Jockey’s Ridge State Park Winter Star Party
2025-01-18 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | Jockey’s Ridge State Park, 300 W Carolista Dr., NC, 27959, US
Join Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the OBX Astronomy Club for an evening under the stars. Telescopes will be set up for public viewing at the visitor center parking area. Table activities for kids will take place in the Community Room. Buckle in and let an educational video take you on a trip through space. There is also HOT COCOA! Join in the fun and bring your own equipment if you like. Beginners are encouraged to participate to learn more about the night sky and how to choose the right telescope. Come celebrate the wonders of the universe with friends and family at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
Sat, Jan 18 2025, 6 – 9pm

Winter Birding Hike
2025-01-25 09:00 - 11:00 | Hanging Rock State Park, 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, NC, 27016, US
Join a park ranger on a hike to learn how to identify winter birds. You will learn how to identify birds visually and by their calls. We will hike 1.8 miles along the Wolf Rock Trail. Please wear proper hiking attire and bring water. There will be a limited number of binoculars to borrow so if you have your own please bring them with you. To sign up for the program please email Jonathan.buie@ncparks.gov.
Sat, Jan 25 2025, 9 – 11am
Shelter 42792 Hanging Rock Park RoadDanburyNC 27016

March Events with Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina
2025-03-09 - 2025-03-26
We’ve got several events and workdays on the schedule in the coming weeks. Take a look at the website to learn more and sign up!
https://www.foothillsconservancy.org/communityevents

Triangle Trails Initiative 2nd Annual Trail Activation Event
2025-03-15 10:00 - 14:00 | 2139 Old Reedy Creek Rd. Cary, NC 27513, 2139 Old Reedy Creek Rd, Cary, NC, 27513, United States
Triangle Trails Initiative will be hosting their 2nd annual trail activation event at 286 Lake Crabtree. Come join us on Saturday March 15th from 10am – 2pm to enjoy the beautiful trails. There will be food trucks, vendors, and more. We are excited and look forward to seeing you there!

Volunteer at the Public Orchard
2025-03-23 13:00 - 15:00
Help support the preservation of our public orchard! On Sunday, March 23 from 1-3 pm, the Greensboro Permaculture Guild is hosting a volunteer workday. All are welcome to help get things ready for the season at the orchard – located at Meeting Place, our Tradition Cornerstone on the Downtown Greenway (corner of W Smith St. and Prescott St.)

No experience necessary. Volunteers are needed to help with pruning, weeding, and new plantings. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just looking to get involved, this is a great chance to give back to our green space and contribute to its long-term health. Together, we can ensure this beautiful community resource thrives for years to come!

Downtown Greenway Run & Walk Club
2025-03-27 18:00 - 19:00
Join us every Thursday evening for a social run or walk along open sections of the Downtown Greenway. The group typically covers 2-4 miles. All ages and fitness abilities welcome.
Visit their Facebook page for updates and weather cancellations.

Canvas Painting
2025-03-30 13:00
Local artist, Darlene J. McClinton, will be leading a guided canvas painting class on the Downtown Greenway.
Join us at the Morehead Park Trailhead (475 Spring Garden St.) for a fun afternoon of fall-themed creativity, right under Darlene’s own “Bridging The Gap” mural. All supplies will be provided, and participants will be able to take home their own canvas masterpiece!
Pre-registration is required: tinyurl.com/DGpaintclass

Creek Week Hike: Pegg Tract to Miles Branch
2025-03-30 13:00 - 15:00
Due to forecast of thunderstorms and rain on March 16th we are rescheduling this hike to March 30th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Join Friends of Lower Haw River for an easy hike along the beautiful “Pegg Tract” section of the Lower Haw River State Natural Area. Enjoy views of the Bynum Dam and one of the Haw’s tributaries Miles Branch while walking upstream of the Haw River. Meet in the parking lot at US 15-501 by the Haw River. Wear sturdy shoes for walking on uneven ground. There are no restroom facilities at this location.

Curious Minds Science Adventures (NC Science Festival)
2025-04-01 - 2025-04-30 | Lumber River State Park – Chalk Banks Access, 26040 Raeford Road, NC, 28396, US
This is a month-long event! Stop by any time during April to participate.
Listen carefully and you may be able to hear the bygone shouts of lumberjacks hauling logs downriver at Lumber River State Park on the Coastal Science Trail. Today, it’s more likely that you’ll see paddlers and boaters floating between its quiet banks. Lined with cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, the river is home a variety of native fish and magnificent birds, like the swallow-tailed kite and prothonotary warbler. Explore an abundance of wildlife and plant life on this National Wild and Scenic River. What will you find when you go?
The NC Science Trail has partnered with the NC State Parks to bring you seven new scavenger hunts this Science Festival season. Explore the wildlife, plants, trees, and outdoor recreation at state parks across the state. All you have to do is download the Goosechase app, enter the “Join Code” (XHUIVI), and start your adventure at the Chalk Banks Access Entry Kiosk. Adventures will “go live” on March 24 and can be completed at any time all month long. Complete at least 7 out of 10 missions and redeem your points at Park Office at the Princess Ann Access for prizes.

