This week’s offerings all come courtesy North Carolina State Parks, where on any given weekend (and on a lot of days throughout the week) you’ll find an array of interesting — and usually free — programs. Check out the State Parks curriculum here, and read on for suggestions on how you can live and learn in the great outdoors this weekend.

Coast

The Lumber River doesn’t get the attention it deserves for one simple reason: it’s not near any of the state’s major population areas. But time on the river is time well spent (especially in light of the no money spent).

Saturday, Lumber River State Park sponsors a guided canoe trip down the Lumber. It’s a two-hour float, originating from the Chalk Banks Access at 10:30 a.m. All gear — boat, paddles, pfds — are provided; you just need to bring water, snacks and plenty of sunscreen. And although it’s free, you need to reserve space in advance (see below).

Logistics: Saturday, June 21, 10:30 a.m., Lumber River State Park, Lumberton. 910.628.4564.

Saturday forecast: High of 95, chance of thunderstorms.

Piedmont

Just the other day we were talking about great places to paddle in the Piedmont and the Weaver Creek sub impoundment at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area came up. Main reason it’s better than the rest of Jordan Lake for paddlers? No power boats.

Main reason to paddle it Sunday? Jordan Lake Ranger Steve McMurray is leading canoe trip of the impoundment. Ranger McMurray’s enthusiasm is exceeded only by his knowledge of the area’s natural attributes. A trip with Ranger McMurray is time well spent with a paddle. And if you’ve ever wanted to see a bald eagle in person, paddling with Ranger McMurray usually does the trick.

Logistics: Sunday, 10 a.m., Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Apex. All gear provided and it’s free, but you need to preregister to save a space: 919.362.0586, x-219.

Saturday forecast: High of 87 with a foggy start to the day.

Mountains

Ever admire the work of the great plein air artists and wondered, “How do they do that?”

Sunday’s Painting the Mountain class at Mount Jefferson State Natural Area doesn’t promise to turn you into a Winslow Homer, but it does guarantee an hour of fun with tempera on canvas. And, again, the only investment required is your time.

Logistics: Sunday, June 22, 2 p.m., Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, West Jefferson. 336.246.9653 to reserve a spot.

Sunday forecast: High of 76, thunderstorms.

* * *

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

The post This weekend: Fun in the parks appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Say goodbye to September with a coastal paddle, a Piedmont adventure race, or a day in the mountains with your heads, thoughtfully, in the clouds.

Coast

Perhaps we’ve mentioned this a time or three before; if so, forgive us. But one of our favorite paddles in the state is on the Scuppernong River upstream from Columbia. Wide and open as the river is at Columbia, shortly before giving it up to Bull Bay and the Albemarle Sound, the river just upstream, where it becomes part of Pettigrew State Park, is close and intimate. Perfect for a fall canoe trip.

Logistics: Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free, equipment provided, but reservations required, by calling the park office at 252.797.4475. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 75, partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain in the afternoon.

Piedmont

Into adventure racing? Then check out the Triad’s top race, the 11th Annual Flying Frog Adventure Race this Saturday. HQ’d out of Lake Brandt Marina, the race offers competition (and separate routes) in the pro and novice divisions. The Novice Course, say organizers, “is offered for new participants interested in trying the sport of adventure racing. The course takes 2-4 hours and includes a 1-2 mile paddle, 7-10 mile mountain bike, and 2-5 mile run.” For you seasoned vets: “The Pro Course is for more experienced racers who want a challenge. This course takes 4-6 hours and includes a 2-5 mile paddle, 10-20 mile mountain bike, and 6-10 mile run.”

Logistics: Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. start for the pros, noon for the novices. $60 for the novices, $80 for the pros. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Clear, high of 70.

We’re getting into a particularly interesting — and important — time of year to be able to read the weather, and the best way to do that is through the clouds. Clouds are constantly sending us important messages — but what do they mean? Impending rain? Snow? A cold front moving in? All important signals to decipher if you spend time in the wild. And signals you can learn to interpret at Sunday’s Clouds program at Elk Knob State Park. From atop Elk Knob you can see clouds in all directions — and a ranger will tell you just what they’re trying to tell you.

Logistics: Sunday, Sept. 29, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Partly cloudy to cloudy (so you’ll have clouds to interpret), high of 68.

* * *

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

Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: A proper September sendoff appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Renoir’s “Woman in Boat” is one of those classic impressionist paintings that you get lost in for a while before snapping to and thinking, “I should get Mom out in a boat. She’d like that.” OK, maybe that’s not necessarily what you think at the time. But now that the seed has been planted, it’s a good idea, no?

Yes. And it’s an idea you can act on this Sunday (Mother’s Day, btw) at Merchants Millpond State Park near Gatesville (up in the northeast corner of the state). The 760-acre Merchants Millpond is both enchanting, with its still waters peppered with Spanish moss-dripping ancient bald cypress and tupelo gum, and accessible. The latter all the more so this Sunday, when a ranger leads a guided Mother’s Day paddle.

Logistics: Sunday, May 12, 2 p.m. Free, but preregistration required, by calling 252.357.1191. All equipment — boat, paddle, PFD — is provided, you just need to bring mom. More about Merchants Millpond here.

Sunday forecast: Overcast early, clearing in the afternoon, high of 72.

Piedmont

Even more than women in boats, women with flowers were a popular subject of the French impressionists. Monet, for one, was constantly capturing women with flowers: “Woman with a Parasol,” “Woman in a Garden,” (not to be confused with “Women in a Garden”) and a personal favorite, “Springtime” (pictured). Once again, when you see one of these your thoughts may or may not turn to the need to take mom out and tip-toe through the tulips.

We don’t know about tulips, but we do know there will be plenty of other wildflowers in bloom Sunday when a park ranger leads the Mother’s Day Wildflower Hike at Hanging Rock State Park north of the Triad. The scenic mile-long saunter begins at 2 p.m.

Logistics: Sunday, 2 p.m. Free. More about the park here.

Sunday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 70.

Mountains

The wildflower display is in full bloom in the high country and, fittingly, Mother’s Day-related wildflower hikes abound. Because we’re running out of space as a result of our art history lesson, we refer you to a nice roundup of this weekend’s mountain hikes by Karen “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina” Chavez, outdoors editor of the Asheville Citizen Times. Find it here.

Logistics: Again, find it here.

Weekend forecast: Sunday’s looking better than Saturday, with partly cloudy skies and highes in the upper 60s.

* * *

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

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

* * *
Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: Honor mom outside appeared first on GetGoing NC!.