Technically, it may still be summer (fall starts a week from Friday, on Sept. 22), but the weather suggests the season is well underway. Sunny skies, dry air, temperatures in the 70s and low 80s: weather that beckons with a seductive come-hither finger to come outside and have some fun.

Coast

One of the outdoor pleasures we don’t indulge in often enough: paddling a coastal creek. There’s an odd intimacy in paddling coastal creeks as they meander through marshlands: wide-open, yet hemmed in by cord grass at the same time. There’s something especially enticing in such an adventure come fall, as the days for a warm-weather paddle begin to diminish.

Thus, our suggestion that you head to Bald Head Island Saturday for their Kayaking the Creeks program. A Conservancy staffer leads you through the marsh, explaining the intricate ecosystem that supports so much life. PFDs, paddles and double kayaks provided.

Logistics: Kayaking the Creeks, Saturday, Sept. 16, 4 p.m., Village Creek Access, Bald Head Island. $40 for BHI members, $55 otherwise. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 83.

* * *

Looking ahead: Can’t make Kayaking the Creeks on Saturday? It’s offered at various times through October.

Piedmont

Lake James: nestled at the base of Linville Gorge and feeding off the Linville River, is it in the mountains, or does its relatively mellow terrain at the base of the foothills put it in the Piedmont.

For the purposes of Saturday’s 14^th Annual RiverFest on the Catawba River, we’re leaning Piedmont this time around. But you should go and judge for yourself, especially on a day that will feature music, food, educational exhibits, a live raptor release at 10:30 a.m., nature hikes, and the opportunity to take a  canoe or kayak for a spin, free. Lots of conservation groups, too, who can explain the importance of the river and what they’re doing to protect it.

Logistics: 14^th Annual RiverFest, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Paddy’s Creek Area of Lake James State Park, Nebo. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 82.

* * *

Looking ahead: Hawk Watch, Sunday, Sept. 24, Pilot Mountain State Park. Come check out the fall migration of hawks from Little Pinnacle. More info here.

Mountains

If you were contemplating a trip to the mountains, but weren’t sure what lasting impact Irma may have had, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports: “The U.S. Forest Service has reopened most recreation areas and roads on the National Forests in North Carolina including Davidson River Campground, Lake Powhatan and the Cradle of Forestry.” (Learn more about what remains closed here.)

An area that is open for recreational business is Panthertown Valley, where 30 miles of trail take you past waterfalls, over rocky summits, through a lush valley. A gorgeous area, but one where it’s easy to get lost, which is why we suggest that you tag along with our GetHiking! Charlotte group, which will hike 7 miles there Saturday (possibly 8, if there’s interest in a side trip to Schoolhouse Falls. This hike offers good exposure to the essence of Panthertown.

Logistics: Panthertown Valley hike, Saturday, Sept. 16, 9:30 a.m., meeting at Mica’s Restaurant & Pub in Sapphire. 7/8 miles. More info and sign up here.

Sunday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 74.

* * *

Looking ahead: Fall Colors, Sunday, Oct. 1, Grandfather Mountain State Park. More info here.

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

The post This weekend: Get a jump on fall  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Since this is a special weekend, extending to Wednesday for many of you, we’re throwing the 4^th into the mix — and one of the best displays of brightness lighting up the sky that you’re likely to see: the Cosmos & Cocoa display on Bald Head Island.

Take advantage of Bald Head Island’s removed location and minimal nighttime light pollution to catch the night sky ablaze. “Use our sky charts and scopes to enhance your stargazing experience while viewing constellations and planets,” says the sponsoring Bald Head Island Conservancy.

Logistics: Cosmos & Cocoa, Tuesday, July 4, 8:30 p.m., Bald Head Island, $10 for BHI Conservancy members, $15 otherwise. More info and sign up here.

Tuesday evening forecast: Mostly clear skies with a temperature around 80 in the evening.

* * *

Looking ahead: Sharks Tooth Island Full Moon Kayak Trip, Aug. 7, Halyburton Park, Wilmington. More info here.

Piedmont

The first weekend of every month, something special happens at Hanging Rock State Park:

Vade Mecum!

Yes, it sounds ominous. Like vampires emerge to handle things if you aren’t out of the park by closing. Rather, it’s an opportunity — to explore the trail network that became part of the park in 2014 when the 716-acre former Camp Sertoma 4-H Education Center — also known as Vade Mecum Springs — became part of Hanging Rock. Until the land is fully incorporated into the park, the 5-mile-or-so trail network only opens on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month — which would be this weekend.

Check in at the former lodge for maps and directions; hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Logistics: Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2, 9 a.m. To 5 p.m., Trails Open at Vade Mecum, Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. More info here.

Weekend forecast: highs both days around 90, chance of thunderstorms Saturday.

