We live less than a half mile from Occoneechee State Natural Area in Hillsborough, and I either hike or run there a couple times a week. Though I generally like to mix things up on trail I do regularly — hiking clockwise one time, counterclockwise the next — I have the same routine at Occoneechee: I enter from the neighborhood entrance off Eno Mountain Road, then take the Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail, Overlook Trail and Chestnut Trail back to the Loop Trail, which brings me around the west side of the mountain to the Eno River for the hike’s highlight: a 75-yard stretch beneath a north-facing cliff that is perpetually green. Green with holly and ferns, which are common in these parts, but also with mountain laurel, with rhododendron, and even a narrow carpet of galax. For this brief stretch the trail leaves the Piedmont for the Southern Appalachians.

We look to trails for escape. My Occoneechee route is the Tardis of Triangle Trails. It’s also the focus of a ranger-led hike Saturday at 2 p.m. From the park’s main lot, armed with water and closed-toe shoes, the group will head out on a mile-and-a-half hike in search of Evergreens at Occoneechee. Learn more about the hike and about how to register, here. 

So what else is going on this second weekend of December?

Winter Bird Walk, Sunday, 3 p.m., Weymouth Woods State Natural Area, Southern Pines. One of our favorite places to hike in winter (yes, technically winter doesn’t start until a week from Sunday, but have you stepped outside lately?), is Weymouth Woods State Natural Area. Even on a cold winter day the sun penetrates this expanse of longleaf pines — one of the largest collections of longleaf pines remaining — warming the soul and igniting the smell of pine. The terrain and location also make it a prime winter bird watching site. This program piggybacks on Audubon’s 120th Christmas Bird Count bird count occurring at the park, meaning there will be plenty of qualified birders on hand to help identify what you’re seeing. Learn more here. 

Hike with a Ranger at Mayo River State Park, Saturday, 1 p.m., Mayo River State Park: Hickory Creek Access, Stoneville. Maybe you know someone who’s looking to be more active in 2020, but hasn’t quite figured out how to make that happen. This hike on an old farm road would make for a great way to float hiking as an option: it’s on an old road, which generally means more foot-friendly travel, and it’s less than a mile long. Just long enough to get the heart rate up and stoke an appreciation for hiking, not so long that it seems like work — or worse, a workout. Learn more here.

GetHiking! this weekend

What are our GetHiking! groups in North Carolina and Virginia up to this weekend? Plenty, thanks for asking … 

GetBackpacking! Weekend Quick Escape: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness, Uwharrie NF, Friday, December 13, 5 p.m. – Sunday, December 15, 12 p.m., 3091 Tot Hill Farm Rd., Asheboro. Moderate. 15 miles. Hike highlights: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness Loop, views from ridge line. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Charlottesville: Thornton River Circuit, Sunday, December 15, 8 a.m., 4105 Lewis and Clark Dr., Charlottesville. Strenuous. 10.5 miles. Hike highlights: Elkwallow Wayside, Appalachian Trail, Piney Ridge Trail, Fork Mountain Trail, Thornton Hollow Trail, Thornton River Trail, multiple stream crossings, Thornton River Falls. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Charlottesville: Appalachian Trail – Rockfish Gap to Paul Wolfe Shelter, Sunday, December 15, 10 a.m., 415 Ray C Hunt Dr., Charlottesville. Moderately Strenuous. 9 miles. Hike highlights: This section of the AT is primarily along a ridgeline. And with the trees stripped of their leaves, we should be treated to several nice views of the Rockfish Valley. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Winter Wild: New Adventure in the Places You Most Love to Hike, Saturday, December 21, 10 a.m., Lower Haw River State Natural Area, Pittsboro. Moderate. 6-8 miles. Hike highlights: East bak of the Haw River between Bynum and Jordan Lake. Learn more here.

Live the video

This week’s video takes us on the Company Mill Trail at Umstead State Park in Raleigh. It’s the park’s most popular trail, in part because it has options: Hike down to Crabtree Creek and back for a 2-mile roundtrip hike, continue on and do the abbreviated Company Mill Loop (cutting short across the Reedy Creek Bike & Bridle Trail) for about 5 miles, or do the entire loop of just under 6 miles. Learn more about exploring Umstead here.

