HUDSON — Jackie Clarkson traveled to 41 North Carolina state parks in simply 11 months. Sure, 41.
Clarkson, a 68-year-old retiree from the Caldwell County city of Hudson, began her journey on September 2021 and completed her tour of the forty first park on August 2022.
“Throughout COVID, I walked lots in my neighborhood, as I am certain lots of people did,” Clarkson defined. “We had been to a number of state parks, and I assumed I might discover all of the state parks. So I wrote the park system they usually despatched me a map of all of them within the state of North Carolina.”
Later, Clarkson acquired a passport booklet that permits guests to maintain observe of their state park adventures. The passport features a “Bucket Listing” that provides guests concepts of one thing to do or see in every park. Out of all 41 Bucket Listing gadgets, Clarkson stated she missed solely 5.
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Throughout her travels, Clarkson used an app referred to as “Search” to determine vegetation, animals, bugs and different issues that she noticed alongside the paths.
“You purpose your cellphone at vegetation and (the app) identifies them for you,” she defined. “After which it tells you what number of have been noticed regionally, and if it is one thing that is uncommon, you’ll be able to ship it to the native botany or state park and allow them to know the precise coordinates. At one park, I discovered a number of American chestnuts, and people are endangered … On the final park, I discovered 13 totally different species of mushrooms. That is what takes so lengthy to stroll. I am continuously issues by means of my cellphone. That was fascinating to make use of.”
Clarkson stated her favourite park was South Mountain State Park situated in Burke County. Each park has academic trails for youngsters to identify totally different natural world on their stroll, and the one at South Mountain was the most effective, she stated.
“The parks are very effectively maintained,” she stated. “There are many indicators posted so that you could not get misplaced. All of the state parks had actually good maps, and all the paths are listed as simple, average, strenuous or professional. In addition they provide you with what the footing is — like if it is gravel, primarily sand and grime or a paved highway — so you’ll be able to inform.”
Clarkson camped in a single day at 4 totally different parks with a tent that she may arrange behind her pickup truck.
She was in a position to catch a number of ranger-led hikes, as effectively. At Eno State Park, for instance, a ranger taught Clarkson find out how to use the compass app on her cellphone.
“We did not hike a path. We did what he referred to as ‘bush whacking,’” she recalled. “Utilizing the coordinates, he guided us to an previous settlement within the park that had no trails resulting in it.”
Clarkson seen that many individuals hiked with their canine, and she or he rapidly determined to get one, a Jack Russell/Beagle combine named Treksie.
“I bought slightly canine from the pound, however did not take her on the subsequent couple of journeys as a result of she was too small,” she stated. “Her first one was Mount Mitchell. She was three months previous, and she or he went up Mount Mitchell like slightly billy goat. She hiked plenty of the paths with me. She was companion.”
As a result of Clarkson began her state park expeditions in fall 2021 and resulted in summer season of 2022 she stated “it was fascinating to see the variations between what you see within the fall and what you see within the spring and summer season.”
After 11 months, she calculated that she had hiked about 175 miles in whole.
“I by no means noticed any Large Foots or bears,” she joked.
Clarkson has some useful recommendation for individuals who could be concerned with following her lead. She advises attaching a whistle to your pack or retaining it close to your head in case of emergencies. She additionally saved pepper spray together with her always and bug spray for when she camped in a single day. In her backpack, she all the time carried a first-aid package, rain gear, further meals, water and matches. She made certain to put on good climbing boots and socks, in addition to layers of clothes that she may peel off if wanted.
“I used to be by no means afraid,” she stated. “I believe when you take correct precautions, you may be positive.”
In most of the parks, Clarkson discovered herself utterly alone on the paths.
“It is simply peaceable,” she stated. “You’ll be able to worship in your individual means on the market in nature. I simply liked the journey.”