Where the RM team is trekking to hike more, worry less.
“I had diverged, digressed, wandered and become wild.” Live out your Cheryl Strayed a la Wild fantasy and strap on those hiking boots for the Great Trails State Coalition’s (the same group behind NC’s Year of the Trail) first annual Great Trails State Day Oct. 21. Here are some of the Raleigh Magazine team’s favorite hiking trails throughout the state to get you started—worthy of a day trip, weekend getaway or just a quick drive across town. Then it’s just one foot in front of the other…
“If I feel like roughin’ it, Umstead. But if I’m after sunshine and people-watching, can’t beat the NCMA trails.” —Melissa Howsam, Editor-in-Chief, @mahowsam
“I recently hiked the trail leading to Rainbow Falls in Gorges State Park and it was absolutely beautiful! 10/10 recommend the ~4-mile strenuous (read: steep) trek to see this natural beaut.” —Lauren Kruchten, Associate Editor, @laurenn_nicol
“I enjoy hiking at Umstead. I like the peaceful surroundings and always meet interesting fellow hikers!” —Debby Serena, Account Executive
“I love Pilot Mountain, there are so many hikes to choose from and the best sunset view!” —Cameron Rhinehardt, Account Executive
“North Turkey Creek Trail in Umstead. There’s something comforting about being surrounded by so many trees.” —Emily O’Brien, Contributing Writer
“My favorite NC hiking trail is the Whiteside Mountain Trail just outside of Highlands (which, in my opinion, is one of the best mountain getaways in the state!). Unlike many trails where you hike up to one tiny lookout at the top before heading back down, this trail winds along the ridge of the mountain for a good portion of the hike, allowing many different viewpoints for stopping and taking in the stunning cliff views. Fun fact: During the spring and summer you can often catch peregrine falcons soaring near the cliffs—how awesome is that?” —Kelsie Barton, Contributing Writer, @kelsie_barton
Zero Proof is building a community for Raleighites who want to drink less or ditch alcohol altogether.
Jacqueline Lee feared that if she quit drinking, her social life would end. “I have always been very social,” says Lee. “I love parties and getting to meet new people, but all of those events usually revolve around drinking or meeting at a bar.”
At 25, Lee didn’t know many people who were sober. Searching online, she couldn’t find a Raleigh community built around alcohol-free experiences outside of recovery and treatment programs. So she created one.
Launched in 2020, Zero Proof has already offered a staggering buffet of sober events, ranging from aerial yoga to drag shows. Hourlong hikes at Umstead also have proven popular. But she has also organized a series of alcohol-free concerts, dinners and even an outing at Boxcar Bar + Arcade.
“For years, I didn’t stop drinking because I didn’t know anyone my age who was sober,” says Lee. “When you stop drinking, it can feel really lonely, so anything I can do to provide an avenue for people to connect with other people who are experiencing the same thing is really worthwhile to me.”
Mocktails may be easier to find here recently, but Raleigh falls behind peer cities. Lee quickly discovered Charlotte’s alcohol-free Counterculture Club, while Austin brags the nonalcoholic Sans Bar. Lee may have initially felt like an outcast for ditching alcohol, but her efforts are actually making Raleigh more inclusive and current.
Zero Proof typically hosts three to four events each month, and the schedule is heavily influenced by participants. Some local businesses like Current Wellness are eager to partner with her, but it’s not always an easy sell. “It’s challenging when you’re trying to plan alcohol-free events because a lot of businesses don’t want to do it on Friday or Saturday since alcohol is such a revenue driver,” says Lee. But the Zero Proof trailblazer—whose main hustle is at a marketing firm—hasn’t let that stop her.
Zero Proof isn’t a support group, at least not in the classic sense. Instead, it attracts a wide net, including those who are sober curious or want to drink less. Most attendees are in their 20s or 30s. And that’s partially intentional; Zero Proof is open to all—but Lee, now 27, hopes to create a social community for young people like her that normalizes not drinking.
“I have countless new friends who are also sober,” Lee writes on Zero Proof’s website, “which makes me not feel so alone in a culture where alcohol is everywhere”—proof positive that Zero Proof’s spirited social options are filling a void for the spirit-free community. zeroproofraleigh.com
“Let me tell you ’bout my best friend…” On the heels of Best Friends Day June 8, we present the “best” ways to spend time with your BFF(s). So gather your soul sister, brofriend, wingman, homie, confidant, ride or die, bosom buddy, and/or loyal compadre, and dedicate a day just to spending time with them—because there’s no one more worthy of celebrating than your bestie. Cue the awws!
I Love You A Brunch
Besties who brunch together, stay together. Cheers to your BFF over a long, leisurely lunch chock full of mimosas—and waffles a la Parks and Rec’s Leslie Knope.
Not only can you and your bud enjoy a decadent Southern brunch at this Five Points mainstay, but after brunch you can also make your way upstairs to the gift shop and treat each other to local coffee or chocolate, jewelry, local goods, and more. (Obv, though, the true gift is each other.)
Show your bestie you like them a hole lot by treating them to a doughnut at this new “bright spot” from the creators of Benchwarmers Bagels and Boulted Bread—two other great brunch ops FYI.
Sharing is caring, and who else would you wanna share Wye Hill’s signature rainbow mimosa flight with than your right hand?! NTM the spectacular skyline views make for the perfect backdrop for the ’Gram.
You Keep Me Rollin’
Post-fuel, go on a little afternoon Raleigh adventure by bike. The area offers plenty of great trails for kicking it into gear with your true soulmate.
