Every Wednesday Night Walk and
Dinner
New Location! Piedmont Environmental Center
The Wednesday walkers will meet in the parking lot of
The Piedmont Environmental Center at 6:30 PM for a brisk walk before dinner. Rain or shine. The
group will go to dinner after the walk.
March
1 Laurel Bluff / Reed Fork
Trails
Sunday Greensboro Watershed Area
Let’s
meet at 1:00 PM and hike the Laurel Bluff and Reedy Fork watershed trails. Proceed north on Lake Brandt Road, go past
the Lake Brandt marina on the left, cross over the bridge at the dam, and park
in the gravel parking lot on the right.
No need to call, but please do if you have questions. [7 miles, R8].
March
3 Mellow Mushroom Dinner
Tuesday Greensboro
Greensboro
now has a Mellow Mushroom Pizza/Pasta Restaurant at 609 South Elm Street in the
downtown area. PHOC groups have enjoyed
this lively eating establishment in other cities. Let's meet at 7:00 PM and check this one out, for the pizza,
sandwich or pasta, and beverage of your choice. Call or email Jon by noon, Monday, March 2. If you find out at the last minute you can
make the outing but have not called, just come on anyway!
March
4 Wednesday Night Walk and
Dinner
See top of page for details
March 7 Stone
Mountain Trails
Saturday Stone
Mountain State Park
We’ll hike a section of the park that’s not visited very
often. We’ll have several stream
crossings and pass by three waterfalls.
You may want to bring a change of clothing. Also bring plenty of water, food, and rain gear. Meet at Shoney’s and be ready to leave at
7:30 AM. There is no need to call
Hubert to go on this hike. [10 miles,
1450 feet, R25]
March 7 Profile
Trail to Swinging Bridge
Saturday Grandfather
Mountain
We will ascend the very strenuous Profile Trail to the
Grandfather Trail and hike to the swinging bridge. The Grandfather Trail is not intended for the faint of heart, as
there are several ladders, chutes, and ropes; but we will enjoy a spectacular
360-degree view. The outing is limited
to 12 people. [9 miles, +/-3500 feet,
R46]
Sunday Greensboro
Watershed Area
Let’s go for an easy hike with lots of views of Lake Higgins. Bring water and a snack. Meet at 1:30 PM in the Lake Higgins trail
parking lot approximately 100 yards from the marina entrance. The marina address is 4235 Hamburg Mill
Road. No need to call to go on
hike. [7 miles, 200 feet, R9]
March 9 March
Meeting
Monday Piedmont
Environmental Center
Meet for refreshments and fellowship at 7:00 PM at the
Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road in Jamestown. The business portion and program will begin
at 7:30. A map to the PEC is on page
15.
Ken Bridle, Stewardship Director of the Piedmont Land
Conservancy (www.piedmontland.org),
will present a program on PLC's history, vision, successes, and plans. This is a good opportunity for PHOC members
to get more familiar with the organization that is "saving the places we
love."
March 11 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details
March 14 Indian
Creek / Hanging Rock Trails
Saturday Hanging
Rock State Park
We will start at the Dan River and hike beside Indian Creek
up to the visitor center at Hanging Rock State Park. This is a scenic trek with many easy stream crossings and two
lovely waterfalls. Once at the parking
lot, those who still have "gas in their tank" will continue on up to
the Hanging Rock. We will then retrace
our steps downhill and reunite with any who chose to wait at the visitor
center. Leave Shoney's at 8AM or be at
the Dan River access trailhead at 8:45AM.
Estimated total time on trail including lunch is 5 1/2 hours. Estimated time back at Shoney's is 4PM. Dogs and chickens welcome; no cats
please. Bring adequate water and a
lunch. Please call or email if planning
to hike. [10 miles, R26]
March 14 McAfee
Knob and Tinkers Cliff Trails
Saturday Jefferson
National Forest near Roanoke
Today we are offering two versions for a day hike. Join Anna for a leisurely 7-mile round trip
up to McAfee Knob that overlooks the beautiful Catawba and Roanoke
valleys. The views are not to be missed. Or you can join Jill to do a longer and
steeper hike, climbing up Tinker Mountain to the cliff for another gorgeous
view. We will proceed along the ridge
line to start another climb up to meet the short-hike group at the top of
McAfee Knob. Then we will all end the
day with our favorite part……..DINNER!
