On Friday, the first of 11 Year of the Trail NC Trail Days Weekend Festivals gets underway in Elizabethtown, southeast of Fayetteville. And if you’re thinking, There’s hiking down there?, then you really need to be there. Here’s why.

We kick off the weekend with a Friday night hike along the banks of a mysterious Carolina Bay. Saturday, we have guided hikes at two state parks, a state natural area, on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and at a state educational forest (in addition to a guided flatwater paddle trip and a mountain bike ride), followed by an evening of live music and great local food. Sunday, we provide all the information you need to explore on your own.

In addition, we’ll have local craft and outdoor vendors at our basecamp Saturday during the day in Elizabethtown and Saturday evening in nearby White Lake.

Late February is a great time to explore North Carolina’s Coastal Plain, with skies typically sunny and daytime highs near 60. Ideal conditions for exploring roughly 70 miles of local trail.

Options for beginning and experienced hikers alike. This is one of 11 NC Trail Days Weekend Festivals planned for 2023’s Year of the Trail by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and its Hometown Strong initiative.*

Here’s a full agenda for the weekend:

Friday

2 p.m. – Ribbon cutting for new bridge on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail linking Jones Lake State Park with Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest.

3 – 7 p.m. –  Check-in at the Trail Weekend Headquarters at the Cape Fear Farmers Market, 106 MLK Dr., Elizabethtown and then explore this quaint town filled with locally owned shop and great places to eat. Welcome, food, vendors, information on Saturday events, disc golf demonstration, information on DIY hikes.

5:30 p.m. – Kickoff in downtown Elizabethtown featuring Earl B. Hunter Jr., founder of Black Folks Camp, Too, who will speak on, “Increasing More Unity in the Outdoor Community and Beyond: Campfire Conversations with Black Folks Camp Too.”

6:30 p.m. – Night hike at Jones Lake State Park, Cedar Loop Trail

Saturday

9 a.m.–3 p.m. – Trail Weekend Festival Headquarters is open. Food, Vendors, information on Saturday events, information on DIY hikes, Elizabethtown Farmer’s Market, 106 MLK Dr., Elizabethtown.

10 a.m. – Hike at Jones Lake State Park on the 4-mile Bay Trail

11 a.m. – Guided mountain bike ride at Browns Creek Nature Park and Bike Trail

12:30 p.m. – Guided paddle on Jones Lake, Jones Lake State Park

2 p.m. – Guided hike on the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail

3 p.m. – Guided hike at Bay Tree Lake State Natural Area

4 p.m. – Guided hike at Singletary Lake State Park

4–8 p.m.  Trail Weekend Headquarters Moves to White Lake, where there will be live music and food, New location is Camp Clearwater, 2038 White Lake Drive, Elizabethtown

4 p.m. – Guided hike at White Lake, on the multi-use path

5:30–7 p.m. – Mountain-to-Sea Trail Fundraiser at Camp Clearwater. Join us for some Southern Comfort Cuisine and fellowship as we share our experiences in Mother Nature’s Playground. $5.

6-8 p.m.  Live music – Band TBA

Sunday

9-11 a.m. – Beginning birding with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commssion’s N.C. Bird Atlas, at Bay Tree Lake State Natural Area.

Self-guided hikes, with information provided.

Lodging

Find information on lodging discounts for Festival Weekend here.

More information

Go here to register for individual events, all of which are free.

*Joe Miller, who owns and writes this blog, is an ecotourism adviser for Hometown Strong and is helping to organize the NC Trail Days Weekend Festivals.

The post Trail Days Weekend No. 1: Exploring the Coastal Plain appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today, we highlight 5 National Trails Day events with particular promise.

