[piano intro] -[Deborah] Next on "North Carolina Weekend," join us from the Turnipseed Nature Preserve, as we highlight natural beauty around our state.

We'll summit Chimney Rock, go backpacking in Linville, and paddle the Gaston County Blueway, coming up next.

- [Narrator] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by, Visit NC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge, and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont, to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure, and charm our state has to offer.

[upbeat music] ♪ - Welcome to "North Carolina Weekend" everyone, I'm Deborah Holt Noel, and this week, we are exploring natural beauty around our state.

Today, I'm at Turnipseed Nature Preserve, a 265-acre park, located south of Wendell, in the eastern part of Wake County.

Designated as a significant natural area, by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, the preserve is in the transitional area between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain.

Here you'll find everything from granite outcroppings, to marshes teaming with life.

We'll explore its natural beauty more throughout the show.

But first, let's head west to a site so stunning, it was used in the movie "Last of the Mohicans."

Chimney Rock State Park is home to a massive piece of granite, a lot like this stone here, but much bigger, and it's 500 million years old.

And that's just one of the amazing features of this park, as producer Rob Holliday discovered.

- [Rob] In the world of the 2020s, it's easy to think that a perspective like this, is only possible with a device like this.

[drone buzzing] But the stunning views at Chimney Rock State Park near Asheville are readily available the old fashioned way, by putting one foot in front of the other.

- [Matthew] Chimney Rock State Park is essentially 7,000 acres.

The main attraction here absolutely is the chimney itself.

The 315-foot spire offers awesome views of Lake Lure, to the west of us, and the north of us, you can see views of the mountains.

And then if you look east and you look south, it flattens out to the Piedmont.

So on a nice clear day, you can see up to 75 miles in the distance.

- [Bobby] We were awed.

The scene from up here in Chimney Rock's amazing.

Rock formation is pretty.

- [Rob] Pretty and prehistoric, and then some.

- [Matthew] This area geologically is about 500 million years old.

And essentially the rock spire formed by erosion.

So, wind, water, ice freezing and thawing basically chiseled away softer rock, leaving behind the hard granite that we see today.

- [Rob] While Chimney Rock's surface may be hard, the trek to the top of it doesn't have to be.

- [Matthew] You can access the spire two different ways, you can hike up the Outcroppings Trail, which is 500 steps, or unique to Chimney Rock, is actually we have a 26-story elevator.

You can take a 30-second ride to the top, and that's very unique.

It's literally built into the side of the mountain.

- [Robin] We like to take advantage of that, but we also like to challenge ourself, and do some of the hikes.

So, it felt like we got a little bit of both.

It's nice to know we can still, still do something that's a little bit strenuous.

- [Olivia] Chimney Rock is beautiful.

You can see very high up, but at the same time, you know that there's still more height.

- [Matthew] The park has additional trails, up above Chimney as well.

We have one that leads to a place called the Opera Box, which is a really cool rock overhang, that you can have views down on top of the chimney.

- [Matt] I also think that the exclamation point was very, very nice as well, if you have the time, to definitely check that out, and see the amazing views.

Picturesque, great for posting on social media.

- [Matthew] You're looking at about five miles worth of trails, which doesn't sound like much, however, the elevation gain, that'll really get your heart racing.

So, it sounds like not a lot of trails, but very steep elevation trail.

- [Rob] Well, like most trails at Chimney Rock, the climbing doesn't happen all at once.

There are flat sections, to give you a chance to catch your breath.

- [Matt] It's nothing too extreme.

I saw a lot of people, families, little toddlers, really all age groups could really do these trails, and it's a good time.

- [Matthew] Well, if you haven't been to Chimney Rock, in in a while, what's new is our our stair system that we have, if you choose to hike up the stairs, is a lot wider.

There's also many places to stop and rest.

Other things that are new, is our Skyline Trail, that leads out to the top of the waterfall.

- [Rob] Yes, waterfall.

