Stones Creek Game Land Hike with Gathering Keynote Speaker Julie Moore 

Meet at the Stones Creek Game Lands entrance on Highway 210, GPS coordinates 34°33'28.4"N 77°26'48.0"W (34.557886, -77.446672), Sneads Ferry, NC 28460. 
(This entrance is directly across from Dixon Elementary School, 130 Betty Dixon Rd, Holly Ridge, NC 28445. If the trailhead lot is full, park at the elementary school.)

Hike across Stones Creek Game Land to complete another hike in the 40 Hike Challenge. This 3.5-mile hike traverses the Game Land, a little-known enclave nestled into Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. Much of what is now the game land has historically been converted to pine plantation, some of which has been heavily timbered. Under the management of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, efforts are underway to restore the native longleaf pine savannas that historically grew here. Much of the land through which this hike passes has been planted in young longleaf pine and, over the years, hikers will be able to watch it transform into a mature, highly diverse habitat. Even now, the area hosts a diverse abundance of wildlife and plants, including several endangered species.

Our keynote speaker Julie Moore, who spent much of her career working in longleaf pine forests, will meet the group at the start to help you understand what is happening on the land and how to envision the beautiful open wiregrass savannah that should be established within a decade or two.

This is a 3.5-mile linear hike so we will need to set shuttles before the hike starts.  Hike leader is David Bland.   PLEASE NOTE: Hikers will not be back in time for the start of the Soundside Park events, and may not be back for bridge hike.  David has offered to lead hikers to local dining spots after the hike if not headed immediately back to Surf City. If this is appealing to you, let David know during the hike. 

Please consider carpooling to the hike start.  Once the meeting is over, gather by 2:45 at the flagpole outside of the Community Center to carpool.  Once we get all hikers to the trailhead, we’ll set shuttles to the opposite side of the gamelands and get underway.