The long-hike group will leave Greensboro about three hours before the
others. Please email or call for
meeting times and place. [7 miles, R20;
or 12 miles, R36]
Sunday Bur-Mil Park, Greensboro
Ever walk all the way around Lake Brandt? Here's your chance. Meet at 1:30 PM at the parking area at the end of the road down
near the lake and the Wildlife Education Center in Bur-Mil Park off of
Battleground Avenue. We will walk out
the greenway, through the woods over to the marina, across the dam, down
Piedmont Trail, and back to the parking lot.
This is a great but not difficult walk.
Bathroom/water break after 5 miles.
Suitable for all ages. Call Jon
if you have any questions; otherwise, he'll see you there. [8.5 miles, R13]
See top of page for details.
March 21 Pilot
Mountain Loop
Saturday Pilot
Mountain State Park
We will start at the visitor center near the entrance of the
park and follow the Grassy Ridge Trail to Pinnacle Hotel Road. Here we will pick up Mountain Trail, which
takes us up the base of the mountain to Ledge Spring Trail. Ledge Spring is somewhat strenuous but is
doable even for some Wednesday night and Sunday walkers. From Ledge Spring, we will continue on the
Jomeokee Trail around the knob. After a
brief stop at the top of the mountain, we will finish the hike down the
Grindstone Trail and back to the visitor center. We will meet at Shoney's at 9:00 AM or at the visitor center
parking lot at 9:45. No need to call
but do if you have questions. [9 miles,
R27]
March 21 Cedar
Ridge / Flat Rock Ridge Trails
Saturday Doughton
Park
This is the full loop around the outer edge of Doughton
Park, which gives hikers the distant vistas from the Bluff Mountain Trail along
the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as impressive views down into the park’s Basin
Cove. Bring plenty of water and
lunch. We will depart from Shoney’s at
7:30 AM. [17 miles, 3000 feet, R47]
March 22 Country
/ Guilford Courthouse
Sunday Greensboro
Military/Country Park
We will walk trails in Country Park and Guilford Courthouse
National Military Park. Meet at 1:00 PM
at the end of the parking lot in Country Park, which is reached from
Battleground Avenue by way of Pisgah Church Road and Forest Lawn Drive. Call or email if you need further details.
March 25 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
March 28 Mountains-to-Sea
Trail
Saturday Blue
Ridge Parkway
We will begin the hike at Brinegar Cabin in Doughton Park and
head north to the old tram site on the edge of Stone Mountain State Park. From there we will hike back down to the
Blue Ridge Parkway to our cars. The
pace on this hike will be leisurely with many views from overlooks—great for
hikers with limited trail experience.
Meet at Shoney’s and be ready to leave at 8:30 AM. Bring lunch and water. [6 miles, +/- 850 feet, R15]
March 28 Indian
Creek / Cook’s Wall Trails
Saturday Hanging
Rock State Park
The slope of these trails is relatively gentle, and the few
stream crossings are easy. The stream
is usually low, but it has been known to swell after a big rain, making hiking
poles helpful. We will meet at Shoney's
at 8:00 AM. Folks driving directly can
meet us at 9:00 AM at the Dan River parking lot on Flinchum Road off NC
8/89. Contact Nicole and let her know
you are coming. [13 miles, +/- 1600
feet, R29].
March 28 Heartbreak
Ridge / Pinnacle Trails
Saturday Pisgah
National Forest near Old Fort
This hike will take us up Heartbreak Ridge, with beautiful
views of the valley beyond Montreat, and along a portion of the old Toll Road
to the Blue Ridge Parkway. If the
weather permits, we will ascend Blue Ridge Pinnacle for 360-degree views
including Mount Mitchell and other peaks of the Black Mountains, the Craggy
Gardens area, and even Table Rock above Linville Gorge. Although the climb to the base of Pinnacle
is long, it is not steep. Come prepared
for the possibility of chilly winds on Pinnacle. [14 miles, 3600 or 4000 feet, R50 or 54]
March 29 Owl’s
Roost Loop
Sunday Bur-Mil
Park, Greensboro
We’ll meet at 1:00 PM at the Wildlife Education Center in
Bur-Mil Park and hike the Owl’s Roost Trail to the greenway and back to the
park by way of the fire-lane shortcut, for a total of 7 miles. Proceed north on US220, turn right at the
traffic light at Owl’s Roost Road, and then make a left into Bur-Mil Park. Bear right at the clubhouse and park in the
circular driveway at the bottom of the hill.
No need to call, but please do if you have questions. [R9].
