We got rained out last weekend: no “Scenes from the Weekend Past” to share.
It’s going to feel like fall this weekend! When you wake up, the temperature will likely be in the 50s; on Saturday, at least, it won’t get out of the mid-70s. A return to fall the weekend before summer official starts — can’t beat that!
Let’s see what fall-appropriate things are going on this weekend:
Mountain Nature Hike, Saturday, 5 p.m., Mount Jefferson Nature Hike, West Jefferson. You might need a fleece for this late afternoon mountain hike, in which a ranger will talk about Mount Jefferson’s unusual flora. The hike is 1.2 miles and starts from the picnic area. “Sturdy shoe” highly recommended. (This late-day hike pairs well on a cool June day with a mid-afternoon hike at nearby Elk Knob State Park, just down the road in Todd. The 2-mile Summit Trail weaves through a lush mountain forest and offers stellar views, including Mount Jefferson, from the 5,520-foot summit.) Learn more about the Mount Jefferson Nature Hike here.read more
So, there’s a bit of rain in the forecast this weekend, which means you just might have to strike while the sky is dry. Thus, flexibility and spontaneity may be the keys to adventure this weekend. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have a plan …
Canoe the Scuppernong, Saturday, 9 a.m. – noon, Pettigrew State Park, Creswell (which is just down the road from Plymouth, which is east Williamston … it’s a ways out of U.S. 64). Years ago we paddled five miles on the coastal Scuppernong River, one of the most intimate paddles we can recall. A lush canopy overhead made the summer paddle less steamy, the dense vegetation crowding both banks giving the impression of a journey in the tropics. Saturday, sample a stretch of the very same Scuppernong with a park ranger on this 3-hour float. What’s provided, where to meet, what to bring, what not to wear — it’s all here.read more
A cool front moves over the land this weekend, meaning temperatures in the mid-80s throughout much of our posting area. Some thoughts on how to take advantage of the cool weather:
National Trails Day, Saturday, various events, various times, various locations. Since the early 90s, the first Saturday in June has been deemed by the American Hiking Society to be National Trails Day. It’s a day we officially celebrate the nation’s 200,000+ miles of trail, by exploring them, by tidying them up, even by building them. A total of 24 NTD events have been registered with the American Hiking Society in North Carolina, from maintaining the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in various locations to helping to rehabilitate the Appalachian Trail as it passes over Max Path near Hot Springs. Find an NTD event near you by going here. And if you’re outside North Carolina, find all 876 registered events here.read more
This weekend GetBackpacking! pays a visit to the Wilson Creek area at the base of Grandfather Mountain. It’s a comparatively low-lying area but rugged, and acting as the drainage for massive Grandfather Mountain, it’s got water crossings galore. With our weekend trip in mind, and knowing a lot of you will be hiking along and in mountain creeks this summer, we’re rerunning this post on how to cross a stream.read more
Haiku Hike, Saturday, 10:30 a.m., Eno River State Park, Durham. Literary hike / along the gorgeous Eno / read some, compose some. Learn more here.
Occoneechee Geology Hike, Saturday, 2 p.m. Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough. The massive slash on the north face of mighty Occoneechee, at 867 feet the high point of the Triangle, means the pyrophyllite peak has few secrets to keep. But despite begin an open book, what does it all mean? Geologist Jean-Michel Margot has studied the mountain for decades, and shares his findings in this monthly gathering. Learn more here.read more
