New guide book outlines 50 Tar Heel treks through North Carolina's state parks
North Carolina's state park system began in 1915, when locals petitioned the legislature to save Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Appalachians, from loggers. Since then, the state has amassed a hoard of natural treasures.
Now, Tennessee nature writer Johnny Molloy suggests we walk to see them.
"Hiking North Carolina's State Parks" proposes 50 hikes, between 1 and 5 miles in length. Most, understandably, are in the mountains, but four — at Jones Lake State Park in Bladen County, Lake Waccamaw in Columbus County, Carolina Beach State Park and the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area — are an easy drive from Wilmington.
Like most volumes in the UNC Press' "Southern Getaways" series, this little volume is light, straightforward, easy to read and stuffed with useful information.
Each entry includes directions, a map, walking times, park hours, recommendations on the best seasons to go and "cautions" (watch out for exposed roots and cypress knobs on the trail at Lake Waccamaw).
More: Wilmington musician lands a song on former President Obama's summer Spotify playlist
More: In Charlotte native's recent novel, spies lurk in Berlin
Molloy, author of dozens of hiking guides, offers a list of gear to take. A flashlight or headlamp could come in handy, and don't forget sunscreen.
In his "Greatest Hits" section, "The Hermit Trail" at Kure Beach is recommended as particularly kid-friendly. It takes hikers past the World War II Army bunker where Robert E. Harrill, the legendary "Fort Fisher Hermit," camped out from 1955 until his death in 1972. Hikers can also take in the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher nearby.
More: The death of the Fort Fisher Hermit 50 years later: The legend, and the questions, remain
Carolina Beach State Park, with its "blinding white sand," is a standout for scenery, according to Molloy. It's also home to a profusion of Venus' flytraps, the tiny, insect-eating plants that surely inspired "Little Shop of Horrors" (albeit, and fortunately, on a much tinier scale).
Lake Waccamaw and Jones Lake are prime examples of the "Carolina bays," the odd, oblong lakes dotting Southeastern North Carolina. The mix of plants and wildlife here is particularly stunning.
With heat index values in the 100s, it's no time for a walk in the woods. Labor Day is just a month away, though, so "Hiking North Carolina's State Parks" can help you plan for a delightful autumn afternoon.
'HIKING NORTH CAROLINA'S STATE PARKS'
By Johnny Molloy
University of North Carolina Press,, $24 paperback
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Hiking North Carolina's State Parks by Johnny Molloy maps 50 NC hikes
