Some of our favorite North Carolina State Park hikes are this weekend, a weekend that will be on the cool side throughout the state. We start with two coastal favorites:
Carnivorous Plant Hike, Saturday, 10 a.m., Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. The perfect hike for someone you’d like to get more involved in the outdoors. The trail, the Flytrap Trail, is short, just a half mile. It’s flat and easy to navigate (it’s wheelchair accessible), and it features a natural wonder, the carnivorous plants — including the Venus flytrap — that are unique to the region. A ranger leads the way and shares the stories of these curious plants. Masks are required, space is limited: reserve a spot by calling 910.458.8206. More info here.
Basin Hike, Saturday, 2 p.m., Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, Kure Beach. Another good option for the hike-reluctant. Though this trail is a mile long (2 miles, out and back), it is flat and it probes some of the most wide-open space in the state. With the Atlantic Ocean on your left at the start, the trail goes through dune and salt marsh on its way first to a concrete World War II bunker that, more than a half century ago, was home to the Fort Fisher Hermit. The trail continues on to the end of the peninsula, where you can check out The Rocks and The Basin, part of the Zeke’s Island component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve, a “1,160-acre area of outstanding estuarine and ocean resources with extensive marshes and tidal flats.” Masks are required, space is limited: reserve a spot by calling 910.458.5798. More info here.
On to the mountains:
Profile Trail Wildflower Hike, Sunday, 10 a.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Banner Elk. Wildflower season has begun at one of the most ecologically diverse places in the state, in the country. And if you’re picturing the wild, gnarly, volatile Grandfather Mountain, picture again: this hike is on the Profile Trail along the base of the massif’s northwestern flank, mostly along the Watauga River through a mature hardwood forest. The entire hike is less than three miles and takes a leisurely pace (allow 2 to 3 hours). Masks are required, space is limited: reserve a spot by calling 828.963.9522 or emailing grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov. More info here.
Camping, anyone?
A reminder that if you’ve got a hankerin’ to go camping this weekend — or any time — but don’t have the essential gear, our GetCamping! program can help. Six-person tent, two plush two-person sleeping mattresses, camp stove, rockin’ camp chairs and more. All you have to bring is yourself and some food. Learn more about our GetCamping! program here.
Looking for a hike?
Interested in taking a hike but not sure where to go? Our GetHiking! guides provide maps, detailed route descriptions, details from how to reach to trailhead to how far and hard the trail is, an overview of the hike — even a virtual tour! Check out our offerings here.