It was great to be back on the Mountains to Sea Trail once again! I had been sidelined for over a month due to a foot issue. Today I set out to continue on my quest to hike all of the MST. I realized quickly, that it doesn’t take long to get out of ‘trail shape’.
Continue reading “MST: Cherry Cove Overlook to Pigeon Gap”
Riverbend Park features 690 acres with 1.25-miles of shoreline along the Catawba River, and 19.7 miles of trails. You can experience a variety of wildlife habitats that range from fresh water wetlands to upland forest.
Over July 4th weekend our family had the opportunity to meet together at my in-laws on Lake Hickory. I was excited to find RiverBend Park just a few miles away from their home on the lake. It was a pleasant surprise to find this hidden gem with so much to offer.
Continue reading “RiverBend Park – Catawba County”Lieutenant Dan’s advice to Forrest Gump when he first arrived in Vietnam was “take good care of your feet” (and also, “don’t get yourself killed”).
Over the past month, I have had to learn the hard way how important our feet are. After a couple of doctor appointments, x-rays and much lamenting, I was diagnosed with a neuroma with the disappointing requirement to “take it easy”.
It has been challenging to be off of the trails for over a month, but thankfully this ailment has not been a permanent sentence. Also,I have learned more about feet and shoe wear than I ever thought I would need to know.
Continue reading “Feet, Feet, Feet”
Distance: 3.6 miles one way
Difficulty: Moderate with some wading
Elevation Change: gain = 811 ft; loss = 1090 ft
My Hike: 7.9 miles (round trip) Out-and-back
source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail
To date, this is my favorite hike of the MST 40 Hike Challenge. The location is very remote and only accessible via forest service roads (which are open to the public). However, the drive is worth it! The entire hike is filled with waterfalls, water crossings and plenty of outcroppings to climb and explore.
Continue reading “40 Hike Challenge: #9 Pineola Rd to Roseboro Rd”
Distance: 4.5 miles one way
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation Change: gain = 966 ft; loss = 1373 ft
My Hike: 7.2 miles (round trip) from Fork Ridge Trailhead to Clingman’s Dome
source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail
This is the first hike of the 40 Hike Challenge and the eastern terminus of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This is my 10th hike of the series. I solo-hiked this trail, so it was an out-and-back starting at the Fork Ridge Trailhead. The trailhead has a very small parking lot on the shoulder of the Clingman’s Dome Access Road. The first thing I noticed when I got out of my vehicle . . . Silence . . .
Continue reading “40 Hike Challenge: #1 – The Great Smokies – Clingman’s Dome to Fork Ridge Trail”