“I love the morning,” Lisa said.

“Me, too,” agreed Karen.

The good news? With the end of Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, we’ll get to love the mornings an hour earlier. 

Sunday at 2 a.m., Eastern Standard Time kicks in. Traditionally, we bemoan the fact that we lose an hour of daylight in the afternoon. (Saturday, the sun will set at 6:15 p.m.; Sunday, it’s down at 5:14 p.m.)

This year, let’s instead celebrate that extra hour of morning sunlight. This morning, we had to wait until 7:41 a.m. for sunrise; Sunday, it will be light at 6:43 a.m. That means you can get in a nice adventure before your day begins. Even if it’s just a quick hour or half hour of hiking or poking around a local greenspace, there’s no better way to start your day.

Obviously, we think the best way to make that happen is on our GetHiking! Friday Morning hike  series. And it just so happens that our next session, our Holiday Friday Hiker session, starts next Friday, Nov. 12. Our Friday morning hikes start at 7:30, end around 9 and cover about 3 miles. You get to experience that early morning sunlight, and it’s a great way to launch your Friday. We hike a different trail every week, so you’ll likely learn some new terrain. We take a leisurely pace, with a no-drop policy. You can learn more about our Friday morning hike series here.

(And if you like the idea of a weekly morning hike and would like more options for hiking through the busy holiday season, check out our GetHiking! Hike Through the Holidays series, which includes 16 hikes, including the Friday morning hikes, plus hikes on Sunday afternoons, Tuesday evenings and two Wednesdays around Christmas and New Years. Check out that series here.)

This weekend

As for this weekend, here are three options:

• Guided Bird Walk, Sunday, 9 a.m., Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. 9 a.m. seem too early to rise, especially on a Sunday? With the time change it will feel more like 10 a.m., and that’s a perfectly civil time to follow a ranger for two miles checking out the coast’s arriving winter migrants. Learn more here.
• Alder Trail Hike, Sunday, 10 a.m., Lake Norman State Park, Troutman. Likewise, the start time for this hike will seem downright decadent while allowing you to be wide awake as you walk the banks of Norwood and Hicks creeks learning about the local flora and fauna. Learn more here.
• History of Holden Mill, Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, Eno River State Park, Durham. Looking for a longer hike with some history? This 4.1-mile hike to the location of the old Holden Mill on the Eno River should be just the ticket. If you’ve hiked the Holden Mill Trail you’ve likely been curious about the stone wall that marks the old dam and spillway; now’s your chance to learn the story behind it. Learn more and sign up (it’s free, but space is limited) here.

Those are our thoughts on the weekend — and mornings —ahead. Make sure you GetOut! and enjoy.

The post GetOut! Time to Fall Back in Love with Morning appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Last weekend, we explored the longest uninterrupted stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake in Raleigh: the 7 miles from NC 98 to Creedmoor Road. We were struck by how, seemingly overnight, the woods had gone from a hint of green to full-blown leaf-out. We caught glimpses of the lake; mostly, though, we were enveloped in green.

That was Saturday. Sunday, we hiked a little farther west on the MST, along the Eno River from the Pump Station Access to Pleasant Green, about 5.5 miles. While the Eno coursing through its rocky valley wasn’t quite as shy as Falls Lake a day earlier, it was likewise subdued, swallowed in green.

Prevalent in that green, fyi, was poison ivy: you can ID the culprit in the photo to the right. Steer clear: this ivy is irritating and itchy. On to this weekend.

Every Friday, we give you a glimpse into our weekend past to give you a nudge to get out and explore the weekend future (this one). Our suggestions:

Saturday, May 5, 8 a.m. Confluence Natural Area Grand Opening, Cedar Grove in Orange County. For a half century, the Eno River Association has been saving land along its namesake river (and tributaries). Most of that land has become Eno River State Park. Saturday, the association opens the 200-acre Confluence Natural Area where the east and west forks of the Eno converge. Festivities begin with a Pre-Celebration Bird Hike at 8 a.m., followed by guided hikes at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Live music and food as well. Learn more and sign up here.

Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m. Vade Mecum Trails at Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury (north of the Triad). The first weekend of every month, Hanging Rock and the Friends of Sauartown Mountains open the trail network at the park’s Vade Mecum addition. The 716-acre former Camp Sertoma 4-H Educational Center, with miles of trail, was added to the park in 2014. Learn more and sign up here.

Sunday, May 6, 9 a.m. Lake Norman State Park, Troutman (north of Charlotte). I Can Canoe, and So Can You. Paddling a canoe is one of those things that isn’t complicated, but can be a little intimidating the first time: the boat’s tippy, you aren’t sure which way to face, how does the paddle work? So many questions. And so many answers in this 1-hour ranger-led clinic. No experience necessary, all equipment provided. Learn more and sign up here.