April 1 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
April 4 Yadkin
River Wildflower Stroll
Saturday Pilot
Mountain State Park
Today we’ll walk along the banks of the Yadkin River looking
for wildflowers. There are many small ups
and downs, but none very long. We’ll
have several stream crossings, and we’ll probably walk up a couple of streams
to see more wild flowers. This is not a
hike; it’s a walk, and we will be stopping frequently. [8 miles, +/- 800 feet, R16]
April 4 Cedar Ridge / Mountains-to-Sea
Trails
Saturday Doughton
and Stone Mountain Parks
We will first hike by way of Doughton Park’s Cedar Ridge
Trail to Brinegar Cabin. From there, we
will follow the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway to the upper
edge of Stone Mountain Park. The route
down to the parking lot close to the base of Stone Mountain will be the
continuation of the MST. Bring extra
water and food because this is a long, demanding hike. There is no need to call Hubert if you plan to
participate in this outing. Meet at
Shoney’s at 7:30 AM. [15 miles, +/-3000
feet, R45]
April 5 Hamilton
Lakes Stroll
Sunday Greensboro
Let’s celebrate Palm Sunday with a leisurely stroll through
Hamilton Lakes Park. It’s an easy and
fairly level 3 miles from my house, around the south side of the lake, down the
south trail to Lake Euphemia for a snack, then back on the paved trail that
parallels Starmount Drive, around the north shore, and back home. The dogwoods and azaleas should be in full
bloom then. At 2:30 PM, meet at my
house at 618 Preys Street, just off Muir’s Chapel to the east between Tower and
Ellenwood. Pizzas can be ordered
afterwards. Well-behaved canines are
welcome.
Sunday Winston-Salem
Before
the first New River bike ride on April 26, let's get out and do 16 miles around
Salem Lake and over to Market Place Mall and back. We'll start at the fishing hut at Salem Lake at 1:00 PM and ride
the 7 miles around the lake to the dam.
Then we'll follow Salem Creek Greenway to Market Place Mall and back for
an additional 9 miles. The route is
primarily level, but some rocky sections of the Salem Lake trail make durable
tires advisable.
April 7 1618
West Seafood Grill
Tuesday Greensboro
Come join me for dinner at one of Greensboro's finer seafood
restaurants. It’s located at 1618 West
Friendly Avenue. Let's meet at 6:30 PM
to take advantage of one of their early bird specials, which end at 7:00. These specials include a salad, entrée, and
dessert for $14.95. Yes, it does
include dessert! The restaurant offers
many seafood specialties, plus plenty of selections for land lovers. Please RSVP by Saturday, April 4.
April 8
Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
April 10 Nat
Greene Trail at Night
Friday Greensboro
Watershed Area
This 3.5-mile night hike will be along one side of Lake
Brandt. With a full moon that night, we
will hope to see the trail without flashlights, but bring one in case. Meet at 7:00 PM at the upper parking lot of
the Lake Brandt marina. For safety
reasons, we will not hike if it’s raining.
April 11 Umstead
State Park Trails
Saturday Raleigh
This loop hike takes us from the US 70 side of this
5,500-acre park to the I-40 side and back.
The route offers creeks, wooded hillsides, an old mill site, and stone
walls and foundations from earlier times.
The primarily rolling terrain will be decorated with the blooms of
dogwood. We will depart at 8:00 AM from
the parking lot at the former NASCAR restaurant on the north side of Four
Seasons Mall. [11 miles, R20]
April 11 Flat
Rock / Grassy Gap Trails
Saturday Doughton Park
We will be hiking these beautifully wooded trails at a lovely
time of year when the winter is (hopefully) behind us and we can enjoy the
rhododendrons making ready for their later bloom and preening themselves
gloriously before being overshadowed by the foliage of mighty poplars, oaks,
and maples. And if the weather is nice
and the sun warm enough, we can go dip our toes in Basin creek for a spell
before heading back to the Triad. For
those who want to eat a bite before completing the drive home, Elkin offers
several exciting opportunities. We
will meet at Shoney's at 7:30 AM.
Please contact Nicole and let her know you're coming. [13 miles, +/- 2000 feet, R33]
Sunday Greensboro
We'll walk 5 miles in Gibson Park. We’ll meet at 1:00 PM at the far end parking lot. To get to Gibson Park, drive west on
Wendover Avenue toward High Point, past the Bridford Parkway shopping
madness. When you see the Gibson Park
brown sign on your right before you get to Penny Road, make a left. Proceed to the park entrance and drive until
you can go no further.
