Lake Waccamaw State Park

 

Lake Waccamaw State Park is a relatively small state park (~2400 acres) on the southern end of Lake Waccamaw. The lake is a beautiful, but fairly shallow carolina bay lake in the outer coastal plain of North Carolina. The lake is one of my favorite spots to explore near Wilmington, we've been there several times. I camped out there for a rainy night in January 2021, with Marvin, our black lab mutt.

monarch butterfly

found this beautiful eastern king snake along the trail 

Nymphea

a beautiful golden silk orb-weaver

yellow rat snake

The low-head dam at the end of trail, on the western edge of the park. This is also the outlet for the lake. 

Birkhead Mountain Wilderness

In early December 2020, me and our rescue mutt, Marvin, hiked Birkhead Mountain Trail in the Birkhead Mountain Wilderness, in Uwharrie National Forest. The designated wilderness area is relatively small at 5,160 acres, and contain what some geologists consider the oldest mountains on the continent. The "mountains" today are more like big hills at 600-1,000 feet elevation. 

Ilex opaca, american holly

The trail starts from the parking lot at the historic Lewis-Thornburg Farm House, it has some interesting out buildings you can explore before the proper trail starts. 

Uwharrie National Forest is composed of Southeastern mixed pine and oak forests, characteristic of the southeastern piedmont. 

The Birkhead Mountain Trail loop is approximately 12 miles and covers beautiful forest with exposed bedrock along sections, and several creeks. It's definitely worth checking out!