NC | YEAR OF THE TRAIL | 2023

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Join the Brackenfest 2.0 and pedal your way toward Join the Brackenfest 2.0 and pedal your way towards preserving nature! ๐Ÿšดโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐ŸŒณ THIS SATURDAY, help us secure the land and kickstart the creation of 2-3 miles of inclusive trails for our entire community. Let's match or surpass last year's success to make Bracken Preserve even better! Learn more and register by following the link under our bio. @oskarblueswnc @thehubpisgah @conservingcarolina @earthmountainbicycle @cedarmountainoutpost @squatchbikes @lookingglassrealty @noblebraubrewing @185kingstreet @_sylvansport @3oakhandcrafted @sycamorecycles #Brackenfest2 #PreserveAndExpand #GreatTrailsState #GTS #YOTT #YearofTheTrail
๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒŸ Celebrate North Carolina's Year of the Tr ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒŸ Celebrate North Carolina's Year of the Trail with Kid-Friendly Adventures! ๐Ÿšดโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐ŸŒฒ 1๏ธ) Fairy Trail at Bullington Gardens, Hendersonville ๐Ÿงšโ€โ™€๏ธ Step into a world of enchantment along the 300-yard Fairy Trail! Open seasonally from June to August, this magical path, crafted by volunteer Mary Martin in 2017, beckons families into a miniature realm of make-believe. Discover fortune-telling fairies, yoga-practicing gnomes, and endless laughter from young explorers. Let the Fairy Trail inspire your own scenes of wonder! ๐Ÿ“ Bullington Gardens, Hendersonville, NC 28792 2๏ธ) Saxapahaw Island Trail, Saxapahaw ๐Ÿ๏ธ Just a short walk or drive from Saxapahaw, this island paradise is perfect for kids and families. Explore a 1.3-mile walking loop around the island, offering riverfront fun, wildlife spotting, picnicking, and shady hammock naps. Let kids play on swing sets, slide down a 45-foot-long wooden fish, ascend the spider climber, and unleash their creativity at the fort creation station. ๐Ÿ“ Saxapahaw Island Park, Graham, NC 27253 3๏ธ) Flytrap Trail at Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach ๐ŸŒฑ Embark on a captivating half-mile journey along the Flytrap Trail at Carolina Beach State Park. Winding boardwalks guide you through pocosin wetlands, where you can seek out the Venus flytrap, North Carolina's official carnivorous plant, and other carnivorous wonders like pitcher plants and sundews. Kids can become explorers as they search for these unique plants in their natural habitat. ๐Ÿ“ Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach, NC 28428 Adventure awaits on North Carolina's trails! Which one will you explore first? ๐ŸŒ„๐Ÿ‘ฃ Read the full article on @ourstatemag by following the link under our bio. #YearOfTheTrail #KidFriendlyAdventures #FamilyFun #NorthCarolinaTrails ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿšดโ€โ™€๏ธ
๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒ„ Thank You to everyone who joined us at th ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒ„ Thank You to everyone who joined us at the Ten to Try: Trails Preview event on August 31st! ๐Ÿšดโ€๐ŸŽฌ James Mieczkowski, content development producer at @mypbsnc and executive producer of Ten to Try: Trails, led an insightful discussion featuring: ๐ŸŒ Randy Johnson - Author & Travel Writer/Editor ๐ŸŒŸ Vivianette Ortiz - Executive Director, Aventureros en las Carolinas ๐ŸŽฌ Matt Chenet - Series Producer ๐ŸŽฅ Jeremiah McLamb - Producer/Director If you missed any part of the Ten to Try: Trails discussion or wish to revisit it, you can watch the recording by clicking the link provided in our bio. Your feedback holds immense value to us, the filmmakers, our production partners, and PBS North Carolina. Please spare a moment to share your thoughts about the event by participating in our brief audience survey, also linked under our bio. Remember, Ten to Try: Trails is now available for streaming online and on the PBS App - Thank you for being part of this incredible journey, celebrating the beauty and wonder of trails that connect us all! ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿšถโ€โ™€๏ธ #TenToTryTrails #Trailblazers #PBSNorthCarolina #YearOfTheTrail
