Finally, the forecast and the calendar align: we should have springlike weather this weekend.

As we’re attempting to do on an every-Friday basis, we’re here today to get you thinking about the weekend. Today, 40 seconds of last Sunday’s GetHiking! adventure at Umstead State Park in Raleigh: a little on the cool side, but sunny and glorious nonetheless.

This week, GetHiking!, in its various incarnations, will be at Haw River State Park (GetOriented!) and Hanging Rock State Park (Piedmont Explorer and GetHiking! Triad) on Saturday, on the the Mountains-to-Sea Trail through Hillsborough (GetHiking! Corporate) on Sunday. Click the appropriate link if you’re interested in joining us.

Three other ways to celebrate spring this weekend, all at your North Carolina State Parks:

• Canoe Excursion, Lake James State Park, Nemo (mountains). Saturday, 10 a.m. No experience necessary. More info and register here.
• Flatty Creek Spring Hike, Goose Creek State Park, Washington (coast). Saturday, 10 a.m. The approach of warm weather means won’t be able to hike through a swamp like this much longer. More info and register here.
• Stone Mountain Falls Hike, Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap (piedmont/mountains). Saturday, 11 a.m. Half mile hike to the 200-foot cascade known hereabouts as Stone Mountain Falls. More info and register here.

Have a great weekend! And don’t hesitate to post your photos on our Facebook page! 

The post Get Out! (Your Nudge for the Weekend) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today’s 90-Second Escape: Paddling Goose Creek

Coming back to work after a holiday weekend can be a challenge. In your mind, you’re still out in the wild frolicking, in body, you’re planted indoors under fluorescent lights. Is there no escape?

Yes, at least for a minute and a half there is. Come take a paddle on coastal Goose Creek, through a gradually narrowing passage that quickly chokes off the world beyond.

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The post 90 Second Escape: Paddling Goose Creek State Park appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Of course, I said. “So you’re in town for the weekend?,” I asked, being the sociable — and a little nosy — hike leader. “What else are you doing?”

“No,” she replied. “We just drove down to hike. We’re driving back afterward.”

Eight hours of driving to hike at Umstead State Park? Now, I love Umstead: I hike, run or bike there two or three times a week. But it’s 10 minutes from my house. Would I put in eight hours behind the wheel for a day trip?

Why Umstead? I asked.

“It was the closest place I could find,” she replied.

For future reference, I rattled off several alternatives much closer to her home:

• Merchants Millpond State Park, 9 miles of hiking trail just 1 hour 15 minutes from Virginia Beach.
• Medoc Mountain State Park, 10 miles of trail, 2 hours 20 minutes.
• Goose Creek State Park: 8 miles, 2 hours, 30 minutes.
• Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve:  5 miles, 1 hour, 40 minutes
• Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges, both with miles of gravel roads, both within a couple hours.

She was surprised. None of those options turned up in her Google search.

I shared this story last Wednesday with members of the Northeast Commission, one of seven statewide regional economic development organizations created in the 1990s by the General Assembly (and defunded as of June 30 this year by the same). The Northeast Commission represents 16 counties in the northeast corner of the state, and one of their focus areas has been figuring out how to boost ecotourism in the region. Hence, the preponderance of shaking heads at the table.

Getting the message out about northeast North Carolina’s adventure potential has been an ongoing challenge.

The woman from Virginia Beach should have quickly learned of the hiking options in her own North Carolina backyard. She should also have learned that there was no better time to hike a coastal swamp or forest than on a day when the daytime high wouldn’t get much above 60, remaining just cool enough to keep the local pest population from activating.

And hiking isn’t even what the region is known for. Or should be known for.

It’s a paddling paradise.

Paddling intimate blackwater creeks; paddling lazy rivers, paddling mysterious swamps, paddling marshes, sounds, the ocean. Some of the best flat-water paddling in the country, and it remains a well-kept secret, much to the Northeast Commission’s dismay.

