Outdoors Back to Nature

When you go to the Wilminton/Wrightsville Beach area this summer, get in tune with nature. Go on a nature lovers cruise with  Wrightsville Beach Water Taxi. You can take a leisurely cruise or an indepth eploration of Masonboro Island.  Let the Cape Fear Naturalist take you on an enlightening guided tour of natural wonders of this beautiful coastal ecosystem. For more information call 910-200-4002 or go to www.capefearnaturalist.com

If the cool mountain breezes are calling you, check out Grandfather Mountain. They have Naturalist Programs daily at 1:00 pm. For spectacular vistas, go to the top of Grandfather and walk the famous Swinging Bridge. Hiking the 11 trails is a great way to fully experience this ancient mountain. The trails vary from gentle walks through the woods to strenuous and treacherous hikes along the rugged peaks. The Profile Trail is a must hike, it provides you with a full sample of natural features of the Mountain and a profile veiw of the rocky outcropping the mountain is named for. If you decide to visit this NC treasure, call (828)737-9522 or go to www.grandfather.com  

I was in the Mayesville area(Onslow County side of river) on June 11th and noticed White Oak River Campground and White Oak River Outfitters right there on US 17 Highway. The campground offer sites for tents, RVs and trailor campers. Fishing ponds(fee) canoe and kayak rentals are also available. Your White Oak River paddling trip starts at the campgrounds almost narrow enough to jump across and widens as you paddle toward the coast. As you paddle through the Croatan National Forest, seclusion is yours as you veiw some 1500 year old Cypress trees and other unspoiled scenery along the river. There are four landings between the campground and the Stella Road bridge. The fisherman along the southern coast are experiencing good catches on the piers and offshore. Check out a fishing tournament in the NE coastal plain “Alligator White Perch Tournament” on June 27th(see Palmetto Peartree Preserve in 3rd paragraph). A boat trip on the Cape Fear River can be a rewarding and relaxing experience. If you do not have your own boat you can take advantage of River Cruises offered in Fayetteville and Wilmington. Freddie Mims offers Pontoon trips from Cambellton Landing(Fayetteville) to Wilmington. The cruise lasts two days/one night and includes camping at Lock No.1 near Riegelwood, with three hot meals. Freddie Mims is well versed in local history along the way and experience going through three lock & dam systems. Wildlife sightings are also a bonus, ranging from wild turkeys to alligators. For more information call Mr. Mims @ 910-391-1246 or 910-630-1475. Cape Fear River Boats, Inc. in Wilminton, NC offers a variety of river cruise opportunities. They have a 4 hour nature oriented trip up the Black River(recognized by the Audobon Society). They also offer Dinner cruises and Narrated Lunch & Sightseeing cruises on the Cape Fear River. Private cruises are also available. For more information check out www.cfrboats.com   Clark Park Nature Center in Fayetteville is offering several events in June. On June 13th you can enjoy a 2 hour Pontoon Boat Tour of the Cape Fear River, join a park ranger and a historian for an interpretive tour at 11:00 am-1:00 pm. On June 11th(11:00 am-noon) come for Snakes Alive!, a hands-on program about the dangers and yes, benefits of snakes in our environment. For bird enthusiasts on June 16th(9:00 am-1:00 pm, ages 16 & up) the nature center will host a Birding Identification Program. It will help participants indentify Neo-Tropical Migratory birds by sight and sound and also cover biology, habitats & life cycles. They even have something for you Star Gazers out there. On June 26th(8:30 pm-10:00 pm) a local Astronomer and park ranger will help participants explore constellations, planets and other heavenly bodies. For more information and to register for any of these events, call 910-433-1579.  

June is also a great month to go camping in the NC Mountains. There are so many State Parks, State Forests, National Parks, National Forests and private campgrounds to choose from, it may take you a while to decide which one to visit. My personal favorites are Stone Mountain State Park(yes NC has one too) and Hanging Rock State Park. They both have good facilities, great hiking trails, magnificent views and beautiful water falls. I almost forgot, Hanging Rock State Park also has great Horse Riding Trails. Speaking of horse riding, I found a farm in Sampson County, NC that offers a Summer(horse riding)Camp this June 15-19 and July 6-10. The Ban-Lynn Farm at 2432 Hobbs Road, near Roseboro offers children 5-12 yrs. a camp for beginners as well as advanced riders. Each session ends with a family cook-out at 5:00 pm follwed by a Horse Show(to show off their new skills). Camp hours are 9:00 am-3:00 pm, but the camp also offers After Camp Care until 5:30 pm for an extra $10.00/day/child. The camp fee is $250.00/camper with a 10% discount for siblings. For more info on the Farm see www.banlynnfarm.com  

Check Out NC’s Newest Nature Preserve, Palmetto Peartree Preserve. The preserve offers a variety of opportunities: BIRDING, HIKING, BIKING, HORSEBACK RIDING, WILDLIFE VIEWING, PADDLING, FISHING & CAMPING. You might see the Rare Red Wolf or Red Cockaded Woodpecker and many other animals you will not find in more populated areas of NC. The Preserve is located in Tyrell county(NE coastal plain) near Columbia. For more info and detailed direstions check www.palmettopeartree.org


 

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Hello world, welcome to the great outdoors in North Carolina. Summertime is a great time to get back to nature, from the mountains to the coast. The summers are hot and humid in the ‘Old North State’, but you can find cool relief in tallest mountains east of the Mississippi. From rafting on the Nantahala River to walking across 6,000 ft. ridge tops to sliding down natural waterslides; the NC mountains are a cool place to be. The piedmont area has some beautiful(public access)lakes for skiing, swimming and fishing. The coastal areas offer many options for outdoor activities: Sailng, Surfing, Dolfin watching, Sea shell collecting, Swimming, Fossil hunting, Pier fishing, Surf fishing and Boat fishing; just to name a few. 

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