The days are short. The temps are low. The landscape is gray. The wind blows cold. Winter is surely the worst possible season to pull on the hiking boots and head out the door, right?
Wrong. In many ways, winter may be the best of the seasons to enjoy the miles of hiking trails in close proximity to Gaston County. Consider:
No varmints are prowling the woods, ready to turn a happy hike into an itchy ordeal or, worse, a trip to the emergency room.
No mosquitoes will be buzzing around your ears, nose, and mouth — ready to enjoy a bountiful picnic at your expense.
No ticks will be waiting in the tall grass to stealthily climb your legs and develop an attachment that could prove to be just an annoyance or an unexpected dose of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Jake the Snake will not be curled beside that log you’re about to step over or sunning himself on the rock face which would otherwise be the perfect stopping point for lunch.
And the yellow jackets, wasps, hornets and bees who would just love to swarm upon you if you come to close to their house. They’re asleep. Dormant. No danger.
Gone also are the blistering temperatures and stifling humidity that in the summer can turn a dry T-shirt into a wet one in a matter of minutes and even a short, moderate hike into a grueling death march.
Still not convinced?
Consider that the Carolina sky is never more clear than in the winter when the days are clear, crisp and dry. The views from the mountain tops stretch for miles, unmarred by the haze and smog that so often mark the other seasons.
Yes, the woods are gray and stark. But that makes the flashes of color — a cardinal darting from tree to tree, a blue jay squawking at you as you near his nest, or a white-tailed deer fleeing deeper into the forest — all the more vivid.
And yes, the forests are quiet. So quiet you can hear the wind singing in the trees. So quiet that movement of any animal is instantly recognizable. So quiet that you can clear your mind or fill it with the deepest thoughts possible.
On a recent cold, late January morning, I set out on the longest winter hike I have attempted — the 18-mile trek from the visitors center at Kings Mountain National Military Park in South Carolina to the Linwood Road access of Crowders Mountain State Park just west of Gastonia.
The temperature was a brisk 25 degrees and the wind was blowing stiffly when I exited my friend’s van and told him I would see him in eight hours or so. As he drove away and I turned toward the trail, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “What in the world am I doing?”
But as I entered the woods, found my pace, and began to warm up, my thought was, “This is going to be fun!” And indeed it was.
My first few miles were logged on the 16-mile loop trail that circles through both the national military park and Kings Mountain State Park. A little more than an hour into the trek, I turned north onto the Ridgeline Trail, headed for Crowders.
It is this amazing Ridgeline Trail, which has been open only for four years, which allows a spirited hiker to encounter three parks, two states, and 18 miles of well-blazed trail, all in a single day.
Some highlights of the day:
- The solitude. For nearly 10 miles, I did not encounter another hiker, walker or runner. No one. The world was my own.
- The weather. The January sky was half cloud, half sun for the entire day. The temperature rose out of the 20s and into the mid-30s, with a brisk wind. Simply invigorating.
- The views. Amazing. Most of the trail wanders through open, mature hardwood forests. With the leaves gone, the vistas rolled for miles in every direction.
- The final summit. As I sat on a rock ledge atop Crowders Mountain at 4:30 p.m. with the sun setting behind me, Charlotte glistened like a golden Emerald City to the east, and the only sound to be heard was the singing of the January wind.
- The satisfaction. I walked out of the woods as twilight began to descend – hungry, tired, beginning to get cold but warmed by the satisfaction that I had indeed completed the journey I had planned to make. Eighteen miles in eight and a half hours. Truly a day well spent.
Could such a hike be done in warmer weather? Sure. But it’s hard to imagine it being anywhere nearly as enjoyable as it was on that cold, late January day.
Where to Hike
While winter can indeed be a great season for hiking in the Piedmont and foothills, it’s far more dicey in the Blue Ridge and the other high mountain ranges to our north and west.
In particular, trails in the Pisgah National Forest tend to be poorly signed and even more poorly blazed. Plus winter creek crossings, with bone-chilling water and ice-covered rocks, are a recipe for disaster.
Luckily, Gaston County hikers have a plethora of possible destinations just a short drive away. Among them:
Crowders Mountain State Park
Hikes here can be easy (a stroll around the lake) or strenuous (the ascent of Kings Pinnacle) but all are on well-signed, frequently blazed trails with bridges over even the smallest creeks.
Kings Mountain State Park
Just a short drive down Interstate 85, this park, as noted, features a 16-mile hiking trail for the all-day adventurer but one which can be easily broken up into shorter “out and back” hikes of just a few miles. My favorite: the out and back to the summit of Brown Mountain.
South Mountains State Park
This park, the largest in the North Carolina system, offers the best of both worlds — 40 miles of hiking trails that provide a measure of solitude hard to obtain anywhere else, but with excellent signs, frequent blazes and bridges over major creeks.
Catawba County
A couple of excellent winter hiking destinations: River Bend Park and Bakers Mountain Park. Check out the Catawba County Parks website, CatawbaCountyNC.gov/parks for more information on each.
Pointers for a winter hike
Winter hiking can be enjoyable but it does require a little more planning than is needed for other seasons. Some tips to remember:
- Although the days are lengthening, sunset still comes early. Plan accordingly. And remember state parks close at 6 p.m. through the end of February. Give yourself plenty of time to get out of the woods before darkness descends.
- Don’t overestimate your abilities or how much distance you can cover. Hiking is very different than walking on a paved track or a sidewalk. Two to two and a half miles per hour is a good hiking pace. It will be even slower on steep ascents or in rugged terrain.
- Dress in layers. Chill Carolina mornings can sometimes warm into mild afternoons (if you’re lucky.) If it is very cold, a good base layer is essential, and several lighter layers are more effective at holding body heat than one heavy coat.
- Always carry snacks, water, a flashlight, and a cell phone, even if you’re planning on hiking just a few miles. Toilet paper is also a possible luxury.
- And finally, many “experts” argue against hiking alone. I can’t do that because I love being in the woods by myself. But if you are flying solo, make sure someone knows where you are and when you should come out of the woods.