Life on Paws and Wheels

Simba and I hiked through Jones Lake State Park near Elizabethtown, North Carolina , exploring forest trails surrounding a shallow, tea-colored lake formed within one of the strange geological features known as a Carolina bay . At first glance, Jones Lake might look like an ordinary lake surrounded by forest, but its unusual shape, shallow water, distinctive ecosystem, and fascinating history make this state park considerably more interesting than I expected. Our hike took us through a landscape that continually changed as we traveled around the lake. Sandy stretches and longleaf pine forest transitioned into dense vegetation, wetlands, boggy ground, and boardwalks, while short openings through the trees occasionally revealed the dark water of Jones Lake. Pond cypress draped in Spanish moss grew along the shoreline and directly within the shallow lake, creating some of the most beautiful scenery we encountered during the hike. The park also has a particularly important place in North C...

Simba and I hiked through Lumber River State Park at the Princess Ann Access in Orrum, North Carolina , exploring a quiet forest surrounding one of the state's most unusual waterways. Unlike many state parks centered around a lake, mountain, or single recreation area, Lumber River State Park protects portions of a long river corridor extending through southeastern North Carolina. The park has several access points, including Princess Ann near Orrum and Chalk Banks farther upstream near Wagram, allowing visitors to experience different sections of the river and its surrounding forests and wetlands. The defining feature of the park is the Lumber River , a naturally dark blackwater river winding through the flat Coastal Plain. Its tea-colored water, bald cypress, wetlands, sandy banks, and largely undeveloped surroundings create a landscape completely different from the mountain rivers found farther west in North Carolina. Portions of the Lumber have also been protected within the Nat...

Simba and I hiked the Yaupon, Sculptured Oak and Pond Trail at Myrtle Beach State Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina , an easy coastal hike that reveals a completely different side of one of America's busiest beach destinations. Instead of hotels, restaurants, entertainment attractions, and crowded streets, much of this hike passes beneath a dense canopy through a protected maritime forest only a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. The route combines several portions of the trail system inside Myrtle Beach State Park, including the Sculptured Oak Trail, Yaupon Trail, and a spur leading toward a small freshwater pond . Individually, these trails are relatively short, but they can be connected with boardwalks, park roads, and portions of the beachfront to create a longer route commonly mapped at around 2.7 miles. What made the hike interesting wasn't difficult terrain or dramatic elevation. The landscape is almost entirely flat. Instead, Simba and I were able to walk throug...