AO Paddle Access - NC | YEAR OF THE TRAIL | 2023

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AO Paddle Access

Location

2996 North NC Hwy 87
Elon
NC
27244

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It's National Fishing and Boating Week! ⛵ 🎣 Y

It's National Fishing and Boating Week! ⛵ 🎣 You can enjoy these outdoor recreational activities on various of our beautiful blue-ways/waterways. Pictured here is The Roanoke River, which runs through Southeastern Virginia and into Northeastern North Carolina, across the Piedmont to Albemarle Sound.

Photo from roadsendnaturalist, from the Bear Run platform dock

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

Top 10 Rail Trails in North Carolina! 🛤️ Read

Top 10 Rail Trails in North Carolina! 🛤️ Read the whole article on RailsToTrails.org, linked under our bio.

1. Cape Fear River Trail - Cumberland County (photo: Dave Connelly)
2. Neuse River Trail - Wake County (photo: Milo Bateman)
3. Thermal Belt Rail-Trail - Rutherford County (photo: Willie Lowe)
4. American Tobacco Trail - Chatham, Durham, and Wake County (photo: susiepop66)
5. Charlotte Rail Trail - (photo: Nancy Pierce)
6. Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway - Guilford County (photo: susiepop66)
7. French Broad River Greenway - Buncombe County (photo: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy)
8. Salem Creek Greenway and Salem Lake Trail - Forsyth County (photo: k8mkc2md6r)
9. Gary Shell Cross-City Trail - New Hanover County (photo: wwilczynski)
10. Catawba River Greenway - Burke County (photo: osbornefishin)

How many of these can you cross off of your bucket list?

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina #railstotrails #railtrails #railtrail

Some of our favorite highlights from National Trai

Some of our favorite highlights from National Trails Day last Saturday! 🥾🏞️

1 & 2: "Meet the Artists" at the NC Museum of Art featuring the wok of Greenway Artist Autumn Cobeland and others who were chosen based on the artwork they created themed around the story of "Why trails are important to North Carolinians and our visitors." Photos: @eastcoastgreenway

3 & 4: Litter cleanup on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in the Panther Creek-Falls Lake watershed area. This group of volunteers cleaned up 175.8 lbs, plus 2 tires, metal scraps, and a skateboard! Thank you to these volunteers - we appreciate your hard work! Photos: @mountainstosea_litterfree

We hope that everyone had a great celebration of trails across North Carolina!

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

Today is National Trails Day! Here is a quick Q&A

Today is National Trails Day! Here is a quick Q&A about this annual celebration:

Q: What is National Trails Day?
➡️ An annual event hosted on the first Saturday in June by the American Hiking Society. Tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, trail clubs, government agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for, maintain, and clean up public lands and trails.

Q: How can I observe National Trails Day?
➡️ Get out on a trail near you! AllTrails is a great tool and database of trail maps, which includes crowdsourced reviews and images to help you plan your next adventure. You can also head over to our events page to see events near you!

Q: Where did National Trails Day originate?
➡️ The history of National Trails Day stretches back to October 2,1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the National Trails System Act, establishing national recreation, scenic, and historic trails.

📷: Jockey's Ridge State Park, Nags Head, NC

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

Celebrate National Trails Day with @panthertownval

Celebrate National Trails Day with @panthertownvalley!! On Saturday, June 3rd, people across the nation will be going outside to show stewardship to our trails! Join for a trail workday from 9-2 followed by a trailhead party afterwards! Beverages, snacks, and SWAG will be provided!! Come on out to give back to your public lands and then celebrate trails!

RSVP: www.panthertown.org/events

It’s always a great day to #getoutside
🏔️🥾🌸☀️🦋🐝⚒️
#ProtectPanthertown #PanthertownValley #trails #nantahala #stewardship #nationaltrailsday #americanhiking #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #celebration
Reposted from @panthertownvalley

In celebration of National Trails Day this Saturda

In celebration of National Trails Day this Saturday, we are hosting an Art Exhibition at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC! 🎨 This event will include a "Meet and Greet" with the 5 Artists who were chosen based on the artwork they created themed around the story of “Why trails are important to North Carolinians and our visitors." The artwork they created brings out the unique style of each artist, boldly focusing on what Year of the Trail means to them.

