Hike at Holly Shelter with talk on the Mountains to Sea Trail Register

Date and Time:
Sat, Mar 8, 2025; 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM  (Eastern)

Organized By: Cape Fear Sierra Club

Location: 18885 US-17, Hampstead, NC 28443, USA

Map | Directions

Event Organizers:
James Ruddick
   cjruddick@hotmail.com
   (215) 589-0028
Richard Eggeling
   richard.eggeling@gmail.com
   (443) 472-8264
Suzanne Eggeling
   rich.sue.sc@gmail.com
   (443) 472-8264

Holly Shelter Game Land is 64,743 acres in size and resides entirely in Pender County. The Game Land is owned by the State of North Carolina, with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as the primary custodian.  Holly Shelter Game Land is managed for its primary users which include hunters, trappers, anglers, and wildlife viewers, including hikers, bikers and birders.  During our hike there will be no hunters in Holly Shelter as March is a hunting free month in the Game Land. To learn more about the Game Land, here is a link to the Management Plan.  The Executive Summary on Page 3 provides a nice summary.  Also, here is a link to a Map of Holly Shelter and the projected route of the Mountains to Sea Trail.  Page 2 shows the area where we will be hiking off of Rt. 17.

We will start the outing at the Topsail Baptist Church in Hampstead (18885 US-17, Hampstead, NC 28443) which is adjacent to the entrance to Holly Shelter Game Land.  At that meeting spot, Ben Jones, the project Manager for the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) will give us a short talk on Holly Shelter and the MST.  After the talk, we will load into our cars to drive 3-4 miles into the Game Land to begin our hike.  The habitat will be a Long Leaf Pine Savannah, a vibrant and diverse area. The primary hike will be a 5-mile hike, but there will be an option for a 3-mile hike for those that want to head back earlier.  We will be lead on the hike by Ben Jones of the MST.  Ben is very knowledgeable on the future of the MST through the Game Land, as well as having a good general knowledge on the environment and habitat (although, environmental issues are not his specialty).  Ben will be talking to us as we hike through the area.  

There are no bathrooms in the Game Land, so please keep that in mind.  Note that there is a Lowes Foods Supermarket 1.9 miles south of our meeting spot on Hwy. 17.

Level: Moderate

Signup Instructions: Sign up on Sierra Club website.

Bring: Sturdy shoes and water. Note that there are no bathrooms in the Game Land.

Cancellation Policy: Steady rain cancels