Exploring the Devil's Marbleyard

The Devil's Marble Yard is an interest out and back hike about 5.5 hours from Jacksonville. The marble yard is one of the most interesting and unique hikes in Virginia, and can easily be done in a few hours. The hike to the base of the marble yard is pretty easy, but once there you get to explore a bolder field that runs strait up the mountain. Most of the bolders are the size of a truck. I see sites recommending leaving about 3 hours to explore the yard and have lunch at the top. You can then hike back the same trail to the campsite. So it would be an easy weekend trip.

I hiked it when I was about 11, and it really was one the most memorable things I have seen. One website described the hike: "It is one of the most talked-about natural wonders of Western Virginia if not one of the most-visited."

Here are some good links to check out:
http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors/hiking/42909.html
http://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/DevilsMarbleyard/
https://tgaw.wordpress.com/2007/04/28/devils-marbleyard/

Climbing the Cape Lookout Lighthouse

The Cape Lookout Light was recently reopened for climbing, and would be an easy trip to plan and run. It is a short drive away, and the cost per person would be cheap. The ticket to climb the lighthouse is $8, and I called one of the ferry boat companies and it would be $15 for the boat ride leaving out of Harker's Island, or $30 leaving from Beaufort.

The climb to the top might not be easy, since there are a lot of stairs, but the view would be amazing. The trip would also give participants a chance to do something very few people get to do.

More details about the climb can be found here:
http://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/lighthouse-climbs.htm
The main page for the Cape Lookout National Seashore is here:
http://www.nps.gov/calo/index.htm

Raven Rock State Park

Raven Rock State Park is a short 2.5 hour drive away. It offers everything, including short day hike loop trails, canoeing, back country camping, fishing, horseback riding, etc. It has some really amazing rock outcroppings and overlooks.

The hikes are from very short up to a 5 mile loop. The major attraction is the 2.5 mile loop trail to Raven Rock and the overlook. Most hikes look to be easy to medium, depending on length.

This would be a very easy trip with a short distance to drive, but would let participants experience a completly different landscape than they are used to on the coast.

The State Park's official page can be found here:
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/raro/main.php
More info can be found on the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_Rock_State_Park

Old Rag - Medium

Old Rag is a medium level dayhike about a 6.5 hour drive north to Shenandoah National Park. The hike itself is usually up to 7 hours, depending on how many people are on the trail. I would say the minimum age for this trip should be about 12 years old if the parent is going to help over any ruff spots.
Check out the short video from the National Park Service here to understand why this hike would be awesome......
http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/old_rag.htm
I have hiked it an while it wasn't a walk in the park, it wasn't the hardest hike either. And the payoff for the effort is one of the best out there.
More info can be found on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Rag_Mountain