Upstate SC and WNC Hiking Reports

Living in eastern NC, we can't cover Upstate and WNC hiking trails as we'd like, but a few other folks can. I've already pointed out Rich Stephenson's http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/ and A Day's Drive From Greenville, so below are additional links to reports on trails located in the western Carolinas.

SC Jack: http://scjack.blogspot.com/

Moderator of my hiking group, CarolinasAdventures, Jack is an avid hiker and camper, and has covered a lot of ground in both states. Unafraid to bushwack when necessary, Jack tackles tough trails in rugged territory. Note: He recently began this blog, so not all reports have been posted.

Andy (and Boone): http://www.angelfire.com/trek/fungi/

Another member of CarolinasAdventure, Andy and his dog, Boone, also enjoy a hearty hike, whether it be on a mountain trail or snaking along a river in a canoe. I'm a huge fan of his reports, which are well-written and often hilarious.

Brenda Wiley: http://www.brendajwiley.com/hiking.html

Brenda hits the trail as often as possible and I love reading her reports. A fan of trail maps, she includes excellent details and photos in each post. You can read her report on Raven Cliff Falls on this blog.

Appalachian Treks: http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/

I haven't a clue who runs this site, but beautiful photos and informative posts make it a great read.


THE REQUIRED DISCLAIMER: I haven't read every post, nor have I hiked all the trails they mention, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of the information on their sites. As with my blog, only use the personal observations you find on these sites as a guide. For your safety, and the safety of your family, research all outdoor destinations before visiting them.

Carolina Beach and Carolina Beach State Park, NC

Because North Carolina is a coastal state, one expects to find beaches along its soggy border. And boy does NC have them--a lot of them. In addition to exploring the sands of the Outer Banks, we've visited three beaches near Wilmington this past year. And to our surprise, though close in proximity, each has a distinct culture and pace.

With its pristine beaches and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, Topsail Beach, which we've visited three times and have yet to write about, appears more family oriented (though I'm told they've had issues in the past with nude sunbathers. Before I recommend it as a family destination, I'll check on the status of that issue.) Wrightsville Beach has more of an upscale feel.

Carolina Beach, located on the hang-nail of a peninsula just south of Wilmington, is a throwback to the beaches of old. Think Coney Island. A boardwalk--actually a wide sidewalk--runs between two strips of clothing stores, sweets shops, and other beachy-type businesses, to a small amusement park complete with Ferris wheel. From there, you can either cross the real boardwalk to a shady pavilion to catch the breeze (my choice!) or head to the sand and waves.

Note: Included at the boardwalk are at least two prominently located bars. A dichotomy in light of the nearby kiddie rides, but we've yet to visit Carolina Beach in the evening to see if a bit of Myrtle Beach's pollen has taken root in this state. During the day, the place is great, so feel free to do your own research! And I suggest you start on a Sunday- or Thursday night.

Each Thursday, head to the beach, and when the sun packs up and heads home, finish out the day with a colorful explosion of fireworks. And on Sundays, movies are shown at nearby Carolina Beach Lake. For a schedule, which includes Night in the Museum II, Ironman, and Madagascar II, click HERE.

I see Goonies is playing on August 16th. Hmm, guess where I'll be that evening.

Also spotted at Carolina Beach: a marina with two large ships just waiting to take passengers on a day or dinner cruise, and several fishing boats resting after early morning charters. You have no idea how long I had to wait while my husband collected brochures from each of those slips.

Hikers, nature- and shade-lovers, take heart. Just northwest of the boardwalk sits Carolina Beach State Park. In addition to hiking trails, one can find pitcher plants, among other coastal species, and several species of birds. We couldn't tackle the trails on this visit, since it happened to coincide with the hottest day of the year, but we plan to return.

For more information on Carolina Beach, including times for the Film & Fireworks show, go to www.carolinabeachgetaway.com/

Carolina Beach, NC

Estuarine Reserves in the Carolinas

While we've visited a couple of these destinations, I'm not familiar with this organization or entirely clear on all units involved. But that won't stop me from pointing them out to you. I happened on these potential sites while perusing A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, and subsequent research indicates this could be interesting.

Though it appears this is a national effort, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System oversees several "components" on both Carolina shores. These are:

In NC:

• Currituck (which we visited this past winter)


• Masonboro Island - the "largest undisturbed barrier island" in the southern NC coast


• Rachel Carson Estuarine Research Reserve Islands, off Beaufort


• Zeke's Island

Permuda Island fits in there somewhere, but I'm still working through that.

The Currituck component is accessible by land. Masonboro (between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach), Rachel Carson, and Zeke's Island, by private ferry or boat. At these locations, you may find include uninhabited lands, hiking trails, waterfowls, and during nesting season, endangered sea turtles.

In SC:

• North Inlet-Winyah Bay - near Georgetown


• The ACE Basin near Beaufort and Edisto, which we attempted to visit once.

This is officially on our list.

For more information on NERRS in NC, go to http://nerrs.noaa.gov/

White Pines: Hiking Conservancy Trails

Members of the ENC branch of CarolinasAdventures recently tackled another Triangle Land Conservancy project: White Pines Preserve, located south of Pittsboro and north of Sanford. Just off Hwy 15-501, White Pines is a secluded forest edging the confluence of the Rocky and Deep Rivers.

Named for the trees growing throughout, White Pines is a great place for day hiking and birding. Seven trails cut through the forest and down into the river plain, and we hiked them all in just a couple hours. It was past bloom season, so few flowers were on hand to greet us, but we enjoyed the outing nonetheless.

It's summer in ENC and ticks, chiggers, poison ivy, and snakes abound. We encountered all at White Pines, so we decided to put off future visits until March, when the flowers are in bloom and the bugs are in hiding.

For more information on White Pines, go to
http://www.triangleland.org/lands/tlc/white_pines_np.shtml

Flower Hill: Hiking Conservancy Trails

When we're in the mountains, we head to Pisgah National Forest or spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway for a hike. Here in eastern NC, we head to Croatan National Forest or any state park. But KT, the co-moderator of CarolinasAdventures, recently reminded us we're missing overlooked gold mines throughout the state: trails located in lands belonging to nature conservancies.

I'm just getting introduced to these organizations, so I can't go into great detail about them. I do know nature conservancies do what their name implies, and they do so by acquiring land. Last year, we purchased A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, and we sometimes refer to that book for outing ideas. However, KT informed us regional conservancies exist as well by recommending one of Triangle Land Conservancy's projects, Flower Hill.

Unaware a newly constructed parking lot sits beside the trailhead, we parked alongside the road and trudged through the woods, up one of the few rolling hills in the coastal plain.

The hike through Flower Hill is short, but we managed to make it longer with frequent stops to examine a variety of plant life along the predominantly dirt path. KT had hoped to show us a forest blooming with Catawba rhododendron—the reason TLC purchased the land—but we missed the peak—bloom season. The blossoms we spotted were enough, though, since this species usually grows in or near the mountains. (See Update below slideshow.)

Below are a few images from our trip. To read the caption, cursor over the photo. For more info on the Triangle Land Conservancy, go to www.triangleland.org/

UPDATE (April 2011)

Spring rolled around, and a member of CA reported sighting of rhodos at Flower Hill. Naturally, we jumped in the car and headed up the road. And what a sight we saw. I took pictures from several angles, but still couldn't capture the number of blooms growing along the slope. Here, in eastern North Carolina!

Thank you, Triangle Land Conservancy!