Travel NC With Kids: hiking trails in nc

Showing posts with label hiking trails in nc. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Singletary Lake State Park - Cypress Trees in the Lake are a Photographer's Dream!

Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

Singletary Lake State Park, located 50 miles northwest of Wilmington, used to only be available for group camping but now offers visitors opportunities to hike, fish, go boating, or simply enjoy nature.

Restrooms at Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

Statue Honoring Civilian Conservation Corps by FDR © Katrena

We visited Singletary Lake in the spring of 2020 on the way to Carolina Beach State Park. Several parts of the park were closed due to military training, but we were able to see one group camping area and walk down to the pier at the lake. The restrooms were located next to the parking area and they were open. We also saw a statue honoring the Civilian Conservation Corps by Franklin D. Roosevelt, who built much of what is in the park today.

Camp Ipecac at Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

Camp Ipecac is named for Carolina ipecac, an herb that grows in the region's sandy soil. As a nurse for many years, I remember syrup of ipecac being administered to children who had ingested certain poisonous substances in order to induce vomiting, so I couldn't help but smile and become intrigued by that name.

Group Camping for Boy Scouts, 4-H, etc. at North Carolina State Parks © Katrena

The group camp site reminds me a little of group camping in 4-H. This park has been used by organizations such as Boy Scouts and 4-H for summer camps since 1939. According to the website, the group camping offers dormitory-style accommodations, modern bathrooms and a mess hall. Camp Ipecac is normally open for up to 84 people April through October while Camp Loblolly Bay is typically open year-round for up to 48 people. Due to a pandemic with a novel coronavirus, all group camping was cancelled at the time we visited.

TRACK Trail at Singletary Lake State Park near Wilmington © Katrena

We were the only visitors to the open part of the park when we visited. We were able to access the TRACK trail, which is a short trail to the lake. The trail was well-maintained with a paved surface. TRACK trails include educational boards along the trail so that visitors can learn more about the area.

Canoeing, Fishing, and Boating at Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

In addition to hiking, visitors are welcome to bring in canoes, kayaks, or watercraft with electric motors to hop on the lake. The canoes at the lake and swimming area are for group campers only. Visitors can fish from the pier or from watercraft, but fish populations tend to be low due to the acidity of the water.

Carolina Bay Lake Near North Carolina Coast © Katrena

Beautiful Lake Photo Opportunities in NC © Katrena

This protected area is one of a handful of Carolina bay lakes in North Carolina. The water has a distinct black hue to it due to its acidity. The cypress trees emerging from the waters of Singletary Lake provide striking photo opportunities. Some of the trees are more than 400 years old.

500-foot Pier at Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

The 500-foot pier beckoned my crew to enjoy the scenery. As you can see from the photo, the pier was in good shape. The area was quite serene and peaceful and a wonderful place to dip one's toes into the water to cool off from the deck. One of my daughters saw a snake silently slithering on top of the water.

Water Level at Singletary Lake State Park © Katrena

The lake's deepest portion is 12 feet. Like many bay lakes, Singletary Lake is shrinking as the bay forest grows into the lake. It is currently 44% smaller than its original size and may one day become a bog.

Dragonfly and Other Wildlife at North Carolina State Parks © Katrena

The 133-acre Turkey Oak Natural Area lies within the park and will remain in its natural state for scientific and educational study. Some rare plants like the white wicky and carnivorous plants grow in the park. Like many of our state's parks, nature provides unique opportunities to see a wide variety of plants and animals that are unique with each visit.

Cypress Trees Growing in Lake © Katrena

If you are visiting in warmer months, I would recommend sunscreen and bug spray before going out to hike. Plan to go slow and savor the moment in time, leaving only footprints and taking only photos.

Storm Clouds Over Lake © Katrena

For more information about Singletary Lake State Park, visit the official web page, where you can find directions, hours, fees for group camping, historical information, information about the flora and fauna, a short video, and more. Visit the Natural Resources Inventory Database to find lists and photos of plants and animals found at the park. Click here to find links to all TRACK trails in the North Carolina State Parks system.

Singletary Lake Cypress Trees © Katrena

Additional articles by Katrena:

Outdoor Activities in North Carolina © Katrena

Thanks for visiting Travel NC With Kids!

