Since launching the GetHiking! program in 2013, I’ve learned one key thing: being on the trail makes us better. It makes us better physically, emotionally and spiritually. Even on a hike where the weather turned vile, I’ve never had a hiker say, “That sucked. I’ll never do that again.” Granted, it may be a day or so before a soaked hiker comes around, but inevitably they emerge with a positive take on the experience and, more importantly, they return to hike again. Considering the main target of GetHiking! has been new hikers, that says a lot.
While GetHiking! has grown significantly since that first chapter opened in the Triangle — we now have more than 6,000 members in North Carolina (Charlotte, Greenville, the Triad and Triangle) and Virginia (Charlottesville and Virginia Beach), I’m always looking for ways to reach new hikers. So when BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina approached me in August expressing interest in a statewide hiking program aimed at cultivating a new class of hikers, I jumped. In part, that was through a matter of loyalty: when I left The News & Observer in 2009, where I’d spent most of the 17 previous years writing about health, fitness and outdoor adventure, BCBSNC quickly moved in to sponsor the blog I had in mind (the one you’re reading). But truly, the opportunity to tap into their vast network of customers — they had nearly 3.9 million members in 2015 — was a proselytizing opportunity too rich to pass up.
In the ensuing month and a half, we’ve partnered with N.C. State Parks, Friends of State Parks, N.C. Recreation & Park Association, Great Outdoor Provision Co. and others to create Hike NC, an ambitious statewide hiking program consisting of more than 60 guided hikes. The program began this past weekend (with hikes at Fort Fisher, Haw River and Jones Lake state parks) and revs up with eight hikes this weekend, Matthew permitting.
Why should you consider signing up for Hike NC? Glad you asked.

• Hiking offers a wealth of health benefits, from reducing your chances of heart disease to lowering your cholesterol levels. Learn more about the health benefits of hiking, here.
• Hiking clears your head. When I started the Corporate Wellness arm of GetHiking! I assumed most participants would be interested in losing weight and improving their overall physical health. In fact, the vast majority sign on to let go of workplace stress.
• We’ll be hiking on some of the best trails in North Carolina. One of my key roles in Hike NC has been to select the trails we will hike. I have a bit of experience exploring North Carolina (the aforementioned 17-year gig at The N&O; writing two trail-specific books, “100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina” and “Backpacking North Carolina;” leading scores of hikes through GetHiking!) and I can assure you there isn’t a dud in the lot. Our hikes are a great representation of the North Carolina hiking experience.
• You won’t find more helpful and knowledgeable hike leaders. A good number of our hikes are in North Carolina’s state parks: most of those hikes are led by park rangers, who know the terrain as intimately as anyone, and some are led by members of the local “Friends,” group, people with a remarkable passion for the parks they support. We have hikes on local land trust properties; those hikes are lead by the folks who helped save these special places and, as is the case with park rangers, know the land better than anyone. And, we’ve got hikes lead by our own GetHiking! hike leaders, who are eager to share their love of hiking.
• You can’t hike too slow. Most of our hikes are less than 4 miles in length, we allow plenty of time for the hike, and, perhaps most reassuring of all, our hikes are led from the rear, meaning you’ll never be the last one in line — the hike leader will always be behind you.
• Incentives. We’ve got cool gifts for folks who arrive at the trailhead. (You’ll have to come to find out what.) Plus, hikers will qualify for weekly prizes and one grand prize.
• Hiking is inexpensive. All you need to start: a decent pair of walking shoes. Once you get into it, you can explore the various gear options (which we explore for you, here).
• Hiking is a lifelong pursuit. Unlike a lot of what goes on at the gym, hiking is something you can do late into life.

We could go on, but there’s really only one way you can appreciate what hiking is about. And we’ve got more than 60 opportunities for you to do just that. Visit Hike NC, click on “Find Your Hike,” and join us.

We’ll do everything we can to make you glad you did.

The post Hike NC: Your gateway to a healthy life on the trail appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Highs in the low 80s, sunny skies. Sounds like a great weekend for a hike, no? And as luck would have it, this weekend is the kick off for Hike NC, a statewide hiking initiative by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, North Carolina State Parks, GetGoingNC and others. We’ll talk more about Hike NC in the coming days, but in a nutshell, it’s an effort to expose more North Carolinians to their state’s remarkable hiking resource, a resource they can frequently find right in their own backyard. We’ve got more than 60 hikes scheduled statewide over the next two months; today, we highlight the three that launch the program this weekend.

