Coast

At the coast, our rod points to … the marshlands of Bald Head Island, where wet relief is but a paddle-splash (or better still, a capsize!) away. On both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the BHI Conservancy leads Kayaking the Creeks, a paddle tour exploring and explaining “the beauty and importance of the salt marsh.” If you’ve done this trip before, you haven’t necessarily done this trip: “Each trip offers a unique perspective of BHI and great views of wildlife,” promises the conservancy.

PFDs, paddles, kayaks and guide are provided; you bring a water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, hat, and clothes that can get “muddy and slightly damp.”

Vital Stats: Saturday, July 30, 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 31, 5:30 p.m., Bald Head Island (meet at the Village Creek Access on Federal Road). $55/person for non-members, $40/person for BHI Conservancy members. More info and sign up here.

Saturday forecast: Highs in the low 90s Saturday and Sunday, chance of thunderstorms Sunday.

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Looking ahead: Up and Active, Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m., Kure Beach. More info here.

Piedmont

Normally, when a kayak trip requires that, “All participants must be able to swim,” it can cause alarm. Not the case when the temperature is expected to hit 97. In fact, the prospect that some swimming might be involved is just the thing to lure us to Lumber River State Park for Saturday’s paddle on the Lumber.

The three-hour tour starts art 10 a.m., with guide and appropriate paddling paraphernalia provided (you need only bring sunscreen, drinking water, snack and “any other necessary items”).

Vital Stats: Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lumber River State Park, Chalk Banks Access Area Picnic Area. Free, but space is limited; RSVP at 910.628.4564.

Saturday forecast: High of 97, chance of afternoon thunderstorm.

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Looking ahead: Canoe the Mayo, Mayo River State Park, Mayodan, Saturday, Aug. 27. More info here.

Mountains

This also sounds good on a 91-degree summer’s day: “Bring clothes and shoes that you can get wet.”

In this case, that means clothes you can wear wading in a cool mountain stream as a park ranger at Stone Mountain State Park explains the habits and diet of mountain trout. (The very fact these waters support trout indicates these are indeed cool waters that you will be getting your clothes and shoes refreshingly wet.)

Vital Stats: Stream Safari, Saturday, July 30, 2 p.m., Stone Mountain State Park. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 91, chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: Centennial Celebration, Mount Mitchell State Park, Aug. 27-28. 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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The post This weekend: H20! H20! H20! appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Volleyball used to be the thing to do at the beach. And people still play volleyball, it’s just been supplanted as the thing to do. The new the?

Standup paddleboarding (or SUP, as those in the know call it).

The place to do the thing this weekend: the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin and Marina, site of Saturday’s Carolina Beach SUP Challenge. Both a three-mile race and a one-mile family fun challenge, both benefitting Ocean Cure.

Logistics: Saturday, Sept. 5, Carolina Beach Yacht Basin and Marina, Carolina Beach. 919.539.3490, sandy_mitofsky@yahoo.com for more information.

Saturday forecast: High of 83, chance of thunderstorms.

Piedmont

The heat lingers, the desire to be active diminishes. Must we wait for the revitalizing dry breezes of autumn for motivation to move?

No. Not when you can take a kayak tour on the cool waters of Mountain Island Lake in Huntersville. This guided paddle includes all pertinent equipment — kayaks, paddles, pfds — you bring the appropriate clothes, sunscreen, water and snacks. Easy, no?

Logistics: Saturday, Sept. 6, 1 p.m., Mountain Island Lake, Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, Huntersville. $15 per boat, $20 for a tandem. Ages 6 and up. More info: 704.875.2312.

Saturday forecast: High of 90, chance of thunderstorms. 704.875-2312

Mountains

Sunday, the Carolina Mountain Club leads a past-into-present hike along the Appalachian Trail straddling the North Carolina/Tennessee line.

This trek begins from Jones Meadow and follows the original path of the Appalachian Trail north past Blackstack Cliffs. On the return, the hike will follow the current AT path, completed by the Carolina Mountain Club in 2003. Lunch at Jerry’s Cabin. Total distance: 7 miles.

Logistics: Sunday, Sept. 7, 8:30 a.m. For more info contact hike leader Lenny Bernstein at 828.450.1325, lennybernstein41@gmail.com.

Sunday forecast: High of 75, chance of thunderstorms.

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

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It’s summer, so sure, there’s a chance of thunderstorms. Don’t let a chance rule out a sure thing when it comes to some outdoor fun.

Coast

Imagine a time at the coast before cars, before trains, before even bridges. How did folks navigate a region with so much water?

By boat, of course. Get a feel for those bygone days of getting around by watercraft on Friday’s Kayak Through History program at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort. Associate Curator Benjamin Wunderly will offer basic instruction and safety lessons to those who are unfamiliar with kayaks, then lead a paddle through the salt marshes and sandbars around Beaufort, sharing stories of early colonial life, the early boat building community and of old fishing fleets

Logistics: Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, N.C. Maritime Museum, 315 Front Street, Beaufort. $45 if you need a kayak, $25 if you bring your own. Advanced reservations required, by calling 252.728.7317.

Friday forecast: High of 85, chance of thunderstorms.

Piedmont

If it’s the fourth Saturday in June that must mean it’s the Great American Backyard Campout! Yes, every year on the fourth Saturday in June, Americans are encouraged to embrace the joy of tent camping. If you’re of the belief that the words “joy” and “camping” have no business in the same sentence, then you are just the person who should embrace this event, because odds are you were exposed to camping by people who may not have known quite what they were doing. People who said it was fine to keep food in your tent in bear country, for example (and you quickly learned it wasn’t). People who said a little slack in the tent roof was OK (and you learned, courtesy of a middle-of-the-night downpour, that it wasn’t). Or people who believe your nutritional demands could be met entirely by Spam and Pop Tarts.