Contact Information

Michele Miller Houck

michele@ncsciencetrail.org

First Friday Storytimes
2025-04-04 10:00 - 11:00
Join us every First Friday of the month, from April to October, at 10 am in Woven Works Park for a fun-filled storytime! Bring your little ones to enjoy engaging books and interactive play, all hosted by a local youth librarian.

These storytimes are made possible in partnership with Greensboro Public Library.

We can’t wait to see you at the first storytime!

Parking is available at 401 Cumberland Street

Walking Tour
2025-04-05 09:00 - 12:00
Our guided walking tours cover a wealth of information about the Downtown Greenway project, local history, surrounding neighborhoods, public art installations, environmental stewardship, economic impact, and more!

Each tour will travel the 4-mile loop of the Downtown Greenway, and start and finish in LoFi Park (500 N. Eugene Street).

Register online at https://tinyurl.com/DGwalktours Drop-ins welcome; space permitting.

Public Hike: Ridgeline Trail
2025-04-05 09:00 - 14:00
Join Carolina Thread Trail staff on this advanced hike, which showcases forests and vistas that lie between two of the region’s most notable state parks. This approximately 9-mile hike, largely comprised of the Ridgeline Trail, traverses the undulating terrain of the Crowders and Kings Mountain “monadnock” ridge. Monadnocks are unique geological features comprised of more erosion-resistant rock that rise abruptly above the surrounding landscape. Monadnocks represent most of the steep ridges found in the Carolina piedmont.
This point-to-point hike, while immersing participants in beautiful natural environment, is considered challenging based upon length, duration and terrain. Please be prepared for a hike that will last between 4-5 hours. Once we arrive at Crowders Mountain State Park Visitors Center Pinnacle Trailhead, a shuttle van will transport participants back to Kings Mountain State Park.
To cover the cost of transportation and state park admission, there is a $40 cost for this hike.

Party for the Pine 2025
2025-04-05 10:00 - 15:00 | Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC, 28388, United States
Join us at the Weymouth Woods Boyd Tract meadow for a FREE festival to celebrate the oldest longleaf pine in the world. Learn about our native habitat, see turpentine demonstrations, play games, and, weather permitting, watch a live prescribed burn demonstration! Food trucks on site.
Park at 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2167; www.partyforthepine.org

Beginner Birding
2025-04-07 17:30 - 19:00
Interested in what might be soaring above you?

Join the Piedmont Bird Club for a relaxing walk through Morehead Park along the Downtown Greenway to explore the basics of birding. You’ll learn how to identify birds by their colors, sounds, habitats, and more—potentially sparking a new hobby!

Register online at tinyurl.com/DGbirds
Drop-ins welcome; space permitting.

Groovin' on the Greenway
2025-04-12 16:00 - 17:00
Get ready to move at Groovin’ on the Greenway! Join us for an afternoon celebrating movement and expression. Watch a captivating performance by Zodwa Dance Co, then join in for a fun Afro-Caribbean line dance lesson!

Register online (tinyurl.com/DGdanceclass) and let’s dance the day away at the Freedom Cornerstone!

Located at the corner of Murrow Blvd. and E. Gate City Blvd.; parking available at 750 Plott Street.

Intro to Permaculture
2025-04-13 13:00 - 14:00
What exactly is permaculture design? Join us to learn more and find ways to easily incorporate basic permaculture principles into your own backyard! Turn your outdoor space into an edible landscape by imitating and intensifying nature’s way – while providing food for your family, friends, and our pollinators!
Pre-registration is encouraged: tinyurl.com/DGintropermaculture. Drop-ins welcome.

Kayak the Salt Marsh
2025-04-16 09:00 - 12:00
Learn about salt marshes and wildlife while on the water. Basic kayak instruction and safety lessons on shore are followed by a 1.5-mile paddle through the salt marsh in our sit-in cockpit touring kayaks; or bring your own kayak and join us at a discount. The program is recommended for ages 12 and up. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants must know how to swim; some kayak experience is recommended.
Field programs are designed to give participants a hands-on experience with North Carolina’s environment, history, and culture. Please note that these programs take place primarily outside. Please review the age and experience requirements before registering. Pre-registration is required by noon the day prior to the program. Register online at ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com. For more information, call 252-504-7758.
North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort

Yappy Hour
2025-04-16 17:30 - 19:30
It’s time for the pups to party! Come out to Yappy Hour on Wednesday, April 16th from 5:30-7:30 pm at LoFi Park.