Coast | Coastal Plain

Saturday, 10 a.m., Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, Kure Beach. Basin Trail, 2.2 miles. A hike tailor made for kids (of the older variety as well). Learn the ecology of a barrier island on this easy, flat hike. Also learn the history of the Fort Fisher hermit, who for several years made his home in a World War II concrete bunker midway along the trail.

Details here.

Saturday, 10 a.m., Jones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown. Roughly a half million Carolina bays dot the Southeastern United States; learn the story of this one on a hike of the mile-long Cedar Loop lead by Park Ranger Garrett German.

Details here

Piedmont

Saturday, 1 p.m., Haw River State Park, Iron Ore Belt Access, Great Blue Heron Trail. 3.8 miles. Easy/moderate. The terrain is rolling but the trail is not on this loop that manages to stay level-headed on its way around a wetland. There’s a great history to this new addition to the North Carolina State Parks system, one you’ll learn about from Hike Leader and Park Superintendent Kelley King.

Details here

Mountains

Hike NC doesn’t have a hike scheduled in the mountains on this first weekend, but that’s OK because Buncombe County Recreation Services and the Blue Ridge Parkway do. It’s a good one: a 1.4-mile hike out of the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center where you’re very likely to see the first legit signs of fall. “The hike along the Craggy Pinnacle Trail begins with a moderate uphill climb to the summit at Craggy Gardens to an elevation of 5,892 feet,” say the sponsors, “so bring a jacket and dress in layers. The hike is for all ages.”

Details here

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

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Today’s 90-Second Escape: Scenes from a hike

Labor Day officially marks the start of the fall hiking season in the Southeast. To get you in the mood, today we share scenes from the trail.

If you’re new to hiking but excited about getting started, two things:

• Check out our 5 Fall Hikes to Rediscover Your Hiking Legs, which we wrote for our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co. Good options throughout the Piedmont for easing into those longer, more challenging hikes in the mountains that will beckon when the chloroplasts begin losing chlorophylls.
• Keep an eye on this space for details on Hike NC, a statewide beginner hiking program we’re launching this fall with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina.

For the present, though, a minute and a half of virtual hiking will have to suffice.

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The post 90 Second Escape: Scenes from a hike: A Prelude appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

One reason you take a short hike: you don’t have time for a long one, which is especially true as we enter the hectic holiday season.

If you don’t have time for a long hike, you certainly don’t have time to deliberate over packing. For a short hike — an hour or less — you don’t need a big pack, anyway. Pass on the extra socks; you can live with cold or damp feet for 15 minutes. No need for a litany of layers; even if the temperature does drop, you can weather the difference for a few minutes. A big lunch? Eat when you get off the trail.

Grab the essentials, get out the door. Better yet, have the essentials packed and ready to go.

So what should you take?

• Camera (all the better if you have a smartphone camera). Maybe you’re hiking with visiting friends and/or family. Maybe you’re hiking a new trail. A camera is small and, in the case of the smartphone camera, you’ll have it with you anyway. Take advantage of the digital format and click away.
• Water. Always, always, take water. Even if you’re just hiking around the neighborhood, it’s good to stay in the habit of hiking with, and drinking water. Staying hydrated keeps one’s spirits up, which is especially important for folks who may not be accustomed to taking even a short hike.
• Snack. And don’t confine yourself to nuts and berries. Take something you like, though don’t take a lot of it. Treat yourself.
• A light shell (windbreaker) or sweater. OK, I’ll backtrack a bit: even on a short hike, if the weather changes — if a front moves through and the temperature unexpectedly drops — you might not be mortal danger with 15 minutes left in your hike, but why even be uncomfortable. A windbreaker tucked in your pack will help you retain your body heat and, at least in the short term, keep out moisture.
• Hat and gloves. Last items, promise. You lose most of your body heat through the top of your head and through your extremities. If you feel a chill coming on throw on a cap and gloves.Keep the above handy in a small day pack. If a small hiking window develops, you’ll be ready to grab your escape pack and escape to — where?

  Glad you asked. During the holidays you can check our GetGoingNC list of recommendations for short hikes near you on the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Health and Wellness Blog. Here’s a rundown of the posts and when they will — or did — appear:

  So far:
  November 14: The Coast

  Today:
  The Triangle

  Coming:
  December 1: Triad
  December 15: Charlotte
  December 29: Asheville

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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!

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