They’re the best trails you may not have heard of, those hikes that somehow fly under the radar.
You know the ones: You’re exchanging notes on favorite hikes with a friend and they say, “And, of course, there’s the Birkhead Wilderness.”
The what?
Tag Archives: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness
Central NC: Take the hike & paddle challenge
A patch and knowing you’re helping to save more special places to explore.
That’s what you get by completing the LandTrust for Central North Carolina’s just launched Hike & Paddle Challenge.
Here’s how it works. If you aren’t already a member of the LandTrust for Central NC, you’ll need to join, by going here. Memberships can be had for as little as $25 a year, says associate director Crystal Cockman. And that goes to supporting the LandTrust’s efforts to spare the especially special places in Anson, Cabarrus, Davidson, Davie, Iredell, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan and Stanly counties. Next, you sign up at the Hike & Paddle Challenge, which is here. Then, you’re ready to take either the paddling challenge, the hiking challenge or both.
Scouting report: long hikes at the coast, in the Piedmont
Mel writes: “I am the Hiking Merit Badge coordinator for Troop 395 in Raleigh and we are looking to put together our hiking itinerary over the next 12 months. As you may know, to earn this MB the Boy Scouts have to do five 10+ miles hikes and one 20+ mile hike.”
This weekend: Escape the wintry mix (or embrace it)
One thing about the recent weird winter weather: the breaks are, mercifully, falling on the weekends. Our upcoming one, for instance, is supposed to be dry with temperatures that’ll defrost your winter-weary soul. At least in the Piedmont and at the coast. The mountains, on the other hand, promise more winter fun.
Trails made for a December hike
For the most part, you can hike in the mountains year-round. Hiking in the Piedmont is enjoyable from October into May, and at the coast conditions are favorable for three, maybe four months of the year (the non bug-infested months). Winter, though, is the one time when all regions, from mountains to sea, are in play for a good hike. Here are our recommendations for hikes that seem especially well-suited for December.