Meet the MULES

14239 Douthat State Park Road Millboro This 4,493-acre oasis is a destination park. For starters, its 43 miles of trail are open to hiking and mountain biking; especially for the...

Shenandoah National Park 14.4 miles 2 days This close-to-town weekend circuit hike comes to us via HikingUpward.com. It’s recommended because it’s close (less than 40 miles), it includes a stretch...

Shenandoah National Park 21.7 miles 2 days Don’t be deceived by the mileage: 8.4 miles is done as a day hike (which is where the second loop comes in). As...

Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia 10.8 miles 2 days Long drive, short circuit, unbelievable scenery. The 17,371-acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest is known for its...

Shenandoah National Park 28 miles 2-3 days Here’s a loop recommended by Backpacker magazine a few years back that includes the grail of Shenandoah hiking and much more. Start with...

Beware the roadside trail advertised as short (1.3 miles) and that starts out paved. For one, National Park Service trails of a certain vintage begin with deceptively calming blacktop before...

Nothing like the allure of a waterfall to encourage you to pull to the side of the road and take a hike. White Rock Falls may not be the most...

You know that Crabtree Falls drops more 1,200 feet over five major cascades and several smaller ones — the placard at the trailhead tells you as much. Yet you’re still...

A classic hike, the trail begins by piggybacking on the AT for a half mile or so, a steady climb up to a stellar ridge with unobstructed views west across...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...