* * *

Looking ahead: Beginner Canoe Paddle Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs, Aug. 1, 2 p.m. More info here.

Mountains

No fishing license? No problem on Independence Day.

In North Carolina, you don’t need a license to fish in your county of residence. Elsewhere, you do, except on July 4, when the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission says you can fish on all public waters, from the salt water of the Atlantic to the clear mountain streams of the high country. We highlight the mountains because of the trout opportunities — brook, brown, rainbow — in these higher, cooler waters.

Logistics: License-free fishing, from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 4. For more info, go here.

Tuesday forecast: Mostly sunny, highs in the 80s.

* * *

Looking ahead: Moonlight Paddle, New River State Park, Laurel Springs, Aug. 4, 9 p.m. More info here.

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

Coast

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Start your weekend Friday evening in the Piedmont, learn how the woods once helped paint their own portraits at Elk Knob State Park, “sneak” into 10 nature programs at the coast. So much to do this weekend, and great weather in which to do it.

Coast

When I was in high school, certain friends would buy a ticket for the noon movie on Saturday, then, when it was over, linger in the lobby and slip into the 2 p.m. show. They’d repeat for the 4 p.m., the 6 p.m., the 8 p.m., and the 10 p.m. Kids, honestly.

That approach, however, occurred to me when I saw Saturday’s lineup of programs for the Bald Head Island Conservancy:

• 8:30am Kayaking the Creeks
• 9 a.m. Birding BHI
• 1 p.m. Touch Tank Time
• 2 p.m. Reptile Round Up
• 2:30 p.m. Marsh Kid’s Fishing
• 4:30 p.m. Crabbing & Cast-netting
• 6 p.m. Ibis Sanctuary Exploration
• 7:30 p.m. Nocturnal Adventurers
• 9 p.m. Sea Turtle Ride Along
• 9 p.m. Turtle Walk

And here’s the thing: you’re not really beating the system — the events are all free.

Logistics: A day of nature programs, Saturday, June 10, from 8:30 a.m. to about 10 p.m., Bald Head Island Nature Conservancy, Bald Head Island. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 82, sunny.

* * *

Looking ahead: Carolina Beach Double Sprint Triathlon, Saturday, June 24, Carolina Beach. More info here.

Piedmont

Some folks go through life under the erroneous assumption that we have a two-day weekend in this country. In fact, it is 2 and a quarter days, the quarter beginning around 5 p.m. Friday.

That gives you plenty of time to join our GetHiking! Triangle group for An Evening Along the Eno, a 4.1-mile hike that begins at 7 p.m. In the light of early evening, we will head out on the Buckquarter Creek Trail, taking the ridgeline option to Buckquarter Creek. There, we’ll cross a wooden footbridge and pick up the Holden Mill Trail, along the Eno. This is an especially rocky stretch of the river: outcrops crowd the river midway, making for some playful scrambles. The return on this figure-8 route begins on a ridgeline and finishes, in the dusk, along the Eno. One of our favorite Triangle hikes, made better in the fading light of day.

Logistics: GetHiking! Triangle: An Evening Along the Eno, Friday, June 9, 7 p.m., Few’s Ford Access, Eno River State Park. More info and sign up, here.

Friday evening forecast: Clear skies with a high of 78 at hike time.

* * *

Looking ahead: Creek Creep, Saturday, June 17, Mayo River State Park, Mayodan. More info here.

Mountains

We like to learn a thing or two when we venture into the woods. Like the difference between a pin oak and a white oak. Or how to ID a tree by its bark. Or where paint comes from. Or used to.

That’s what you’ll learn Saturday afternoon should you plan to attend Elk Knob State Park’s Natural Pigments program. “Find out how the artists of old got their colors and try it out yourself,” says the event description.

Logistics: Natural Pigments, Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. Learn more and sign up here.

Saturday forecast: High of 75 and cloudless.

* * *

Looking ahead: Tips and Tactics for Fishing the New River, Saturday, July 1, 10 a.m., New River State Park. Learn more and sign up here.

* * *

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

Coast

The post This weekend: We get the fun off to an early start appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Learn about the salt marsh on a paddle at the coast, watch the sun set on the weekend from the Art Loeb Trail, or discover a “new” gorge where the Piedmont and coastal plain meet.

Coast

The Bald Head Island Conservancy does an exemplary job of promoting the environment through public education. This weekend, for instance, there’s Birding BHI, Touch Tank Time and Reptile Roundup on Saturday, and Island Nature Tour and Kayaking the Creeks on Sunday. We’re especially intrigued by Kayaking the Creeks. Lead by a member of the Conservancy, you’ll head out in tandem kayaks to explore and learn “about the beauty and importance of the salt marsh.”

PFDs, paddles and kayaks provided, you supply the water, sunscreen, bug spray, hat and clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting muddy and perhaps slightly wet.

