Labor Day weekend, which is in two weeks, marks the end of wearing white shoes and seersucker suits. It also marks the end of several summertime frivolities.

Of course, summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 23. Psychologically, though, it’s over with the passage of Labor Day weekend.

You have two weeks, then, to squeeze in all the things you meant to do this summer, but didn’t get around to. Here is a list of our top 10 things to do before you send your seersucker suit to the cleaners.

1. Go for a paddle. Most municipal and county lakes that rent boats either shutter those operations for the season after Labor Day or at least cut back their hours. But you can get in that longed-for paddle, often for very little moola. At Lake Johnson Park in Raleigh, for instance, you can take out a canoe or kayak for $7.50 for 90 minutes.

2. Hit your neighborhood pool. Few pools stay open past Labor Day, so get your toes wet this weekend or next.

3. Swim in a lake. Several public and private lakes let you get in touch with your inner Tom Sawyer. Our favorite: the 12-acre lake at Hanging Rock State Park, which includes a beach, diving platform and cool, chlorine-free water.

4. Swim in a throw-back pool. We love the pool at Morrow Mountain State Park, in part because of its throw-back nature, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. We also love how much better the pool feels after hiking one of the park’s 11 trails (post-shower, of course).

5. Hike a high trail (Mountains). It may still be summer at lower elevations, but atop 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, enveloped by a state park and several trails? On Tuesday afternoon, the temperature up top was 54.8 degrees after an overnight low of 44.6. Didn’t think you’d be breaking out the fleece quite this early, did you? Who knows, you may even get an early peek at fall color this weekend.

6. Hike a high trail (Piedmont). Don’t have time to drive to the mountains? Piedmont residents can hike a higher, and a little cooler, trail close to home at Pilot Mountain State Park (elevation  2,421 feet), Hanging Rock State Park (2,579 feet), or Crowders Mountain State Park (1,706 feet). Details at ncparks.gov.

7. Hike a mountain trail while it’s still inaccessible. We love the Shining Rock area: 18,500 acres of wilderness, more than twice that much surrounding non-wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest. The best way to access Shining Rock is via a mile-high section of Blue Ridge Parkway, a section of the parkway often closed by snow and ice come winter. It’s a great time to visit. More info here.

8. Explore Wilson Creek. A group of us were talking this past weekend about how the window for hiking/wading/swimming the Wilson Creek area was rapidly closing. Wilson Creek is the 49,000-acre drainage at the base of Grandfather Mountain, and rainfall off the mountain’s massive southeast flank drains every which way through these rugged foothills. The abundance of creeks, pools and waterfalls marks the perfect summer sendoff. More info here.

9. Go car camping in the mountains. Warm days, cool nights, access to great hiking, rafting, mountain biking, fishing — you’ll find it all from your base in a mountain campground that will likely close for the season soon. Check out some of our favorites here.

10. Go stand up paddleboarding. You’ve wanted to all summer and now’s the time to do it! At Jordan Lake in Apex, for instance, Lyfsup offers rentals and instruction. Details here.

The post 10 Adventures to Close Out Your Summer appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Actually, it’s the Grand Opening for just one of the parks; the other is more of a sneak preview.

Officially opening for good is Bertie Beach, a 147-acre tract of wildness (pictured at top), also referred to as Tall Glass of Water, that sits on the Albemarle Sound in Bertie County. Bertie Beach gets its name from the 2,200-foot sand beach that eases into Albemarle Sound, the nearest beach for miles. But the tract has so much more:

• Hiking. There’s a 2-mile trail that weaves through the coastal woods and wetlands that dominate the tract. Flat hiking that exposes you to a land reclaiming its natural state after years of agricultural use. Eventually, there will be 7 miles of trail.
• Swimming. The beach marries the best of the natural world with modern convenience, including restrooms, outdoor showers, a water bottle refill station and a picnic pavilion.
• Primitive camping. A good cool-weather option at the coast.
• Canoe and kayak access. In addition to access, there’s also a kayak storage kiosk. 

Much of this will be open or partially open Saturday.

As if this weren’t enough of a draw, you can also get a sneak peek at the new Salmon Creek State Natural Area, which adjoins the Bertie County property. 

If you haven’t heard of Salmon Creek, it’s no surprise. In short succession, the original 1,000-acre tract, which surrounds its namesake creek, was purchased in 2017 by the N.C. Coastal Land Trust, which realized that the land’s natural beauty and archaeological attributes (native Algonkin artifacts have been found at the site) far outweighed in importance the threatened 2,800-unit development with a 212-slip marina planned for the site. The site was given to the State of North Carolina in December 2018, and in July 2020, the Coastal Land Trust threw in another 297 acres. Combined with the Bertie County site, that’s more than 1,400 continuous acres of exploring.

Saturday morning, N.C. State Parks is hauling its two Big Canoes — Hellbender and Loggerhead — to Salmon Creek for your exploring pleasure. Both canoes seat about 12 folks and will be able to navigate a ways upstream. Trips depart at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. 

