Saturday

• 

  Friends of Lake Norman Spring Wildflower Discovery Hike, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Lake Norman State Park, Troutman. These hour-long hikes in search of spring wildflowers will be led by a retired N.C. State Park ranger. More info here.

• Spring Tree ID Hike, 2 p.m., Lake James State Park, Nebo. Check out the new growth of spring on this ranger-led hike on the Holly Discovery Trail. More info here.
• Bentonville in Bloom, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Pretty much what the title says in this program that’s an official event of the NC Science Festival. Learn more here.

Sunday

• Eno River Association Sunday Wildflower Hike: Pump Station, 2 p.m., Northside Christian Church parking lot, 3901 Cole Mill Road, Durham. 1.5-mile hike on the Pump Station Trail at Eno River State Park, in search of the Ladyslipper orchid and more. Registration required, by going here.
• Butterfly Bingo, 2 p.m., Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro. Part of the reason for the spring bloom is to keep pollinating butterflies busy. Come see who in particular is flitting about and what exactly they’re pollinating.

New trail opening

We love an opening — a new trail opening — and there’s one Saturday from 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., at then Triangle Land Conservancy’s Brumley South Nature Preserve in Chapel Hill. As part of Operation Earth Day, TLC is opening a new 3.5-mile trail network. The event is free, but preregistration is required, by going here.

Earth Day events

For a rundown of Earth Day events in the state, check out the N.C. Environmental Education calendar, here, where you’ll find events on Friday (the actual Earth Day), Saturday and Sunday.

No reason not to GetOut! this weekend!

Enjoy.

The post GetOut! Spring blossoms on Earth Day weekend appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today, we take a slightly different tack in our recommendations for how to get out and play this weekend. Events this weekend seem to center around certain themes, so instead of picking three specific events, we’re going with three themes and referencing the related events. Click on the link for details.

Snakes. The temperatures are warming, our no-footed friends are becoming more active. And, boy, do a lot of us have issues with snakes! While you may not be able to overcome that initial gasp! reaction when you see a snake, learning a little more about them — like the very few you need to be concerned with — may help ease some of your trepidation. Among your options for the weekend: Saturday: Snakes, Jones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown, 3 p.m.; Slithering Search for Snakes, Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle, 10 a.m.; Sunday: Spot the Snake, Medoc Mountain State Park, Halifax, 1:30 p.m.; Year of the Snake, Jordan Lake State Park, Apex, 10 a.m.; NC Snakes, Lake Norman State Park, Troutman, 1 p.m.; From Frogs to Snakes Spring Hike, Haw River State Park, Browns Summit, 2 p.m.

Earth Day. Earth Day had the audacity to not fall on a weekend this year, making it difficult for some  to get out and celebrate. Fortunately, your North Carolina State Parks believe that every day is Earth Day, including this Saturday and Sunday. Earth Day activities this weekend include: Saturday: Crystal Coast Earth Day, Fort Macon State Park, Atlantic Beach, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Earth Day Celebration at Mayo River, Mayo River State Park, Mayodan, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Earth Day Celebration, Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock, 2-6 p.m.

Spring. OK, technically every event this weekend has a spring connection since, well, it’s spring. These XX events underscore that connection. Saturday: Spring Wildflower Hike, South Mountains State Park, Connelly Springs, 11 a.m.; Sunday: Spring Birdwalk, Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle, 8:30 a.m.; Spring Wagon Ride, Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills, 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.; Spring Wildflower Walk: Ayr Mount, Eno River Association, Hillsborough, 2 p.m.

GetHiking! this weekend

What are we up to this weekend? Lots!

Live the video

This week’s video was shot on a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake, on what the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail refer to as Day-Hike Sections C and D. It’s a nicely wooded 6-mile stretch that isn’t as physically challenging as some of the rest of the  here.

The post GetOut! Your Nudge for weekend adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.