2022 Hiking Superlatives
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” - Dr. Suess
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao Tzu
The 2022 Year In Review -
In 2022, Ginger and I hiked over 250 miles on fifty-two hikes in four states and four countries! Wow, it was quite a year and quite an accomplishment for two people with full-time jobs, three kids, and a host of other commitments. We both turned fifty at the beginning of 2022 and accomplished our goal of doing fifty hikes for fifty years, even with a few extra thrown in for good measure.
The 2022 Hiking Superlatives -
This year, instead of doing a year-end list of my favorite hikes, I opted to have a little fun and create a list of hiking superlatives, similar to what you might find in a high school yearbook. Each hike was unique, yet there were several that really stood out. Below is a brief description of each superlative, and a link to the corresponding blog post. I hope you will take a minute to read a few of them, and perhaps even give one a try in 2023. A map at the end of this blog will help you with the locations. Happy hiking!
Hardest Hike - Black Mountain Crest Trail to Mt. Mitchell - Burnsville, NC
Known as the “Death March”, the Black Mountain Crest Trail (BMC) is generally regarded to be one of the toughest trails in the SouthEast. The BMC is a thirteen-mile peak-baggers dream, with over eight different six-thousand-foot peaks each offering stunning views ending at Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/blackmountaincresttrail
Runner Up - Rock Castle Gorge Trail at Rocky Knob Recreation Area - Woolwine, VA
Best Waterfalls - Waterfall Trails at Dupont State Park - Cedarwood, NC
Dupont State Park is known around the country and world with three of its waterfalls, Bridal Veils, High Falls, and Triple Falls all featured prominently in the movies The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans. Using caution, of course, you can stand in the spot where Katniss locates Peeta hidden at the base of Triple Falls or take a picture where Hawkeye kisses Cora high atop Bridal Veils Falls. My teenage son even thought that was cool!
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/dupontstatepark
Runner Up - Linville Falls - Marion, NC
Best Overall - Alum Cave Trail to Mt. Leconte - Great Smoky Mountains
The twelve-mile Alum Cave Trail to Mount Leconte is a hiking and outdoor enthusiast’s dream, with abundant water, views, adventure, length, difficulty, and many items of special interest including a million-year-old tunnel, a giant bluff, massive rockslides, and a gorgeous gorge filled with three-hundred-year-old trees once home to the Cherokee. The trail is long and strenuous, yet the rewards are great and well worth the effort.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/alumcavetomtlecounte
Runner Up - Apple Orchard Falls and Cornelius Creek Trails - Jefferson National Forest, VA
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/appleorchardfalls
Bronze - The South Mountains State Park Trails - Connelly Springs, NC
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/southmountains
Honorable Mention - Clingmans Dome via The Appalachian Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/Clingmansdome
Honorable Mention - Flat Top Tower and Trout Lake Trails at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park - Blowing Rock, NC
Best International Hike - Seven Rila Lakes In The Rila Mountains - Bulgaria
The Seven Rila Lakes are a group of glacial lakes, situated between 7000 and 8000 feet in elevation above sea level. It is one of my favorite hikes of all time, having almost everything I look for in a hike and more. The only negative perhaps is the number of people, yet with the vastness of the area, it never feels crowded.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/Sevenrilalakes
Runner Up - Opera Bosco Nature Museum Trail and the Narce Path Loop Trail in the Treja Valley Regional Park - Italy
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/trejavalleyregionalpark
Best Greensboro Area Hike - The Bald Eagle Trail
The Bald Eagle Trail is an easy hike through a dense forest skirting the shores of Lake Higgins, providing beautiful views and scenery for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. We started at the trailhead at the Lake Higgins Marina off Hamburg Mill Road yet there are multiple trailheads to choose from for different experiences.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/baldeagletrail
Runner Up - Knight Brown Nature Preserve - Stokesdale, NC
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/knightbrownnaturepreserve
Bronze - Salem Lake Trail - Winston Salem, NC
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/salemlakews
Honorable Mention - Iron Ore Belt Access Trails at Haw River State Park - Greensboro, NC
Best Family Friendly Hike - Dunn’s Mountain Park and Dan Nicholas Park Trails - Salisbury, NC
Dunn's Mountain Park and Dan Nicholas Park Trails are excellent destinations for families looking to enjoy the great outdoors and unique environments not usually found in this area.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/dunnsmountainpark
Runner Up - Raven Rock State Park - Lillington, NC
Most Historic Hike - The Underground Railroad Trail in Guilford Woods - Guilford College
Almost lost in a bustling area of Greensboro near the college filled with development - dorms, houses, restaurants, gas stations, and shops - off Friendly Avenue and Guilford College Road, the revered Underground Railroad Trail serves as a connection to our past and a reminder of the work that is still needed to be done.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/undergroundrailroad
Runner Up - Bold Moon Preserve Trail - McLeansville, NC
Most Surprisingly Pleasant Hike - Fairy Stone State Park - Stuart, VA
Fairy Stone State Park is home to legendary fairy stones and is well known for its beautiful 168-acre lake and eleven easy-to-moderate multi-use trails that crisscross the magnificent park.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/fairystonestateparkva
Runner Up - West House Trail - Greensboro, NC
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/westhousetrail
Most Disappointing Hike - Seven Sisters and the Black Mountain Wilderness Trails - Montreat, NC
The Seven Sisters and The Black Mountain Wilderness Trails were a wonderful experience and a true blessing to be able to do it with my sister, yet I don’t think I would make a special trip to do it again.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/sevensisters
Runner Up - The Spence Ridge Trail to Linville River - Spruce Pine, NC
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/spenceridgetrail
Most Remote Hike - Riverbluffs Trail at Hanging Rock State Park - Danbury, NC
The Riverbluffs Trail is a short but fun trail that takes you along a beautiful stretch of the Dan River with many picturesque shoals, rapids, and exposed cliffs.
https://www.hikemoreworryless.com/blog/riverbluffstrail
Runner Up - The Leatherwood Mountain Trails - Ferguson, NC
Maps -
Sassafras and Skinks