The natural world presents many questions in winter. This weekend, you have a chance to learn many answers.

Coast

When you head to the coast, hiking often isn’t atop your list of things to do. It should be, especially this time of year. The bugs are at bay (or at least at a minimum), the temperatures aren’t stifling, and, perhaps most significantly, it is serene, the calm before the summer crowds descend.

And because it is the more temperate coast, nature is more alive than it is in colder reaches of the state.

Take Carolina Beach State Park, for instance, where the park’s website states, “Several coastal ecosystems are present in the park. Forests dominated by longleaf pine, turkey oak and live oak occupy the dry, coarse soil of a series of relict sand dunes. Between the dunes are dense shrub swamps, called pocosins, populated by pond pines, loblolly and sweet bay, yaupon and evergreen shrubs. Brackish marshes consisting primarily of cordgrasses and sedges can be found beyond the relict dunes adjacent to the river.”

That’s a lot to take in on your own. Fortunately, the park periodically holds a Biological Wonderland Hike, the next one of which is Saturday. Let a ranger help you identify these adjoining ecosystems and understand how they interact. The hike begins at 2 p.m., from the Flytrap Trail Parking Area.

Logistics: Biological Wonderland Hike, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m., Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 70 at hike time.

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Looking ahead: U.S. Open Fat Bike Championships, March 11, Blockade Runner Resort, Wrightsville Beach. More info here.

Piedmont

One of the joys of winter in North Carolina is that it serves as the overwintering grounds for a goodly number of waterfowl. Most folks think this phenomenon is limited to the coast, where tundra swans, northern pintails and others by the hundreds of thousands spend the mild coastal winter in lakes, marshes and other wetlands. But the interior of North Carolina also gets its share of feathered visitors.

Learn about these migrants as well as the native avian population Sunday on a Waterfowl Birding Boat Tour on Lake Townsend in Greensboro. A naturalist leads this hour-and-a-half tour conducted on a pontoon boat.

Logistics: Waterfowl Birding Tour, Sunday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m., Lake Townsend Marina, Greensboro. $7. Learn more and sign on, here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a tour-time temperature of 58.

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Looking ahead: Not a boat person? Take in the lake from the Palmetto & Nat Greene trails on a March 4 hike, also sponsored by Greensboro Parks & Rec. $2. More info here.

Mountains

Are you taking the North Carolina State Parks 100 Mile Challenge? Are you aware of the Challenge?

The Challenge is N.C. State Parks effort to get folks to hike 100 miles or more in their great parks during 2017. Log your hikes, complete the Challenge, get a cool commemorative pin. Learn everything you need to know about the challenge here.

Intrigued? Start your march toward 100 Sunday at Lake James State Park with the Fox Den Loop 100 Mile Challenge Hike. Ranger Kevin Bischoff leads this 2 1/4-mile hike to help you find out what the park’s permanent residents are up to in winter. Complete the hike and you’ll be 97 and 3/4 miles closer to meeting the Challenge.

Logistics: Sunday, Feb. 26, 11 a.m., Fox Den Lopp 100 Mile Challenge Hike, Lake James State Park, Nebo. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Hike time high of 49 under sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: Streamside Hike, March 18, South Mountains State Park, Connelly Springs. More info here.

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

Coast

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The post This weekend: winter curious? appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast: Bear Island Eco-Hike

There’s a lot going on at Hammocks Beach State Park in the next few days, from a shoreline cleanup on Sunday, to an eco-hike on Monday. At 10 a.m. Monday, take the ferry over to Bear Island and join a ranger to learn about one of North Carolina’s hidden treasures. You will have the chance to explore and enjoy some of nature’s wonders that can only be found during the cooler days of winter. Dress appropriately for a boat ride in addition to the weather. BYOB (binoculars).

Monday forecast: Sunny with a high of 67 degrees.

Vital Stats: Bear Island at Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro, Monday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m.-noon. Seating is limited; registration is required, by contacting 910.326.4881

Looking ahead: Dismal’s Day of Service, Dismal Swam State Park, South Mills, March 5, 11 a.m. More info here. http://www.ncparks.gov/nc-state-parks-week

Piedmont: Guided nature walk

Join a naturalist at the Charlotte Nature Museum on a guided educational walk around the Paw Paw Nature Trail. The 100-year-old forest is alive with trees, seasonal wildflowers, and wildlife. During this short hike you will have the opportunity to discover the beauty and diversity of a bottomland forest habitat. Hikes occur on the fourth Saturday of every month.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, around 40 degrees at 10 a.m., high of 53.