After climbing high, many Chimney Rock visitors conclude their trip with a walk back down the mountain, to a different kind of spectacular scenery.

- [Matt] Going inside the waterfall itself, actually dipping my feet in the water, feeling that really nice, cold, fresh air, it's very, very nice.

- [Matthew] The waterfall that we have, is called Hickory Nut Gorge Waterfall, and the waterfall height is about 404 feet.

- [Vijay] I'm been to Chimney Rock, but I've never been to this waterfall.

But this really beautiful place.

The water really pure and clean.

- [Rob] And rooted in pure nature.

Atop the chimney, along the trails, and wading in the water, is a chance to take a step back, and reconnect with your surroundings.

- What I hope that people come to the park, and leave with is just a greater appreciation of the beauty of nature.

Our hope is that the appreciation leads into a greater stewardship of the land.

- [Deborah] To plan your visit to Chimney Rock, go to chimneyrockpark.com.

Suppose you want to explore our state's natural beauty, by backpacking into the wilderness, but you just don't know where to start.

Producer Miriam McSpadden took her husband on his very first backpacking trip, and came back with some tips, and a beautiful story.

- Hey, we're Brian and MJ.

We've been married for the last eight years, and we are full-time filmmakers, which means we're typically behind the camera, but for this story, we thought it would be fun to take you along with us.

I grew up backpacking with my family in the mountains of Oregon my whole life, but Brian has never been backpacking before.

So, we thought it would be fun to take you along on his first backpacking trip.

- Before we get on the trail, we had to learn about the gear we need while we're out here.

We visited our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Company, and learned about all the gear that is available.

- Welcome.

- Hi, I'm Brian.

- Good to meet you, I'm Chad.

I manage Great Outdoor Provision Company's Chapel Hill, North Carolina location.

We're a local outfitter with nine outlets in North Carolina and Virginia.

I understand you need some gear.

- [Brian] Yeah, I'm a first time backpacker, and just wondering what I need.

- [Chad] Super.

I've got all kinds of ideas, let's get started.

Well footwear's where it all starts, it's where the rubber meets the road.

People think that the height of a boot is what determines its ankle support.

In fact, it's the midsole that determines a boot's ankle support largely.

Start your lacing at your toes, and cinch firm tension all the way up.

A leather boot should start off comfortable.

You should know that it's gonna get more comfortable over time, as it conforms to your foot.

[upbeat music] So, much like footwear, finding the right fit and backpack is just of critical importance.

This is the the Osprey Packsizer.

Connect the buckle there in the front.

Grab a hold of the tail of both of these pieces of webbing.

You're gonna move 'em forward and backwards.

It's gonna allow your hip crest to find the the window here on the side.

What I'm gonna do is read the back of this, to find where that bump in your neck is, that C7 vertebra, and that'll that'll help us determine what pack size to go with.

It's a 50-liter pack, take your heaviest stuff, like maybe your water, and you're gonna try and keep that as close to your body as you can.

Your camping mattress can strap to the outside.

You've also got a place where you can put your water bottles, or you can put tent poles here.

[mellow music] - Feels really good.

Ready to do 30 miles, how many miles are we doing?

- [MJ] I haven't decided yet.

- Many miles.

- Now it's time for us to think about your, your home on the road, your tent.

- [Brian] So we'll probably be looking more so at a two-person tent.

- [Chad] Sure.

And a two-person tent can still feel plenty spacious.

There's a rain fly that goes over this as well, that makes it fully sealed.

So even the biggest storm, you're not gonna get any water in.

In a high-quality tent like this, it doesn't have prominent seams on the floor, and the ones that are there, actually have seam tape over them, so you're not gonna have water oozing its way up from the ground.

Some people have called these essentials for the trail.

We've got some sunscreen, and some insect repellent.

You need a way to navigate that doesn't rely on batteries and technology.

A knife is a great thing, a folding knife is good, some people use multi-tools.

Headlamps give you light around camp.

You need some way to start a fire.

You need either an extra layer, or an emergency shelter, like we have in the Super Bivvy.

