First, a note that all North Carolina State Parks and most municipal and county parks are closed Christmas Day (Sunday). Thus, if you plan any park exploring, best get it in Saturday (or Friday!). That said … .

Coast | Coastal Plain

Got visiting kin who could use a bit of movement and wouldn’t mind learning about North Carolina history? Load ‘em in the car Saturday morning and head them down to Carvers Creek State Park near Spring Lake, for a 3-Mile History Hike, taking in the grist mill, pavilion, silos and other features of this property, once a farm owned by James Stillman Rockefeller.

Logistics: 3-Mile History Hike, Saturday, Dec. 24, 10 a.m., Carvers Creek State Park, Spring Lake. More info and sign up here.

Saturday forecast: Hi of 61 with a chance of rain.

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Looking ahead: Trail Games at Weymouth Woods, Sunday, Jan. 29, Weymouth Woods State Natural Area, Southern Pines. More info here.

Piedmont

When we think of hiking at Pilot Mountain State Park, our thoughts typically turn to hiking the big kahuna, Pilot Mountain — Big Pinnacle, Little Pinnacle, Ledge Spring — itself. Great views, rocky outcrops, lots to see. Typically, we don’t think of the park’s lesser-visited Corridor and Bean Shoals sections to the south.

Last month, for the first time, we lead a hike in the Bean Shoals area and were surprised by its diversity and beauty. It was also hillier than we expected, being so close to the Yadkin River. In short, a great hike. And one you can explore Saturday morning in the company of a park ranger.

Logistics: Bean Shoals Canal Hike, Sautrday, Dec. 24, 10 a.m., Pilot Mountain State Park / Bean Shoals Access. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Hi if 51, it might be wet.

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Looking ahead: Holiday Sing-A-Long: yuletide faves our forefathers/mothers/sister/brothers might have sung, Monday, Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m., Eno River State Park. More info here.

Mountains

Apparently, Grandfather Mountain State Park didn’t get the memo: they’ll hold their annual Christmas Day Photo Scavenger Hunt Sunday from 3-5 p.m. Here’s how it works: you get a list of 12 items to shoot, the folks who shoot the most qualify for cool prizes (including a first prize of a $50 gift card, a tent and a one-night camping pass to the N.C. state park of your choice). Read more about the contest here.

It’s a great opportunity to get out on Christmas, a great opportunity to try out any new photography devices Santa may have brought, a great opportunity, period.

Logistics: Christmas Day Photo Scavenger Hunt, Sunday, Dec. 25, 3-5 p.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park/Profile Trail Parking area off NC 105 in Banner Elk. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Cloudy, high of 52.

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Looking ahead: The forecast calls for snow and cold going into next weekend, suggesting it could be a great time to go skiing. Keep tabs on the latest conditions at skisoutheast.com.

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

Coast

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Had enough of the snow and ice? Then grab a beer and a brat and go for a run in Fayetteville. Or explore the rock of the raven along the mighty Cape Fear.

Mountains: Snowshoe Hike at Grandfather Mountain State Park

Yes, you read that right, this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, you can try walking on snow!

Grandfather Mountain State Park rangers have decided to offer a new kind of winter sport. Snowshoes will be available, but if you have your own, bring ’em along! Snowshoe hiking is different from regular hiking; expect to burn more energy as it’s a bit like walking on sand at the beach. Don’t let that deter you, however, as the hike is only two miles, with hardly any elevation gain. Park rangers say that it should be okay for any skill level and age! (That said, snowshoes may not fit hikers under the age of 13.)

If there is not enough snow (the park received 14 inches out of last weekend’s storm), a program on Winter Weather Hiking will be held instead in the same location. Additional snowshoe hikes will be held Feb. 12, 13, 26, and 27.

Vital Stats: Snowshoe Hike at Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville, 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday; meet Ranger Andy Sicard at the Boone Fork Parking Lot, Milepost 299.9 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Free. More information: grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov, 828.963.9522.

Weekend forecast: Saturday, 43 degrees with wind at 8 mph around 2 p.m.; Sunday, 47 degrees with wind at 7 mph around 2 p.m.

Looking ahead: Totally ‘80s Retro Ski Weekend at Beech Mountain, Feb.18-21
More info here.

Piedmont: Hike to Raven Rock

Did you know Raven Rock near Lillington was originally named Patterson’s Rock after an early settler who took refuge there when his canoe capsized? The name was changed to Raven Rock in 1854, due to the ravens that used to roost on the rock ledges.

This Sunday, join a park ranger on a 2.2-mile hike to learn even more about the cultural and natural history of the area. Maybe you can even surprise the ranger with the knowledge you (might have) just learned! The hike will take about two hours and start at the picnic shelter.