But wait, there’s more

• Several hikes are on tap this weekend with Hike NC, the BlueCross Blue Shield of North Carolina hiking program. Check out those mostly beginner-oriented hikes at gohikenc.com.
• North Carolina State Parks have a variety of adventures planned for the weekend. Check those options here.
• Our GetHiking! program also has several hikes planned, including a return to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake on Saturday and a hike at Doughton Park Sunday. Learn more about those adventures and sign up here.
• Intrigued by our adventures last weekend on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail? Plan your MST adventure starting here.
• You can also find more adventures right here, at GetGoingNC.com.

The post Get Out! Your Nudge for Weekend Adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

If you aren’t intrigued, then check out a nature hike at Lake Norman or hike Grandfather Mountain, where the temperature will only hit a spring-defying (spring starts Sunday, btw) 36 — and it might snow!

Coast: Third Annual Badwater Cape Fear

Founders of this 50k / 51.4 mile (runner’s choice) ultra call this “the world’s toughest footrace.” It begins with a 12-mile warm-up on the scenic roads of Bald Head Island, and finishes with either 19 or 39 miles running along the remote sandy coast that runs between Cape Fear and Fort Fisher. The event attracts runners from all over the U.S. and Canada, organizers say, because of it’s southern charm and exquisite natural setting. The race is part of the eight-race Badwater series.

Registration has closed for this year, and 2017 will be opening soon. In the meantime, come out and enjoy Southport, Wilmington and the other coastal towns nearby while cheering on the souls who are racing — and get a feel for whether Badwater should be on your agenda for 2017.

Saturday forecast: high of 66 with a chance of showers

Vital Stats: Saturday, March 19, Bald Head Island, put on by Badwater. Details here.

Looking ahead: Millpond Day 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, Saturday, April 30, Merchants Millpond State Park. More info: Merchants.millpond@ncparks.gov, or 252.357.1191

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Piedmont: Lake Norman Discovery Hike

Join a ranger on a one-mile hike through the life-filled woodlands that surround the Dragonfly and Alder trails at Lake Norman State Park. During the walk hikers will “discover” the plants and animals that are starting to become active once again after the winter months. Hikers will have the opportunity for scenic overlooks. Meet in the Lake Norman State Park Visitors Center at 2 p.m.

Saturday forecast: High of 59 and chance of showers

Vital stats: Saturday, March 19, Lake Norman State Park, 759 State Park Road, Troutman, NC. Contact 704.528.6350 or lake.norman@ncparks.gov for more information. Read more here.

Looking ahead: Volunteer Trail Work Day at Crowders Mountain State Park, Saturday, April 9, 8 a.m. Contact info and more information here.

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Mountains: Guided Centennial Hike at Grandfather Mountain

Come out to Grandfather Mountain State Park Sunday to take part in a leisurely, guided hike that counts toward the Centennial Challenge. The hike will take about 2.5 hours and is 2-3 miles long. Dress appropriately for weather (see forecast below), and come prepared with water and snacks.

Sunday forecast: Spring may stat Sunday, but in Banner Elk the high will only be 36, and snow showers are predicted.

Vital Stats: Sunday, March 20, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact: grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov or 828.963.9522.

Looking ahead:: U.S. Open Slalom & Downriver, March 26-27, Nantahala Outdoor Center, Wesser. More info here.

The post Your weekend: Scout an ultra or hike a hike appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

When I first started writing about fitness and the outdoors back in the early 1990s, there were a handful of ways you could welcome the New Year in most communities. There was usually a 5K run, a bike shop sponsored a casual ride, canoe clubs held members-only paddles, there was a hike or two, and some oddball group was jumping into a local lake (and jumping right back out again). You had options for welcoming the new year, but not a lot.

Today is a different story. In the Triangle, for instance, you don’t have to wait one minute into the new year for a 5K with the Run In The New Year 5K in Cary, which starts at midnight Jan. 1.  And thanks to the explosion of Meetup groups, you’ll find all variety of New Year’s activities, from paddle trips to bike rides to climbs and scuba dives. The options are too numerous to mention here. Rather, go to Meetup.com, enter your Zip code, enter your preferred activity and check out your New Years Day options.

While I’ve done just about everything on New Year’s Day — from 5Ks to the old The Spin Cycle New Year’s Day bike ride to paddle trips — the day has always been about hiking to me. There’s something thoughtful about a hike, it’s healthy, it’s slow, you can do it with your family. And thanks to the recent First Day Hikes program launched by the National Association of State Park Directors and American State Parks, finding a hike is not a problem. At North Carolina’s state parks alone there will be at least 40 guided hikes on New Year’s Day.

So today, we focus on New Year’s Day hikes. Below is a quick rundown of the First Day hikes scheduled for Tuesday at 35 state parks throughout North Carolina. For more information on a given hike, go to ncparks.gov, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks,” then select “January” under option 2, “Select a month.”

