Step into New Year with hike at Morrow Mountain

Published 12:09 am Sunday, December 28, 2014

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be more active, Morrow Mountain State Park in Albemarle is offering a First Day Hike to jumpstart your resolve.

The hike is the perfect opportunity to ”walk off those holiday meals we tend to overindulge in” and “start the new year with good physical activity,” according to Greg Schneider, park superintendent.

The annual hike begins at 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day, and park rangers will lead attendees on a nearly 3-mile trek along the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail.

“Even though it’s only a two-hour hike, it is a kind of strenuous trail,” Schneider said.

Schneider recommends that attendees wear sturdy shoes and that they bring water and even some light snacks, such as trail mix or granola bars.

Due to the difficulty of the trail, he said children under of the age of 6 shouldn’t participate in the hike.

The trail is rugged and includes a significant change in elevation as it ascends to the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain.

“There’s some wonderful views from up there,” Schneider said. “With the leaves down, you can see great distances.”

“It’s a pretty stunning place to visit,” he said, adding, “You have some wonderful overlooks and views.”

Hikers will be able go through prehistoric quarries used by Native Americans to collect stone for tools and projectile points, Schneider said.

The park is the third-oldest state park in North Carolina, and was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The structures were built with timber and stone taken from the park itself.

First Day Hike attendance varies from year to year based on weather conditions.

Last year, nearly 70 people showed up for hikes on two different trails at Morrow Mountain State Park.

This year, the park is only offering one guided hike due to the “lack of staff availability,” Schneider said.

Current weather forecasts predict that temperatures will be between 47 and 37 degrees on New Year’s Day, with a 25 percent chance of rain.

Hikers will meet at the Sugarloaf Mountain trailhead on Jan. 1 at 10 a.m. The park is located at 49104 Morrow Mountain Road in Albemarle.