Offerings

We meet in parking lots of various designated parks and start out walking from a meeting point to the trails. These trails are relatively level with slight inclines and declines. Some people bring walking sticks to support balancing but these casual walks can be done with ease. Don’t be surprised if we come across stunning waterfalls, picturesque streams, scenic and magnificent nature, and, depending on the trail – few, or many people.

As with any hiking outing, Pender will select the trail and drive out to examine it for its level of difficulty and report back before the outing is announced to the public. We have hiked easy, moderate and strenuous levels of trails. Easy - 6 miles or less with gentle elevation gains and losses of 250 to 1,300 feet. Moderate – 6-10 miles with varied terrain and gradual elevation gains and losses of 1,000 to 2,500 feet. Strenuous – 9 or more miles with significant elevation gains and losses greater than 2,500 feet. Below is information for the benefit of safety and awareness:

Pathways to Parks, has camped with individual campers who have various levels of experience when it comes to overnight stays in the outdoors. We camp with small tents and there are usually less than 5-8 campers. Everyone brings their own camping equipment and we always have an extra 2 person tent if someone wants to ‘try’ camping out before investing in tent equipment. There are a number of designated camping areas in western North Carolina that are near-by and safe. Everyone adheres to basic camp rules.

The Gorge offers a great zip-lining canopy tour. You can zip 1,100 feet in elevation from tree-top t0 tree-top overlooking 18,000 acres of protected Green River Gamelands. There are 11 zip lines spanning 1.25 miles. Everyone reserves and pays their individual fees. Weight requirements have to be met along with safety, age, and physical standards.

The greater Hendersonville/Asheville area offers some of the best places for guided Horseback Riding and lessons. Due to the current pandemic situation some facilities are taking extra safety measures. Saddle Up Trail Rides is a family owned and operated horseback guide service and have special permits in order to take clients into the Pisgah National Forest. Cedar Creek Stables is family owned and operated offering a variety of activities for folks of all ages. It’s nestled around Lake Lure; Sandy Bottom Trail Rides is located on a secluded ranch minutes north of Asheville, NC that has been in the family for four generations. Their picturesque trails pass through the high country, scenic mountain meadows and wooded areas of Madison County. Black Cherry Farm is another one, just to name a few. Rides are done by reservations and are usually from 1 or 2 hours and some offer all day ride prices.

Grab a pair of binoculars and head out with us as we birdwatch in any given state park or reserve area. There is a lot more to bird watching than just watching. If you’re not engaging your auditory sense, you may be missing more than half the birds around you! One of the premier hiking trails in North Carolina is called the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. It’s 500 miles from the barrier islands of the Outer Banks to the Appalachians Mountains near Tennessee. Over that span, elevation ranges from seal level to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the United States east of the Mississippi River. There are many close by areas to bird watch.