GetHiking! Winter Wild: Butner Gamelands at Falls Lake

Winter is the honest season. Stripped of busy ground cover, an obscuring understory and a thick canopy, winter keeps no secrets. Stone foundations from homesteads long abandoned lie exposed. Distant mountain peaks are revealed. Critters have nowhere to hide. It’s the perfect time to be in the woods. Especially if you head off the beaten path.
That's the aim of our new Winter Wild Hike Series. We'll take you to five places you may have hiked, but explore portions of them we're pretty sure you haven't set foot. In most cases, we'll start out on trail, but we won't stay there long. We'll spend most of each hike using abandoned roadbeds and game paths to discover the hidden secrets exposed by winter.
About the series
Number of hikes: 3 remaining
Length: Generally in the 6- to 8-mile range
When: Saturdays starting at 9 a.m. See destinations below for dates.
Cost: $35 per hike, or pay $55 for the remaining three-hike series.
What the fee includes: In addition to the hike, you will receive an eguide covering where we’ll explore and what we expect to find. On hike day, you’ll receive a custom map of the hike.
Prerequistes? Map and compasses skills are recommended but not required. If you're interested in obtaining said skills, sign up for the series and get 20 percent off the cost of our GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods course.
Our Destinations
Butner Game Lands, Falls Lake State Recreation Area, Creedmoor. Saturday, January 11, 9 a.m. Objective: Wetlands and waterfowl habitat on north side of Falls Lake. 7-9 miles
Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury. Saturday February 22, 9 a.m. Objectives: Off-trail peaks in the park, a plane crash site, the recently added Mill Creek grasslands. 8 miles.
Umstead State Park, Raleigh, Saturday, Jan. 5, 9 a.m. Objectives: a mature beech grove, the park’s CCC camp, a short-lived Boy Scout camp, a homestead or two. 6-8 miles.