To safely drink water in the back country, you need to filter it.

Food has evolved.

Really high-quality foods, they just take five minutes, and you're eating on the trail.

We've moved more and more to butane isopropane.

You open the valve, you light a match and you're cooking.

Always important thing is some sort of a med kit.

And Adventure Medical Kits has been a provider of these for many years, and they do a great job of picking out the most essential items.

- I think we're ready to go on a trail.

- That sounds good to me.

- We are at the trail head now, with my new friend, Jim Grode.

And Jim, can you tell us a little bit about what the MST is?

- Sure.

The MST, Mountains-to-Sea Trail, is North Carolina's flagship state trail.

It stretches from Clingmans Dome, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks.

It's a beautiful trail, and a great way to learn more about North Carolina.

So we're big advocates for Leave No Trace principles.

First of those is plan and prepare.

Second is, stick to trails, and overnight right.

And that means stay in established places.

Third, trash your trash.

If you bring it in, take it back out with you.

Similar to that is, leave it as you find it.

Not only should you not leave what you brought in, but you shouldn't take things out that were already there.

Be careful with fire.

Use a campfire ring if you can, keep it small.

Keep wildlife wild.

Don't feed the bears.

Don't feed the deer.

And last, be considerate of others and share the outdoors.

- [Brian] We're super lucky you're going to be joining us for the first few miles.

- [Jim] I am really excited to get to hike with you for a little while, so let's get going.

So this white dot here, is the symbol of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

This means that there's a turn coming up.

The two dots are angled in the way that shows you which way to go.

One of the things that I love about hiking and backpacking is stopping to see what's around.

You can hear the sounds around you, better build in time to stop, and just soak in what you're doing.

Well, I think I'm gonna turn around here, but I've really enjoyed hiking with you.

I hope you have a great trip.

- [Brian] I really appreciate all the advice, and looking forward to updating you on how the rest of it goes.

[light music] ♪ - That tastes good.

It's cold.

We came from all the way down there.

That was tough.

- We're gonna set up our tent, make some dinner, and get some sleep.

Give it a try.

It tastes perfect after today.

- [MJ] 8:38, we are in bed.

- And we are ready to go to sleep.

- [MJ] Yeah.

All right.

Good night.

- Good night.

- After perfect weather yesterday.

- It's raining this morning.

So we got coffee, we got packed up, feeling better than last night, and we're ready to knock off some more miles.

- We're hoping that the rain will let up at some point, it's gonna be a bit of a soggy day.

We realize that we forgot a waterproof covering for Brian's bag.

Inside his backpack, are a few dry bags, that will help keep his clothing dry.

- [Brian] Thanks to selling me on these waterproof pants, they're coming in handy right now.

- [MJ] And the rain is really picking up again a lot.

Oh, you got water in your shoe.

Yesterday, it was the uphill that kicked our butts, and today is the downhill.

- Just taking a nice little rest.

- [MJ] And mile 10-ish.

Got an exciting obstacle ahead of us.

- I unfortunately didn't bring water shoes, so I'll be doing this barefoot.

It doesn't look too deep.

- Wow, it's cold.

Are you okay?

- Yeah.

- [MJ] Oh my gosh!

We crossed that!

- [Brian] It was a rainy day, but it's a beautiful evening now, we're just gonna enjoy it.

[light music] - Our final morning.

- Last climb.

[uplifting music] - [MJ] I think we made it to the top.

- [Brian] It was hard.

It's beautiful up here.

Now we're gonna hike back, to where we dropped off our car at the end, and go home.

- [MJ] Yeah.

[light music] ♪ We made it!

And it's something that I've dreamed of doing for a long time, and I'm really proud of you.

I think I would cry, so, good job.

- [Deborah] Great Outdoor Provision Company has stores in Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston Salem.

Find them online, at greatoutdoorprovision.com.

And to learn more about the Mountains-to-the-Sea Trail, go to mountaintoseatrail.org.

