Blog - Page 6 of 14 - My Walk in the Woods

40 Hike Challenge: #8 Linville Gorge

Degree of difficulty: Strenuous

Source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains – to – Sea Trail

We all need a place where we can be awed by wonder & where our senses are inundated with the divine. Each time I have visited Linville Gorge, I have been re-awakened to the joy it is to experience the majesty of creation. I do not know how old I was when I first experienced Linville Gorge. I grew up in Burke County and my dad would occasionally take us on adventures in his Ford Bronco. One of those was to the top of Shortoff and I still remember the sensation of a view taking my breath away. I am grateful to say that the gorge still does this to me. Hopefully you will see why Hike #8 of the 40 Hike Challenge is my favorite.

Bracken Preserve

The Bracken Mountain Preserve is located just outside the town of Brevard, NC in Transylvania County and within walking distance of the Brevard Music Center. It is a collection of trails (with the addition of the Pinnacle Trail in 2019) totaling about 9 miles. This area is open to hiking and mountain biking. The Preserve borders Pisgah National Forest and hikers can actually connect from Brevard to the Art Loeb Trail and other adventures within Pisgah National Forest.

40 Hike Challenge: #29 Jones Lake State Park

Distance: 3.1 miles out-and-back (see Trail Updates)

Degree of difficulty: Easy

Source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains – to – Sea Trail

Hike 29 of the MST 40 Hike Challenge introduces the hiker to the interesting ecological phenomena of the Carolina bay. These elliptical depressions are typically water filled and provide a prime location for an abundance of flora and wildlife. The name “bay” is in recognition of the Red, Sweet and Loblolly bay trees that surround these bodies of water. The Jones Lake bay, located in Bladen County, encompasses over 224 acres.

40 Hike Challenge: #27 & #28 Town of Roseboro + Old Cape Fear Countryside

The Coastal Region of the Mountains to Sea Trail extends through many small, rural towns as it meanders to the coast. One aspect of the trail that hikers learn to traverse are many of the backroads that lead to these towns. The 40 Hike Challenge includes a few hikes that allow the hiker to experience these towns and rural road walks. Hikes 27 & 28 through Roseboro, NC and White Oak, NC are short hikes in welcoming communities packed with history.

Youngs Mountain Trail

Youngs Mountain Trail is located in Rutherford County, NC just north of Lake Lure and is one of the latest additions (April 2021) to the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail system. The trail is remote and strenuous, but the experience and the views are something that all hikers will appreciate and cherish. This is another excellent example of Conserving Carolina’s leadership in working with communities to help protect precious resources. The trail is a 2.1 mile trip to the summit of Youngs Mtn with 1200′ elevation and currently can only be hiked as an out and back.