Hillsborough-MST Birthday Hike

LOCATION: Hike to and around Occoneechee Mountain from Gold Park on the western side of Hillsborough, with option to hike to Farmer's Market afterwards for brunch

TIME: Meet at 9 am on Saturday, September 7

HIKE DESCRIPTION: With a summit at 867 feet above sea level making Occoneechee Mountain the highest point between Hillsborough and the coast, this little-known state park presents several trails that might possibly provide the closest simulation to mountain climbing you can get without leaving the Triangle. We'll do a combination of trails to get an altitude gain of 1,000 feet in 5 miles (no climbing involved). Total distance for the event will be about 6 miles.

LENGTH OF HIKE: 6 Miles

DIFFICULTY: Challenging

MEETING LOCATION: Pavilion at Gold Park. 415 Dimmocks Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278.

GPS: 36°04'14.6"N 79°06'40.6"W

HIKE LEADER: Jae Furman, OutdoorsEvents@gmail.com

HIKE LOGISTICS: We'll try to maintain an average pace of 3.0 mph with one brief stop at the overlook so we can enjoy a view of treetops as far as the eye can see. Sturdy, closed-toe shoes and a water bottle are recommended. No dogs. We'll hike in drizzle, mist or chance of rain. Bring a dry set of clothes to leave in your vehicle, just in case. Actual rain at the start or slippery conditions will cause the hike to be cancelled.

STICK AROUND HILLSBOROUGH: In the spirit of Mountains-to-Sea Trail birthday events going on this weekend, you can consider continuing to Weaver Street Market for a birthday brunch (outdoor tables with a sheltered roof providing shade). This would add another mile for participants choosing this option. For brunch, you are encouraged to bring a token that fits in your pocket (object, poem, story, etc.) to share in show-and-tell format. The token would be something from your travels. To add fun and suspense, we won't reveal our tokens until we are gathered for brunch.

DONATIONS WELCOME. WHILE THE HIKE IS FREE, WE WELCOME YOU TO BUY A SHIRT AND CONTRIBUTE TO HELP FRIENDS OF THE MST CONTINUE TO BUILD, PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE TRAIL FOR YOU AND OTHERS TO ENJOY FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU.