40 Hike Challenge Archives - My Walk in the Woods

40 Hike Challenge: #40 Jockey’s Ridge – Completion!

Distance: 1.0 mile round trip

Degree of difficulty: Easy

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

It was surreal as we pulled up to the Jockey’s Ridge trailhead. Less than 10 months earlier, I had just started on the goal to complete the MST 40 Hike Challenge. I had picked up the book, Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains – to – Sea Trail mainly out of curiosity, and while I was driving to do some day hiking at nearby Dupont State Forest, I stumbled onto The Jester Section Hiker Podcast. Her detailed descriptions of each hike stirred within me a hunger for such an adventure.

40 Hike Challenge: #38 Cape Hatteras & #39 Outer Banks

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

Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the first National Seashore designated and managed by the National Park Service in 1953. Now there are 10 National Seashores all of which have been set apart to protect their rich and diverse environmental and cultural resources. It is easy to presume that the Hatteras National Seashore just refers to the area around the lighthouse. However, the National Seashore actually encompasses over 70 miles of shoreline including Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Both Hikes 38 & 39 include portions of the Mountains to Sea Trail within the Hatteras National Seashore.

40 Hike Challenge: #36 Down East & #37 Cedar Island

The Mountains to Sea Trail extends 1175 miles over roads and trails from Clingman’s Dome to Jockey’s Ridge. The MST is broken down into 18 segments, each providing the traveler with a different taste of our diverse state of North Carolina. Segment 17 is a unique experience as it treks through quaint coastal communities and ending with a walk through the Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge. This segment offers a different element to the MST hiking experience since it consists of only road walking on part of the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway.

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

40 Hike Challenge: #34 & #35 The Northern and Southern Neusiok Trails

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

The Neusiok Trail traverses 20 miles through the Croatan National Forest, connecting the Neuse River at Pine Cliff to the New Port River at Oyster Point. This is an easy hike through familiar Carolina coast ecosystems such as bogs, cypress swamps and long-leaf pines. The Neusiok Trail runs concurrently with the Mountains to Sea Trail through the National Forest. Hikes 34 & 35 of the 40 Hike Challenge are excellent ways to get a taste of what this diverse area has to offer.

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.