For hikes we do in state parks, nature conservancies, municipal parks, the element of surprise is low, even before a scouting trip. Most land managers post trail disruptions on their websites. Even the USDA Forest Service posts advisories on its more heavily traveled trails. Additional pre-hike insight comes from websites such as alltrails.com and hikingupward,com, where hikers sometimes leave comments on recent trail conditions. 

It’s a different story, though, when you’re hiking the trails less traveled, and the trails that don’t exist at all.

Scouting off trail

Trails that aren’t officially trail are what we’re focusing on in a series of Winter Wild hikes. They may start on established trails, but they won’t stay there for long. For the most part, we’ll stick to game trails and long-abandoned wagon tracks to explore the hidden human history and natural gems of the state parks and national forests. Scouting these trails is especially critical to a safe and successful hike. 

The scouting trip I’m on today is at the coast. I first became aware of the Weetock Trail in early 2006 while researching “100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina” (2007, Mountaineers). Coastal trails being at a premium, I was eager to include what, at 11 miles in length, was the second longest trail at the coast. However, I was unable to find the trailhead, which was somewhere off N.C. 58 between Maysville and Cedar Point. If I couldn’t even find the trailhead, it wasn’t a good candidate for a trail guide aimed at a general hiking audience.

A few years later, armed with directions, I did find the trailhead (which now had a marker) and had little trouble finding and keeping the trail for the first six miles or so. I passed the gravel road to Haywood Landing after about three and a half miles, as promised. A little while later, I bumped up against the White Oak River, which my map suggested would happen. And I’m pretty sure I had passed the unmarked road leading to Long Point Landing, about six and a half miles in. 

There was trail, then there wasn’t

Then, I emerged from the edge of a pine forest into a long-abandoned farm field, now a sea of unfettered wild grass standing three feet high that gave no clue as to where the Weetock continued. On the far side of the field, where the forest resumed, were several promising openings where the trail might resume. Eventually, I discovered a trail: unmarked, I could only guess that it was the Weetock and not a game trail, not a hunter’s trail. Whether it was or not is hard to say. The forest/field/forest scenario repeated, and this time the existence of a trail was less certain. But I continued, assured by my compass that I was at least headed in the right direction. 

I hoped that I would stumble across an obvious trail. I never did. Sunlight was becoming an issue, and I was relieved, with dusk settling in, when the woods spit me out on a gravel forest access road. I checked its direction with my compass — northeast — and based on the fact this was only the third access road I had passed, I was pretty sure this road would take me straight back to NC 58 not far from the trailhead.

The next day, I went to find the southern trailhead, with the idea of hiking in the opposite direction and discovering familiar terrain to discover where I had strayed. Alas, I couldn’t find the southern trailhead, or anything resembling a trailhead. No roadside pullout, much less a “Welcome to the Weetock” trail sign.

So today, I try again. I’ve got two paper maps (including the alltrails.com map pictured above). I’ve got updated software on my Garmin GPS and I’ve got Google maps on my iPhone (which has more than once aided my escape from a backwoods wander gone awry). 

Curious as to how this story turns out? Find out on Dec. 15 when I’ll lead a hike on the 11-mile Weetock Trail. See details below

Happy trails,

Joe

Explore with us off trail 

GetOriented! Finding Your Way on the Weetock Trail

The Weetock Trail hike will include tips on way finding and following a trail that isn’t always there. Learn more and sign up here.

GetHiking! Winter Wild: Exploring Off Trail the Places You Most Love to Hike

This series of five monthly hikes takes you off trail at the places you only thought you knew: Umstead State Park, Hanging Rock State Park, Eno River State Park, Uwharrie National Forest, Raven Rock State Park. Learn more and sign up here. 

GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods

Like the idea of exploring off trail, but lack confidence in your way-finding skills? This three-hour class teaches basic map and compass skills, then heads down the trail — and off — to let you test your newfound skills. Learn about upcoming classes in the Triangle here, in the Triad here.

The post Scouting an elusive trail appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

So, with an upcoming trip to the Uwharries, I took note that the last time I took a group there was in February, in the dead of winter with an absence of undergrowth. On that trip, everyone slept in the mountaintop shelter and we didn’t need firewood. This upcoming trip has different requirements: space for seven tents, access to water, and enough firewood to cook a meal for fifteen people.

So, I headed on down to the Uwharries to scout.

And I discovered several key things that should make this trip go smoothly:

• Tent space. I was able to identify nine solid campsites. Woohoo!
• Firewood. Our destination is a mountaintop bald; there’s some decent wood on the east-facing slope, but it’s not a bad idea to haul in some dried, cut oak, just in case.
• Fire ring. In February, we were too tired to build a fire, so I didn’t really take note of the campsite fire ring. It turns out it’s a good one, with sturdy walls and a sufficient draft.
• Water. The nicest discovery on my scouting trip: A spring has been identified about three-tenths of a mile below the summit, and it has a white-pipe stream that’s almost like having running water at the site.
• Trailhead. I viewed the trailhead as a place that will be new to the backpackers, rather than as an access I’d been to several times. And I decided that the unmarked road will be a challenge to find to newcomers. So we’ll bring a signboard to flag down our crew.
• Vista. The view from the summit was every bit as wonderful as I remembered—we can catch sunrise over the Uwharries to the east, and sunset over the mountains to the west. And the night sky, clear of light (and, we hope, clouds) should be worth hanging out under into the wee hours.

I expect to sleep well on this trip. And, because of my early-morning scouting, I should sleep well on the nights leading up to our weekend trip.

To find a well-scouted GetHiking! trip near you, and to subscribe for our weekly GetHiking! enewsletter, go here.

Happy trails,

Joe

The post Scouting a trail leaves only the good surprises appeared first on GetGoing NC!.