Trail Day at NC Arboretum

Hike, bike or run to join us for Trail Day at the Arboretum! We’re kicking off the resumption of our popular Guided Trail Tours as we celebrate all things trails. Guests can choose to join a two-hour hike along the Carolina Mountain Trail and Creekside Trail or opt for a shorter, family-friendly stroll along a portion of the Natural Garden Trail. Nearly all our 10 miles of hiking and biking trails are reopened, and you can also choose your own adventure. Additional free activities for all ages will occur in the Baker Visitor Center, the Playing Woods and along our trails.

Standard Trail Tour (10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.)

Family Hike Registration (10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.)

Hikes require pre-registration, and are available at the following times: 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.. Sturdy shoes and a water bottle are highly recommended. While all offerings are free, regular parking fees are still in effect.

• Build-your-own First Aid Kit station. Guests are invited to assemble their own first aid kit from available materials (limited to first 120 participants).
• Come to the Baker Visitor Center starting at 9:30 a.m. and put your own together as supplies last.
• Build-your-own Walking Stick Kids Craft. We’ll have kid-sized pole timber, sand paper and all the flourishes (feathers, wood beads, colored duct tape, animal cut-outs, bells, leather straps, etc) to help kids build a sturdy hiking stick to aid them on their trail adventures. This begins at 1:00 p.m. in the Playing Woods and will be open until 4:00 p.m. or until supplies last.
• Story Trail on the Natural Garden Trail. Learn about the storied journey of the monarch butterfly with this story walk, featuring beautiful artwork and a compelling narrative. Book pages will be placed on temporary signs along the trail from the Forest Meadow to the Playing Woods for the entire day.
• Bird Scavenger Hunt on the Carolina Mountain Trail. We’re featuring metal bird art from Iron Maiden Studios, a local artist, along this trail. Guests can seek all 12 metal bird artworks placed along the trail from the Education Center to the cascade portion of the trail. With spring migration ramping up, they are certain to see and hear a range of real-live birds as well. This feature will remain up for the entirety of the weekend.
• Motion Makers will be in the Baker Center lobby to share cycling tips and demonstrations.

This event is part of Spring Into the Arb! Celebrate the return of spring with a series of events and happenings throughout March, April, May and June! Spring is a time of renewal and emergence, and The North Carolina Arboretum is excited to welcome this season with plant shows, nature programs, education, music, art and more!