Meet the MULES

Imagine excusing yourself from a meeting gone way too long, going down the hall, down the stairs — then hopping into your playboat for some Class II and III fun?...

Our staff says this this is one of the most remote and scenic sections of the popular Greene River, offering “a lot of excitement and fun for your intermediate kayaker.”...

This is drop-dead gorgeous terrain with killer whitewater. Killer? Poor choice of words, but there are sections of Wilson Creek that are for experts only. Those would include sections A...

The Deep’s name is deceptive: it refers not to the depth of the river but rather, it’s believed, to the steep banks found along much of the river. Thus, the...

For a Piedmont river, the Eno is surprisingly montane, especially it’s upper reaches above West Point on the Eno city park in Durham. This stretch, which runs just east of...

Because of its small watershed, the Flat can usually be run only in the immediate aftermath of a good rain. But when it is runnable, long-timers say this is a...

The most popular whitewater run in the Triangle and the go-to place for intro classes. The stretch is popular for several reasons. For one, when water levels in the region...

Look downstream as you pass over the US 64 bridge, even in the driest of times, and you’ll have no trouble seeing why this is the place the Triangle’s experienced...

Part of the allure of the Uwharrie Mountain Trail Run is that it’s on the Uwharrie National Recreation Trail, a 22.9-mile trail that’s always challenging but never ridiculously so. Part...

The Neusiok Trail, much of which runs through a swamp, has a limited hiking window; if you don’t hit this classic between late October and mid-March, you’ll be sorry (and...

At 7,460 acres, the Middle Prong is on the small side for a wilderness. And remember back in Hike No. 13 we said that Sam Knob gets less traffic because...

The North Carolina Bartram Trail was established by the N.C. Bartram Trail Society to honor naturalist William Bartram, who spent four years (1773-1777) exploring the Southeast documenting the flora and...

A favorite Smokies adventure is this loop that starts near Fontana Dam and follows the Appalachian Trail up for 3.7 miles. It’s a steady climb, never grueling and the pay...

January can be a dicey time of year for exploring in the mountains. The higher you get, the greater the chance for snow and ice — more a problem for...

A popular hike for so many reasons. One, with the trailhead at about 5,900 feet, you’re looking at minimal elevation gain. The views are are everywhere as the trail spends...

This loop off the Blue Ridge Parkway on the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness is ideal because it is on the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness, the big,...

This hike is a high-country favorite. For one, it’s easy and accessible for most folks, even the non-hikers in the crowd (read: something active to do with your more sedentary...

The 88-mile stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Grandfather Mountain area north to Stone Mountain has several memorable stretches. A favorite is this nearly...