Cape Hatteras MST Hike

Friday, we took Alex to the beach for a long weekend of camping.  We left very early in the morning in order to get to the coast close to sunrise.  Just after the sun rose, we turned onto the Wildlife Drive at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.  We drove a ways down Milltail Road but had no luck spotting a bear.  We turned around a started heading back and spotted something moving in the canal.  It was three adorable river otters!

They were frolicking and playing in the icy water in the canal.

One of them caught a fish and ate it.

Since the road ran parallel to the canal, we could slowly drive along and follow them down.

They were really enjoyable to watch - difficult to photograph, but easier to video.  From here, we headed to the Outer Banks and drove south into Cape Hatteras National Seashore and parked at the lighthouse.

From here, the plan was to take Alex for hike #38 from the #MST40hike, following the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from the lighthouse to Frisco Campground.

The MST followed Lighthouse Road to the British Cemetery.  British sailors who helped defend the US coast from German submarines were buried here.

From here, MST followed Open Ponds Trail through a beautiful maritime forest.

In just over a mile, we passed by scenic pond nestled between the dunes.

Further on, the trail passed through some sandy areas where intersecting trails from Buxton Woods joined.

The last half mile or so was an old service road that ended at the campground.

We turned around at the campground and hiked back.  Since we hadn't made it to the beach, we made a short stop the original location of the lighthouse to see the ocean.

It was cold and windy and the surf was really strong.

A few brave souls were surfing in these crazy conditions.  But not us, we got some pictures and headed back to the car.

Leaving the lighthouse, there was a pull-off on Lighthouse Road at a pond with a number of ducks and other birds.

We stopped here for a couple quick pictures of the birds.

The redhead drakes were really stunning in their breeding plumage.

Then we headed north, stopping in Avon at Froggy Dog for dinner.  Then we headed to Oregon Inlet Campground and set up camp.  It was very windy but a pretty sunset.

Falls Lake Trail to Little Lick Creek

Saturday, we took Alex to get his next hike for the MST 40 Hike Challenge, Hike 22 - Falls Lake Trail from Rolling View to Little Lick Creek.

We parked at the hiker lot at Rolling View Recreation Area in Falls Lake State Recreation Area and took the spur trail to Falls Lake Trail and turned left to hike Section 14.  Shortly after leaving state park land, we crossed an intermittent stream and there were nice winter views of the lake.

We passed a nice little beach and went down to the shore line.

Continuing on, we came to a private gravel road at about 3 miles and crossed a tributary and then back into the woods.

Right past here, we spotted the remains of some old cars off the trail.

At the end, we crossed the bridge and the boardwalk and took a break at the bench.  I ran up to Jimmy Rogers Road and then we headed back.  We made a detour on an old road out to the lake.

Then we made the hike back.  I took a detour through Rolling View before heading back.

Down Roseboro Loop

Monday morning, we woke up early and broke camp.  Before leaving Jones Lake State Park, we took one more hike.  We took the Bay Trail and then turned onto the Mountains-to-Sea Trail into Bladen Lakes State Forest.  Hiking about a mile along J.C. Butler Trail and Salters Lake Trail, it was scenic in the early morning.

There were a number of longleaf pine saplings growing along the trail.

After a mile or so, we turned back and left the park.

Heading home, we made a stop in Roseboro for the #MST40Hike hike 27, Downtown Roseboro Loop.

We parked near the Community Garden and hiked down Roseboro Street.

At Broad Street, we turned right and passed by two houses on the National Register of Historic Places.  The first was the Dan E. Caison Sr. House, a bungalow.

Near the end, was the Troy Herring House, an impressive three-story home.

We turned right on Railroad Street to make a loop.  On the way, we passed the Brick Cone Silo.  It was part of the Herring Lumber Company's operation.

The company was founded by Troy Herring who built the home we had passed in 1912.  We returned to the car right after that.

We made one more stop before heading home at Mitchell Mill State Natural Area.  From the parking area, we hiked down a cool granite outcrop along Little River.

We hiked along the granite downstream along the river.

There were some scenic little cascades along the river.

There was a trail that followed the river further downstream to the dam, all that remains of Mitchell Mill.

I bushwhacked down the river left side, but there was no place I could find for a good view.

Then we hiked back to the car.

It was a short drive home from here.

Singletary & Jones Lakes

Sunday morning, we had breakfast and headed to Singletary Lake State Park.  Starting off on the CCC Loop Trail, we headed to the pier.

I went out on the pier for some nice morning views of the lake.

Continuing on the trail, interpretive signs described various theories for the formation of Carolina bays.  Meteor showers, underground springs, limestone sinkholes, wind action and even spawning fish have been proposed, though no one theory can fully explain them.  The lower loop portion ended by the lake drain.

Here, we went north on got on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail as it followed a sandy road.

The sand along the road was yellow in color, but just off the trail, the sand was very white, almost looked like snow.

MST continued beyond the park as Singletary Lake Trail in Bladen Lakes State Forest.

We hiked as far as NC-53 then turned around.  Back in the park, we tried to finish up the CCC loop, but it was flooded where it crossed the lake drain.

So we just hiked back to the car.

From here, we headed back to Jones Lake State Park for another hike.  We were hoping to hike the entire way around Bay Trail, but it was closed north of the visitor center.  So we hiked the other way on Bay Trail.

Just past the split for Salters Lake, Bay Trail was closed so we took the Service Road out to NC-242 and walked the road back.  Hike 29 for #MST40Hike was from Jones Lake to Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest.

So we turned on Sweet Home Church Road to hike out to the entrance to the forest and then back to Jones Lake.  There's an off-road trail between the two, but its currently closed due to an out bridge.

We went into Elizabethton for dinner again and made it back to camp before sunset.

We headed out to the pier and boathouse for a wonderful sunset view over the lake.

The sky really lit up in gorgeous fiery colors and reflected brilliantly against the lake.

Once darkness set in, it was another chilly night and we built a nice campfire to stay warm.