Coast

Every once in a while, the Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge opens its roads allowing the public in to better explore this 8,219-acre refuge in Currituck County. To explore its low-lying freshwater and brackish marshes, it’s upland and lowland eastern pine hardwood forests. And this time of year, to be treated to a variety of migrating waterfowl (including snow geese and Canada geese) in addition to year-round residents such as the bald eagle and osprey.

That once-in-a-while is this weekend at Mackay Island, when the roads will be open from 7 a.m. to sunset. Learn more about the preserve here.

Piedmont

Saturday, I spent three hours in my kayak on Jordan Lake. The only thing that could make this better, I thought, would be if someone  magically appeared and served breakfast. OK, I didn’t really think that, at least until I saw the post for this Saturday’s Kayak Breakfast on Belews Lake, sponsored by the Piedmont Environmental Center in High Point. Here’s the deal: Shove off at 7:30 a.m., pull over to the shore at some point for breakfast, then paddle some more, until noon. All the while learning about the natural world engulfing Lake Belews.

$50, $40 if you’re a member of the Piedmont Environmental Center. Details here.

Mountains

Three years ago, while I was reporting “Backpacking North Carolina,” I got to explore some incredible wild areas in the state. Today, I

can thumb through the book and remember a surprising amount about all 43 trips. Some, though, stand out more than others. One of those is the Standing Indian area southwest of Franklin, where the Appalachian Trail traces an oxbow ridgeline; coupled with the handful of trails that climb out of the Standing Indian Campground you have a number of loop options, unusual on the AT, which generally trends in a straight line southwest to northeast from Springer Mountain, Ga., to Katahdin, Maine. One of those loops is the objective of a group hike by the Nantahala Hiking Club this Saturday.

From the campground, the group will hike up the Kimsey Creek Trail to Deep Gap, where it Ts into the AT. From there, they’ll hike north to 5,498-foot Standing Indian Mountain, then head back to the trailhead on the Lower Ridge Trail. Twelve miles of great hiking, that you can be a part of by reserving a spot with hike leader Don Neil, at 828.586.5723.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, 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.

The post This weekend: Penetrate a preserve, paddle & picnic on a lake, hike the AT appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

If you live in the eastern part of the state, Irene promises more adventure than you’d care to handle. Thus, it’s a good weekend to head west.

Coast

We’re going to bypass the coast this weekend for obvious reasons. If you live Down East, you’re probably not thinking about where the nearest 5K is, or whether there’s a group paddle nearby. If you don’t live Down East, the region probably isn’t high on your list of recreation destinations.

Piedmont

We’ll play it safe here by picking an event on the western side of the Piedmont, which hopefully will elude Irene’s reach. Rain or shine, though, it’s hard to beat a 5K, especially one that benefits a slew of YWCA programs. The Challenge for Change, sponsored by the High Point YWCA, for instance. $30 race day registration, which begins at 7 a.m., followed by the race at 8.

Begins and ends at the Y, 112 Gatewood Ave. in High Point. More info by calling (336) 882-4126 or visiting the race Web site here.

Mountains

Here’s a race I would do if I were in town (and not in Denver riding a bike): the Triple Crown Half Marathon. Saturday’s half marathon is the second leg of the High Country Triple Crown series, which began June 4 with The Cub 7-miler and ends Oct. 21 with 2-mile The Knob.

The Triple Crown Half Marathon begins in Boone, at Appalachian State University’s Kidd Brewer Stadium. It then takes scenic back roads for 13.1 miles to the finish in Blowing Rock (shuttles back to Boone are provided). $50 to race, preregistration at the stadium is from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Saturday, the race begins at 8 a.m.

More info here.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, 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.

The post This weekend, batten your hatches and head west appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Since we published that list we’ve heard from an additional 14 municipalities with greenways, from Whiteville’s four greenways totaling a mile in length to Rocky Mount’s 7-mile system to Pinehurst’s 11-mile. Not only we’re we pleasantly surprised that so many municipalities in North Carolina have greenways, but that so many have plans to expand. And not just the Raleigh’s, the Cary’s and the Charlotte’s. Havelock, for instance, will soon add more than 4 miles to its 1-mile system, Albemarle is working on a 3-mile rails-to-trails greenway that will connect its Rock Creek Park and Montgomery Park to downtown, and Sanford, currently with 2 miles, intends to build a 20-mile greenway that will run out to and along the Deep River.

In North Carolina, greenways are alive and growing.