Confirmed Artists: Autumn Cobeland, Scott Partridge, James McInvale, and Gabriel Eng-Goetz

When: June 3rd, 11am to 1pm
Where: NC Museum of Art - 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC, 27607

RSVP on our Facebook Events page. Link under our bio.

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

Events to look forward to for National Trails Day!

Looking for some Father's Day gift ideas? 🫶 Pic

Looking for some Father's Day gift ideas? 🫶 Pick up a YOTT Dad Cap, Coffee Mug, Pint Glass, or more from our merch page and support trails throughout North Carolina!

Visit the link under our bio.

#fathersday #fathersdaygifts #fathersday2023 #fathersdaygiftideas #giftideas #gifts #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

The NC Horse council posted a question to all “s

The NC Horse council posted a question to all “senior” trail riders asking them what trail riding meant to them. They received so many answers, but all answers seemed to include how riding refreshed them mentally, physically, and spiritually. Many spoke to the partnership that they developed with their horse and how riding gave both the horse and rider a continued purpose in life.

Trail riding was considered the “best therapy” providing relaxation and peace. One answer from Mary Myers, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Horse Council summed it up by saying:

“It is relaxation, sometimes a challenge for my brain, a learning experience, sometimes social activity, my best exercise regime, peaceful, confidence builder, a total pleasure.”

We appreciate everything the @nchorsecouncil has done in terms of their continued support for our mission for safe and accessible trails across North Carolina!

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

5 beautiful critters that we share our trails with

5 beautiful critters that we share our trails with in North Carolina!

1) 🦊 Gray Fox. Unlike the red fox, these generally nocturnal creatures are excellent climbers, frequently denning in hollow trees several dozen feet off the ground! @sarahpdukegardens photo: Sue Lannon

2) 🐍 Red-Bellied Watersnake. You can find these creatures in lakes, swamps, and along rivers. Unlike other watersnakes, red-bellied watersnakes often travel overland far from permanent water sources! @ncculture photo: JD Willson/Herps of NC

3) 🦅 Bald Eagle. Mainly found near large bodies of water, bald eagles are a common sight at Jordan and Falls lakes in the Piedmont and at Lake Mattamuskeet in Hyde County! Their numbers increase during winter from mid-October to March due to annual migration patterns. @ncwildlife photo: Chris Hill

4) 🐻 Black Bear. These bears can be found on approximately 60% of NC's total land area. These solitary animals average 50-100lbs and the current World Record weight for a black bear is an 880 lb. giant from Eastern North Carolina recorded in 1998. photo: @sheilacharrette

5) 🦎 Green Anole (aka "Carolina Anole.") These lizards can change their color to several shades, from brown to green! They also possess enlarged toe pads that are covered with tiny hair-like bristles called setae, allowing them to skitter up vertical, relatively smooth surfaces. photo: @samjray105

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina #animalsofnc #ncwilflife #wildlife #ncanimals #animals #critters

Events this Memorial Day Weekend! 🇺🇸 Saturd

Events this Memorial Day Weekend! 🇺🇸

Saturday
Hiddenite, NC: Outdoor Painting Workshop @hiddenitearts
Lake Lure, NC: Trail Stewardship Day at Buffalo Creek Park @carolinaclimberscoalition

Monday
Rolesville, NC: "Memorial Mile" @rolesvillencpr

Check out our full lists of events on our website! Link under the bio.

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

Why you should take the whole family outdoors this

Why you should take the whole family outdoors this weekend 👇

🤎 Reduce stress levels. Life is stressful! Decompress after a week packed with work and school by getting out into nature together.
🤎 Bond with the family! Shared experiences, especially outdoors, bond us together. Being outdoors promotes communication, focus, and creativity.
🤎 The family that exercises together, stays together! Leading by example and getting the family out on an outdoor excursion is one of the best ways to get parents and children alike to practice a healthy lifestyle.

We hope to see you and your family (and/or friends) out on the trails this weekend!

#greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina #familyhike #hiking

THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY GENERATES $11.8 BILLION IN
ANNUAL REVENUE IN NORTH CAROLINA & 130,000 jobs

trails are building north carolina

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The Great Trails State Coalition is a broad-based group of diverse organizations, agencies, and supporters advocating for increased state investment in all types of trails statewide: hiking, paddle, mountain biking, equestrian, and paved.

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