• NC Trail Days, Elkin, yesterday through Sunday. Elkin, located smack dab on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, can’t contain its celebration to one day, let alone one type of trail or event. Hiking, mountain biking, paddling, running — they’re all covered as the town celebrates two nearby state parks (Stone Mountain and Pilot Mountain) and three big trails (MST, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Yadkin River Paddle Trail). Too many events to mention here, so we’ll simply refer you to the NC Trail Days home page, here.
• NTD Workday at Crowders Mountain, Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – noon, Crowders Mountain State Park, Kings Mountain. Ready to help improve some trail in the Charlotte area’s popular park? You’ll get a chance after gathering at the Sparrow Springs Access for refreshments, instructions and introduction of crew leaders. You’ll also be provided with water, snacks, work gloves, safety glasses, insect repellant and tools. Learn more here.
• Guided Hike at 12-Mile Creek Greenway, Saturday, 10 a.m., Waxhaw. Though the creek may be  12 miles, the hike is not. Rather, count on a 3- to 4-mile hike beginning and ending at H.C. Nesbit Park. Includes passage over a 170-foot suspension footbridge. Learn more here.
• Eno River Association extravaganza, Saturday, events at 8, 8:30, and 9 a.m. (two), and at 1 p.m. Birding, workdays and more. Learn more by checking out the Eno River Association calendar here.
• NTD Hike, Saturday, 9 a.m., Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. Merchants Millpond is one of those state parks you’ve likely heard good things about, but haven’t visited because it’s tucked away in the remote northeast corner of the state. Saturday’s NTD Hike on the 2-mile Coleman Trail is a good excuse to make the journey. The hike is flat, easy, and exposes you to the junglelike setting of Merchants Millpond (bring bug spray!). Stick around afterward and enjoy more of the park. Maybe even rent a canoe ($10 per hour) and explore the millpond. Learn more here.

Looking for more?

To find additional events, check out:

• American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day event page, which lists 16 events in North Carolina. Find it here.
• North Carolina State Parks events page. Find it here.
• Virginia State Parks events page. Virginia has 33 NTD events planned at its state parks, some of which are just over the North Carolina state line). Find them here.

Explore with Us!

We’ve got a variety of summer programs and trips planned, starting with our first GetHiking! Summer Weekend Escape, which is next weekend on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Doughton Park. About 20 miles of hiking starting Friday evening and ending early afternoon Sunday. Learn more here. 

Learn about our other summer offerings at GetGoingNC.com, click on Explore with Us!

The post 5 Events (out of many) for National Trails Day appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

I didn’t have to think long: the mountain portion of the statewide Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Now, I hike the MST nearly every day, since I can pick it up a couple blocks from my front door in Hillsborough. And while I never tire of this stretch, nor of the other 120 miles I hike with some frequency through the Triangle, there’s something about the MST’s nearly 350-mile run through the mountains that’s especially enchanting — and diverse, capturing both the rugged beauty of the Southern Appalachians and its moments of intimate calm. Here’s a look at three favorite sections, all along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Waterrock Knob to Pisgah Inn

63.6 miles

I fell in love with this stretch in an unexpected way: by getting lost. I was leading a hike here a decade ago where we inadvertently veered off the MST on its way through the Middle Prong Wilderness. Down, down, down, we went — and, subsequently, back up, up, up after encountering a foursome that assured us we were on the wrong trail. I loved the wild nature of this section, one of the rare untamed stretches of the MST as it passed through un-blazed wilderness. Then, magically, crossing into the Sam Knob/Black Balsam area, which was a bit more civilized, as it made its way through balsam woods on its way to Graveyard Fields and Yellowstone Prong, then escaped that popular area by crossing US 276 and dipping over the south side of the Blue Ridge escarpment above Pink Beds and on to Mount Pisgah. Great views and classic high mountain terrain, then long stretches of escape with no other hikers in sight. 

Beacon Heights to Trout Lake

20 miles

This is the glitzier stretch of the 90-mile run the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail refers to as The High Country. From Beacon Heights at Milepost 305.2 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the trail wastes no time delivering what you came for, passing through a dark evergreen forest, over a bridged waterfall, then under that engineering marvel, the Linn Cove Viaduct. You’re on the southeast flank of Grandfather Mountain, a tumble of rock and verdant hardwoods with a curious “Appa-tropics” feel. You’ll gain elevation and find yourself atop the Rough Ridge rock outcrop, with views and plenty of spots to stretch out and enjoy them. Descend to the Rough Ridge parking area, then head through an intimate forest of towering hemlock and hardwoods. Marvel at the quiet; “marvel,” because you’re not more than a half mile from the Parkway on this hike. You’ll emerge into small mountain meadows, you’ll follow rough-and-tumble Boone Fork, where you’ll need to navigate a ladder or two. Cross Boone Fork on a footbridge, make a steep climb, then descend to the dark green waters of Trout Lake.

