Fun fall adventures that won’t hurt your wallet
By Amy He// Staff Writer
At High Point University, there are only so many activities to do before you get bored with all of them. Don’t worry; there are plenty of other things you can do outside of the university. North Carolina has places for you and your friends to go for a little adventure. Most of them are only an hour away from our beautiful campus.
1
Hanging Rock State Park – Just an hour and a half north from campus, there is a great hiking trail most HPU students have been to. Hanging Rock State Park has offered the best of traditional outdoor experience with a 73-site campground, picnic grounds, stocked lake for swimming and canoe rentals and more than 20 miles of hiking trails that climb onto spectacular views and weave alongside clear streams and waterfalls. One of the most popular trails, Hanging Rock trail, is 1.3 miles one way. It is a bit of a hard hike, but the view is so worth it.
2
Pilot Mountain State Park – If you didn’t get enough of hiking from Hanging Rock State Park, there is always Pilot Mountain State Park. It is a 34-minute drive from Hanging Rock State Park to Pilot Mountain State Park. The mountain summit is the principal park area, connected to the Yadkin River section by a 6.5-mile trail corridor. Even though the corridor trail is a strenuous trail that is 6.6 miles long, but the view is rewarding.
3
Lazy 5 Ranch – There is a zoo with domestic and exotic animals from 6 continents right here in North Carolina. They have wagon rides and petting areas. It is a great place to go for a lazy Sunday afternoon. It is just a little over an hour away from campus. The general admission fee is $11, however, you get a discount when you go with a group of 15 or more. Nothing is better than feeding cute animals to take away all the stress from school. Also you can drive your car through certain parts, which makes it an even more exciting adventure!
4
Dan River Adventures – Before the weather starts to cool down, make time to take a trip to Dan River. Dan River Adventures opens only from May to the weekend after Labor Day, so it makes an excellent adventure for the end of the school year. $5 gets you a tube, and $7 gets you a shuttle ride to the top of the river. What are you waiting for? Put on your swimsuit and make your way to Dan River. Get On The Dan!
5
Kersey Valley Zipline – This is the closest to campus comparing to the rest of the adventures. It is one of the largest zip lines in the world. It was voted one of the best anniversary, graduation, birthday, bachelor/ette and celebration gift ideas for him or her. Who doesn’t like ziplining?