The Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center is a little-known gem that has much to offer the outdoor enthusiast.

Located just east of I-95 near Four Oaks (which is near Smithfield), Howell Woods has plentiful short hikes: The Habitat Diversity Trail System features 15 trails ranging in length from a tenth of a mile to three-quarters of a mile, a feature that it notes on its Hiking Trails page.

And—bonus!—when you arrive at the Visitor Center off Devil’s Racetrack Road in Johnston County you will discover that the center has additional longer trails—these multiuse trails are listed only under “Horseback and Bike Trails” on the site. These longer hikes include Howell Drive Trail (2.54 miles), Monkey Ridge Trail (1.7 miles) and River Loop East/West (4.32 miles).

The facility, an arm of Johnston Community College, lists the trails, their distance, surface type and the habitats you’ll find along the way, and they offer recommended loops (of 3.8, 6, 9.4 and 12 miles). There is an expanded trail map available at the Visitor Center, but navigating Howell Woods on your own, especially the longer trails extending deep into the 1,600 acres of bottomland hardwood forests, is not so simple. Not all trails indicated on the map are marked, requiring guesswork that requires you know how to read a map (Don’t know how to read a map? We can help. See below.) It’s also helpful to know beforehand that some of the low-lying areas might involve a water crossing. And it’s good do know where to go when the trail forks to avoid a massive — and active — sand mining operation in the heart of the woods.

Educational forests in general tend to be diamonds in the rough. North Carolina’s Educational State Forests offer good hiking, a feature that’s only vaguely mentioned on their websites. Even the popular Duke Forest—consisting of more than 7,000 acres in parcels spread over Durham, Orange and Alamance counties in the Triangle–requires an insider’s knowledge (or purchase of the $8 Duke Forest map) to navigate: most access points to the forest are roadside pullouts that accommodate only a handful of cars.

They are, however, worth the effort: hiking on Duke Forest trails along New Hope Creek rewards hikers with passage through narrow canyons, beneath 150-foot bluffs and past sizable drops that some might refer to as cascades.

On a recent March weekday hiking 7 miles at Howell Woods, I was reminded of just how special these unsung spots can be. About midway, on the Monkey Ridge Trail, I paused in an area where the trail was barely higher than the surrounding swamp. I took in the bald cypress, the bottomland hardwoods just beginning to sprout their pastel blooms, the violets and other wildflowers beginning to rouse for the spring. The quiet. I was in the middle of nowhere, less than an hour from Raleigh. And I had the place to myself.

I’m heading back this weekend. Why don’t you join me?

Happy trails,

Joe

Join us

Piedmont Explorer. Each month, our Piedmont Explorer program visits trails outside the Triangle, many of which you may not be familiar with. This Saturday, we’ll visit Howell Woods for a 7-mile hike probing deep into the woods. Learn more about the Piedmont Explorer and sign up here.

And if you feel like your map and compass skills could use a tune-up, check out our Get Oriented class. Learn more here.

Resources

For more information on venues mentioned today, check these sites: North Carolina Educational State Forests, Duke Forest, Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center.

The post Mining for lesser-known hiking gems in NC appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

All spring, my stepson and his buddies spent their weekends building a raft — a raft they planned to ride for 35 miles on the Cape Fear River. Having paddled the Cape Fear I was a tad skeptical, what with the seemingly non-raft-friendly Class I-II drops along the way. But these guys being bright and well versed in the engineering arts, I kept my thoughts to myself: They’ll be fine. And after their three-day trip this past weekend, they were.

Their expedition piqued my interest in rafts. That’s no doubt part of the reason this week’s recommendation for the coast is the Rafting Near/On the Lake program Saturday at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Seven Springs. First, you’ll make miniature rafts for competition in the Raingutter Regatta. Then, time permitting, you’ll set sail on the park’s pond on a raft made of recycled material. Sounds like a great way to spend part of a day.

Logistics: Saturday, June 9, 8 a.m., Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs. More info by dialing 919.778.6234.

Friday forecast: High of 88 with overcast skies and a 70 percent chance of rain.

Piedmont

The forecast for Saturday calls for our first 90+ weather of the season — with the wetness factor boosting the heat index to 95! And there’s a 60 percent chance of rain during the day. How does that translate to still having adventure fun? By having it at night. Say, at the Wonders of the Night Sky program at the Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Four Oaks (near Smithfield). Saturn will be the focus of the evening, a focus provided by amateur astronomers who will bring their telescopes and are only too glad to let you take an extended peek. A great spot to view the night sky since there’s far less light pollution this far from the urban, glowing Triangle.

Logistics: Saturday, June 8, 9 p.m. Free, no pre-registration. More info here.

Saturday night forecast: Low of 72, partly cloudy.

Mountains

We’ve got a fondness for trail races, especially those in the mountains. This week, that fondness brings us to Warren Wilson College for the latest installment of the RiverBound Race Series. Both the 5K and 15K runs will be on the Warren Wilson trails. This is the second of three RiverBound races in the mountains; three others take place in the Charlotte area.

Logistics: Saturday, June 8, 8 a.m., Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. $30 in advance, $35 race day for the 5K, $45/$50 for the 15K. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 77, 50 percent chance of rain.

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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.

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The post This weekend: Raft, gaze, run appeared first on GetGoing NC!.