GetHiking! at the Uwharrie National Forest's Birkhead Wilderness

The name is a bit deceptive: The trails are blazed and clear, there's a directional sign or two and there's even a sign or two of the area's human past. Otherwise, yes, it's a wilderness. It's also a great 7.2-mile loop hike in the Uwharrie National Forest of central North Carolina. The Uwharries are an ancient mountain range once thought to rise more than 20,000 feet above sea level; today, the highest "peaks" top out below 1,000 feet. We'll hike through maturing Piedmont hardwoods that should still be exhibiting fall color. We'll encounter longer climbs and descents than we have so far, good preparation for our Hanging Rock hike at the end of the month. We'll carpool to this hike (note the meeting place, at Streets of Southpoint in Durham); it's about an hour's drive (two down and back) and the hike should last about three hours, so plan accordingly.