Vital Stats: Charlotte Nature Museum, Charlotte, Saturday, Feb. 27, 10:15-11:15 a.m. included with Museum admission. Contact: 704.372.6261, ext. 300. More info here.

Looking ahead: Rumba on the Lumber;10K, 5K, fun run, Lumberton, March 4 – 6 More info here:

Mountains: Lake James State Park

To celebrate N.C. State Parks Week, plan to spend a day exploring a park. At Lake James State Park near Nebo there’s plenty to do: wildlife watching, hiking on an extensive trail system, paddling, mountain biking and more! The Holly Discovery Trail is a nice, easy trek with 18 interactive information stations and fun activities and facts for all ages. In fact, it is a national award-winning interpretive trail. Try this trail and many others this weekend to take part in N.C. State Parks Week.

Weekend forecast: Sunny, high in the mid 60s.

Vital Stats: Lake James State Park, Nebo. Opens daily at 8 a.m., currently closes at 6 p.m., will be open until 8 p.m. starting March 1. Contact 828.584.7728, or visit the park website for more information.

Looking ahead: Valley History Explorer Hike #1: Day long hike on the Riceville-Warren Wilson Trails near Black Mountain. March 12. Advance registration required. More info here.

The post Your Weekend: Celebrate North Carolina State Parks appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Need to squeeze in one more 5K for the year (even if you aren’t currently be training for a 5K)?

Check out the Jingle Bell 5K Run out of the Wrightsville Beach Museum. (Already it sounds good, taking place on flat-as-an-by Wrightsville Beach). The race is around Wrightsville’s Loop, passing a mix of scenic distractions, from historic cottages to winter marshes. Additional distractions in the form of your fellow runners, who are encouraged to dress in holiday apparel (antlers, Santa Claus, Fred Claus, etc.). Proceeds benefit the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m., Wrightsville Beach Museum, 303 W. Salisbury St., Wrightsville Beach. $15-$30. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 60 at race time under mostly sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: Huggins Island History Hike, Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More info here.

Piedmont

Jumpin’ Geminids!

Yep, it’s that time of year again, when the Geminids meteor showers streak the December night sky. If you’ve ever been frustrated by attempts to view the annual display on your own, or if you’re just into group meteor showers, head to Lake Rim Park in Fayetteville Saturday evening for an old-fashioned viewing. Cosmic experts will be on hand to discuss asteroids, meteorites and comets (and the differences between them). Brink a lawn chair or a blanket — and dig out the Hawaiian short and jams; it’s gonna be warm.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 12, 8-10 p.m., Lake Rim Park, 2214 Tar Kiln Dr., Fayetteville.Free. More info here. Check the Environmental Education Centers of North Carolina calendar, here, for more Geminids events around the state.

Saturday forecast: Mostly clear, highs in the upper 50s during the viewing period.

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Looking ahead: First Day Photography Hike, Friday, Jan. 1, 8 a.m., Umstead State Park, Raleigh. More info here.

Mountains

It’s a welcome sight on a winter’s hike. After miles of gray and brown, you suddenly find yourself immersed in green. It’s a welcome relief and you’d like to pay thanks to these forest dendrozens who maintain a cheerful palette of green no matter the season. Just one thing?

Who are they?

Find out who these standard-bearers of year-round green are on the Winter Plant Hike Saturday at Lake James State Park. Park Ranger Kevin Bischof presides.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 12, 10 a.m., Holly Discovery Trailhead at Paddy’s Creek Area, Lake James State Park, 2785 N.C. 126, Nebo. More info at 828.652.5047.

Saturday forecast: High of 60 at hike time (on the way to 73 for the day) under mostly sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: First Day Hike, Jan. 1, 11 a.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More info here.

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

The post This weekend: Warm days, streaking nights appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

As far is Wings Over Water is concerned, your weekend started Tuesday.

Now in its 19th year, Wings Over Water is the coast’s premier celebration of the natural world. From Tuesday through Sunday, Wings Over Water events are held in a five-county region of northeastern North Carolina, an area that includes six National Wildlife Refuges: Alligator River, Pea Island, Pocosin Lakes, Mattamuskeet, Mackay Island and Currituck. There are birding events, there are paddling trips, there are photo safaris and this year there’s a new stand-up paddleboard tour.  If you’re curious about an aspect of nature at the coast, you’ll likely find a program to fill you in.

Logistics: Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Sunday, Oct. 25, five-country area of northeastern North Carolina. Fees per session are generally between $25 and $40. For a complete schedule and information about the program, visit the WOW home page.