More Weekend Options

Looking for more options for weekend adventure? Check out our GetOut! Find An Adventure resource page here.

The post Getout! Your Friday Nudge for Weekend Adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

It is one gala weekend in North Carolina, from the grand opening of the new Discovery Room at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve to the world premiere of the Hanging Rock State Park Players’ “A Town Without Spiders.” Dress for both, you’ll be relieved to hear, is hiking casual.

Coast | Coastal Plain

Who doesn’t like a grand opening, especially when it involves the world of discovery (as opposed to the world of retail).

Saturday, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines unveils its new Discovery Room, which features all sorts of hands-on ways to learn about the outdoors. Bring the kids for a day of nature games, tinkering with a kid-friendly microscope, drawing with sidewalk chalk, making crafts, watching birds up close and more. Plus, the opportunity to win a door prize!

Afterward, plan a hike on Weymouth Woods’ 4-mile trail network.

Logistics: Grand Opening of the New Weymouth Woods Sandhills Discovery Room, Saturday, July 29, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 85.

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Looking ahead: Every Wednesday, join volunteers from Lake Gaston Outfitters for a mountain bike ride at Medoc Mountain State Park. 6-8:30 p.m., Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister. More info here.

Piedmont

There are lots of reasons to visit Hanging Rock State Park: the plethora of views, the passel of waterfalls, the preponderance of paths. This Saturday, add to that list a theatrical performance.

Introducing the Hanging Rock State Park Players and the premier of “A Town Without Spiders,” a parable about a world — or at least a town — without spiders. Think the presence of spiders is scary? TWS envisions just how scary a world it would be without spiders. Watch what happens when a “well-intentioned, but misguided effort to ban arachnids goes terribly awry … .”

This is an evening performance, in the campground amphitheater, allowing time for a preperformance hike.

Logistics: “A Town Without Spiders,” performed by the Hanging Rock State Park Theatrical Troupe,” Saturday, July 29, curtain rises at 7:30 p.m., Campground Amphitheater, Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Chance of afternoon rain, high of 80.

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Looking ahead: First weekend of every month, the trails at the Vader Mecum addition to Hanging Rock State Park are open. More info here.

Mountains

Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of taking a group from SAS Institute on a hike at Elk Knob State Park. The hike was up one of the most well-designed trails in the state, the 2-mile Summit Trail, which links the main parking area with the 5,520-foot summit. Along the way was a cornucopia of flora, some edible, some poisonous, some rare, some exotic. Along the way, you couldn’t help wondering what was which.

Saturday, get a chance to learn about the plant life along this high-altitude trail on a ranger-led Summer Wildflower Hike. Learn a thing, then enjoy one of the best views in the state from the summit.

Logistics: Summer Wildflower Hike, Saturday, July 29, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More info here .

Saturday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 70.

* * *

Looking ahead: Elk Knob Community Headwaters Day, Saturday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. More info here.

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

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

Coast

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A variety of options await the weekend explorer in North Carolina this weekend. Take note of seasonal changes in a nature journaling class at Weymouth Woods, check out the overwintering bird population on Greensboro’s Lake Townsend, or take advantage of the recent cold snap and Ski North Carolina!

Coast

The natural world is ever-changing. While we may notice the more substantial changes from month to month, the more subtle shifts, from week to week, even day to day, often elude us.

Why?

Because we aren’t paying close attention. That’s part of the goal of the monthly Nature’s Notebook clinics at Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines. Once a month, hikers head out into this 915-acre preserve known for its stand of regal longleaf pines (but home to more than 1,000 species of plant life), with nature notebooks in hand, to observe and “collect phenological data as part of citizen science and keep a scientific nature journal throughout the year.” The program lasts 90 minutes.

Logistics: Saturday, Jan. 9, 3 p.m., Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines. More info here, or call 910.692.2167.

Saturday forecast: High of 62, 70 percent chance of rain.

* * *

Looking ahead: 8th Annual Cold Stroke Classic standup paddleboard competition, Blockade Runner at Wrightsville Beach, Jan. 22-23. More info here.