The goal of the Great American Backyard Campout is to show you the right way to camp, and thus, that camping can be safe, pain-free and even fun. At least two organized campout events are planned in North Carolina: at Elk Knob State Park near Todd and at the Reedy Creek Nature Center in Charlotte.

Logistics: For more on the Great American Backyard Campout, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, go here.

Saturday forecast: Saturday’s forecast is for typical summer weather, with highs in the mid- to upper 80s and a chance of thunderstorms  for much of the state.

Mountains

As we expand the parameters of “weekend” over the summer, here’s something good to know: every Friday, rangers lead a hike somewhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway. They typically aren’t long hikes, but they are rich in the natural and human history of the area.

This week’s Friday hike: A 2.5-miler on a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from the Glassmine Falls Overlook (Milepost 361) to Lunch Rock and back. “See rare rocky outcrop ecosystems, learn about unique high elevation forests, and take in the spectacular views from Lunch Rock. Bring water and a snack or lunch to enjoy at Lunch Rock. Wear good hiking shoes and sunscreen and plan for changeable weather.”

Logistics: Friday, June 27, 10 a.m. Glassmine Falls Overlook, Milepost 361 on the Blue Ridge Parkway (north of Asheville). More info: Parkway Visitor Center at 828.298.5330, ext. 304.

Friday forecast: High of 85, chance of thunderstorms.

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

The post This weekend: Chance of t-storms, guarantee of fun appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Deep down, you really do have a sense of adventure. All you need is a little push to let it bloom, a knowledgeable, supportive guide to help you test the waters. And who could be better at providing such a reassuring introduction into the wild than a state park ranger?

Friday, a ranger at Hammocks Beach State Park will do just that on a two- to three-hour guided kayak tour of the marsh around Hammocks Beach. Once you get those first few strokes under your lifejacketed self, you’ll be ready to set sail into a world of new adventure. An especially good option if you’re already at the beach, a little too relaxed and looking for something more challenging than toddling down to the surf and sticking in your toe.

Logistics: Friday, May 30, 8:30 a.m., Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro. Free, all equipment (boat, paddle, lifejacket) provided. More info and to pre-register, which is required: 910-326-4881.

Friday forecast: High of 78, a chance of rain that increases as the day wears on.

Piedmont

Here’s something you don’t get to do — legally, at least: explore a state park after dark. But Saturday evening (and again on Saturday, June 28 if you can’t make it this week), the gates to Morrow Mountain state park will stay open to 11 p.m., a little more than two hours past sunset. That means if the evening is clear, you an climb Morrow Mountain and check out the lights as far off as Charlotte.

Of course, seeking signs of civilization isn’t the purpose of exploring in the dark, learning about what the natural world does after hours is. And if you have questions — say, about that surprise noise next to you that made you set a PR in the 40 — a park ranger will be on hand.

Logistics: Saturday, May 31, until 11 p.m., Morrow Mountain State Park, Albemarle. More info: 704.982.4402.

Saturday forecast: Daytime high of 84, chance of rain that diminishes into the evening.

Mountains

This notion of exploring at night — which we’ve long been a fan of, especially during the steamy days of summer — is catching on. Friday night, New River State Park hosts a night hike along its namesake river. The hike is about a mile and a half long and is on easy to moderate trails. Sturdy shoes and a headlamp or flashlight are required.

Logistics: 8:30 p.m., Friday, May 30, US 221 Access, New River State Park, Laurel Springs. More info: 336.982.2587.

Friday forecast: Daytime high of 70, chance of rain increasing as the night wears on.

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

The post This weekend: Cool paddles, night hikes appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

A polar bear plunge, a 5K, a hike, a kayak tour, a clinic — all good ways to end 2012 and usher in 2013.

Coast

Looking for a good reason to make one last trip to the coast in 2012? Try the five-day Crystal Coast Countdown, which begins Friday and runs through New Year’s Day (Tuesday). A range of activities are scheduled for North Carolina’s mid-coast area; those of most interest to active types include: Friday, 9 a.m.: Guided Kayak Tour in the Pine Knoll Shores area; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.: Resolution Run (1-mile fun run and 5K) in Beaufort; Tuesday, 10 a.m.: Guided hike at Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach; Tuesday, 1 p.m.: Penguin Plunge, in the Atlantic, from Atlantic Beach.

Logistics: For more information on the aforementioned activities plus a rundown of other stuff going on, go here.

Five-day forecast: Pretty nice, overall. Highs generally in the mid- to upper-50s, more than half chance of rain on Saturday and Tuesday.

Piedmont

Hit the ground running — well, not running, exactly; more like progressing with the confidence you know exactly where you’re going — in the new year with a new skill: map reading. Specifically, reading and understanding the assorted nuances of a topographical map. That’s the gist of a clinic this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Lake Norman State Park. “This introductory class will help you practice the skills you need to read them.”

Logistics: Today, 2 p.m., Lake Norman State Park. Free, 704.528.6350 to register. More about the park here.

Today’s forecast: Sunny, high of 48.

Mountains

What better way to end the year in the mountains than with a hike on high. Sunday, the Carolina Mountain Club does an 8.5-mile stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, starting from the Cowee Overlook Access and ending at Haywood Gap. The hike is described as moderate in difficulty and much of the hike is above 5,000 feet, making it especially subject to cold, windy conditions. Layer accordingly.

Logistics: Carpool from Asheville at 8:30 a.m., hike leader Paul Benson at 828.273.2098 or PDBenson@charter.net to sign up and for more information. More on the hike here.

Sunday forecast: Clearing into the afternoon, high of 37 (that’s down in Waynesville; probably won’t warm up that much at 5,000 feet).

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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.

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