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

Additional articles by Katrena:

Thanks for visiting Travel NC With Kids!

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area - Beautiful View!

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, located between Jefferson and West Jefferson in Ashe County, offers visitors quite a few opportunities to see the surrounding areas from a higher elevation. The park can be seen from the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway. There is no charge to enter this park. This destination was a planned stop for my crew on the way to Boone, North Carolina.

The park offers several hiking trails; those with mobility issues will be delighted to find that the road offers several viewing area overlooks that can be seen from beside the road. Please note that the climb in elevation can be pretty hard on a vehicle with a small engine. Mine has a 4-cylinder and only made it to the first parking area. If you are traveling with a heavy load or small engine or both (as I was), I highly recommend stopping in West Jefferson for a few hours to cool the engine before attempting the climb in the automobile.

The park rangers were awesome at Mount Jefferson. They were very welcoming, offered water for my radiator, gave us info and a map about the park trails, and were very nice to my daughters. We visited in early July and the weather was wonderful with temps in the 70s and 80s with much lower humidity than our home town.

The folks working at Mount Jefferson did mention there had been some black bear activity a couple of days before our visit but that the bear had not approached any people. We opted not to take any food with us on the hike due to this information, deciding to only carry water bottles. No, we didn't see any bears while visiting the park. Black bears aren't typically aggressive like grizzly bears, but any time you visit a state park or any outdoor area, it is always best to respect nature and to be aware of your surroundings.

I'm not sure the name of the first trail - I believe it has recently been built. It started at the lower parking lot and Welcome Center and wound its way up to the Sunrise Overlook. The trail is easy to miss unless you know where to go; simply walk to the main park sign (see photo at the top of this article) across from the parking lot and the trail begins immediately behind the sign.

This first trail is fairly narrow, allowing for a single-file line, but it is well-maintained. Although the trail works its way up the mountain, much of the trail is pretty level as hikers walk for a while and then turn and go up a ways and then walk in the opposite direction, similar to the way roads are designed when climbing a mountain. The trail was shaded, and we saw some beautiful plants and some large snails - I wish I had thought to take some pictures of the snails!

The first trail ends at Sunrise Overlook, an area beside the road offering a pretty view of the area. There are several picnic tables at the overlook. This would be an ideal place for a picnic with a nice view. On the day we visited, there was very little traffic on the road and only a handful of hikers that we saw.

The other trail we traversed was Spur Trail. If you are standing at the Sunrise Overlook and turn your back to the view, you will find the trail head of Spur Trail directly across the road. This trail would also be easy to miss, but once you are on either of these trails, it is very easy to stay on the trail as they were marked and maintained. There was one place where the Spur Trail split - stay to the left if you want to go to Sunset Overlook.

The Spur Trail was very similar to the first trail. The vast majority of the trail was shaded, and it was also narrow, allowing for a single-file line. I think this one did not climb as much in elevation. There must have been a significant microburst or something as we could see a few trees that had been blown down on this second trail in one section.

Both trails included several steps made from stones, so these trails would not be a good choice for someone with mobility challenges or for a stroller, but you can opt to drive to the lookouts. We saw a pretty bird nest on this trail and some seed pods that looked sort of like starfish. The ranger would have likely been able to identify those seed pod, but I forgot to ask when we arrived back at the Welcome Center.

The second trail ended at Sunset Overlook, which was also flanked by a road; this one included a larger parking area. We saw a bench dedicated in memory to someone who must have been very special and also an information board. The view here was impressive and expansive as well.

Both of the trails were one-way paths, so we hiked the opposite direction to get back to the parking lot at the Welcome Center. We invested about two hours hiking while taking our time to stop and enjoy the scenery. I believe we only saw about the lower half of the park - several trails were above where we hiked that also had parking areas, picnic tables, and bathrooms fairly nearby. According to the web site, the trails are all moderate or strenuous.

If you would like a map, directions, hours, history, or to learn more about this area, visit the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area web site. They also offer events such as Painting in the Park, Backyard Pharmacy, and more at Mount Jefferson. If you are visiting NC State Parks, I highly recommend the NC State Parks passport program - children and adults can get a "passport" and get it stamped as you visit the various parks.

Thanks for visiting Travel NC With Kids! You may wish to read additional articles about other state parks we have visited such as: