YOU’RE NEVER TOO FAR FROM…A North Carolina State Park

With all of the recreational opportunities right here at Belmont Lake Preserve, why would you ever want to leave? Sometimes it can be nice to get away just for the afternoon and see a North Carolina State Park—and Medoc Mountain State Park is only 24 miles from Belmont Lake Preserve.

Don’t expect a lot of ‘mountain’ at North Carolina State Park, Medoc Mountain  near Hollister in Halifax County. The highest point is only 325 feet above sea level, eroded peak formed by volcanic action some 300 million years ago. What you will find is a peaceful serenity among the park’s wooded slopes, hiking trails, open meadow, and Fishing Creek that meanders for a couple of miles through the park.

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great-state-park6This North Carolina State Park has 10 miles of trails that are the best way to explore Medoc Mountain State Park, and most are an easy hike. Winding through the rolling terrain you’ll see an artesian well, miniature rapids, and granite outcroppings that are a remnant of the range of mountains that existed in eastern North Carolina long ago. There are bridle trails for equestrians with convenient trailhead parking. And twice each year (in May and October) there are trail races ranging from 5k to a marathon that wind through the park. (More information is available at medoctrailraces.com and medocspringrace.com.)

If you’d prefer a less strenuous outing at this North Carolina State Park, Medoc Mountain also offers fishing and picnicking. Little Fishing Creek is one of the cleanest streams in North Carolina and in its gently flowing waters you may hook a sunfish, bluegill, or largemouth bass. There’s a choice of picnic locations with 30 tables and 8 grills in shaded woods and the park’s open meadow. In addition to tables and grills, the picnic shelter features a fireplace with restrooms and a water fountain nearby.

Medoc Mountain State Park offers campsites (some with electrical hook-ups) and a variety of programs throughout the year. Educational opportunities include interpretive programs led by park rangers on topics including ecology, geology, astronomy (Medoc Mountain is one of the best locations in the state to observe the night sky), and our relationship with the natural world. You can pick up plant and animal checklists at the park office and discover the park’s varied wildlife on your own. You just may see flying squirrels, river otter, white-tailed deer, or even the rare Carolina mudpuppy (a large salamander) during your afternoon at Medoc Mountain. Bring your binoculars for excellent birdwatching in the forest canopy and along Fishing Creek.great-state-park2

Medoc Mountain State Park is open daily (except Christmas) from 8am to 5pm. Check the State Parks website (at ncparks.gov) for a schedule of programs and activities.

Directions: From Rocky Mount, take I-95 north to exit 160 (Halifax), then NC-561 west for 9 miles to Medoc Mountain State Park, entry sign on the left at SR-1322.

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The Mighty Sea Turtles of Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Every year a cycle of life occurs on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore when female sea turtles return to the beaches where they were born to lay the next generation. The sea turtle emerges from the ocean to make her way ponderously up the beach where, after crawling to a place she deems appropriate, she digs a hole with her back flippers to lay her eggs. Once she covers the nest, this majestic reptile slowly makes her way back to the ocean using light cues. The nesting process can take between 1-3 hours to complete. A couple of months later, the nest seems to boil over as tiny turtles struggle out of their shells, out of their nest, and, out across a beach full of hazards by the light of the moon to their new home – the ocean.

738px-Turtle_hatchling_close-up,_Texas_(5984381381)Sea turtles, some of the largest living reptiles seen on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are long-lived, cold-blooded, air breathing, migratory, and spend almost their entire lives in the sea. They range in size from the smallest species weighing 75-100 pounds to the largest species weighing almost 2,000 pounds. Visitors can tell the difference between a land or pond turtle and a sea turtle by their front limbs. Sea turtles have flippers, whereas land and pond turtles have feet with claws.

Leatherback_sea_turtle_Tinglar,_USVI_(5839996547)There are five species of sea turtles found along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore – the leatherback, hawksbill (rarely seen), Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead and green. While all five of these sea turtle species can be found in Seashore waters throughout the year, it is the female loggerhead and green turtles—and occasional leatherback and Kemp’s ridley turtles—that nest on these beaches, which are considered to be the extreme northern limits of their nesting grounds.

Opportunities

Every day, trained volunteers walk the beaches not only at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s 320-mile coastline with an eye to turtle activity. These citizen scientists takes steps to protect nests from predators, stand by to assist when the hatchlings emerge en masse and head to the sea, and scour the strand for turtles in distress. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission oversees their work through community programs with a combined membership of 1,200 to 1,500 volunteers.

Visitors can use encounters with turtle watchers as learning opportunities. Public “turtle talk” events are also offered by local organizations, including:

Programs are also offered by:

Beachgoers can help the cause with measures as simple as picking up trash and keeping light to a minimum. Learn more about protecting turtles on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and everywhere else at seaturtle.org.

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Rocky Mount Receives Award as One of the Great Places in North Carolina

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Great Places in North Carolina

The American Planning Association (APA) recently recognized the City of Rocky Mount and continued their revitalization and beautification efforts to downtown, which is just a few minutes from your new home at Belmont Lake Preserve, making them one of only six communities statewide to receive a Great Places in North Carolina award for Main Street.

The city’s efforts to add to the already beautiful and historic downtown area was the basis for their receiving of the Great Places in North Carolina recognition, as Rocky Mount was honored in the “Professional’s Category,” with Main Street being recognized with the 2016 “Great Main Street In-the-Making Award.”

This honor marks the first time that the city of Rocky Mount has been bestowed one of the prestigious Great Places in North Carolina awards, which first were handed out to municipalities by the American Planning Association in 2012. The APA spoke of the six communities (including Rocky Mount) in the announcement of this years’ winners on their website, stating, “These communities represent some of the best planning efforts in North Carolina, and serve as models for visioning, partnerships, and collaboration.” Rocky Mount was recognized and actually received the award at an event held this summer during “Town Hall Day,” which was held in Raleigh.

The Great Places in North Carolina program was initially created five years ago as a way to honor the great communities across the state and the hard working people who have gone above and beyond to make them even greater. The APA website further explains the program and their reason for starting the program, noting, “North Carolina is full of amazing places that make this state a wonderful place to live, bring important money and jobs into our economy, and keep our communities thriving. Many people work hard to create, sustain, and improve these places, including citizens, planners, business leaders, and elected officials. This is a chance for everyone to celebrate together!”

To read more about Rocky Mount’s Main Street gaining recognition and the Great Places in North Carolina program, visit apa-nc.org.

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