The bike-friendly Art to Heart Corridor begins at the NCMA and lands in Downtown. So while it certainly counts as exercise, no one’s stopping you from making a pit stop at one of DTR’s many coffee shops, bakeries or lunch spots (!).
If a picnic is more your final destination, launch your bikes at Meredith College and ride through NC State’s campus—veering off into Dix Park to set up a spread of charcuterie, cheese and wine. It may sound cheesy, but we promise your bestie’s gonna love it.
If you’re really looking to sweat it out, Umstead State Park is right up your alley—er, trail? Choose from a variety of multiuse trails or BYO kayak to launch in Big Lake.
Barcelona Wine Bar makes for the perf friend date thanks to its extensive wine selection (you can and should split a bottle) and tapas that are great for sharing—aka more food you get to try!
Head to the Downtown location to pop a squat on the cozy porch swing—which just so happens to perfectly fit two people—with a bottle of vino and a charcuterie board.
Why save Scott Crawford’s uberchic Jolie restaurant for date night with your SO? In the name of friendship, you and your best deserve to treat yo’self too. Bring on the macarons and wine!
WEB EXCLUSIVE Spring—aka nature’s way of saying let’s party—is here, and we are here for it. Celebrate the first official day of spring this Saturday with a slew of activities around town. Though the weather this weekend doesn’t exactly scream spring (Mother Nature is such a tease), Saturday is at least slated to be dry… and should be temperate enough to get outside, support local businesses and enjoy whatever sunshine and warmth we might have! (Don’t quote us on the weather—you know how it is in NC!)
Raleigh’s favorite pop-up market is back at Trophy Brewing & Taproom on Maywood starting this weekend and continuing every third Saturday and Sunday of the month. This Saturday, work up an appetite perusing 20-plus artisans and vendors showcasing their goods—then sate it and go hog wild with some Q from Lawrence Barbecue at Trophy’s bar.
Release Your Inner Child
Time to spin up some fun! The carousel at Pullen Park has just reopened (since its November closure—because pandemic), finally giving you another outlet to get those kiddos outside and entertained. The park’s kiddie boats are also open, but the train will remain closed until March 29 for maintenance. Our rec: Make a day of it and bring a picnic to enjoy on the grass after a fun-filled day of family-friendly activities.
Stretchhhh on over to Durham for a yoga class in Hi-Wire Brewing‘s open-air taproom. The class takes place every Saturday at 11am and costs $5. BYOM (bring your own mat); Hi-Wire will provide the beer after the yoga sesh. Namaste!
Warm weather = patio drinking! Three cheers for that! And just in time, Vita Vite reopened its Downtown location on Wednesday. Celebrate with a glass or two of vino and a charcuterie board out on the cozy covered patio. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, hit up Dram & Draught to extend your Paddy’s Day celebration with drink specials all weekend. Jameson, anyone?
Take a Hike
Photo courtesy of RDU Forest
Nature is calling. There are tons of great hiking spots just outside of Raleigh, from Umstead State Park (which boasts 13 moderate trails and plenty of beautiful scenery) to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Located about an hour outside of Downtown Raleigh, Occoneechee is a “mini-mountain” made up of more strenuous hikes (if you’re looking for more of a challenge) plus, there’s some great pit stops for eating and drinking on the way home.
RDU Airport Authority halts unpopular plans to build a fence near Umstead State Park.
Hikers, bikers and and other Umstead users had cause to celebrate last month: the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority hit pause on plans to build an 18 mile-long fence around the perimeter of land, known as the 286 tract, that the airport leases bordering the state park.
RDUAA, an eight-member board that governs development, operations and maintenance of RDU International Airport said it needed the fence to control trespassing on the 286 land’s unauthorized mountain bike trails. The 8-foot tall chain-link fence would have cost $2.4 million to build and would have bisected Umstead Park’s popular Reedy Creek Multi-use trail in two places.
In a two-page letter from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to Michael Landguth, RDU’s president and CEO, the office that oversees state parks outlined several reasons as to why it felt the fence was a bad idea.
Thousands of hikers, cyclists and equestrians use the Reedy Creek trail each year, the letter states, and the fence would degrade the visitor experience; the proposed fence would have crossed streams and damaged stream banks and wetlands, impacting water quality; it would block movement of wildlife, trapping animals between airport fences, and it could jeopardize the park’s status on the National Register of Historic Places.
Instead, the letter proposes enhancing law enforcement on the property and the Department says it is “interested in working with RDU and our respective state and federal partners to pursue a purchase of the 286 property affected by mountain biking and add it to the park.”
Otherwise, the Department proposes a lease agreement between the airport and Wake County by which the county parks and state parks offices would collaboratively manage and enforce the trails on the property. Local groups, including Triangle Off Road Cyclists (TORC) and the Umstead Coalition, have lobbied for this proposal and for building a trail center on the property they say will preclude the airport’s need for a fence.
“Our goal is to find a compromise that allows the airport to secure its property while minimizing the impacts to Umstead State Park and their concerns,” said Crystal Feldman, a communications officer for RDUAA, in a statement.
But RDUAA says it still intends to pursue its Vision 2040 master plan which includes a proposed rock quarry on another 105 acres of land it leases from Wake and Durham Counties and the Cities of Raleigh and Durham known as the Odd Fellows tract. The quarry has been a contentious proposal from the outset, with opponents arguing it will destroy forested land, provide inadequate buffers and watershed protections and, with a payout of $20 to $25 million to the airport over 25 to 35 years, is just a bad deal: The airport needs some $4 billion over the next two decades to modernize and expand. It faces a $1 to $2 billion shortfall regardless of whether the quarry moves forward or not.