Doughton Park area: South Laurel Fork Road to Devils Garden Overlook

18 miles

Most folks would say the highlight of this stretch is the roughly 2 miles through mountaintop meadow at Doughton Park, where you can see in all directions, a rarity in North Carolina hiking. And it is pretty special, especially the view from the Wildcat Rocks Overlook just down from the old lodge. From it you can look nearly straight down the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the tiny Caudil Cabin below, further down the Basin Creek valley, and on to the Piedmont beyond. But it’s the more subtle, subdued stretches that I find especially appealing. You cross the Parkway several times, and there’s a run-in with minor civilization. But for the most part the trail makes its way through woods undisturbed for more than a half century. You may not come away with searing memories of specific scenery, but you’ll definitely find the sense of serenity that drives so many of us into the woods. 

All 347.4 miles of the mountain MST are worthy of exploring this summer. But if you don’t have that kind of time, these three sections provide a worthy snapshot. 

* * * 

Explore with us!

You didn’t think I’d explore these sections on my own and leave you behind, did you? This summer, our GetHiking! Weekend Escapes will focus on the three sections mentioned above. For each Weekend Escape, we’ll do a short hike Friday evening, spend the day on the trail Saturday, and do a short-ish hike Sunday before heading out around 1 p.m. Each Weekend Escape is camping based, but if you’re not a camper, worry not: each basecamp isn’t far from roof-over-head lodging. Each escape includes breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning, lunch Saturday and Sunday, and dinner Saturday night. Here’s a quick description of each hike; click the link for more info and to sign up.

• Summer on the MST Weekend Escape to Doughton Park, June 10-12, 18 miles of hiking. Go here.
• Summer on the MST Weekend Escape to Mount Pisgah, 22.5 miles of hiking, July 22-24, go here.
• Summer on the MST Weekend Escape to Price Lake, 20 miles of hiking, Sept. 9-11, go here.

Explore on your own

If you’re interested in exploring these sections on your own, you’ll find helpful information for planning your hike at the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail website. Click the appropriate link.

• Segment 2: Waterrock Knob to Pisgah Inn 
• Segment 5: The High Country (including 90 miles from Beacon Heights to Devil’s Garden Overlook). Find descriptions of 18 day hikes here.

The post This summer, hike the mountains of the MST appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Unfortunately, there’s been nothing traditional about 2020, and there will be no First Day Hikes as we usher in 2021. 

“Parks are not hosting any guided First Day Hikes on January 1,” states a notice on ncparks.gov. “We encourage park visitors to conduct their own First Day Hikes with members of their household. Please note that parks may be busy on New Year’s Day, so please be prepared for parking delays and make backup plans.”

Backup plans indeed. If the parks are likely to be crowded anyway — and possibly be forced to close — why not direct folks to a trail that’s less likely to be crowded. Like the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

That’s not to suggest that the MST isn’t popular. It’s just that with 1,175 miles of trail, there’s bound to be a stretch or two where you can find solitude. And that thought led us to a conversation with Jim Grode, Trail Resource Manager for the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail who probably knows the trail better than anyone.

Among other things, Jim is in charge of all of the MST’s resources devoted to helping hikers get from Point A to Point B. That includes the MST’s online resources, its printed guides, and, most recently, “Great Day Hikes on North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail,” published earlier this year by UNC Press. 

Rather than ask Jim to identify 5 or 10 of what he views as the lesser-hiked stretches of the MST, we thought it better to let him empower you to find, on your own using the MST’s resources, the stretch of MST best-suited to your needs.

Let the planning begin

“The best place to start is with the interactive Google Map on our website,” Jim says. “You can find the section of trail near you and parking locations, and drill down from there.”

