North Carolina Hiking Trails
If you enjoy outdoor activities at all, you have to visit the state of North Carolina – and if you are a hiker this is doubly so, because North Carolina hiking trails are some of the best.
North Carolina Hiking Trails
North Carolina is a state that is home to some of the most abundant public land areas in the whole United States. There are four national forests located in North Carolina, which cover 2,954,000 acres of the state's land. Besides the forest areas, there are also two national seashores located at least partially in North Carolina – the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores. There are three major geographic zones here – mountains, piedmont and coastal plains. All of these places are easily explored by the many North Carolina hiking trails.
Aside from the national parks and forests located within the state, North Carolina is also home to 35 state parks, with a total of 116,890 acres of land that is designated to this purpose. If you are interested in ecology or the natural world, one hiking trail stands out above the rest. The Mt. Mitchell Trail follows just six miles of terrain, but in that time you will have traveled through an oak-hickory forest, a deciduous forest (with birches and other hardwoods), and a spruce and fir zone in the lower elevations. When you are on top of Mt. Mitchell, you are actually standing in the equivalent of a Canadian ecosystem.
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You can often get the most out of North Carolina hiking trails by electing to take a guided hike with one of the many outdoors groups in the area. The North Carolina Sierra Club often leads hikes throughout the state's varied terrain, and you usually do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club in order to take these guided hikes. There are also smaller groups that operate in different areas of the state – such as the Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club, based in Greenboro, North Carolina.
The wildlife that can be seen in North Carolina is also diverse, and worth taking a less strenuous hike so that you can enjoy all that the state has to offer. There are 10 wildlife refuges designated throughout the state, and they encompass many different ecosystems and natural areas. There are also privately owned parks and wildlife areas that can be accessed from certain areas in North Carolina, although they may be subject to different rules and regulations.
North Carolina hiking trails are so extensive and different from one another that there is no excuse to get bored while hiking or backpacking here. The many different places to camp and spend the night also add to the region's appeal.