Dogs love #YearOfTheTrail just as much as we do! ๐Ÿพ This weekโ€™s #YearOfTheTrail selection is the Blue Ridge Conservancy Trail located here in Blowing Rock. This 2.2 mile loop meanders up and around the BRC Campus, winding through diverse forests and delighting hikers with bold rock outcroppings mixed in with lush wildflower segments throughout. The Blue Ridge Conservancy Trail is a relatively short but moderately strenuous hike. It begins with a short Pollinator Walk before leading up the mountain. While it doesnโ€™t offer any overlook views, this is a great trail for exercising, dog-walking, and for those who are interested in viewing native wildflowers and some really unique rock structures. This is a fairly low-traffic trail, which will offer some great leaf looking this Fall for those who want to avoid the congestion on those busy days on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead, and great signage as well. Reposted from @blowingrocknc #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina
It's "Creek Week" in Rowan County, NC! ๐Ÿšฃโ€โ™€๏ธ Check out the events that will be hosted during this week-long celebration of Rowan County's waterways. ๐Ÿšฃ Free Kayak Launch at Lake Corriher ๐Ÿ“Lake Corriher Wilderness Park When: Sept. 17 from 8am - 5pm ๐ŸŽฃ Kids Fish Free at Lake Corriher ๐Ÿ“Lake Corriher Wilderness Park When: Sept. 17 from 8am - 5pm ๐ŸŒŠ Creek Crawl and Exploration ๐Ÿ“Lake Corriher Wilderness Park When: Sept. 17 from 2pm - 3:30pm ๐Ÿฅพ Stanback Educational Forest Hike ๐Ÿ“Fred and Alice Stanback Educational Forest and Nature Preserve When: Sept. 18 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm ๐ŸŒŠ Water Wednesday ๐Ÿ“City Lake Park When: Sept. 20 from 4pm - 6pm ๐Ÿงฝ Town Creek Cleanup ๐Ÿ“Town Creek Park When: Sept. 22 from 5pm - 7pm ๐Ÿ—‘ Heroes Branch Litter Cleanup ๐Ÿ“Heroes Creek Branch When: Sept. 23 from 8:30am - 10am See more details as well as our full list of events by visiting the link under our bio. #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina #creekweek #rowancounty #rowancountync
๐ŸŒŸ It has been an EPIC year of adventure in Nort ๐ŸŒŸ It has been an EPIC year of adventure in North Carolina! ๐ŸŒ„๐Ÿšดโ€โ™‚๏ธ The counties with the most events for the Year of the Trail are turning up the excitement! From jaw-dropping coastal trails in Dare County to greenways in Wake County, and everything in between, it's time to explore the Tar Heel State like never before. ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Let's make 2023 the year of unforgettable trails and outdoor fun! ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŒฒ #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina #NCAdventures #ExploreNC #TrailBlazers
Celebrate the inaugural Great Trails State Day on Celebrate the inaugural Great Trails State Day on Saturday, October 21st, and join thousands of others on North Carolinaโ€™s amazing and diverse trail networks that span from the mountains to the coast. Call a neighbor or friend, lace up your shoes or boots, get on a bike, borrow a kayak, or saddle up your horse and get outside on a trail! And, donโ€™t forget to smile and say, โ€œhello!โ€ to others you may see out there! Thereโ€™s truly a trail for everyone, everywhere, in North Carolina โ€“ from easy and accessible to challenging and even thrill-seeking. Every trail is an adventure for exploration, movement, health, and joy. Read more by following the link under our bio. #yearofthetrail #greattrailsnc #greattrailsstate
Raleigh, NC – The NC Division of Parks and Recreat Raleigh, NC - The NC Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) recently awarded $3,025,636 in grants for 13 land acquisition projects through the Complete the Trails Program Fund (CTF). These grants will leverage more than $13 million in matching funds to help local nonprofit partners acquire land for state trails projects in nine North Carolina counties. Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) was awarded two land acquisition grants, for $125,000 and $144,000 respectively, to expand the corridor for the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST). These grants will allow BRC to protect an additional 48 acres on The Peak in Creston, which will eventually become part of Elk Knob State Park and the NPST. โ€œWe are very excited about the two land acquisition awards that BRC received from the Complete the Trails Program,โ€ says NPST Coordinator Jordan Sellers. โ€œThat type of funding is crucial to completing our state trails and we thank the NC General Assembly for supporting our work in this way. These acquisitions will continue protection along the Amphibolite Mountains, expand Elk Knob State Park and expand the NPST corridor. Thank you to BRCโ€™s Land Protection Director, Eric Hiegl, for making this happen.โ€ Follow the link under our bio for more details. Reposted from @northernpeaksstatetrail
