Scavenger Hunt Archives - GetGoing NC!

This weekend: Welcome, winter

JoeMiller — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:01:47 +0000

Don’t let a lack of daylight (Sunday is the winter solstice, fyi) keep you from venturing out. In fact, a lack of daylight is the reason for getting out Sunday at DuPont State Recreational Forest.

Coast

Sometimes we head into the wild to free our minds, sometimes our goal is to fill it. Sometimes, you end up doing both.

Saturday sounds like a prime opportunity for the latter at Dismal Swam State Park, where at 2 p.m. they’ll conduct a Winter Scavenger Hunt. First, there’s the notion of tromping around the Great Dismal, one of the wildest areas along the East Coast. As part of the hunt, you’ll learn, on this the most daylight-challenged day of the year, about how critters cope with the dark and cold. A great way to spend the first day of winter.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2 p.m., Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills. Dial 252.771.6593 for more info.

Saturday forecast: High of 43, chance of rain.

Piedmont

If you’ve hiked the Cabelands area of Eno River State Park in Durham, you’ve probably wondered what the deal is with the lake. First of all, it’s not a lake: it’s an abandoned quarry — and right away you’re interest is heightened. Quarry? How deep is it? When was it quarried? Where did the quarry’s content wind up? How did it wind up in the park? Any good ghost stories associated with the quarry? (For whatever reason, there’s always some mystery associated with a quarry.) And what about —

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Good questions all, and questions you can get answers to on Saturday’s Eno Quarry History Hike. The hike starts at 11 a.m.; participants are encouraged to: a) dress appropriately, b) bring water and snacks, and c) be 10 or older.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m., Eno River State Park’s Cabelands Access in Durham, on Laurel Ridge Road adjacent to Pleasant Green Road and U.S. 70. 919.383.1686 for more info.

Saturday forecast: High of 38, light rain possible.

Mountains

New to the whole night hike thing? Start short and on non-technical (but natural surface) trail.

Both criteria are met on Sunday’s ECO Winter Solstice Night Hike to Hooker Falls in DuPont State Recreational Forest near Hendersonville. The hike is lead by the nonprofit Environmental and Conservation Organization, which has been doing this Winter Solstice night hike since the late 1990s. The goal: get folks from in front of the TV on a cold winter night and playing an active role in something a lot more interesting. The timing, by the way, is a celebration of longer days to come. The hike is a half mile, roundtrip, on old roadbed. Dress in layers, bring a hot beverage and flashlight.

Logistics: Sunday, Dec. 21, 7-9 p.m., DuPont State Recreational Forest. For more on the hike, go here.

Sunday forecast: Daytime high of 49 dropping to 34 overnight. No mention of precipitation.

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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

Great Outdoor Provision Co.
Calendar includes three weekly events for each of its seven markets: Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. Search by market.

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: Welcome, winter appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

This weekend: National Get Outdoors with Fathers Day

JoeMiller — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 15:10:18 +0000

Yabba dabba doo

Two reasons to get out this weekend: Saturday is National Get Outdoors Day, Sunday is Father’s Day. And lots of options for observing both!

Coast

You’re 4 years old and a little short on cash. Still, you want to show dad a good time on his day, Sunday, Father’s Day. What to do, what to do … .

If you live in the vicinity of Wrightsville Beach, you can take dad to the Blockade Runner, where from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday all board rentals are free to certified dads (“father” to a Lab or Golden does not count). You’ve heard dad pining about wanting to ride the waves like Hawaiian royalty? Now’s the time to give him his shot. And if you can scrounge $3 in change, you can buy him a discount taco, too.

Logistics: Sunday, June 15, noon-3 p.m., Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Wrightsville Beach. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 82, change of thunderstorms.

Piedmont

Psst! Looking for a good paddle that not many folks know about? Saturday, the Piedmont Land Conservancy is sponsoring paddle suitable for beginners on the upper Haw River. The paddle begins at the Grove Winery and meanders about five miles downstream. A two- to three-hour trip, depending upon water levels and how many questions are asked about this intimate stretch of the Haw. Return to the winery put-in for a wine tasting.

Don’t have a boat? Don’t have a problem: call the PLC (see below) and they can hook you up.

Logistics: Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m. Grove Winery on the Haw River (here for directions). Call the Piedmont Land Conservancy to sign up: 336.691.0088

Saturday forecast: High of 85, mostly sunny.

Mountains

Not that you need one, but if you’re looking for a fun reason to visit Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet the highest peak east of South Dakota’s Black Hills, how about a scavenger hunt?

Saturday, Mount Mitchell State Park celebrates National Get Outdoors Day with a scavenger hunt. Stop by the mountain-top concession stand between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and pick up your list of things to find. When you’ve found them, return to the concession stand for verification and a Moon Pie (you’ll need to pony up for the MP). What you win is part of the mystery. A good way to explore a terrain unlike any other in the region.

Logistics: Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mount Mitchell State Park. More info on the park here.

Sunday forecast: High of 78, mostly sunny.

* * *

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.

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.

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.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

* * *

Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

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The post This weekend: National Get Outdoors with Fathers Day appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

This weekend: Shoot for the shooting stars

JoeMiller — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 20:48:14 +0000

photo courtesy the-shooting-star.com

No matter where you are, head out Friday night and take in the Geminid meteor shower at its peak. And during the light of day you’ll find lessons to be learned about snow.

Coast

The Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak Friday evening — and you can have a prime seat at the Dismal Swamp State Park in South Mills. If the conditions are prime, you should be able to see 50 to 100 meteors per hour! This park program starts at 7 p.m.

Logistics: Friday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m., Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills.

Saturday forecast: Low of 33, mostly cloudy.

Piedmont

The fun begins in the New Hill parking lot.

Sometimes, it’s hard to get the family out on a hike. Sometimes, you need extra incentive. Hidden treasure, for instance. Sunday, there will be incentive aplenty for young hikers on the Winter Scavenger Hunt on the American Tobacco Trail in Apex. Theme: signs of winter.

Logistics: Sunday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m., American Tobacco Trail, meet at the New Hill Parking Area, 1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Road, Apex. More info: 919.387.4342

Saturday forecast: Hi of 51, 80 percent chance of rain.

Mountains

Snow at Elk Knob (photo courtesy N.C. State Parks)

It snowed Tuesday at Elk Knob State Park north of Boone, which not only makes for a lovely winter landscape, it also plays into Saturday’s “Snow” program at the park. “For humans,” says the program description, “snow can be pretty, fun, annoying, dangerous and many other things. What does it mean for the natural world? How does it form such intricate shapes? Cut out a scientifically correct flake and learn how to preserve real ones. Come find more about this magnificent crystalline wonder.”

Then, after the program, hike in the stuff up to the park’s namesake knob.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 14, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More info on the park, here.

Saturday forecast: High of 39, chance of precipitation.

* * *

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.

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.

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.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

* * *

Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

* * *

The post This weekend: Shoot for the shooting stars appeared first on GetGoing NC!.