Bring your dogs (on-leash) for a fun-filled evening of making new friends, splashing in the waters, and enjoying some treats.

Connect with local community organizations and dog-centric businesses, who will be offering giveaways, information, and services to support your furry friends!

Stroller Rollers
2025-04-17 09:00 - 10:30
Calling all caregivers with little ones! Join us monthly on third (April-October) Thursdays with your kids in strollers for a walk and roll along the Downtown Greenway. Meet new people and explore the downtown area as we venture out from LoFi Park. Plan for one to two miles roundtrip, including a stop at family-friendly play spaces along the way.

On-street parking is available nearby, or in the public parking deck at 215 N. Eugene Street.

Night Hike at Mayo River State Park
2025-04-19 20:00 - 21:30 | Mayo River State Park – Mayo Mountain Access, 500 Old Mayo Park Road, North Carolina, 27027, US
Come along to Mayo River State Park for a night hike on our Mayo Mountain Trail. This is an easy to intermediate 2-mile loop trail. Please dress accordingly and bring flashlights and water.
Hikers meet at the Mayo Mountain Access Trailhead (500 Old Mayo Park Rd.)
Please note: This event is subject to cancellation due to weather.
Registration is not required.
Photo by MOJE – Night Hike – Photo by C. Peek

2025 Panthertown Bioblitz
2025-04-22 15:00 - 2025-05-17 23:30
It’s Friends of Panthertown’s 20th anniversary and to celebrate Friends of Panthertown is hosting Panthertown’s first-ever Bioblitz in the spring of 2025, a month-long event that will focus on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. The primary goal of a Bioblitz is to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in
Panthertown. The last documented list of plants in Panthertown was taken in 2004 by Dan Pattillo and Gary Kaufman. Their list contains rare, unique plants, some of which are only found in two areas of the world. This bioblitz will update, add on, and inform this initial list, giving the U.S. Forest Service, Friends of Panthertown, and the public a fuller understanding of who and what lives in Panthertown.
Friends of Panthertown had a Specialists’ Summit hosted by Southwestern Community College to kick off the Bioblitz on January 23rd, 2025, privately. This allowed hike leaders, specialists, board members, partners, and friends to meet one another, learn about Panthertown, and discuss where and when their hikes will occur. From April 22nd to May 17th, Friends of Panthertown will have two to three weekly hikes, most focusing on different topics.
Each hike will be led by a specialist, ranging from mycologists to geologists and botanists, and each participant will be involved in the data collection of each hike. On May 17th, there will be a celebration at the Village Green in Cashiers to conclude the bioblitz and share collected data.
For more information and to RSVP visit: BioBlitz – Friends of Panthertown

Pisgah Project Day 2025
2025-04-26 08:00 - 16:00
Pisgah Project Day is Pisgah’s largest volunteer day. Each spring, hundreds of community volunteers join forces with The Pisgah Conservancy, our event sponsors and partners, and the U.S. Forest Service to complete 20+ improvement projects throughout the Pisgah Ranger District in a single day!
Volunteer registration is open through April 21st. This is a family-friendly event. For full event details, to register, and to see all of our sponsors and partners, please visit the event page: https://pisgahconservancy.org/pisgah-project-day/

Discovery Hike with iNaturalist (NC Science Festival) at Haw River State Park
2025-04-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Haw River State Park – The Summit Access Courtyard, 339 Conference Center Drive, Browns Summit, NC, 27214, United States
The 2025 NCSciFest theme is “Science: Everyday, Everywhere, Everyone” and we’re excited to celebrate all the important ways science is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives! For environmental educators and natural resource managers, this can mean leaning into modern technology to learn the native landscape, make new species discoveries, identify invasive plants, and contribute to global community science efforts.
On this guided hike through several Haw River habitats, learn how to use the iNaturalist app to discover and identify plants, animals, and more along the trails. This interactive hike is perfect for nature enthusiasts of all ages. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with nature and expand your knowledge of the local ecosystem as we celebrate science in the outdoors.
Meet in the courtyard outside of the Main Lodge (building closest to flag pole) for this easy hike less than 2 hours / 1.5 miles in length with minor elevation gains as we walk to & from the wetlands. Final route will be determined closer to date. Please bring comfortable walking shoes for a natural-surface travel (packed dirt or gravel) and water/snacks as needed. If you need to download the iNaturalist or SEEK app on your smartphone, there is free wifi in the reception area next to the meeting place. Contact the park with any questions. Hope to see you there!