Vital Stats: Hike to Raven Rock, Raven Rock State Park, Lillington, Sunday, 10 a.m. to noon. Free. More info: raven.rock@ncparks.go, 910.893.4888.

Sunday forecast: The hike will begin at about 51 degrees, and finish with temperatures close to 62 degrees. Don’t forget a water bottle!

Looking ahead: Krispy Kreme Challenge, Feb. 6, Raleigh. More info here.

Coast: Boomerang Beer and Brat Fun Run (5k/1 mile runs)

Yes there will be beer for runners over 21 at Saturday’s race at Fayetteville’s Crown Coliseum. There will even be FREE beer for teams of 6 or more! The race starts with a beer, involves eating a foot-long brat along the way, ends with another beer. You can choose between a 5K or 1 mile.

Racers are encouraged to dress in costume, a costume they can swap with other runners along the way. At the finish, there will be a costume contest, a dance off, and bratwurst eating competition. Not yet 21? Not a fan of beer or brats? There will also be vegetables!

Individuals or teams who bring the most non-perishable food items and diapers for a local food bank receive 10 free race entries for June events!

Vital Stats: Boomerang Beer and Brat Fun Run, Saturday, Jan. 30, 1 p.m., Crown Coliseum. $40. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny! About 58 degrees at time of race.

Looking ahead: Coastal Culture and Waterfowl Watching Trip, Feb. 3. More info here.

The post Weekend Plans: Snowshoeing? In the Southern Appalachians!? appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

We’ve been working with our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co. on a series of adventures to to help you Save Your Summer, in the event summer hasn’t lived up to your adventure expectations. In the category of summer paddling adventures, one of our five nominations is canoeing the blackwater swamp at Merchants Millpond State Park.

It is, we contend, one of the easiest, most accessible, and economical ways to explore a blackwater swamp. This Sunday, it gets even easier, accessible and economic when a ranger leads “Canoe the Pond,” an exploration of the 760-acre millpond. No need to follow the trail markers (just follow the ranger), no need to plunk down the already minimal $5 canoe rental fee (the trip is free), and no head-scratching over the abundant flora and fauna you’ll be seeing — the ranger will fill you in.

One easy adventure.

Logistics: Sunday, 1 p.m., Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. Free, but space is limited; register to secure a spot: 252.357.1191.

Saturday forecast: High of 87 and sunny.

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Looking ahead: Explore the marsh and sound at Hammocks Beach State Park on a free kayak trip on Friday, Sept. 11. More info here.

Piedmont

Medoc Mountain … Medoc Mountain … Medoc Mountain …

You can almost hear the gears grinding as the person chews on the words. Nope, they finally answer, can’t say I’ve ever heard of it.

Which is too bad and somewhat amazing. Medoc Mountain State Park sits an hour and a half northeast of the Triangle and offers 2,300 acres of exploring in forest on the eastern edge of the Piedmont. The home of the New World’s first attempt at winemaking, a long-abandoned Boy Scout camp, and a mountain range that once reached to the sky but now tops out at 325 feet, the park offers lots of opportunity to explore.

Those opportunities are the focus of a ranger-led hike on the park’s Discovery Loop Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Spend an hour or so learning about the park, then explore on your own.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2 p.m., Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister. Free, but registration requested, by calling 252.586.6588.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 87.

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Looking ahead: How well do you know the ecology of the sandhills region? You’ll know it a lot better if you plan to attend the “Introduction to Weymouth Woods and the Ecology of the Sandhills” presentation at Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve on Sunday, Sept. 6. More info here.

Mountains

Ever see a guided hike and think, “Man, I don’t think I can hike that far”? Or, conversely, “I don’t know if I want to drive that far for a hike that short”?

There’s no such problem with Saturday’s G.R.E.E.N. Day hikes at Grandfather Mountain, lead by the Boone-based Chargers and Re-Chargers hiking club. The four hikes are all on the Profile Trail, snaking up the northwest flank of Grandfather Mountain, but are of varying lengths. At 8 a.m., hikes of 4.5, 5.5 and 7 miles will set off up the trail, with destinations of Profile View, Shanty Springs and Calloway Peak, respectively. At 9 a.m., there’s a 2-mile hike that sticks to the  towering hardwood forest at the base of Grandfather.

Lots of options, no excuses.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 22, 8 and 9 a.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville. Shuttle provided from the Lowes Foods at NC 105 and NC 184 in Banner Elk. For more information, visit the Grandfather Mountain State Park website and click on “Events / Free Programs.”

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 77.

