Travel NC With Kids: Easy Hiking Trail in NC

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve - Home of Longleaf Pines & a Million Dragonflies!

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve Welcome Center © Katrena

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, located 35 miles northwest of Fayetteville in central North Carolina, greets guests with a longleaf pine forest that is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including the rare red-cockaded woodpecker, also known as the Yankee Doodle woodpecker.

Longleaf Pine at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve © Katrena

The park has a welcome center with restrooms. When we visited in the spring of 2020, the welcome center was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the bathrooms were open. The restrooms were clean and well-stocked.

Birds at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

A plethora of birds, about 160 species, live in the preserve. We saw red-headed woodpeckers, warblers, sparrows, waxwings, cardinals, and more. Sitting and listening to the birds while eating a picnic lunch was a real treat for us.

Self-guided Educational Sign at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Picnic Table at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Picnic tables are located in several places near the parking lot, including some behind the welcome center near some birdfeeders. Educational signs offer added information about various interests at Weymouth Woods.

Hiking Trail at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

We hiked several trails at Weymouth Woods. They were well-maintained, clearly marked, and offered quite a mix of biodiversity. All of the trails we hiked were natural surface and one trail had a short bridge. It was a quiet, serene, peaceful, and enjoyable time for our family.

Trail Map at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Printed trail maps were not available on the day my family visited due to the pandemic, but the park does offer a large map to the right of the welcome center. Visitors are welcome to take pictures of the maps or you might wish to print a trail map at home.

Bower's Bog Trailhead © Katrena

Bower's Bog Trail is a 0.3 mile easy loop that is an easy hike in view of the parking lot. Longleaf pines, ferns, and sassafras were plenteous along this hike.

Observational Deck at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve © Katrena

Bench Dedicated to a Beloved Dog Named Liam at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve © Katrena

Pine Barrens Trail is a mile-long meandering loop trail that is also an easy hike without a lot of steps or steep hills to navigate. An observation deck that offers a view of the back of the welcome center is near one end of the loop.

Dragonfly at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Daddy Longlegs at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

We found a wide range of dragonflies, damselflies, plants, and other creatures along this trail and the detour trails we took. If you slow down and really look, you might be surprised at what you can find!

Gum Swamp at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

The Gum Swamp Trail is another loop trail that takes a detour off the Pine Barrens Trail. This half mile trail takes hikers along James Creek and a swamp under the canopy of hardwoods.

Damselfly at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

For me, it was well worth the detour as the wildlife diversity was quite different and interesting near the swamp.

Moccasin Crossing at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

From Gum Swamp Trail, we went 0.1 mile to Moccasin Crossing, which takes hikers to a short bridge over the James River. Hikers who wish to continue on in that direction will find a 1.8 mile loop called Holly Road Trail. My crew turned back and headed back to the Pine Barrens Trail.

Carnivorous Plants at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Venous Flytrap at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

Pitcher Plant at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

We did manage to find some carnivorous plants, including the venus flytrap and pitcher plant. The venus flytrap in particular is quite rare and only found naturally in the world within about 75 miles of Wilmington, North Carolina. They are federally protected.

Plants Along Trails at Weymouth Woods Near Fayetteville © Katrena

I would highly recommend bug spray for hiking these trails if mosquitoes are out. I would also recommend sunscreen despite the shade as the sun does come through in patches throughout the trails.

Flower at Weymouth Woods © Katrena

We are blessed with lots of beautiful protected natural areas in North Carolina. To keep them beautiful, take only pictures and leave only footprints. Enjoy the time together in nature and make memories!

Unusual Plants at North Carolina State Park © Katrena

For directions, trail maps, information on history and ecology, visit the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve page on the official North Carolina State Parks web site. You might also wish to see lists and photos of plants and animals along with their scientific names at the preserve. Looking for educational materials related to Weymouth Woods? Click here for free teacher resources.

Moss at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve © Katrena

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Saturday, January 23, 2016

Pilot Mountain State Park's Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail Offers Beautiful View with Little Effort

My family has been hiking trails in North Carolina State Parks for years. Some trails are much harder and longer than others. Most of the best views are enjoyed by those hikers willing to go the extra effort to hike a longer distance with more challenging terrain.

Pilot Mountain State Park is one of the exceptions where visitors can enjoy a short, easy hike that reaps great benefits. The pinnacle of Pilot Mountain is the iconic shape that looms near Hwy 52 north of Winston-Salem. This beautiful, majestic landmark is impossible to miss when traveling on Highway 52. On a clear day, I have seen the unique shape of Pilot Mountain from Interstate 77 near the North Carolina/Virginia border. Pilot Mountain is definitely distinct.

A few months ago, I decided our family would visit Pilot Mountain. Many of the state parks in North Carolina require a fair amount of driving off the main road; however, I was surprised to see that the park entrance is very close to Hwy 52. Visitors can drive up to a parking lot that delivers visitors up close and personal to a gorgeous view without hiking at all. This would be a great park for those with mobility challenges!

I have seen loads of pictures of Pilot Mountain's Big Pinnacle that appear quite close up. I had assumed the hike might be a bit challenging to get to that photo spot. I was wrong! The Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail offers an easy 0.1 mile hike to a lookout deck that begs for pictures. I did not zoom on any of my photos posted in this article, and all of the photos I featured in this article are sites that can be seen from the parking lot or the Little Pinnacle Overlook trail.

When we visited, one man mentioned that the park gets quite full when the leaves peak, and there may be a long line of cars waiting to get a parking space. The parking lot at the top is small, so you might want to plan for less crowded times of the year if you want to simply drive to the top without a wait like we did. The trails we hiked were well-maintained when we visited.

This state park offers quite a few other trails, a campground, picnic areas, educational programs, rock climbing and rappelling with a permit, and more. Restroom facilities were near the parking lot. We hiked a few other trails, but I wanted to feature the Little Pinnacle Overlook with this article.

Pilot Mountain State Park offers a beautiful view with very little effort of those who visit the park. People who are looking for more challenging trails won't be disappointed either. Feel free to visit the official Pilot Mountain web site for hours, maps, and more.