Logistics: Kayaking the Creeks, Sunday, May 7, 5 p.m., Bald Head Island. $55, $40 for CHI members. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 59.

* * *

Looking ahead: Can’t make this weekend’s BHI events? They run throughout the year; find more info here.

Piedmont

Not much we like more than a new place to explore. Such a place opened to the public in February, the Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area less than an hour north of the Triangle. Ledge Creek is the result of efforts by the Tar River Land Conservancy to protect land — and thus, the watershed — of the Tar River Basin. The 300-acre preserve is especially intriguing because of its location where the Triassic Basin and the Carolina Slate Belt meet. The hike begins in nondescript farmland, but quickly drops into a heavily-forested gorge, dropping away 200 feet to protected Ledge Creek.

We’re offering this hike through our GetHiking! program and through our affiliation with Hike NC!, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina initiative to get more people on the trail. Learn about this unusual meeting of geology and discover a great place to explore on even the hottest summer day.

Logistics: Hike Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area, Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m., Ledge Creek Forest CA, Stem. Learn more and register here.

Saturday forecast: High of 67 with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

* * *

Looking ahead: Hike NC! Eno River State Park, Cole Mill Access: Pea Creek and Dunnagan Trails, Friday, May 12, Durham. More info and sign up here.

Mountains

A sunset hike from the roof (or is it the ceiling?) of North Carolina: hard to beat that! Unless you have a forecast that calls for cloudless skies and temperatures in the 50s.

That’s how things are lining up for Sunday’s Sunset Hike on the Art Loeb Trail at Black Balsam. One of our Hike NC! Hikes, hike leader Joy James, from Appalachian State University, will lead hikers on a one-mile hike on the Art Loeb Trail, kissing the 6,000-foot-elevation mark. The landscape here is rare in North Carolina: a mountaintop setting with balds, open meadows and unparalleled views, including to the west, to the setting sun.

Logistics: Sunset Hike on the Art Loeb Trail at Black Balsam, Sunday, May 7, 7:15 – 8:45 p.m., Black Balsam access off the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information and to register, go here.

Sunday forecast: Clear skies, highs in the 50s.

* * *

Looking ahead: Get Outside Mountain Relay, 208-mile mountain run, June 2, Glade Valley. More info here.

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

Coast

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Coast

At the coast, our rod points to … the marshlands of Bald Head Island, where wet relief is but a paddle-splash (or better still, a capsize!) away. On both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the BHI Conservancy leads Kayaking the Creeks, a paddle tour exploring and explaining “the beauty and importance of the salt marsh.” If you’ve done this trip before, you haven’t necessarily done this trip: “Each trip offers a unique perspective of BHI and great views of wildlife,” promises the conservancy.

PFDs, paddles, kayaks and guide are provided; you bring a water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, hat, and clothes that can get “muddy and slightly damp.”

Vital Stats: Saturday, July 30, 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 31, 5:30 p.m., Bald Head Island (meet at the Village Creek Access on Federal Road). $55/person for non-members, $40/person for BHI Conservancy members. More info and sign up here.

Saturday forecast: Highs in the low 90s Saturday and Sunday, chance of thunderstorms Sunday.

* * *

Looking ahead: Up and Active, Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m., Kure Beach. More info here.

Piedmont

Normally, when a kayak trip requires that, “All participants must be able to swim,” it can cause alarm. Not the case when the temperature is expected to hit 97. In fact, the prospect that some swimming might be involved is just the thing to lure us to Lumber River State Park for Saturday’s paddle on the Lumber.

The three-hour tour starts art 10 a.m., with guide and appropriate paddling paraphernalia provided (you need only bring sunscreen, drinking water, snack and “any other necessary items”).

Vital Stats: Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lumber River State Park, Chalk Banks Access Area Picnic Area. Free, but space is limited; RSVP at 910.628.4564.

Saturday forecast: High of 97, chance of afternoon thunderstorm.

* * *

Looking ahead: Canoe the Mayo, Mayo River State Park, Mayodan, Saturday, Aug. 27. More info here.

Mountains

This also sounds good on a 91-degree summer’s day: “Bring clothes and shoes that you can get wet.”

In this case, that means clothes you can wear wading in a cool mountain stream as a park ranger at Stone Mountain State Park explains the habits and diet of mountain trout. (The very fact these waters support trout indicates these are indeed cool waters that you will be getting your clothes and shoes refreshingly wet.)

Vital Stats: Stream Safari, Saturday, July 30, 2 p.m., Stone Mountain State Park. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 91, chance of thunderstorms.

* * *

Looking ahead: Centennial Celebration, Mount Mitchell State Park, Aug. 27-28. More info here.

* * *

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

* * *

The post This weekend: H20! H20! H20! appeared first on GetGoing NC!.