Description
Ridge’s Mountain Nature Preserve Hike
Cost: Free
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Description
Ridge’s Mountain Nature Preserve is a biological, geological, and historical treasure that is located approximately 10 miles west of Asheboro. We’ll explore this 284-acre preserve by hiking the trail that follows the ridgeline of the mountain to the summit at 840 feet and then loops back down. We’ll pass several upland pools that provide important salamander breeding habitat and an old stone wall that is reminiscent of the site’s historical significance as part of the Great Trading Path. As we approach the summit, we’ll enter a monadnock forest that is strewn with interesting rock formations and massive boulders that are up to 50 feet tall! Ridge’s Mountain contains several rare communities that provide critical habitat for amphibians, reptiles, and songbirds.
2022 Dates:
- Saturday, May 7, 2022 (Registration Full)
- Saturday, October 1, 2022 (Registration Full)
If registration is full you can join the waitlist by emailing lisa.newton@nczoo.org. Please include the hike and date of interest along with number of participants. We will contact you if space becomes available.
Purgatory Mountain Trails Hike
Cost: Free
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Description
Join a Zoo naturalist to spend some time in Purgatory! Purgatory Mountain is adjacent to the Zoo and often considered to be the geographical center of North Carolina. This natural area supports mature forests that provide excellent habitat for wildlife, including a diversity of songbirds, salamanders, box turtles, foxes, and bobcats. We’ll hike to the top of the mountain at 935 feet and discuss the natural and cultural history of the area, including several possible explanations for how the mountain got its name. We’ll learn about the monadnock forest at the summit, see a restoration site for the endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower, and encounter a diversity of wildlife, plants, and fungi.
2022 Dates:
- Saturday, September 3, 2022 (Registration Full)
If registration is full you can join the waitlist by emailing lisa.newton@nczoo.org. Please include the hike and date of interest along with number of participants. We will contact you if space becomes available.
Ward Nature Preserve Hike
Cost: Free
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Description
Ward Nature Preserve protects 296 acres at the headwaters of Bachelor Creek, approximately 3 miles south of the Zoo. This scenic preserve features mature hardwood forest and picturesque views of the creek. This property is not generally open to the public, so this is a special opportunity to learn more about the land that the Zoo protects. We’ll follow a short trail to Bachelor Creek and then leave the trail to walk through the forest to the top of a scenic knoll and then loop back down. Our path will follow the meandering creek and offer scenic views of lush, fern-covered slopes. The mature forest on this site is brimming with a diversity of songbirds and other wildlife. Please note that most of this hike will take place through the forest and not along a developed trail. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are recommended.
2022 Dates:
- Saturday, July 2, 2022 (Registration Full)
- Saturday, November 5, 2022 (Registration Full)
If registration is full you can join the waitlist by emailing lisa.newton@nczoo.org. Please include the hike and date of interest along with number of participants. We will contact you if space becomes available.
Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve Hike
Cost: Free
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Description
Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve is the largest remaining known stand of old-growth Piedmont longleaf pine in North Carolina. This 116-acre preserve is located approximately 20 miles south of Asheboro. This property is not generally open to the public, so this is a special opportunity to learn more about the land that the Zoo protects. Longleaf pine forests are rare and home to a suite of endemic species. We’ll learn about what makes this ecosystem unique and see trees that are more than 200 years old and others with the characteristic catface scars from when the trees were used for the turpentine industry. We’ll also discuss how the Zoo is managing the property using prescribed fire and other management tools to restore the longleaf pine community. Please note that most of this hike will take place through the forest and not along a developed trail. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are recommended.
2022 Dates:
- Saturday, August 6, 2022 (Registration Full)
- Saturday, December 3, 2022 (Registration Full)
If registration is full you can join the waitlist by emailing lisa.newton@nczoo.org. Please include the hike and date of interest along with number of participants. We will contact you if space becomes available.
Additional Program Info:
- Cost is free but preregistration is required for all participants
- Registration does not include admission to the Zoo
- Meeting location and driving directions will be provided in the registration confirmation email
- Each hike is limited to 15 participants, with a minimum of 2 participants required
- Minimum age requirement is 8 years
- All children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult
- No pets permitted
Equipment Recommendations:
- Comfortable closed-toe walking shoes
- Water
- Insect Repellant
- Sunscreen
Don't Bring:
- Pets
- Flip flops or backless shoes
- Valuables
- Alcohol or drugs