That breath of fresh air you inhaled coming out of the house Monday morning — a breath devoid of hot, of wet, of recreational despair — convinced our GetHiking! crews that there’s no need to wait for fall in order to take a fall-like hike. Let’s do it now, our hike leaders declared. Or at least this weekend.
So we will.
This weekend, GetHiking! Charlotte, GetHiking! Triad and GetHiking! Triangle will all exceed the 10-mile mark, a distance typically not contemplated by most until it’s time to toss a fleece into the daypack. Fleece be danged, let’s hike!
Here’s what our three hiking groups have planned for the weekend:

• GetHiking! Charlotte, Crowders Mountain State Park. Hike leader Lisa is going the instant replay route with a four-hour hike Saturday at Crowders Mountain State Park, and another four-hour hike Sunday at Crowders. The plan is to depart at 8 a.m. both mornings from the park’s Boulders Access and hike two-hours north on the Ridgeline Trail. At 10 a.m., hikers will about-face and return to the Boulders. Depending upon a hiker’s pace, Lisa estimates they will cover anywhere from 6 to 12 miles. The trail is through rolling terrain. Learn more and sign up here.

• 

  GetHiking! Triad, Doughton Park. Hike leader Jean loves hiking, but she absolutely adores this hike: the 16-mile loop at Doughton Park beginning from the Longbottom Road Access. This Saturday hike begins with a 4.3-mile climb up the Cedar Ridge Trail. The good news? Cedar Ridge constitutes about 80 percent of the climbing on this hike. From there, it’s a memorable 7.5-mile hike on the Bluff Mountain Trail, through vast meadows offering great views, then a 5-mile descent down the Flat Rock Trail. Learn more and sign up here.

• GetHiking! Triangle, Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake. Whoa! you may be thinking: doesn’t the MST run for

  

  60 miles along Falls Lake? This statewide trail does indeed spend 60 of its roughly 1,100 miles hugging the reservoir’s south shore. Our GetHiking! Triangle group will tackle about a sixth of that total: the 10.6 miles from NC 50 west to the Rollingview Recreation Area MST Access. A good kickoff hike for the fall: not too hilly, considerable tree cover, some quality time with the lake. This hike begins at 9 a.m. Learn more and sign up here.

Starting temperatures for all hikes should be in the low 70s, under sunny skies.
Join GetHiking! in getting a jumpstart on fall.

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To the glass-half-empty crowd, this weekend’s forecast of rain followed by more rain topped by a dash of drizzle (and more rain) may seem discouraging. But if you don’t mind seeing that half-full glass fill further, the wet weekend offers opportunity. You just need to know how to dress for it and where to best enjoy a walk in the wet woods.

We’ve come up with five of our favorite rainy day romps. We tell you why these trails are better when wet, then refer you to the online hiking guide we compiled for our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co. for specifics on making each hike happen.

Grab your slicker and embrace the weekend.

1. Sycamore Trail
Umstead State Park, Raleigh
7.2 miles
Our favorite hike in the rain, period. In a mild rain, normally nondescript Sycamore Creek turns into a feisty mountain stream. The rock gardens that in drier times collect languid pools convert Sycamore Creek into a whitewater rollick that makes you want to grab the nearest playboat and dive in. Head to the main trailhead off the far parking lot for the entire 7.2 miles, or, get right to the frothy fun by starting from the Bike & Bridle trailhead, for a 4-mile adventure.
More info and directions here.

2. Stone Mountain Loop Trail
Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap
4.5 miles
This popular loop is typically appreciated for its great views — views that will be obscured in this weekend’s forecast conditions. Rather, what you’ll get are low clouds dancing above the meadow that’s home to the Hutchinson Homestead, passage along the especially exuberant Stone Mountain Falls (on a wood staircase) and the occasional peeks across the valley to Wolf Rock when you top out on STMO. Another big plus: you’ll miss the crowds that typically flood the trail this time of year.
More info and directions here.

3. Occoneechee Mountain Loop
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough
3 miles
You like hiking in the mountains in the rain? Then you’ll like hiking at Occoneechee Mountain, where the trail passes through five distinct eco zones, at least two of which transport you to much higher climes. Hiked clockwise, the trail begins with a steep climb (Occoneechee tops out at 867 feet, the highest spot in the Triangle), then deposits you along the Eno. There, a 30-foot cliff provides a cool environment where rhododendron, mountain laurel, galax and other flora of the Southern Appalachians flourish.
More info and directions here.

4. Ridgeline Trail
Crowders Mountain State Park, Kings Mountain (Charlotte area)
12 miles
If you’re properly geared up for the elements, there’s no better opportunity for some through head-clearing than a hike in the rain — a long hike in the rain. The Ridgeline Trail links Crowders Mountain in North Carolina with Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina. The North Carolina stretch is particularly contemplative, a rolling stretch with no grueling climbs, leaving enough oxygen to fuel the thought process. Not up for a shuttle? Walking in the rain is ideal for an out-and-back hike.
More info and directions here.