Carolina Beach State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Marina Trail Head Parking Lot
2-mile hike to Sugarloaf Dune.
More info: (910) 458-8206

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Clifftop Parking lot
1-mile hike, dogs are welcome.
More info: (919) 778-6234

Crowders Mountain State Park
Call for time
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hikers from Crowders Mountain will hike 5 miles south on the Ridgeline Trail and meet hikers hiking north from South Carolina’s Kings Mountain State Park.
More info: (704) 853-5375

Dismal Swamp State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hike on the Supple-jack Trail.
More info: (252) 771-6593 to sign-up.

Elk Knob State Park
2:30 p.m.
Meet at: Summit Trail parking lot
Bring some water and plan for a 2.5- to 3-hour outing in the elements.
More info: (828) 297-7261.

Eno River State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Fews Ford Access
Sponsored by Eno River Association, hikes of 2 and 4 hours.
More info: (919) 620-9099, association@enoriver.org, http://www.enoriver.org/eno/Activities/hikes/Newyears.htm

Fort Macon State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Fort parking lot
Leisurely hike along the inlet beach to learn about the natural and cultural history of the area.
More info: (252) 726-3775

Goose Creek State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: Ivey Gut Parking Lot
Guided 4-mile hike.
More info: (252) 923-2191

Gorges State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Bearwallow Picnic Shelter
Moderate 1.5mile hike.
More info: (828) 966-9099

Grandfather Mountain State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Profile Trail
First portion of Profile Trail.
More info: Ranger Appling 828-963-9522

Hammocks Beach State Park
8:30 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center Back Porch
45-minute hike around park grounds
More info: (910) 326-4881

Haw River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Haw River State Park
More info: (336) 342-6163

Hanging Rock State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Hanging Rock Trail Head
Five Overlooks Challenge: 10-mile hike takes in park’s five main scenic mountain overlooks.
More info: (336) 593-8480

Jones Lake State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Hike through the bay forest
More info: (910) 588-4550

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
1 p.m.
Meet at: Old Oak Trail at Ebenezer Recreation Area
Easy, 1-mile hike on Ebenezer Old Oak Trail
More info: (919) 362-0586

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
2 p.m.
Meet at: Satterwhite Point Office
Park ranger-led stroll through the Kerr Lake woods
More info: (252) 438-7791

Lake James State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at :the Paddy’s Creek Bridge parking area
1.5-mile roundtrip on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
More info: (704) 528-6350

Lake Norman State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Park office
Strenuous 1.5-hour hike
More info: (704) 528-6350

Lake Waccamaw State Park
3 p.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
Wear closed shoes and long pants.
More info: (910) 646-4748

Lumber River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Princess Ann Access
Hike through six habitats along the banks of the Lumber River.
More info: (910) 628-4564

Mayo River State Park
11 a.m.
Meet at: Parking lot near picnic shelter
1.8-mile Mayo Mountain Trail
More info: (336) 427-2530

Merchants Millpond State Park
9:30 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
2+ miles on Lassiter Bennett’s Creek trails.
More info: (252) 357-1191

Medoc Mountain State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Picnic Shelter
2 miles on the Stream Loop and Discovery Loop trails.
More info: (252) 586-6588

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
2 p.m.
Meet at: Picnic Area
Hike an Appalachian mountain forest
More info: (336) 246-9653

Morrow Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Lower Picnic Area Parking Lot
Strenuous 2-mile hike up Hattaway Mountain.
More info: (704) 982-4402.

Morrow Mountain State Park
9 a.m.
Meet at: Lower Picnic Area parking lot
.6-mile hike along a freshwater creek.
More info: (704) 982-4402 and let us know that you will be participating in this event.

New River State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: US 221 Access
1.5-mile hike to the river and back
More info: (336) 982-2587.

Pettigrew State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: park office
Leisurely hike on and off trail
More info: (252) 797-4475

Pilot Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Summit parking lot
Hike Jomeokee Trail
More info: (336) 325-2355

Raven Rock State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Picnic Shelter
2.5-mile hike
More info: (910) 893-4888

Singletary Lake State Park
2 p.m.
Meet at: park office
Half-mile hike
More info: (910) 669-2928

South Mountains State Park
10 a.m.
Meet at: Jacob Fork parking area
2.75-mile hike
More info: (828) 433-4772.

Stone Mountain State Park
1 p.m.
Meet at: Lower lot display case
3-mile hike past Hutchinson Homestead and Stone Mountain then out and back to Lower and Middle Falls.
More info: (336) 957-8185

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
8 a.m.
Meet at: Visitor Center
2-mile bird walk hike
More info: (910) 692-2167

Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
2 p.m.
Meet at: Weymouth Woods Visitor Center
1.5-mile hike that takes in the oldest known longleaf pine in the world, at 465 years of age
More info: (910) 692-2167.

William B. Umstead State Park
9 a.m.
Meet at: Reedy Creek Shelter #1
2-mile round-trip on Company Mill Trail to Crabtree Creek
More info: (919) 571-4170

2 p.m.
Meet at: Crabtree Creek Picnic Shelter #1
1-hour hike
More info: (919) 571-4170

The post Do it all on New Year’s Day 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).

* * *

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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The post End 2012 with an active bang appeared first on GetGoing NC!.