Again, Salmon Creek has not officially opened, so this is a rare opportunity to explore without, technically, trespassing.

I should mention, too, that there will be paddling Friday afternoon on Bennetts Millpond, Friday evening on Pembroke Creek, and Saturday afternoon into evening on Edenton’s Queen Anne’s Creek. The latter coincides with Edenton’s Sounds of Summer Music Festival at the waterfront Colonial Park: enjoy live music from the water!

For more information on Edenton’s Year of the Trail Weekend Festival, go here.

It’s a great way to spend a sultry summer weekend.

The post Weekend Festival opens new adventure near Edenton  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Forms? 

You know, the 5 major forms of mountain water:

1. Mountain pool form
2. Wading form
3. Hiking in form
4. Short Hike In form
5. Falling form

Today, we share one of our favorites in each of these 5 categories. And the envelopes, please …

Favorite Mountain Pool(s)

Gragg Prong / Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Wilson Creek area, Pisgah National Forest, Mortimer 

The Wilson Creek area, where much of the runoff from that massive massif Grandfather Mountain drains, is rife with great water options. Drive up Brown Mountain Beach Road on a hot summer’s day and you’ll be hard pressed to find parking to access Wilson Creek proper. But veer off the main road (it’s gravel) and your odds of finding solitude and water together are pretty great. That’s what makes Gragg Prong so awesome: the hike in on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is for experienced hikers only, but the payoffs are oh-so-numerous. For 2 miles or so Gragg Prong tumbles, pools, tumbles, pools, tumbles … well, you get the idea. Cold mountain swimming holes rimmed by smooth granite slabs make for the perfect afternoon of sun, splash, repeat.

Learn more here

Favorite Wading area

Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area

South Toe River, Pisgah National Forest, Burnsville. Could there be such a thing as a tubing and swimming hole resort? There could and there is: the Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area, which sits on a stretch of the South Toe River that has a ridiculous number of great places to wallow in the bracing waters that drain from the Black Mountains, the highest mountain range in the East with elevations approaching 6,700 feet. Wander through the Carolina Hemlocks Campground (36 campsites) and the majority will sport tubes and other gear suited to days on end spent frolicking in this mountain creek. A lot of people, true. A lot of options as well. 

Learn more here

Favorite Water for Hiking in

North Mills River Recreation Area

Mills River to Big Creek, Pisgah National Forest, Pisgah Forest

We did a trip here in 2016 that had us spending most of our time in the mercifully cool waters of burbling North Mills River and Big Creek. Our 5-mile hike from the campground up to Little Pisgah Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway spent all but the last mile splashing as much as hiking (the last mile was a bearish climb to the summit). It also included a pass by the Hendersonville Reservoir (probably not for taking a dip). A great hike in the right water shoes.

Learn more here

Favorite Short Hike In

Hunt-fish Falls

Wilson Creek Area, Pisgah National Forest, Mortimer

Hate to have two so close to each other (they actually connect), but Hunt-fish Falls is a no-brainer. It’s not quite as remote as Gragg Prong (see Favorite Mountain Pool(s), but being a lengthy gravel road drive from much of anything is a big attraction for the solitude-seeking. Then, it’s just a 0.7-mile hike down (and back up, upon your return) to one of the best pools around. Hunt-fish is encased in granite, including a nice smooth slab perfectly situated for sunning. On every visit, the water has been frigid; fortunately there’s a nice wade-in section. There’s also a spot to jump into its deep waters (I’ve never hit bottom). You’ll have some company — but not much.

Learn more here

Favorite Waterfall

Schoolhouse Falls and various other falls

Panthertown Valley, Nantahala National Forest, Cashiers. 

You have to hike in about a mile-and-a-half for this hole, but what a hike it is, past towering hemlocks and rock outcrops in an area described as the Yosemite of the East. The payoff is sweet: Schoolhouse Falls is a picturesque curtain of water dropping 20 feet into a luxurious pool, at the far side of which is a sand beach. Those of you who apply to the gradual immersion school will be especially pleased by the gentle incline that introduces you to the cold. Fed by the Tuckasegee River, it’s possible to walk behind the falls at lower flows. Panthertown has a number of other falls to round out your visit.

Learn more here.

The post 5 of our favorite summer hikes with water appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Of course, officially, summer doesn’t end until Sept. 22 (at 4:02 p.m. for you sticklers). Psychologically, though, this weekend is it.

You have until Tuesday to squeeze in all the things you meant to do this summer, but didn’t get around to. Here is a list of our top 10 things to do before you send your seersucker suit to the cleaners.

1. Go for a paddle. Most municipal and county lakes that rent boats either shutter those operations for the season after Labor Day or at least cut back their hours. But you can get in that longed-for paddle, often for very little moola. At Lake Johnson Park in Raleigh, for instance, you can take out a canoe or kayak for $5 an hour. Find our list of 57 places to rent a canoe or kayak, here.