5. Price Lake
Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 297
2.7 miles
The clouds are never content to settle over Price Lake. Constantly on the move, they shroud the lake in silence one minute, part briefly the next to reveal a glance at Grandfather Mountain. Rhododendron rim the lake, offering a degree of protection from the rain and glowing a brilliant dark green when coated in wet. The trail is accessible (the trailhead is along the parkway) and the distance makes it doable for even occasional hikers.
More info and directions here.

The post Trails for walkin’ in the rain appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today’s 90-Second Escape: GetHiking! on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Content from GetHiking! on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Our GetHiking! North Carolina’s Classic Hikes program spent this past weekend watching spring unfold above 5,000 feet in the North Carolina high country. Specifically, on a 16-mile stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail between Heywood Gap and Graveyard Fields along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It was a great day on the trail. Tag along and see what we mean.

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Saturday, will be cool (50s) and rainy in the Piedmont. If you’ve got stuff you need to get done (yardwork excluded), this would be the day to get it done because —

Sunday will be dry, sunny and cool (50s) in the Piedmont. Sunday could also be your last chance to catch good fall color in the region. Wondering where to go?

* NCHikes November hike recommendations. NCHikes.com, our sister site, has just posted its six recommendations for hikes especially suited to November. Why November? You’ll have to go here to see. www.nchikes.com
* BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Health & Wellness Blog recommendations, Piedmont. Earlier this month we recommended five hikes in the Piedmont with great color and minimal crowds. Check ‘em out here.
* BlueCrossBlueShield of North Carolina recommendations, Coast. On Wednesday, we recommended five hikes at the Coast that should be starting to pop. Check those out here.
* GetGoingNC. Earlier this week, we posted five short urban walks/hikes where you’ll find good color. Revisit that post here.
* Great Outdoor Provision Co. Online Hiking Guide. If a hike close to home is a priority there’s a good chance you’ll find one on the Great Outdoor Provision Co. Online Hiking Guide, which we collaborated on. Find that guide, with 55 hikes near the state’s major metro areas, here.

One last reminder that winter weather is hitting the high country starting tonight. That means:

* Drop the ropes! One or two ski areas could open. With as much as 10 inches of snow forecast for higher elevations, and snowmaking-friendly cold temperatures, we might see two north North Carolina ski areas in operation (at least briefly). SkiSoutheast.com will keep you updated on the situation, as will the two areas most likely to open, Cataloochee and Sugar Mountain.
* Travel may be affected. Snow will close the Blue Ridge Parkway, check its status here. Check road conditions on North Carolina roads and highways here.
* North Carolina State Parks at higher elevations may be affected. Check NCparks.gov before heading out.

Have a swell weekend!

The post Last call for fall, weekend winter advisory appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

If you live in the Greenville area and bemoan the lack of organized outings in the region, take note of a new Meetup in the region: GetExploring! Greenville. Just so we’re square here, GetExploring! Greenville is sponsored by Great Outdoor Provision Co. and was created as part of GetGoingNC’s Get! division, our effort to become more actively involved in getting you involved.

GetExploring! Greenville began in August with a couple of low-key paddles (lead by yours-truly). It gets going in earnest this Thursday evening with the launch of its Fall Into Adventure program. The launch, to be held at Great Outdoor Provision’s shop in Greenville, features live music, food and a rundown of the eight adventures GetExploring! Greenville has planned for the fall. We won’t spoil the fun, but we will say the adventures include paddling, hiking, cycling, yoga, fly fishing and tai chi.

If you’re in the area, swing by. We promise to make it worth your while.

Logistics: Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Great Outdoor Provision Co., 530-D SE Greenville Blvd., 252.321.1308. Learn more about the event and RSVP here.

Thursday forecast: High of 77, mostly sunny.

Piedmont

Ellerbe Creek is one of those spots that a lot of folks in the Triangle have heard of, they just couldn’t tell you where it is. Saturday is your chance to find out exactly where it is.

The First Annual Ellerbe Creek Nature Tour visits four spots along the creek on its way from Durham to Jordan Lake: 17-acre wood, Pearl Mill Preserve, Beaver Marsh Preserve, Creek Smart House. Sponsored by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, the four-hour tour features short nature hikes that will intimately acquaint you with nature along the creek.

Logistics: Saturday, Sept. 20, 1-5 p.m., Ellerbe Creek, Durham. For details, go here.

Saturday forecast: High of 80, mostly sunny.

Mountains

It doesn’t have to be a long hike to be a worthwhile hike. Case in point: Friday’s Blue Ridge Parkway Hike of the Week on the Bridges Camp Gap Trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is, in fact, the sponsor of the Blue Ridge Parkway Hike of the Week.

The hike commences from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook at Milepost 417 and drops about a mile and a quarter to the East Fork of the Pigeon River. A nice walk through a hardwood forest with plenty of nature to enjoy along the way.

Logistics: Friday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m., Milepost 417, Blue Ridge Parkway. More info by calling 828.298.5330, ext. 304.

Friday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 72.

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

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