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Looking ahead: Not crazy about some of the wicked singletrack you encounter in the mountains, but enjoy the scenery? Check out the Asheville Gravel Grinder on Sunday, Sept. 13, on the Biltmore Estate grounds. Forty- and 60-mile options; the first 6-8 miles is on paved surface, the rest on dirt and gravel paths. More info here.

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

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1. Raven Rock State Park
Lillington
We’ll defer to the park’s website on this one: “One of the best reasons to visit Raven Rock is the exceptional beauty of its wildflowers. A variety of species reveal magnificent blossoms in early spring. Look over patches of Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, saxifrage and trailing arbutus. Gaze down paths lined with Solomon’s seal, bellwort and spring beauty, or let your eyes wander through a haze of greens and yellows as leaves break their winter dormancy and begin to color the forest.”
Best bets: Campbell Creek and Little Creek trails.
More info here.

2. Eno River
Durham and Orange counties
So prolific are the wildflowers along the Eno River that the Eno River Association annually devotes a weekly series of hikes to them, each hike targeted to the area where blooms are most likely to be occurring. (This week’s destination: the Riverwalk area of downtown Hillsborough.) The hepatica and trout lily have passed, but you can still catch Dutchman’s breeches and yellow lady slippers this month, and rhododendron and mountain laurel in May, among others.
Best Bets: Consult the Eno River Association Spring Hike Series (below) for current blooms.
More info here.

3. Grandfather Mountain State Park
Linville
It’s no surprise that one of the most diverse biopspheres in the world would have a wide array of wildflowers. Massive Grandfather Mountain is conducting multiple spring wildflower hikes each week, at different locations on the mountain. A good opportunity to see wildflowers common to higher elevations and lower in one spot. Check the site listed below for an idea of where you’ll find the most flowering action.
Best Bets: Profile Trail on the mountain’s northwest flank.
More info here.

4. South Mountains State Park
Connelly Springs
South Mountains is both surprisingly close to the Triad and Charlotte and, of equal surprise, a quiet place to visit. Considering the park has more than 18,400 acres (making it North Carolina’s biggest state park), that’s lots of room to roam unobstructed. Not that you need to hike into the park’s interior for spring color: the wood anemone pictured were within a mile of the main parking area. But it’s great to know you have that option.
Best Bet: Jacobs Fork Trail
More info here.

5. Jockey’s Ridge State Park
Nags Head
Think of Jockey’s Ridge and you think of sand dunes — big sand dunes, the biggest along the East Coast! But still, big mounds of sand — not festive flowers. But Jockey’s Ridge isn’t entirely about sand; in fact, the barrier island preserve is ideal for spotting a range of coastal wildflowers, from the yellows of dune camphorweed and smooth bur-marigold to the fire-wheel blanket-flower and trumpet honeysuckle.
Best Bet: Soundside Nature Trail
More info here.

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Coast

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird —
Yes, but what kind?
It’s a question that perplexes many of us when we spy an avian friend flying overhead. And it’s a question you can find answers to Saturday at 9 a.m. at Hammocks Beach State Park. There, a ranger will lead the group in identifying and counting birds as part of the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s a massive exercise in citizen science, as people around the country report who’s flying in and out of their backyards. Binos and bird guides available, bring your own if you’ve got ‘em.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 14, 9 a.m., Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro. Free, 910.326.4881if you have questions.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 51.

Piedmont

When most of us think of looking for signs of spring, we think about looking for those first wildflowers of the year — your trout lilies, your tootworts. But really, it’s the amphibians that are the true bellwethers of spring.

Come celebrate the Year of the Amphibian and learn who to look and listen for in the days ahead at Sunday’s Crafty Critters program at Umstead State Park in Raleigh. Targeted to 1st thru 6th graders, everyone welcome.

Logistics: Sunday, Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m., Umstead State Park, Raleigh. Free, but space is limited; call 919.571.4170 to score a spot.

Sunday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 30.

Mountains

Our look-and-learn theme continues, at Grandfather Mountain with a Winter Tree Identification Hike.

Anyone can identify an oak when it’s in full leaf; how about after winter has stripped most of our trees of their ID badges? That’s when we need a guidebook and a savvy ranger to help us distinguish a sweetgum from a sourwood, a sumac from a sassafras. What better place to identify trees than along the base of the Profile Trail on Grandfather’s west flank?

Logistics: Sunday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Linville. 828.963.9522 to call and confirm if weather is an issue.

Sunday forecast: On the plus side, it will be sunny. It will also only get up to 16 degrees.

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

The post This weekend: Learn, learn, learn appeared first on GetGoing NC!.