April 13 April
Meeting
Monday Piedmont
Environmental Center
Meet for refreshments and fellowship at 7:00 PM at the
Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road in Jamestown. The business portion and program will begin
at 7:30. A map to the PEC is on page
15. Club member Jon Maxwell will
make a 45-minute presentation on walking the famous and beautiful 195-mile Coast-to-Coast
trail across England, which he did in September 2008. The presentation will include a summary of
the route, travel options, logistics, and some photos.
April 15 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
April 18 Moses
Cone Carriage Trails
Saturday Moses
Cone Memorial Park
At this Blue Ridge Parkway facility near Blowing Rock,
participants will have several hike options.
We’ll start at Bass Lake and hike two miles up to the Cone Manor House,
where some hikers may choose to stop.
The next destination will be the graveyard, another mile and a half up
the trail. The total distance to the fire
tower, with superb views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is five and a half
miles. The carriage trails, by their
very nature, are easy for walking.
Contact Shari for meeting times and locations. [11 miles maximum, R20 maximum]
April 18 Rock
Castle Gorge Loop
Saturday Blue
Ridge Parkway in Virginia
Mid-April is the best time to admire the deep burgundy
blooms of trillium, as well as many of the other attractions of this popular
trail for PHOC members. After the first
couple of miles, which include a rather steep uphill section, we’ll amble
across open meadows next to the Blue Ridge Parkway before descending back into
the gorge, lined with gigantic boulders.
The loop hike ends with several miles along a rushing mountain
stream. Please contact Ken if you are
joining us. A caravan will depart from
Shoney’s at 7:30 AM and meet others at Hardee’s in Stuart, Virginia, at
8:30. [11 miles, 2800 feet, R39]
April 18 Pine
Gap to Conley Cove
Saturday Linville
Gorge Wilderness
Another great, demanding day in Linville Gorge. We will go down the Pine Gap Trail to the
Linville Gorge Trail. We will then hike
about eight miles along the river and up and over Babel Tower until we come out
of the gorge on the Conley Cove Trail.
This is for experienced Saturday hikers only. Please contact Ben for the meeting place and time. [9 miles, +/- 2500 feet, R42]
April 19 Lake
Townsend Trail
Sunday Greensboro
Watershed Area
Let’s meet at 1:00 PM for an easy, scenic hike along the
wooded southern edge of Lake Townsend, at times right up close to the
water. From Battleground Avenue,
proceed east on Pisgah Church, continue east on Lees Chapel, bear left at
Brightwood School, turn left at the T at Rudd Station Road, cross over the
railroad tracks, and keep straight on South Shore Road for about 1/3 of a
mile. Park in the gravel parking lot on
your left. No need to call, but please
do if you have questions. [8 miles, R8]
April 19 Greensboro
Bike Ride
Sunday Greensboro
Park Trails & Greenway
This is a warm-up for the upcoming series of New River Trail
rides. It will be almost entirely on
paved greenway, with a small stretch of dirt/gravel connecting Guilford
Battleground National Military Park to the greenway leading to Jaycee Park and
a short stretch of road through an apartment complex. Any bike will be fine.
We’ll meet at 9:00 AM at the parking lot next to Old Battleground Road
at GBNMP and start on the greenway toward Bur-Mil Park. We’ll ride beyond the crossing at Strawberry
Road for about one mile, then back to GBNMP and on to Jaycee and Country parks,
where we’ll ride a lap around CP, then take the greenway back and finish with
the road around GBNMP. The route is 16
miles with gradual descents and climbs.
Please have a helmet, as anything can happen when you share the trail
with other users. Lunch option at
Herbie’s afterward.
April 19 Belews
Lake Paddle
Sunday Northwest
of Greensboro
Join me for an afternoon of lake paddling and picnic,
weather permitting. We’ll meet at
Shoney’s at 1:00 PM for the caravan drive to the lake and should return to
Shoney’s by 6:00 PM. The boat launch
site will be determined at the Shoney’s gathering. Bring your boat, paddling gear, lunch, sunscreen, and a change of
clothes in a dry bag.
April 22 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
April 25 Holden
Mill / Cox Mountain
Saturday Eno
River State Park, Durham
This outing only an hour east of Greensboro will include a
morning hike of the Buckwater Creek and Holden Mill trails, with close views of
the picturesque Eno River. Following
lunch and a visit to the river’s popular swinging bridge, those who wish to get
more exercise and take in vistas from the park’s highest “peak” will hike the
Cox Mountain trail. Sections of the
trails can be slick from mud following a rain.
