Coast / Coastal Plain

A lot of folks like the idea of going on a group hike or walk. Trouble is, the vast majority are long and geared toward more advanced hikers. The opportunities to test the trail waters on shorter, friendly hikes are few.

That’s why we like Saturday morning’s Wellness Walk at Smith Creek Park in Wilmington. It’s a friendly distance (1.3 miles) on a friendly surface (pavement) in a most friendly environment. Enjoy the woods and lake, hike with others who aren’t heck-bent on setting a speed record, and discover why walking/hiking is the most popular — and one of the most beneficial — forms of exercise.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 13, 9 a.m., Smith Creek Park, 633 Shenandoah Street, Wilmington. Sponsored by New Hanover County Parks and Gardens. More info by calling 919.798.7275.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with temperatures in the low 80s at hike time.

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Looking ahead: Paddle the Millpond, Saturday, Aug. 27, Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. More info here.

Piedmont

We all have that one adventure on our list that, for no good reason, we’ve yet to try. Nope, hard as we try, we can’t figure out why it’s yet to be checked from our list.

If fly fishing is that thing for you, then check out Saturday’s Stone Mountain Trout Fishing Guide, at — Anyone? Anyone? — Stone Mountain State Park. A ranger will discuss trout species in the park’s designated trout waters, and will also discuss seasons, creel limits and bait restrictions. The program is just 45 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to explore Stone Mountain’s scenic — and challenging — 23 miles of trail.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m., Stone Mountain State Park. For more information, go here.

Saturday forecast: High of 79, chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: Ascent of the Century, climb Mount Mitchell with N.C. State Parks and the N.C. Museum of Natural Science, Aug. 26-28, $75. More info here.

Mountains

Are you having a stellar season on the bike? Riding three or four times a week, putting in the miles, crushing the climbs?

Then you’re probably up for a good challenge. Such as Sunday’s Race to the Rock, at Chimney Rock State Park. It’s a 25-mile bike race that gains 900 vertical feet in the last three miles alone (the grade ranges from 7 to 9 percent), finishing at the base of Chimney Rock. Part of the Lake Lure Olympiad.

Logistics: Sunday, Aug. 14, 7:30 a.m., Chimney Rock State Park. $45. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Race time temperature of 81, chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: Asheville Duathlon, 10K off-road run, Sept. 11, 8:30 a.m., Biltmore Estate. More info 828.684.0812, or go here.

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

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Coast

Within just 58 acres, Halyburton Memorial Park is representative of the wide-ranging ecology in the Wilmington area. It’s this biological diversity that makes it easy for park naturalists to have a different focus for each of the park’s bimonthly Discovery Hikes.

The next hike in this series is Saturday at 10 a.m. The hike is on the park’s 1.5 miles of path and is appropriate for ages 5 and up: an entertaining and informative start to the weekend.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m., Halyburton Memorial Park, 4099 S. 17th St., Wilmington. Free. For more info, call 910.341.0075 or visit the park website.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a temperature of 78 at 10 a.m.

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Looking ahead: Summer Paddle, Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills, Sunday, Aug. 29, 1 p.m. 252.771.6593.

Piedmont

How many times has this happened to you: You’ve made the climb to 2,579-foot Moore’s Knob at Hanging Rock State Park and stood atop the observation tower to enjoy the vast 360-degree view. It’s peaceful — until the know-it-all gets fired up: Look, up north — that’s Pennsylvania! You can see all the way to Pennsylvania from here! People think that’s Winston-Salem down to the south there, but actually it’s Atlanta! And if you squint real hard looking west you can see right past the Appalachians to the Rockies!

Now, you’re pretty sure that’s Virginia to the north, that Winston-Salem is indeed on the southern horizon, and not even Superman could see the Rockies from here. But you aren’t entirely sure, so you say nothing.

Well, hold your tonuge no longer. Make the 4.2-mile (roundtrip) hike to the top of Moore’s Knob Saturday at 2 p.m. and an environmental educator will be waiting to tell you with certainty what you’re looking at. And not just the seemingly obvious (Atlanta!? Seriously?): learn the peaks you’re observing in the Blue Ridge.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 15, 2 p.m., Moore’s Knob observation tower, Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. Free. More info at 336.593.8480.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with an afternoon high in the mid-80s.

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Looking ahead: Edible / Medicinal Plant Hike, Elk Knob State Park, Todd, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2 p.m.. 828.297.7261.

Mountains

As the clock begins to tick on summer, are you suddenly fretting about opportunities lost? The 10K you’ve yet to race? The triathlon you’ve promised to do? The mountain road ride that remains unchecked off your list?

Make amends, big time, this weekend at the 11th annual Lake Lure Olympiad. Starting Friday and running through Sunday, three days of all that: a 10K, a tri, a 25-mile bike ride plus a 5K. All in the idyllic Hickory Nut Gorge. (Read more about the event in this Asheville Citizen-Times article.)

Logistics: Friday – Sunday, Aug. 14-16, Lake Lure/Hickory Nut Gorge. For all your details, go here.

Weekend forecast: Highs in the mid-80s, chance of a thunderstorm Saturday.

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Looking ahead: Guide Profile Trail Hikes at Grandfather Mountain State Park, various hikes lead by the Chargers & Rechargers Hiking Club starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22. 828.963.9522

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

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

Explore Cherry Point via a triathlon, participate in the VIII Lake Lure Olympiad or try your hand (and feet and sense of balance) with yoga on a paddleboard. Just another summer weekend in North Carolina.

Coast

I’m partial to events on military bases, in part because it gives civilians such as myself access to the otherwise inaccessible, to a world we otherwise don’t get a chance to see. That exposure is compounded when the event is a triathlon, which lets you run and ride through these forbidden lands.

Saturday is your chance to explore the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point near Havelock as part of the MCAS Cherry Point Spring Triathlon (and relay triathlon). You may not see much unusual (or at all) on the 400-meter swim, but the 10-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run should be revealing. Awards to the top three finishers in each age category and everyone who survives gets a medal. $45 to race, $120 for teams.

Logistics: Race starts at 7:30 a.m. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 84, 60 percent chance of rain.

Piedmont

Yoga Paddleboarding: Now that’s something I’d pay to see. And, perhaps, participate in if the water temperature is above 80.

Yup, it’s exactly what it sounds like: Paddle out on a Stand Up Paddleboard and downward dog you go. An interesting mix, guaranteed to keep you in line, balancewise.

Logistics: Saturday at Lake Norman, 4-6 p.m. Sponsored by Gotta Yoga and Stride Stand Up Paddleboards. $89 (includes board). 540.315.4441 to sign up, here for more information.

Saturday forecast: High of 84, 40 percent chance of rain.

Mountains

Hickory Nut Gorge is the place to be this weekend if you’re into any of the following: running a 10K (the 10K Dam Run), doing a triathlon (the Lake Lure Triathlon), a one-mile open water swim, running a 5K (the Race to the Rock 5K) or doing a 25-mile bike race. They’re all part of the 8th Annual Lake Lure Olympiad, sponsored by the Rumbling Bald Resort and Rutherford Regional Health System.

Logistics: Events begin Friday and run through Sunday. Go here for more information.

Weekend forecast: Highs in the low 80s, partly cloudy Saturday and Sunday, 20 percent chance of precip Friday.

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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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