Take a Hike

Are you ready for your next outdoor adventure? Make it a competition! The Triangle Land Conservancy Hiking Challenge is offering you the opportunity to explore TLC’s six public TLC Preserves. While you do not have to be a member of the organization to participate, participants who are not members when they finish the challenge will receive a complimentary year’s TLC membership.

So, whether you are a TLC member or not, get your hiking gear ready for six unique adventures, all close to your backdoor!

The Challenge:

The TLC Hiking Challenge encompasses six hikes throughout the six TLC Preserves, along with the option of replacing one hike with any outdoor TLC event. Participants must complete the challenge in one year in order to be considered for a finishing prize. By finishing three hikes, participants will receive an official TLC badge. In finishing six requirements, participants will be featured on the Hiking Challenge Wall of Fame and could win even more prizes. Current members will receive a TLC prize pack, including items such as a TLC water bottle, TLC canvas bag and a Great Outdoor Provision Company gift card, while nonmembers will receive a yearlong membership.

Share pictures and experiences of your adventures with the hashtag, #hikeTLC, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Hiking Challenge Rules:

Before you embark on your journey, carefully read through the rules and hiking challenge safety guidelines. In order to record the fulfillment of your requirements, participants must log their hikes or events on the TLC Hiking Challenge website. Each entry will require a one-sentence description of the hike or the posting of a photo of yourself on your hike on social media, using #hikeTLC and mentioning @TriangleLandConservancy.

Hikers may hike alone or in a group, but must finish the challenge in a year. During this time, participants must log six hikes, or five hikes and one TLC outdoor event at any preserve. Hikes that are completed as a part of TLC featured events may be logged as a hike. All requirements must be logged within one week of completion.

Preserves:

• Brumley Forest Nature Preserve
• Flower Hill Nature Preserve
• Horton Grove Nature Preserve
• Johnston Mill Nature Preserve
• Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve
• White Pines Nature Preserve

Hike Chatham County:

While the hikes are dispersed throughout the Triangle area, make sure to visit Chatham County’s White Pines Nature Preserve, whether you are competing in the Challenge or not. White Pines Nature Preserve features 275 acres of North Carolina’s biodiversity. The name of the preserve originated from the white pine itself, which was commonly found in the area during the last ice age. The warming of the climate caused the white pine species to retreat from all but a few areas of the Piedmont.

White Pines Nature Preserve is considered an ideal place for hikers, as its cooler conditions, due to the north-facing bluffs and surrounding rivers, cool the area as much as ten degrees below downtown Pittsboro.

There is no shortage of wildlife in the area, as you may see flora, such as Catesby’s trillium, trout lily, bloodroot and Jack-in-the-pulpit. The preserve also features 55 species of birds, including the Wild Turkey, Broad-Winged Hawk and Yellow-Billed Cuckoo. Don’t be surprised if you run into a white-tailed deer or a beaver either!