Some of our favorite North Carolina State Park hikes are this weekend, a weekend that will be on the cool side throughout the state. We start with two coastal favorites:
Carnivorous Plant Hike, Saturday, 10 a.m., Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. The perfect hike for someone you’d like to get more involved in the outdoors. The trail, the Flytrap Trail, is short, just a half mile. It’s flat and easy to navigate (it’s wheelchair accessible), and it features a natural wonder, the carnivorous plants — including the Venus flytrap — that are unique to the region. A ranger leads the way and shares the stories of these curious plants. Masks are required, space is limited: reserve a spot by calling 910.458.8206. More info here.read more
It’s a weekend where you can experience the best of two seasons. Get out early and it will feel like winter, with temperatures starting in the mid-20s Saturday and mid-30s Sunday. Wait ’til the afternoon and, on Sunday at least, it’ll be shorts and t-shirt weather.read more
Hello, March and the beginning of spring! That would be the “in-like-a-lion” part of the season.
And this weekend’s lionlike forecast?
Well, some of it could be nice. Then again, it could be cloudy at times. And maybe rainy. And perhaps with storms of Oz-like dimensions. In short, it’s a weekend to play it by ear. Some thoughts on that:read more
Yes, the sun is returning from its extended vacation. And just in time for the weekend!
Good news, yes. But keep in mind that it’s been raining for quite a while and that the ground was already saturated before that. So while the air may be dry, it will take the ground a while to catch up.read more
Do you know what Tuesday (February 2, so you don’t run off searching for a calendar) was?
Imbolc, the pagan observance that celebrates the midpoint of winter and thus, the beginning of the official watch for spring.
We celebrated by hiking along the Eno in search of early signs of the season. To us, that generally means sighting the first spring wildflower — the spring beauty or trout lily — maybe hearing the first spring peeper. With temperatures content to not rise out of the 40s for much of January, it was a search, we were sure, was in vain.read more