Forecast through the weekend: Very fall-like, with daytime highs around 70 under mostly sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: Bummed because you already have plans for the next few days and can’t make Wings Over Water? Then you’ll be cheered to hear that this year there’s a WOW Encore Weekend, Friday, Dec. 4 through Sunday, Dec. 6. Details here.

Piedmont

There’s more to fall than just the woods brimming with color. The bird population, for instance, is busy making winter travel plans.

Saturday, at Lake James State Park you can hang out with ranger Jamie Cameron and watch the fall migrants head south. Jamie can tell you which birds are which, as well as where they’re coming from and where they’re headed.

Logistics: Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m., Lake James State Park, Nebo. Free. More information here.

Saturday forecast: A temperature of 53 at 8 a.m. under mostly sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: Working on your Thanksgiving Day plan and realize it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get in a hike? See how your North Carolina State Parks can help, here.

Mountains

If you’re contemplating a trip to the mountains this weekend, it’s likely in hopes of catching a last gasp of great color as autumn’s road show moves into the Piedmont. We’re guessing that color is part of the motivation behind the Carolina Mountain Club’s trip to Big and Little Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Sunday.

Another motivator: the chance to explore the trails less traveled. In this case, the old “dug roads,” which date back to the 1850s and remain as viable paths today. This 6.5-mile hike will stick largely to these old roads, starting from the church in Cataloochee and crossing Noland Mountain before returning.

Logistics: Sunday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. (carpool meeting time in Asheville). For more info, contact hike leader Mike Knies at 828.628.6712, or knies06@att.net.

Sunday forecast: High of 65, chance of afternoon showers.

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Looking ahead: Race to the Taps #5, Nov. 14, Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard: a six-pack of four-mile, chip-timed road races starting and ending at several of WNC’s premier craft breweries. Details here.

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

The post This weekend: Wing It appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Sunday morning, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area in Kure Beach will conduct its periodic Basin Trail Hike. We’ve promoted this hike before, and for good reason.

The hike isn’t long, about a mile and a half, and it isn’t particularly challenging — there’s maybe a foot of elevation gain. Yet the esthetic reward is vast, starting along the Atlantic Ocean then ducking behind a dune and exploring a coastal marsh where the views are sweeping. There’s a small encounter with a maritime forest and a very unique bit of human history: about midway the trail passes the World War II bunker that later became the home of the Fort Fisher Hermit.

In short, it’s the perfect introductory hike for the person leery, but intrigued, by the notion of hiking. And you can follow it up with a day at the beach

Logistics: Sunday, July 19, 8:30 a.m., Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, 1000 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach. More info: 910.458.5798 or go here.

Sunday forecast: High of 93, chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: We’re back to Fort Fisher, where on Friday, July 24, a ranger will help you make sense of the shells you hike miles to score, with Beachcombing 101. 9 a.m., 910.458.5798, or go here for more information.

Piedmont

Pumped about Pluto? Who isn’t, with NASA’s New Horizons close encounter of the dwarf planet this week and the new information we’re learning about the little guy — like the fact he’s not as little as we previously thought. (Might planet reinstatement be in the offing?)

What better time to gaze into the heavens — which apparently is what our North Carolina State Parks are thinking: this weekend, stargazing programs are planned at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Lake James State Park and Mayo River State Park. Come early and explore the great recreational attributes of these three facilities.

Logistics: The events are all on Saturday evening; go here for specifics for each viewing session.

Saturday evening forecast: Highs around 80, chance of thunderstorms into the evening.

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Looking ahead: Lost your way? Find it at the Intro to Orienteering clinic at Umstead State Park on Wednesday, July 22 at 2 p.m. More info by calling 919.571.4170.

Mountains

We love opportunities where it’s possible to learn a little something, then explore on our own.

Sunday, a ranger at Elk Knob State Park leads the mile-long Woodland Walk on the Beech Tree Trail, where it’s promised you’ll “see the forest in various new ways.” Afterward, plan to hike to the top of Elk Knob on the 1.9-mile Summit Trail, which switchbacks its way through a northern hardwood forest of sugar maple, yellow birch, American beech and yellow buckeye to the 5,520-foot summit. There, you’ll be treated with great 360-degree views.

Logistics: Sunday, July 19, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More information by calling 828.297.7261 or visit the park website here.

Sunday forecast: High of 85, chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: This one usually sneaks up on us; not this year. It’s the Maggie Valley Moonlight Run & Fun Run on Aug. 22 from 8:30-11 p.m. at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. 8K road race and Kid’s Sunset Fun Run. $30 until July 31; $40 Aug. 1-race day.  More info here.

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

The post This weekend: Short hikes, long views appeared first on GetGoing NC!.