Turnipseed Nature Preserve is a great place for bird watching.

I just love exploring outdoors, and North Carolina has so many beautiful places to visit.

In fact, last summer I took my family paddling down the 11-mile Gaston County Blueway.

Come along for the adventure.

[upbeat music] ♪ - [Jo] We are in Cramerton, so we're in between like Gastonia, Charlotte area.

I'd say it's like five minutes from Gastonia, literally straight down the road, and you're right here.

It's a good little stop.

Very in the center of the major cities.

It's nice.

The outdoors.

We love it.

We love it here.

- Yes.

[both laugh] - [Deborah] And you'll probably love it too, especially for the developing attraction in this region, the 11 Mills Blueway Trail, encompassing both the South Fork and Catawba Rivers.

It's a perfect destination for an outdoor family journey.

So I brought mine, to take in the scenic historic Milltown views by water.

Our guide, John Searby of Catawba River Keeper.

- We're right in the middle of the 11 Mills Blueway, where we're sitting today.

And above us, there's a more advanced, a little more aggressive section of the river.

Tomorrow, we're gonna be on a really gentle, lower section of the river.

- These I get sent for somebody bigger.

- We'll we'll tighten up the sides, and you'll feel snug as a bug in a rug.

- I am so excited right now, because the weather is just gorgeous.

We parked very easily over at Floyd and Blackie's Coffee, walked right over here, John with Catawba River Keeper, has outfitted us for safety.

And this is the South Fork Catawba River.

What's really cool about this river, is that we're gonna be paddling a very mild stretch, and I am not an experienced kayaker, and neither is my family.

So, I am looking forward to a relaxing but fun experience.

- [John] We're gonna start at Goat Island Park, in downtown Cramerton, and we're gonna paddle about three quarters of a mile around, underneath a beautiful historic old railroad trestle, and we're gonna take out at Riverside Park, also in Cramerton.

- Yeah, everything is just beautiful.

You know, just, you know, being able to get out in nature, and enjoy ourselves, it's it's very relaxing, that's something that I wasn't expecting.

And then just to ride down, and to enjoy, take in nature, and see others who are out there, either fishing or kayaking themselves.

It's just a great way to enjoy, you know, a beautiful part of our state.

- [Deborah] The paddle was a breeze for all of us, including my daughter, Maliah, who'd never been in a kayak before.

She survived the trip without getting wet, not the experience of my husband, Jerrell, who toppled his kayak, and became a member of the South Fork Swimmers Club.

All good though, fun and safety are paramount for Catawba River Keeper.

And John had not only out outfitted us with life jackets, but his own wife and daughter as our experienced guides.

- [Josie] My name is Josie Searby, and I've been paddling for, as before I knew how to hold a paddle.

I mainly like it 'cause it's relaxing, and I love the landscape.

- [Deborah] With Catawba River Keeper's primary mission to protect and preserve the river waters, John knows the best way to get others excited about doing the same is to get them out on the water, and engaged with the river.

[upbeat music] Catawba River Keeper, together with the Carolina Thread Trail, and Cramerton Parks and Recreation, offer numerous guided tours, camps and events throughout the year.

- The communities are building kayak and canoe launches.

They're putting amenities, park amenities right next to the river.

Businesses are then sprouting up, and putting restaurants, and coffee shops, and and ice cream stands near those launches, so that when a family's out paddling, they take out, they're not in a remote area, they're in a, a cute little small downtown area, and really can make a whole day of being on the water, walking on the trail, and and hanging out at the local businesses.

- [Deborah] We were also within walking distance of Goat Island Park, a pretty open green space.

Families will love the playground, and other recreational features, like corn hole, ping pong, and disc golf.

And no need to buy equipment, you could actually just rent it, right at the nearby recreation complex.

Aim for the trees, right?

- [Eric] This is a a disc for disc golf.

It is not a Frisbee for Frisbee golf.

Disc golf is a lot like regular golf, except you're using these discs, and you're usually playing in the woods.