2. Hit your neighborhood pool. Few pools stay open past Labor Day, so get your toes wet this weekend.

3. Swim in a lake. Several public and private lakes let you get in touch with your inner Tom Sawyer. Our favorite: the 12-acre lake at Hanging Rock State Park, which includes a beach, diving platform and cool, chlorine-free water. $5.

4. Swim in a throw-back pool. We love the pool at Morrow Mountain State Park, in part because of its throw-back nature, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. We also love how much better the pool feels after hiking one of the park’s 11 trails (post-shower, of course).

5. Hike a high trail (Mountains). It may still be summer at lower elevations, but atop 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, enveloped by a state park and several trails? On Tuesday afternoon, the temperature up top was 54.8 degrees after an overnight low of 44.6. Didn’t think you’d be breaking out the fleece quite this early, did you? Who knows, you may even get an early peek at fall color this weekend.

6. Hike a high trail (Piedmont). Don’t have time to drive to the mountains? Piedmont residents can hike a higher, and a little cooler, trail close to home at Pilot Mountain State Park (elevation  2,421 feet), Hanging Rock State Park (2,579 feet), or Crowders Mountain State Park (1,706 feet). Details at ncparks.gov.

7. Hike a mountain trail while it’s still inaccessible. We love the Shining Rock area: 18,500 acres of wilderness, more than twice that much surrounding non-wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest. The best way to access Shining Rock is via a mile-high section of Blue Ridge Parkway, a section of the parkway often closed by snow and ice come winter. It’s a great time to visit. More info here.

8. Explore Wilson Creek. A group of us were talking this past weekend about how the window for hiking/wading/swimming the Wilson Creek area was rapidly closing. Wilson Creek is the 49,000-acre drainage at the base of Grandfather Mountain, and rainfall off the mountain’s massive southeast flank drains every which way through these rugged foothills. The abundance of creeks, pools and waterfalls marks the perfect summer sendoff. More info here.

9. Go car camping in the mountains. Warm days, cool nights, access to great hiking, rafting, mountain biking, fishing — you’ll find it all from your base in a mountain campground that will likely close for the season soon. Check out some of our favorites here.

10. Go stand up paddleboarding. You’ve wanted to all summer and now’s the time to do it! At Jordan Lake in Apex, for instance, Lyfsup offers rentals and instruction. Details here.

* * *

 
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The post 10 Things to Do Before Summer Ends appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Did you miss the chance to jump into an icy pool — the classic polar plunge — on New Year’s Day? Do you feel your year isn’t off until an official start until you’ve had the wake-up call that only baptism in 55-degree water can confer?

If so, head to Kure Beach Saturday for their 11^th Run-N-Plunge at the Kure Beach Pier. Live music by the Prime Time Band, silent auction, costume contest, art, food, and more. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics New Hanover County. And to warm up, there’s also a 5K and 1-mile fun walk. (And yes, the temperature of the Atlantic at Kure Beach is currently 55 degrees.)

Logistics: 11^th Annual Polar Plunge, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, Saturday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m., Kure Beach Pier. More info and to register, here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 60 at plunge time.

* * *

Looking ahead: BNP Trail Jam (3.5-mile, 9-mile and 18-mile races), Saturday, Feb. 18, Brunswick Nature Park, Wilmington. More info here.

Piedmont

Like a little history on your hikes? Then join the Eno River Association this Sunday on its weekly Winter Hike Series. Each week, the hike visits a separate section of the Eno River Valley: this week, it’s the Pump Station Area, home to Durham’s first public drinking water source. Much of the brick structure remains, which makes for some great exploring. Adds the ERA: “Portions of the hike will be off-trail, some sections may be steep, muddy, or on rough terrain. you may want a walking stick, and sturdy shoes are a must.”

The hike will cover about 1.5 miles and last two hours.

Logistics: Eno River Association Winter Hike Series: Pump Station Trail, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m., Eno River State Park, Pump Station Access off Rivermont Road. Learn more here.

Sunday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 78!

* * *

Looking ahead: Polar Plunge Splash-n-Dash, Saturday, Feb. 18, Randolph-Asheboro YMCA, Asheboro. More info here.

Mountains

Can’t tell an oak from an ironwood in winter. Leaves do make a difference, but so do bark, limb, bud and branching pattern. Learn to read the more subtle signs that identify our trees on a Winter Tree ID Hike Sunday at 1 p.m. At Grandfather Mountain State Park. Specifically, the hike will cover the lower reaches of Grandfather Mountain, departing from the Profile Trail parking lot and stick to the lower reaches of the mountain.

The hike will cover 2 miles and last about two hours.

Logistics: Winter Tree ID Hike, Sunday, Feb. 12, 1 p.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Banner Elk. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 61, chance of rain.

* * *

Looking ahead: National Trails Day Hike to Mt. Craig, Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m., Mount Mitchell State Park. More info here.

* * *

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Coast

The post This weekend: Polar Plunge, History Hike, Nature Hike appeared first on GetGoing NC!.