There are hundreds of miles of designated paddle trails in the northeast region. For years, access was pretty much by word-of-mouth; only the locals knew which underpass made for a good put-in, which little-known boat ramp a decent take-out. Then, in the 1990s came the North Carolina Coastal Plain Paddle Trails guide, which identified access points on more than 2,500 miles of waterways in the coastal plain. Helpful, but it doesn’t offer a sense of what each section is like. You get more of that in Paul Ferguson’s “Paddle Trails of Eastern North Carolina.” But as I told the NEC, in order to lure folks you need to give them a good sense of what they’re driving from, say, Philadelphia — or even Raleigh — for.

There are some sparks of that.

• Roanoke River. It doesn’t take but 30 seconds on the Roanoke River Partners website before you’re ready to reserve one (or several) of the 16 camping platforms on the river. For each platform there are photos, details about the campsite and an enticing description. You can reserve a site immediate, online.
• Pamlico County Paddle Trails. This site includes the necessary details and esthetic insights helpful in planning a trip. Waterways coverd are the Bay River, Goose Creek, Bay River to Oriental, Oriental, Oriental to Upper Broad Creek.
• Albemarle Regional Paddle Trails. This site acts as a clearinghouse for more localized maps in the Albemarle region.

That’s a start to help you plan a paddle trip to the northeast part of the state.

Another way to learn the area? Attend an event, where you’ll be guided and have the opportunity to rub shoulders with local paddlers, who may, if you seem like a decent sort, share a local favorite trip or two.

Two upcoming events we know of:

• Roanoke River Paddle Days, Sunday, April 6, 7:30 a.m. Coffee and “breakfast snacks” start the day, followed by a 12-mile paddle from Jamesville to Plymouth. There’s a rest stop at the Bear Run Camping Platform (so you can check and see what that’s about), followed by lunch back in Jamesville, at the Cypress Grill. Cost is $35, with proceeds benefitting the Roanoke River Partners. A great introduction to the Roanoke.
• Paddle for the Border, Saturday, May 3, 8 a.m., Dismal Swamp Canal. You know those promotions where someone dumps about 400 little rubber ducks into a river for comic effect? That’s the image that comes to mind with Paddle for the Border, an annual occurrence where 375 canoes and kayaks paddle the 7.5 miles from North Carolina’s Dismal Swamp State Park in South Mills north to Chesapeake, Va. $40 fee includes shuttle, breakfast and lunch. Adding to the paddle’s allure is the Great Dismal’s colorful past. If you sign up, plan to read Bland Simpson’s “The Great Dismal: A Carolinian’s Swamp Memoir”beforehand.

This is the tip of the iceberg, but it’s a start. We’ll work to explore beneath the northeast’s surface in the months ahead.

The post Exploring North Carolina’s northeast corridor appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

When I first started writing about fitness and the outdoors back in the early 1990s, there were a handful of ways you could welcome the New Year in most communities. There was usually a 5K run, a bike shop sponsored a casual ride, canoe clubs held members-only paddles, there was a hike or two, and some oddball group was jumping into a local lake (and jumping right back out again). You had options for welcoming the new year, but not a lot.

Today is a different story. In the Triangle, for instance, you don’t have to wait one minute into the new year for a 5K with the Run In The New Year 5K in Cary, which starts at midnight Jan. 1.  And thanks to the explosion of Meetup groups, you’ll find all variety of New Year’s activities, from paddle trips to bike rides to climbs and scuba dives. The options are too numerous to mention here. Rather, go to Meetup.com, enter your Zip code, enter your preferred activity and check out your New Years Day options.

While I’ve done just about everything on New Year’s Day — from 5Ks to the old The Spin Cycle New Year’s Day bike ride to paddle trips — the day has always been about hiking to me. There’s something thoughtful about a hike, it’s healthy, it’s slow, you can do it with your family. And thanks to the recent First Day Hikes program launched by the National Association of State Park Directors and American State Parks, finding a hike is not a problem. At North Carolina’s state parks alone there will be at least 40 guided hikes on New Year’s Day.

So today, we focus on New Year’s Day hikes. Below is a quick rundown of the First Day hikes scheduled for Tuesday at 35 state parks throughout North Carolina. For more information on a given hike, go to ncparks.gov, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks,” then select “January” under option 2, “Select a month.”

