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.

* * *

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.

* * *

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.

* * *

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

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

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: A grand opening, a world premier  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Note: Most coastal state parks are planning to close Thursday and Friday in anticipation of Hurricane Arthur. Their reopening is dependent upon Arthur’s wrath. Check the North Carolina State Parks website before heading to any park that may be affected by the storm.

Coast

There is, perhaps, no more fretful feeling than not knowing exactly where you are (the more pessimistic among us refer to this condition as being “lost”). You’ve lost the trail (you don’t remember seeing a blaze for 15 minutes), nothing looks familiar, daylight is waning. You think about those cartoons where the protagonist (Spongebob, say) is thrust into darkness, surrounded only by evil eyes.

Now imagine being able to not only figure your way out of a typical hardwood forest, but out of a dense swamp! That should be the case after attending Orienteering 101 on Sunday at Dismal Swamp State Park. The class is on the park’s new orienteering course (thanks to a local Eagle Scout) and should have you feeling better about your plight in the woods.

Logistics: Sunday, July 5, 2 p.m., Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills. 252.771.6593 to register.

Saturday forecast: High of 88, sunny.

Piedmont

Being outdoors is often about more than just hiking or paddling or climbing or biking. Sometimes, it’s about music, about arts & crafts, about food and, perhaps, beer.

The two-day (Friday and Saturday) Festival For the Eno at West Point on the Eno city park in Durham is one such occasion. For two days, you can hear 65 acts on four stages, wander among various vendors, check out a beer garden and, all the while, help the sponsoring Eno River Association protect the Eno River watershed. Plus, you can do some of your favorite outdoor activities, such as hike on the park’s five miles of trail or paddle the mile-long Eno millpond. A Triangle tradition for celebrating the Fourth.

Logistics: Friday and Saturday, July 4 & 5, West Point on the Eno City Park, Durham. $20, $30 for both days. More info here.

Friday and Saturday forecast: Highs in the mid- to upper 80s, partly cloudy Friday, sunny Saturday.

Mountains

Fall color cascades in North Carolina from the highest, coolest elevations of the west to the warmer, lower east, the spring wildflower display does the opposite. If you haven’t caught the latter since it began in late February, time is running out. But there’s still wildflower action to be had at the state’s highest elevations, including Elk Knob State Park, where on Sunday, a park ranger will lead w wildflower hike.

The hike isn’t long, at a little more than two miles (out and back), but it does involve a good climb. Fortunately, you’ll be stopping often to check out the blooms.

Logistics: Sunday, July 5, 2 p.m., Elk Knob State Park, Todd. For more information, call 828.297.7261.

Sunday forecast: High of 75, mostly sunny.

* * *

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

The post This weekend: Venture fourth appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Renoir’s “Woman in Boat” is one of those classic impressionist paintings that you get lost in for a while before snapping to and thinking, “I should get Mom out in a boat. She’d like that.” OK, maybe that’s not necessarily what you think at the time. But now that the seed has been planted, it’s a good idea, no?

Yes. And it’s an idea you can act on this Sunday (Mother’s Day, btw) at Merchants Millpond State Park near Gatesville (up in the northeast corner of the state). The 760-acre Merchants Millpond is both enchanting, with its still waters peppered with Spanish moss-dripping ancient bald cypress and tupelo gum, and accessible. The latter all the more so this Sunday, when a ranger leads a guided Mother’s Day paddle.

Logistics: Sunday, May 12, 2 p.m. Free, but preregistration required, by calling 252.357.1191. All equipment — boat, paddle, PFD — is provided, you just need to bring mom. More about Merchants Millpond here.

Sunday forecast: Overcast early, clearing in the afternoon, high of 72.

Piedmont

Even more than women in boats, women with flowers were a popular subject of the French impressionists. Monet, for one, was constantly capturing women with flowers: “Woman with a Parasol,” “Woman in a Garden,” (not to be confused with “Women in a Garden”) and a personal favorite, “Springtime” (pictured). Once again, when you see one of these your thoughts may or may not turn to the need to take mom out and tip-toe through the tulips.

We don’t know about tulips, but we do know there will be plenty of other wildflowers in bloom Sunday when a park ranger leads the Mother’s Day Wildflower Hike at Hanging Rock State Park north of the Triad. The scenic mile-long saunter begins at 2 p.m.

Logistics: Sunday, 2 p.m. Free. More about the park here.

Sunday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 70.

Mountains

The wildflower display is in full bloom in the high country and, fittingly, Mother’s Day-related wildflower hikes abound. Because we’re running out of space as a result of our art history lesson, we refer you to a nice roundup of this weekend’s mountain hikes by Karen “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina” Chavez, outdoors editor of the Asheville Citizen Times. Find it here.

Logistics: Again, find it here.

Weekend forecast: Sunday’s looking better than Saturday, with partly cloudy skies and highes in the upper 60s.

* * *

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

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.

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

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: Honor mom outside appeared first on GetGoing NC!.