A short portion of the Buckwater Creek trail requires negotiating
boulders. Greensboro-area participants
will depart at 8:45 AM from the parking lot at the former NASCAR restaurant on
the north side of Four Seasons Mall.
Those who wish to drive directly to the park should be at the visitor
center by 9:45 AM. Folks in the
Winston-Salem area can contact David regarding carpooling to Greensboro. [4 miles, R10 during the morning; 8 miles,
R17 during the full outing]
April 25 Tory’s
Den to Moore’s Knob
Saturday Hanging
Rock State Park
Starting at Tory's Den parking lot, we’ll hike the Sauratown
Loop Trail and connect with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail up to the fire tower on
Moore's Knob. We will then retrace our
steps to the parking lot. We will leave
Shoney's at 8:00 AM. Folks driving
directly to Tory's Den parking lot should be there by 8:45 AM. Bring ample water and lunch. Estimated time on trail is 5 1/2 to 6
hours. Estimated arrival back at
Shoney's is 4:00 PM. This is the first
hike I did with the club a couple years ago, and it motivated me to get in
better shape to enjoy all the hikes.
Please call or email if planning to hike. [12 miles, R30]
April 25 Daniel
Boone Trail to Swinging Bridge
Saturday Grandfather
Mountain
This is a very strenuous hike from the Daniel Boone Scout
Trail to the swinging bridge and back. We’ll cross Calloway and McRae
peaks—twice. The Grandfather Trail
includes one chute, many ladders, and some of the roughest terrain in the east. Bring plenty of water and plan on a long
day. Call or email for meeting time and
place. Limit of 12 hikers. [10.5 miles, +/- 3750 feet, R50+]
April 26 Greenway
and Big Loop Trail
Sunday Bur-Mil
Park, Greensboro
Join me at 11:00 AM for a pre-Spring-Fling hike. We'll walk approximately 5 miles on the Big
Loop Trail and the Lake Brandt greenway.
Meet at Shelter #4 beyond the driving range parking lot. Email me if you have questions.
April 26 Spring
Fling
Sunday Bur-Mil
Park, Greensboro
Join us for our annual celebration of spring! The club will provide hamburgers and hot
dogs, plastic ware, plates, cups, and soft drinks. Bring your favorite side dish, appetizer, or dessert and serving
utensil for sharing. Feel free to bring
your camp chair and adult beverage.
Enjoy fishing, hiking, biking, volleyball, or just plain visiting. Festivities begin at 1:00 PM at Bur-Mil
Park, off Owl's Roost Road. We'll meet
at Shelter #7 by the Wildlife Education Center. We’ll start grilling around 2:00 and will need a couple of
cooks. Please RSVP to Anne by Wednesday
the 22nd. Current 2009
members participate for free.
Non-members and guests are welcome for a fee of $5.
Sunday New
River Trail State Park
This will be a 32-mile, out-and-back ride at Virginia’s New
River Trail State Park—one of the southeast’s best rails-to-trails
conversions. The relatively flat and
car-traffic-free ride begins at Foster Falls, a village that dates from the
mid-1800s. Our trip will take us
through the 135-foot New River train tunnel and over the 670-foot Ivanhoe
Trestle, which is a great place to stop for water and enjoy the panorama of the
river valley. Shortly after passing two
dams built in 1913 for the Appalachian Power Company, we will arrive at our
turnaround point and shady lunch spot where the Chestnut Creek spur of the
trail from Galax meets the main trail from Fries. There is a nominal parking fee at Foster Falls. The trail requires a mountain or hybrid
bike. While on our bicycles, riders
will maintain a 10- or 11-mile-per-hour pace.
April 29 Wednesday
Night Walk and Dinner
See top of page for details.
May 1-3 Merchants
Millpond Paddling / Camping
Friday-Sunday Merchants
Millpond State Park, Gatesville
Join us for a canoe camping trip to Merchants Millpond—NC's
most unique state park. The 760-acre
lake has ancient moss-draped cypress trees and areas covered in sunburst water
lilies. Yes, we hope to see some water
snakes and alligators in very comfortable, non-intimidating encounters. In early May, the serious bugs have not
emerged, but to see a tick would not be unexpected. We will leave Friday morning for the 4.5-hour drive to the
northeast corner of NC and then boat a mile to a beautiful hardwood island
campground. On Saturday we will explore
the lake and creeks by boat. Joel will
fill the boat needs for the first 16 who pay the $2 campsite fee. Additional participants will need to provide
their own canoe or kayak or rent one.
Call or email for more details.