Carolina Beach State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Marina Trail Head Parking Lot
2-mile hike to Sugarloaf Dune.
More info: (910) 458-8206

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Clifftop Parking lot
1-mile hike, dogs are welcome.
More info: (919) 778-6234

Crowders Mountain State Park
Call for time
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hikers from Crowders Mountain will hike 5 miles south on the Ridgeline Trail and meet hikers hiking north from South Carolina’s Kings Mountain State Park.
More info: (704) 853-5375

Dismal Swamp State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hike on the Supple-jack Trail.
More info: (252) 771-6593 to sign-up.

Elk Knob State Park
2:30 p.m.
Meet at: Summit Trail parking lot
Bring some water and plan for a 2.5- to 3-hour outing in the elements.
More info: (828) 297-7261.

Eno River State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Fews Ford Access
Sponsored by Eno River Association, hikes of 2 and 4 hours.
More info: (919) 620-9099, association@enoriver.org, http://www.enoriver.org/eno/Activities/hikes/Newyears.htm

Fort Macon State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Fort parking lot
Leisurely hike along the inlet beach to learn about the natural and cultural history of the area.
More info: (252) 726-3775

Goose Creek State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Ivey Gut Parking Lot
Guided 4-mile hike.
More info: (252) 923-2191

Gorges State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Bearwallow Picnic Shelter
Moderate 1.5mile hike.
More info: (828) 966-9099

Grandfather Mountain State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Profile Trail
First portion of Profile Trail.
More info: Ranger Appling 828-963-9522

Hammocks Beach State Park
8:30 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center Back Porch
45-minute hike around park grounds
More info: (910) 326-4881

Haw River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Haw River State Park
More info: (336) 342-6163

Hanging Rock State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Hanging Rock Trail Head
Five Overlooks Challenge: 10-mile hike takes in park’s five main scenic mountain overlooks.
More info: (336) 593-8480

Jones Lake State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hike through the bay forest
More info: (910) 588-4550

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
1 p.m.
Meet at: Old Oak Trail at Ebenezer Recreation Area
Easy, 1-mile hike on Ebenezer Old Oak Trail
More info: (919) 362-0586

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
2 p.m.
Meet at: Satterwhite Point Office
Park ranger-led stroll through the Kerr Lake woods
More info: (252) 438-7791

Lake James State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at :the Paddy’s Creek Bridge parking area
1.5-mile roundtrip on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
More info: (704) 528-6350

Lake Norman State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Park office
Strenuous 1.5-hour hike
More info: (704) 528-6350

Lake Waccamaw State Park
3 p.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Wear closed shoes and long pants.
More info: (910) 646-4748

Lumber River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Princess Ann Access
Hike through six habitats along the banks of the Lumber River.
More info: (910) 628-4564

Mayo River State Park
11 a.m.
Meet at: Parking lot near picnic shelter
1.8-mile Mayo Mountain Trail
More info: (336) 427-2530

Merchants Millpond State Park
9:30 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
2+ miles on Lassiter Bennett’s Creek trails.
More info: (252) 357-1191

Medoc Mountain State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Picnic Shelter
2 miles on the Stream Loop and Discovery Loop trails.
More info: (252) 586-6588

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
2 p.m.
Meet at: Picnic Area
Hike an Appalachian mountain forest
More info: (336) 246-9653

Morrow Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Lower Picnic Area Parking Lot
Strenuous 2-mile hike up Hattaway Mountain.
More info: (704) 982-4402.

Morrow Mountain State Park
9 a.m.
Meet at: Lower Picnic Area parking lot
.6-mile hike along a freshwater creek.
More info: (704) 982-4402 and let us know that you will be participating in this event.

New River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: US 221 Access
1.5-mile hike to the river and back
More info: (336) 982-2587.

Pettigrew State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: park office
Leisurely hike on and off trail
More info: (252) 797-4475

Pilot Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Summit parking lot
Hike Jomeokee Trail
More info: (336) 325-2355

Raven Rock State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Picnic Shelter
2.5-mile hike
More info: (910) 893-4888

Singletary Lake State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: park office
Half-mile hike
More info: (910) 669-2928

South Mountains State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Jacob Fork parking area
2.75-mile hike
More info: (828) 433-4772.

