Blog
South River Falls Circuit
Walking along South River, you get the feeling something big is about to happen. Though the descending trail is easy enough to navigate, the river to your right is zigging...

25 Top Hikes in the Charlotte Area
Looking for a good place to hike in Charlotte or the surrounding area? You don’t have to look far.A great resource about hiking in Charlotte is the Mecklenburg County Park...

25 Top Hikes in the Triad Area
Looking for great hikes in the triad? You needn’t look far… Here’s a rundown of our top 25 hikes and trail networks in the region totaling about 140 miles. From...
North Carolina: hiker’s heaven
As part of our GetHiking! program, which we introduced last week and will launch Sept. 12, we’re spending August extolling the virtues of hiking in North Carolina. Today, a look...

Eastern NC paddling: paradise (finally) found
by Joe Miller Until recently, Eastern North Carolina’s greatest asset as a paddling destination was also its greatest drawback. It’s well-kept secrets were a little too well kept. The vast,...
White Oak River (Section 3)
Talk about a paddle trail personality change! This trip starts on a small quarry lake and spends its first couple miles navigating a series of the same. The lakes are...
Bachelor Creek
We like the Neuse River and its assorted tributaries upstream from New Bern in part because a day behind the paddle can be followed — apres paddle, if you will...
Bennett’s Millpond / Rockyhock Creek
Think millpond and paddling in eastern North Carolina and thoughts immediately turn to Merchants Millpond, popular anchor of a state park bearing its name in Gates County. Merchants Millpond is...
Lumber River
Two sections of the Lumber River have been designated Wild and Scenic by the National Park Service: from Black Swamp downstream to the South Carolina state line and the first...
Contentnea Creek
Considering Contentnea Creek runs 100 miles, from northeast of Raleigh to the Neuse River in Craven County, it’s a surprisingly well-kept paddle secret. This despite the fact it has its...
Bear Island
A highly popular paddle trip, for several reasons. One, it’s well marked. White posts lead the way across marshy Bogue Sound. Now, you might not think trail markers are a...
Carrot Island / Shackleford Banks
This trip is as easy or hard as you want it to be. From the Wildlife Resources Commission boat ramp on Lennoxville Road it’s a short paddle across Taylor Creek...
Oak Island/Holden Beach Paddle Trails
You get a beach house for a week over the summer. On Day 1, you sit in the sun. On Day 2, you sit in the sun. On Day 3...
Milltail Creek
The 152,000-acre Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a wild island oasis between the North Carolina mainland and the Outer Banks. You will find all manner of wild critters here:...
Roanoke River
The Roanoke begins its run in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, but doesn’t settle into flatwater mode until after one last hurrah of Class I-III rapids...
Dan River, Section 1 (Kibler Valley)
This dam-controlled river is most popular on Saturdays in July — the one time the minimum flow required (see “Minimum flow”) is pretty much guaranteed. There are other releases but...
Foster Falls, New River State Park
Foster Falls on the New River in Virginia is another area to come and play in falls, drops and surrounding rapids. Say the avid paddlers in our Winston-Salem shop: “There...
Wilson Creek: Section B
A certain degree of bragging rights goes along with paddling Wilson Creek, which forms on the east face of Grandfather Mountain and quickly tumbles down the Blue Ridge Escarpment through...