Here’s a quick guide to making that happen:

1. 1. Start with the Interactive Map on the website. Trails in red are actual hiking trail (which includes paved greenway and unpaved forest roads); black is trail temporarily routed on roads.

      

   2. Click on “Trail Segments” in the box on the left to match segments to the correct guides, and click “Parking” to identify places to access the trail
   3. For distances, click on “Mile Markers” (miles are eastbound only; for westbound, subtract that mileage number from total segment length)

   4. 

      Click on individual Trail Segment, Parking or Mile Marker icons to get details helpful for when you …

   5. … transition to Hiking Guide segments (online PDFs or printed volumes)
   6. Once inside the Hiking Guide:
      1. Match a parking area with the trail descriptions, keeping in mind that there are separate marked descriptions for eastbound and westbound
      2. For a sense of what a stretch is like aesthetically:
         1. Check the overview descriptions at the beginning of each segment
         2. On the Interactive Google Map, switch to satellite view for a look from above that can reveal forest, rocky areas, water and more
      3. To figure out the distance and difficulty of a stretch
         1. Distances: on the Google Map, use the Mile Marker function; in the guides check the mileage breakdowns in the Hiking Directions.
         2. Difficulty: The guides for the Mountains and Piedmont both include elevation profiles for each segment (note: the scales for different segments are not the same: be sure to check the distance/elevation for each segment for a more accurate reading; also note that the Coastal Plain & Outer Banks guide does not include elevation profiles because the terrain is flat and the elevation changes aren’t significant). The elevation profiles are more helpful for getting a general idea of elevation differences. To help put elevation in context, a loose rule of thumb is that 1000 feet of climbing = 1 level mile.
   7. When checking out the Parking/Trailhead, keep in mind that extra amenities — restrooms, visitor centers — which will be indicated, are likely to draw more hikers.
   8. Have a Plan B and C in case you show up at Plan A and it’s crowded. This is relatively easy along much of the trail since access points often aren’t more than 3 to 5 miles apart.

It’s an easy, step-by-step process for not only finding your ideal First Day hike, but for finding great hikes on the MST for years to come.

The GetHiking! Southeast Podcast

You can find more of our discussion with Jim Grode, including more helpful tips on planning your own hike, on our GetHiking! Southeast podcast, which debuts today. Give a listen here. 

The post This year, plan your own First Day Hike on the MST appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

A dozen summers ago I tried to hike a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail off Redwood Road in Raleigh and was quickly thwarted. About 20 yards in, the trail disappeared into a sea of summer growth, of saplings and grasses and ground covers all prospering in the heat of the season. I was bummed, because I’d hiked this stretch, Day-Hike Section P, of the MST several times, but, apparently, every time in winter, when the less hardy species had gone into cold storage. The problem in summer: no one hiked this stretch, in large part because not many folks knew it was there. 

Today, this increasingly popular Falls Lake section of the MST, which runs 2.9 miles from the Hickory Hill Boat Ramp to Cheek Road — gets hiked just enough in summer that the trail is easy to follow. Easy to hike, too: this is one of the flatter sections of the trail along the lake. The trail hugs the mellow contour of the land as it switches from pine forest (mostly upland) to hardwoods closer to the lake. Mellow hiking through successional forest with the occasional view of the lake makes for some fast hiking. One caveat: the trail twice traces the shoulder of two-lane roads — Redwood and Hereford — for about 0.2 miles apiece: There’s plenty of room on the shoulder and not a lot of traffic, but it’s a good thing to know.

Also good to know is that even during a time when it seems everyone has discovered hiking, this stretch of trail still gets hiked “just enough.” I’ve hiked here half a dozen times since March and have seen maybe a half dozen other hikers. 

A great hiking escape when you’re trying to escape other hikers.

Explore!

Check out our video of Day-Hike Section P of the MST along Falls Lake, then check out our GetHiking! Guide to Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake (DH-P) at our GetGoingNC guidebook store. Enter code ARP59369 by Wednesday, July 15, and receive the guide for free.

The post Monday, Monday: A run of MST hiked ‘just enough’ appeared first on GetGoing NC!.