culturequeensoutdoors is outside! For this editio culturequeensoutdoors is outside! For this edition of "day hikes in NC" founder Jennifer Michelle travels to Carter Falls. ๐Ÿฅพ๐ŸŒณ "This 10 minute, half mile hike, did not disappoint. I was the only one there because of the possible storm and enjoyed every minute of it. Bring your water shoes, snacks and a bag to carry your trash out. LEAVE NO TRACE." The trailhead to Carter Falls connects in the other direction to a segment of North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Add this hike to your list and enjoy a nice day in the water. Note: This is a moderate hike with steep decline to access the water feature. Join them for their next hike, Sep 30. Link in bio to all of their upcoming events! #culturequeensoutdoors #mst #yearofthetrail #visitnc #culturequeenshike #blackgirlshike #mountaintoseatrail #carterfalls
Have you been thinking about completing the entire Have you been thinking about completing the entire trail? Or, just curious what it actually takes to do so? ๐Ÿฅพ If you've ever wanted to day hike, section hike or thru hike the MST and you're not sure where to start, join @mountainstoseatrail on Zoom, September 12th at 7pm to hear from a wonderful panel of MST Completers. Jennifer Browndorf will host this esteemed panel of completers as they share their experiences on planning, packing, hiking and more. They will share what worked, what didn't work and how they dealt with challenges on and off the trail. There will be an opportunity for Q&A so make sure to have your questions ready! Follow the link below to find more information and register! bit.ly/MSTbirthday #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday Reposted from @mountainstoseatrail
In the month of September, we're celebrating #Year In the month of September, we're celebrating #YearOfTheTrail by encouraging you to Achieve a Trail Goal, no matter how big or small. We're fortunate to have the Mountains-to-Sea Trail across our state, inspiring goal-setting at any given point. The combined efforts between the Great Trails State Coalition and Great Outdoor Provision Co. @trustygopc this month will surely leave you inspired to #AchieveATrailGoal! #YOTT #GreatTrailsNC #GreatTrailsState #ExploreGlobal #ShopLocal #TrustyGOPC #GOPC #MST
๐ŸŒฟ Embracing Nature in Education ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿƒ In a ๐ŸŒฟ Embracing Nature in Education ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿƒ In a world where technology dominates education, Merrick-Moore Elementary in Durham Public Schools (DPS) is breaking the mold! Meet Stephen Mullaney, the outdoor education guru who champions the idea that nature can be an enriching educational tool. Stephen's mission? To make every student 'wild in the wild,' all while staying safe and coming back better than ever! ๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŽ’ Stephen and the rest of the staff at Merrick Moore are turning nature into a consistent part of their students' educational journey, and include a section about outdoor learning into every educatorโ€™s Professional Development Plan. "'Wilderness Wednesday' is our thing, and it's epic! From state park rangers to local scientists, everyone's involved in educating students on the environment" ๐ŸŒ„๐Ÿ”ฌ Through interactive sessions, students gain hands-on knowledge, bridging classroom teachings with real-world applications. But wait, there's more! Stephen's outdoor lessons are a wild mix โ€“ from building trails to exploring ecosystems. โ€œSome of our students' favorite experiences have been developing and building our trails on campus and then being able to use those spaces for classes and to find comfort in being outdoors,โ€ says Mullaney. Students also enjoy outings to Pilot Mountain and sections of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, where they connect classroom learning to real-world environments. ๐Ÿšดโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ "In the digital age, we're finding the balance. Short outdoor bursts keep students captivated, and nature's allure wins every time!"๐Ÿ“ฑ vs. ๐ŸŒณ Stephen Mullaney and the rest of the staff at Merrick-Moore Elementary are proving that the great outdoors makes the ultimate classroom. Let's celebrate the Year of the Trail and embrace the magic of merging education and nature! ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŽ Read the whole blog up on our website by following the link under our bio. #OutdoorEducation #NatureLovers #LearningWild #greattrailsnc #yearofthetrail #greattrailsstate #northcarolina

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