a six-mile hike in the Piedmont. Not this year.

On Sunday, I lead two hikes. The hike starting at 10 a.m. started with a temperature of 64 degrees. The 1 p.m. hike, 74 degrees. After a seemingly endless run of hikes in temperatures flirting with 90, it was almost fleece weather. In a first for 2020, something got off to a good start.

We’re working to help you take advantage of what hopefully will be a rewarding fall hiking season. Three immediate opportunities.

• Tuesday Night Hikes. Starting this Tuesday (Sept. 8) and running into November, we’ll be hiking every Tuesday evening starting at 6:30 p.m. Most of the hikes will begin in the fading light of day and end under the glow of headlamps. It’s a magical time of day, made even more so by the cooling temperatures and changing colors of fall. Learn more about these hikes and how you can join us by going here.
• Sunday Afternoon Hike Series. Every Sunday afternoon at 1 from now into November we’ll be hiking a different trail in the Triangle. Different and, according to our experience, a less-traveled trail in the Triangle. Having the trail to your lonesome is always a plus; in 2020 it’s not only a big win, it can also mean the difference between hiking and not hiking. For instance, on Sunday, N.C. Start Parks and Recreation reported that nine State Parks had reached capacity — and thus, were restricting entrance — by 11 a.m. On our Sunday morning hike, we saw eight hikers on our morning hike, three on the afternoon outing. Especially when the weather is great, it’s all about knowing where to go. Learn more about the Sunday Afternoon Hike Series and sign up, here. 
• Basecamp Hiking Weekend in the Pisgah National Forest. Friday afternoon, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 13. Your chance to kick off the fall hiking season with two mountain hikes, one up a mile-high mountain (not as daunting as it may sound), the other through old-growth forest. Learn more about this trip and sign up to join us here.

Fall is prime hiking season here in the Southeast. Make sure you make the most of it!