Celebrating the Great Outdoors!, from 2009

This I wrote  as an assignment for the Great Outdoors Month, this was written in May of 2009

http://voices.yahoo.com/celebrating-great-outdoors-3274676.html?cat=5


Celebrating the Great Outdoors!

This month is the month set aside to celebrate the great outdoors. Many people will begin to plan summer vacations this month, or will be getting outside more.

 

 

 

Something's people will do is get out and work in their yards, planting flowers, trimming bushes, planting gardens.

 

 

 

People will basically start wanting to get outside. It is a good time to begin exploring nearby parks, and to go hiking, for a picnic, to become more active in the community.

 

 

Depending on where you happen to live the opportunity to get out and do different things will vary.

Some things that you may find fun, is to either join or start a walking club. If you live in an area with plenty of safe sidewalks this would be a great way to get out in your community and actually "see" your neighborhood, and meet people.

Also if you have a regular group of friends you may also think about all going to a nearby National Forest to go hiking and take a long a picnic. This is something that would be fun, and healthy. Provided you prepare ahead of time.

Everyone needs to wear proper shoes, and carry their own water. Also a light weight hat and sun glasses would be helpful. The sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun's rays, and also may protect your eyes from something flying into them. A light weight hat with a wide brim will also help protect your face from sun damage.

If you have long hair and plan to spend much time outdoors it is a good idea to braid your hair, this makes it easier to see any ticks or bugs, it is very difficult to find ticks in long thick hair, especially if it is not braided. Keeping your hair braided when out hiking is a good idea.

Something else you should remember is to always let someone know where you are going, and when you are to be expected back. This is a good idea because if no one knows you have gone hiking, and have not returned in the time frame you had expected to return, no one will know to go look for you.
You could be injured or anything, a lot of time could be lost if no one knows to look for you. So play it safe, and make sure someone knows where you are going, and when you expect to be back. Also if at all possible keep a charged cell phone on you. (You don't want to have an uncharged cell phone that you cannot use. (This is especially important if you happen to have an emergency.)

Now, if you do decide to go hiking or camping this month, with friends or family, you should stop by the Park Office, and ask for a map of the area. These are usually free, and can be very helpful. Also you can collect these.



My children have collected many maps from state parks at different times, at one time the walls in their rooms were covered in maps, both state maps and park maps.

 

 

If you happen to be traveling this summer, when you stop at Rest Area's you can often pick up free state road maps. This is very helpful, especially if you don't have a GPS or Atlas.

 

 

You will find this month a great time to get outside and explore your world. The temperature outside is usually quiet pleasant.

Also if you plan to hike in the National Parks something that your children may find fun is the Junior Ranger program, you will have to ask the Park Ranger for details on how this works, not all State Parks have this program, but many do. Your child can earn a badge and certificate for completing each of the activities. This can be both fun and educational.

In the area where we live we are very close to many hiking areas, if we go towards the north we can go to South Mountain, where we can hike, or camp or fish. Or participate in one of the educational activities held by the park at different times. They also have a small museum, picnic tables with grills, and a separate primitive camping area. There are also horseback riding trails.

If we go towards the south east, there is Crowder's Mtn. State Park. At Crowder's Mtn. State Park you can find a fishing pond, and paddle boats that you can rent out. There are also many hiking trails, and covered picnic tables with grills. You will also find ducks on and around the pond.

Something to remember if you do plan to go to Crowder's Mtn. it is very important to stay on the marked trails, as people have fallen to their deaths when they have left the trail up along the rock cliffs. If you have children who may not follow directions well, I would not take them up the steeper trails, I would just walk around the pond area as it is much safer, and not very strenuous.

Not too far from Crowder's Mtn. is Kings Mtn. Battlefield. They have a museum, and a movie you can watch, they also have a paved walking trail, with markers along the way that detail different things that happened during the Battle of Kings Mtn.

There are also camping areas, and horseback trails, in addition to many other trails, not all of the trails are paved.

You can also find a replica of a small farm, it is a historical farm, at certain times of the year the cabin is open so you can walk inside. Most of the year though it is a self-guided tour, but during the living history days you can see how to make molasses, fire a musket, tie a quilt, and a variety of other things.

There is also a lake where you can rent small boats to go fishing.


If you go further south there is a place called Cow Pens' National Park, there is a wide mostly flat trail that would be very easy for someone who may have to use a wheel chair, or at least not as difficult as a narrow rugged trail. It is not paved though.

 

 

They do have a museum and gift shop. Also my children have participated in the Junior Ranger program there, but it was a long time ago. I believe that they still have this program but I am not positive.

 

 

There is a picnic area, and they do have living history days, and re-enactment days. This can be a fun and educational place to visit.



Okay, now if you turn west from where I live you can go towards the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Mountains.

As you enter the Blue Ridge Mountains Parkway, you will find many places to go camping, hiking and even find a few places along the way to buy gifts to take home, or to give to others.

One of our favorite places to picnic along the Parkway is a small picnic area named Crap Tree Meadows, it is a very pretty area with many picnic tables, and clean rest rooms, but no walking trails. It is a pretty place to take a break and relax and you can take some pretty pictures.

Another place you may like to visit is Mtn. Mitchell. There is a gift shop, camping areas, and walking trails, and a concession stand. There is plenty of parking in this area. Also even in the heat of summer this area is pretty cool temperature wise, because of the elevation.

 

 

There is a tower you can walk up a trail to a lookout tower where you can look out over the mountains, you can see a very long way.

 

 

Below I have a couple links you may find helpful if you decide,
You may find that visiting our National Parks to be fun, educational and affordable. Especially if you live near many National Parks as I happen to.

 

 

http://www.us-national-parks.net/

http://www.us-national-parks.net/state/

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.cfm