As I’ve mentioned, we’re revamping GetGoingNC.com to include the most comprehensive greenway coverage in the state. Expect some news on that front by the end of May. Until then, the following list should help you track down any greenway in North Carolina. Keep it in mind as you travel the state. Find yourself in Jacksonville on business and in need of a run? Check out the 5.5-mile Jacksonville-Camp LeJeune Rails-to-Trails greenway. On your annual summer vacation to the Outer Banks and looking for a break from the beach? Take a bike ride on Manteo’s 8.8-mile greenway. And if you’re traveling any distance with kids, knowing where there’s a nearby greenway where they can stretch their legs (and burn some energy) can be invaluable.

Click on town names for details on their greenways.

* Indicates new listing from last week’s list.

Photo top: Raleigh’s Rocky Branch Greenway goes through the middle of the N.C. State campus. Here, it swings by the new softball field and State’s track.

Statewide

North Carolina Rail-Trails Includes a rundown of 28 rails-to-trails projects throughout the state as well as projects in development.

Coast

* Burgaw approximately 2.1 mile trail and greenway.

Greenville 3.3-mile greenway.

Jacksonville 5.5-mile Jacksonville-Camp LeJeune Rails-to-Trails greenway.

* Havelock 1.02-mile Greenway at the Recreation Complex off NC 101. Will be establishing a 4-plus mile Greenway on McCotter Canal soon.

Manteo 8.8-mile greenway.

* Whiteville Four greenways that connect and measure about 1 mile.

Piedmont

Triangle

Apex Three greenways, 6 miles.

Chapel Hill Six main greenways/trails.

Carrboro Includes 1-mile Libba Cotten rails-with-trails project.

Cary 47 miles of greenway.

Durham Eight greenways, including about half of the 22-mile American Tobacco Trail.

Morrisville One greenway.

Raleigh 68 miles of greenway with more under construction.

Smithfield 3-mile Buffalo Creek Greenway runs along the Neuse River.

Wake Forest About 8 miles of greenway in 9 sections.

Triad

Greensboro 32 miles of paved greenway.

Guilford County Overseeing the nearly complete 15-mile Bicentennial Greenway bridging High Point and Greensboro.

Winston-Salem 16 miles of greenway

High Point 9 miles of greenway

Wilkesboro 7.4-mile (and growing) Yadkin River Greenway.

Charlotte area

Mecklenburg County 35 miles of developed greenway

Carolina Thread Trail New effort to link greenways in 15 counties in the Charlotte area.

Gastonia One 2.7-mile greenway, one 1.7-mile rails-to-trails project

Kings Mountain 2.3-mile greenway

Concord 4-mile downtown loop.

Kannapolis 2-mile greenway.

Piedmont / elsewhere

* Albemarle Currently developing a 3-mile section of abandoned rail line into a greenway that will connect Rock Creek Park and Montgomery Park to downtown and to each other. About 1 mile is done, with grant funding being sought for development of the remainder.

* Archdale Approximately 3 miles of greenway trails in Archdale which begin in Creekside Park.

* Mount Airy 4.4 miles of greenway (2.2  miles on the Emily B. Taylor Greenway and 2.2 miles on the Ararat River Greenway). Ararat River Greenway also has water access. Three of four city Schools are connected to greenways.

* Pinehurst 6 miles of greenway, built since 2004.

* Rocky Mount About 7 miles of greenway. The longest: 3.1 miles of greenway trail along the Tar River.

* Sanford Two miles of greenway with the recent completion of a 1.4-mile section. Greenway eventually will reach to the Endor Iron Furnace on the Deep River. Long range plan: a 20-plus-mile loop from Sanford to and along the Deep River.

* Southern Pines Eleven miles with two more to be built.

* Statesville More than six miles of greenway with another 2.5 now being paved.

Mountains

Asheville 4.3-mile greenway with plans for 15-mile system with 12 interconnected corridors

Black Mountain More than a mile of greenway, with plans for three more greenways.

* Boiling Springs (Cleveland County) Fifteen to 20 miles of trail for equestrians, mountain bikers and hikers along with being the beginning of an awesome blue way. We are celebrating our 16th birthday this year.

Brevard 5-mile paved greenway links Brevard with Davidson River area.

* Fletcher 3.1 miles of greenway (mix of wood chip, pebble stone and concrete) in Fletcher Community Park running along Cane Creek and Hoopers Creek.

Franklin 4-mile, mostly paved, Little Tennessee River Greenway

* Lenoir Greenway runs 4.76 miles over approximately 25 acres

Morganton 3.8-mile Catawba River Greenway, with connecting .6-mile Freedom Trail.

The post Finding more greenways in North Carolina appeared first on GetGoing NC!.