This Trail's For You!
2025-04-27 14:00 - 16:00
Come explore the beautiful Stuart and Emma Thomas Trail, a public trail protected by Piedmont Land Conservancy and managed by Crossnore Communities for Children in the heart of Winston-Salem. Two years after the Earth Day Grand Opening in 2023, we want to welcome you back to celebrate this lasting gift to the community and peaceful place to connect with nature.
Arrive before 2:00pm at either the Reynolda Rd or Dr. CB Hauser trailhead and volunteers from Friends of the Thomas Trail, Piedmont Land Conservancy, and Crossnore staff will be there to offer guided walks and share more about this special protected space.
This is a family-friendly event. All are welcome! We can’t wait to share this inspiring trail with you. See you on the trail!

Tuesdays at Trailhead
2025-04-29 18:00 - 19:00
Drop-in to participate in free outdoor fitness classes on Tuesday evenings (April 29-June 24) from 6-7 pm on the beautiful Downtown Greenway. Enjoy a different class and instructor each week, courtesy of our partnership with the YMCA of Greensboro.
All ages and fitness abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate!
Text OUTDOOR to 844-765-7664 to receive YMCA outdoor class updates and weather cancellations.

Geochaching 101
2025-04-30 17:30 - 18:30
Geocaching 101Are you passionate about adventure and the great outdoors? Discover a fun new hobby for all ages – Geocaching! Join us on April 30 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm

Learn the basics of this exciting modern-day treasure hunt and explore how to find local caches or worldwide!

Program will take place at Woven Works Park (401 Cumberland Street). Parking is available at 401 Cumberland St., Greensboro, NC 27401.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/DGgeocache

Drop-ins are welcome space permitting.

Celebrate the Reopening of Hot Springs with a Hike
2025-05-02 09:00 - 2025-05-03 16:00
Hot Springs, NC, was devastated last September by Hurricane Helene, but it’s back! It’s official reopening is May 2-3, with ReBuild Hot Springs’ Town & Trail Festival. The festival includes four hikes on popular trails that have been reopened.
Friday, May 2, 9.a.m – Appalachian Trail: Garenflo Gap into Hot Springs, 7 miles.
Friday, May 2, 2 p.m. – Hike the Big Laurel River, 5.6 miles
Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. — Appalachian Trail: Tanyard Gap into Hot Springs, 5.6 miles
Saturday, May 3, 1 p.m. — Appalachian Trail: Lover’s Leap, 3 miles
All hikes will be lead by Blue Ridge Hiking Co. There is a fee for each hike, which will go directly to the non-profit ReBuild Hot Springs, which is aiding local businesses and residents.

Wheels on the Greenway
2025-05-03 09:00 - 13:00
The 10th Annual Wheels on the Greenway event is back! This growing Greensboro tradition is a FREE community event that celebrates wheels of all kinds and encourages people of all ages to get out on the Downtown Greenway for a morning of fun! Join the fun on Saturday, May 3, from 9 am to 1 pm at Woven Works Park.
Community partners will be offering interactive and educational festivities including adaptive cycle demos, youth helmet giveaways, bike repair stations, guided rides, skating demos, children’s bike safety rodeo, “bling your bike” stations, face painting, prize drawings, and more!
This event is sure to be fun for the entire family and we welcome wheels of all kinds – bikes, trikes, scooters, strollers, skateboards, rollerblades and skates.

Return to the Mountains of WNC: Trail Workday near Black Mountain
2025-05-05 09:00 - 12:00
Wonder what happens when a hurricane crosses a hiking trail? Grab a mattock and find out on a trail workday by Black Mountain Parks & Rec. A crew of 20 will meet in Black Mountain and drive a short distance to the Christmount Christian Assembly to work on trails damaged by Hurricane Helene. Learn more here.

Urban Foraging
2025-05-07 17:30 - 18:30
Interested in exploring edible plants in and around Greensboro? Join us on Wednesday, May 7 from 5:30-6:30 pm to learn about sustainable foraging techniques! This session will introduce you to the basics of urban foraging, including gathering wild foods, medicinal herbs, and craft materials. This program will take place at Meeting Place, located at the corner of Smith and Prescott Streets.
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Register online at www.tinyurl.com/DGforage. Drop-ins welcome; space permitting.
