It’s another weird weekend forecast where Saturday looks good, Sunday not so much. With that in mind, a recommendation or three:
Basin Hike, Sunday, 11 a.m., Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, Kure Beach. One of the coolest 1-mile trails around, taking you over the dunes, through maritime forest and over a salt marsh. Call 910.458.5798 to reserve a spot.
As always, you can find more opportunities this weekend here:
Here are highlights of what GetHiking! and GetBackpacking! are up to this weekend:
=&6=&, Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m., Great Outdoor Provision Co., Raleigh. Join our GetBackpacking! braintrust for an all-encompassing discussion of all things backpacking, from how to get started to how to drop a pound or two. Learn more and sign up here.
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This weekend appears to be a carbon copy (here’s a history lesson, kids) of last weekend: lots of rain during the week, lots of sun on Saturday — and this weekend, Sunday, too. That being the case, some thoughts on how to spend a sunny first weekend of 2019:
As always, you can find more opportunities this weekend here:
=&4=& have a variety of adventures planned for the weekend. Check those options here.
=&5=& has an extensive calendar of what’s happening at its affiliates; check it out here.
You can also find more adventures right here, at =&6=&
Our intent isn’t to add to the pressure of the holidays. Rather, to distract from it, with one of these options for getting out on a weekend that promises to be perfect for adventure, with temperatures in the 50s and hardly a cloud in the sky. Under such glorious conditions you could …
=&0=& (Boulders Access), Saturday, 9 a.m, Crowders Mountain State Park, Kings Mountains. Hike leader David Brantley hosts Hike Your Own Hike Day: you could hike 12 miles, you could hike 10; you could hike 8, you could hike 6. That’s the beauty of the Ridgeline Trail, connecting the Boulders Access with the Kings Pinnancle. A great way to avoid the crowds at Crowders’ main entrance. Learn more and sign up here.
=&1=&, Saturday, 2 p.m., Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. Maybe you love the idea of hiking at Hanging Rock, but are intimidated by the distances, the rocky train, the elevation changes. On Saturday’s Lake Hike, there’s none of that. The hike is a mile long, it goes around the park’s 12-acre lake, and it’s pretty tame. You’ll learn a thing or two about the park as well on this ranger-lead hike. Learn more and sign up here.
=&2=& Sunday, 10 a.m., Eno River State Park: Pump Station Access, Durham. It’s the camaraderie of a group hike minus the chatter. Learn more and sign up here.
As always, you can find more opportunities this weekend here:
Depending upon where you venture for adventure this weekend, you may run into lingering snow. If a state park is your destination, we recommend checking ahead to see: 1) if the park is open, and 2) what the conditions are like. Also: the forecast suggests Sunday may be better for exploring than a possibly rainy Saturday. Plan accordingly.
=&0=&, Saturday, Dec. 15, 1:30 p.m., Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap. Stone Mountain State Park at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains good oodles of snow out of the recent storm, some of which will still be around Saturday. Our suggestion: come for a hike, then hang around for Myths About Snow, which will explore some of “the myths and legends surrounding snowfall and snow accumulation.” (Presumably, the entire park will reopen by Saturday, but best to double check, here, before heading out.) Learn more and sign up here.
=&1=&, Sunday, Dec. 16, 9 a.m., Lake James State Park, Nebo. Winter birds in a wintry habitat — can’t beat that. Expect to see as many as 30 different birds during the hour-long program. Learn more and sign up here.
=&2=&, Sunday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville. Spots in the North Carolina mountains got upwards of three feet of snow out of The Storm, leading one to wonder how one would survive such an ordeal of caught unawares. While winter survival isn’t the focus of Sunday’s program, we’re guessing the topic will be touched on, especially considering Grandfather Mountain experiences some of the wildest weather in the East. Learn more and sign up here. (Note: this program is at the park’s low-elevation Profile Trailhead off NC 105; still, we suggest checking ahead to make sure the park — at least this part of it — has reopened. )
As always, you can find more opportunities this weekend here:
