GetHiking! MST at Falls Lake: The Long Haul

At 7.3 miles, the stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from NC 98 to NC 50 is the longest unbroken run of the MST along Falls Lake. Hiking east from NC 98, we start out along the south shore of the lake, then head upland through a hardwood forest. At one point, we catch a glimpse of the Rollingview Marina, at the mid-point we walk through an old farm, between a tobacco barn and what appears to be the foundation of an old dairy barn. We'll take a break here to check out this remnant of the pre-Falls Lake past. We finish up back along the lake.

Considering the rolling terrain and the distance, we'll rate this hike of moderate difficulty. Trekking poles are advised for this hike, and you should bring two liters of water and snacks. Four days out from the hike, we're looking at seasonal temperatures of around 50 under mostly sunny skies. We'll issue a weather update Friday afternoon to those who've signed up for the hike.