We've get lots of prom pictures out here, engagement photos, my son's one-year-old photos were actually taken at this tree.

So it is is probably a one of the most photographed places in Cramerton.

- [Deborah] Cramerton and Gaston County was a breath of fresh air in every way.

Friendly locals, quick to offer a smile and hello, plenty of food choices, and the natural gifts of the Catawba River.

Definitely goes on my list of favorite places to visit.

To plan your Gaston County Blueways adventure, go to gogastonnc.org.

An hour west of Wilmington, one state park has been recognized for its commitment to environmental sustainability.

Let's explore the precious habitat on our Coastal Plain at Lake Waccamaw State Park.

[dramatic music] ♪ - Say ease!

Say ease!

- [Toby] This is a a very unique body of water.

They they call this lake a one of a kind lake.

The lake itself acreage-wise is about 9,000 acres of water.

It's three miles wide by about five miles in length.

We are what's called the largest Carolina Bay Lake.

And hence bay, means when people think of bay, they think like a a coastal estuary, or a coastal body of water, it actually gets its name from bay trees, that grow in and around a a lake.

We have loblolly bay, sweet bay, and red bay.

And that's where it gets it's name Carolina Bay.

There are four creeks that feed into Lake Waccamaw, all of those are filled with what's called tannic acid, that comes from the peat soils that comes in.

So, if you were to take a clear glass, and put in Lake Waccamaw, it would look like you have a glass of tea.

That dark tannic color, comes from those tannic soils that flow into the creek.

[water splashing] Lake Waccamaw State Parks has a wide range of activities here, for for folks to do when they come in.

Our visitors love our hiking trails, coming out here to view wildlife.

We have two boardwalks, scenic boardwalks out here.

[relaxing music] Swimming is allowed in the lake.

It's basically any you can, you can access the lake at any point on the state park if you wish to go into the water.

A camper can go, we have a couple of water sites, they can they can access the lake right through their campsite, or through our Lake Shore Trail here.

You can access at any point through the state park, into the water if you choose to do that.

There are different origins or theories on how the lake formed, one of the most popular is is meteorite theory.

We also have what's called the sinkhole theory.

We have a swimming fish theory.

And the one they kind of give the most credence to these days, is called wind and wave theory.

The wind and wave action theory basically says, millions of years ago, when the waters receded to the coast, where we know the ocean is now, it left large pools of water that were out here, and the dominant wind pattern from the north, northeast that came here, made elliptical eddies basically, that carved out these oval shapes.

One of my future concerns here as superintendent, is is the protection of these waters.

We did have a scare back in 2012, we had an invasive plant called Hydrilla that came in.

If we had left that untreated, we were looking at about 95% coverage of Hydrilla, within a very short period of time, within about five or six years.

My worry is not so much of of eradicating Hydrilla, 'cause I feel that we have really got a good handle on the Hydrilla in the lake, how do we keep other invasives coming in?

So the future of this lake's gonna depend a lot on the education to the public, to make sure that people properly sanitize, and clean their boats, when they put on the waters of Lake Waccamaw, and also when they take off, because they don't want to take anything out of the lake, that could be infected to another water body, or a natural water source in and around North Carolina.

[birds chirping] [dramatic music] ♪ It's it's a peaceful place.

People just enjoy the peacefulness, the serenity of coming out here, just enjoying the wildlife viewing opportunities, enjoying a nice, you know, quiet day on the trails, picnicking, camping.

We hope to continue those opportunities for many more to enjoy.

- [Deborah] To find out more about Lake Waccamaw State Park, go to ncparks.gov.

Well, that's it for tonight's show.

We've had fun exploring the Turnipseed Nature Preserve, out here in southeastern Wake County.

It's a really beautiful place to explore if you're ever in the area.

And if you've missed anything in today's show, just remember, you can always watch us again online, at pbsnc.org.

Have a great North Carolina weekend everyone, goodnight.

[upbeat music] ♪ - [Narrator] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by, Visit NC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge, and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont, to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

[piano outro]