Piedmont

Come winter, North Carolina’s coast is generally regarded as a haven for snowbirds migrating from the north. We speak of the feathered-and-winged variety, who settle in by the tens of thousands at Pea Island, Lake Mattamuskeet, Alligator River and the other National Wildlife Refuges dotting our coast.

But not all of these seasonals go to the coast. Find out who comes inland at Sunday’s Waterfowl Birding Pontoon Tour on Greensboro’s Lake Townsend. Explore the lake for 90 minutes with a seasoned birder who explains who’s on the lake and why.

Can’t make Sunday’s session? There are five more tours scheduled through March 27.

Logistics: Sunday, Jan. 10, 3 p.m., Lake Townsend, Browns Summit. $7, reservations required as space is limited. More information here, or by calling 336.373.3741.

Sunday forecast: High of 58, mostly sunny.

* * *

Looking ahead: Another seasonal birding opportunity: Winter Birds of the Piedmont, Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 a.m., Falls Lake State Recreation Area, Wake Forest. More info here.

Mountains

Finally, skiing!

The balmy weather that dominated the region for a long while has been chased by a mass of cold air that’s been perfect for snowmaking. As a result, all six of North Carolina’s ski areas will be open this weekend, with bases of up to 56 inches! And it’s not like only a slope or two are open; most had at least half of their mountain open midweek, meaning there’s a good chance they’ll be running full throttle come the weekend.

Get the latest snow reports from SkiSoutheast.com.

Logistics: Your best bet for up-to-date reports from North Carolina’s — and the Southeast’s — ski areas is through the aforementioned SkiSoutheast.com.

Weekend forecast: Warming, but the base will already be down.

* * *

Looking ahead: Frostbite 5K, 10K, Feb. 21, Fletcher. More information here.

* * *

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

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The post This weekend: Journaling, birding, skiing appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Fall has arrived, and you know what that means. Actually, it means two things (probably more, but for our purposes here we’ll stick with two): the hardwoods are starting to change color and the snow birds are changing locals as they relocate south. Both activities you won’t want to miss — and won’t have to thanks to various North Carolina State Parks programs this weekend.

Coast

You know fall has arrived when the coastal state parks start offering guided hikes. Snakes, bugs and other deterrents of summer keep warm weather activities along the coast limited to the water. But when the temperatures and humidity start heading south, it’s time to hit the coastal trail.

Sunday, the coastal trail to be hit is the two-mile Coleman Trail at Merchants Millpond State Park near Gatesville. Merchants Millpond is known for its swamp paddling amid towering bald cypress and tupelo, but its nine miles of trail explore this diverse habitat. Hiking with a ranger who can help make sense of this visual feast is a big plus.

Logistics: Sunday, Oct. 5, 3 p.m., Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. More info: 252.357.1191.

Sunday forecast: Sunny with a high of 68.

Piedmont

It’s an exciting time of year in the bird world, what with the change of seasons and so many of our avian friends on the move. Too often, though, we look on in ignorant admiration of the passing flocks.

Get a better handle on who’s passing through your yard this fall by attending Sunday’s Birding for Beginners at Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve near Southern Pines. Starting at 3 p.m., you’ll stalk birdfeeders for a while and discuss proper use of binoculars and tips on IDing. Then, you’ll venture into the woods to test your new-found skills.

Logistics: Birding for Beginners, Sunday, Oct. 5, 3 p.m., Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines. More info: 910.692.2167.

Sunday forecast: Sunny, high of 68.

Mountains

Itching to get a jump on fall color? Your best bet is to head to the state’s higher elevations, where the color will begin cascading down any time now.

At Mount Jefferson State Natural Area near Jefferson, they’re anticipating the change of season above 4,000 feet with a Fall Season Mountain Hike this Sunday. A park ranger will take you to the best spots for viewing color and explain just who’s responsible for each flash of brilliance.

Logistics: Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m., Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, Jefferson. More info: 336.246.9653.

Sunday forecast: Sunny, high of 59.

* * *

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

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The post This weekend: Check the change 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

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