Stone Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Lower lot display case
3-mile hike past Hutchinson Homestead and Stone Mountain then out and back to Lower and Middle Falls.
More info: (336) 957-8185

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
8 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
2-mile bird walk hike
More info: (910) 692-2167

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
2 p.m.
Meet at: Weymouth Woods Visitor Center
1.5-mile hike that takes in the oldest known longleaf pine in the world, at 465 years of age
More info: (910) 692-2167.

William B. Umstead State Park
9 a.m.
Meet at: Reedy Creek Shelter #1
2-mile round-trip on Company Mill Trail to Crabtree Creek
More info: (919) 571-4170

2 p.m.
Meet at: Crabtree Creek Picnic Shelter #1
1-hour hike
More info: (919) 571-4170

The post Do it all on New Year’s Day appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

There’s swimming, of course. At your local pool (search for local parks and rec departments with pools at the North Carolina Recreation & Parks Association Web site), at a trusted swimming hole (find 76 in North Carolina at SwimmingHoles.org), at the coast (find Outer Banks beaches here, Wilmington area beaches here and assorted other beaches here.

There’s paddling. If you have a canoe or kayak, check out our list below of 21 state parks that have canoe/kayak access. If you don’t have your own boat, there’s always our trusty list of 35 Places Where You Can Rent a Canoe or Kayak in the state. If you’re up for a guided trip — from a quiet journey through a black water swamp to a rollicking romp down Class II, III and IV water, check out this list of outfitters statewide.

Or maybe you’re just looking for an excuse to go wading. Saturday, get your feet wet in the cool waters of the New River during and Aquatic Sampling program at 1 p.m. (336.982.2587 for details on this trip, which meets at the Wagoner Access Area), while Sunday at 2 p.m. at Stone Mountain State Park there’s Aquatic Wild, a chance to poke about the East Prong of the Roaring River for wet wildlife.

Whichever wet option you chose, don’t forget the sunscreen, a hat, protective clothing, bug spray, perhaps a snack or two. And fun, don’t forget to have fun.

Enjoy!

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State Parks where you can float your boat

Piedmont

Eno River State Park – Canoe access, river fishing.
Falls Lake State Recreation Area – 10 boat ramps, privately operated marina nearby.
Hanging Rock State Park – Lake swimming and fishing, rowboat and canoe rentals; boat access to nearby river.
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area – Lake fishing and swimming, 32 boat ramps, privately operated marina nearby.
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area – Lake fishing, accessible fishing pier, 14 boat ramps, two privately operated marinas nearby.
Lake Norman State Park – Boat ramp, lake fishing. Rowboat, canoe and pedal boat rentals, swimming and fishing on 33-acre lake inside park.
Lumber River State Park – Central State natural and scenic 115-mile black-water river, 81 miles also designated national wild and scenic waters. Five canoe-in campsites, boat access.
Morrow Mountain State Park – Pool, boat ramp, lake fishing, canoe and rowboat rentals.
Pilot Mountain State Park – Two canoe-in campsites; river fishing, canoe access.
Coast/Coastal Plain

Carolina Beach State Park – Marina with concession area; river fishing from accessible dock. Boat ramps to river; intracoastal waterway and ocean minutes away.
Hammocks Beach State Park – Accessible only by boat: park operates a seasonal passenger ferry and there’s a canoe paddle trail.
Jockey’s Ridge State Park – Swimming, fishing, kayaking and sailboarding in Roanoke Sound.
Dismal Swamp State Park – Rent kayak and take a trip on the Dismal Swamp Canal.
Goose Creek State Park – Canoe access and trail, boat ramp, river fishing and swimming.
Jones Lake State Park – Lake swimming, fishing, canoe and pedal boat rentals. Access for boats with 10-horsepower motors and below.
Merchants Millpond State Park – Seven canoe-in campsites and three canoe-in group campsites. Lake fishing, canoe access, canoe trails, canoe rentals.
Medoc Mountain State Park – Canoe access, creek fishing.
Pettigrew State Park – Fishing pier, boat ramp.
Singletary Lake State Park – Lake fishing and swimming, canoe rentals.

Mountains

Lake James State Park – Two boat ramp areas, canoe rentals, lake fishing and swimming..
New River State Park – National Wild and Scenic River, more than 30 canoe-in tent campsites, canoe access, river fishing.

The post Resources for a steamy weekend of cool, wet fun appeared first on GetGoing NC!.