5 hikes for Charlotteans obsessed with the outdoors.

These earlier months don’t mean that Charlotte outdoor lovers need to stay in.

From sunny January days spent scrambling down the boulders of Crowders Mountain, to gushing waterfalls at South Mountain State Park, to watching snowflakes melt mid-air at Stone Mountain — the Charlotte area gives winter a good name. Here’s a Charlotte hiking starter kit for giving cabin fever the boot this winter.

(1) South Mountain State Park

Best for: Celebrating the end of a rain spell, getting a booty workout on Nature’s Stairmaster, enjoying serene trails all to yourself.

Approach: It’s a 90-minute drive from Charlotte to the park entrance (2001 S Mountain Park Ave, in Connellys Spring NC). After reaching the park gate, drive another 2.4 miles to reach the picnic and parking area. The trailhead has maps to take along with you.

Highlights: If you select the High Shoals Falls Loop your steep 3-mile climb will include witnessing an 80-foot waterfall. The trails, covered in glistening moss and home to green-blue pools, couldn’t feel more vibrant. This is also the park’s most popular trail, but we only crossed paths with one group during our visit. One of the great appeals of winter hiking is the chance to get these spots all to yourself.

(2) The U.S. National Whitewater Center

Best for: Trying out a new activity, access to an extensive trail system close to home, joining an awesome community.

Approach: The USNWC is only 30 minutes from most areas in Charlotte. Check the website to ensure that trails are open and park at the USNWC (note the parking fee). The trail center on the map can get you set up with the info you need and gear rentals if you elect to bike the trails.

Highlights: Comradery is a big pull. You can access their 35-mile, 1,300-acre trail system in what is really Charlotte’s backyard, and find trail run and other groups to do it with. It’s an equally good place to get out there and try something new, like mountain biking. Getting acquainted with these activities in winter means having the trails to yourself while you get comfortable and enjoying a peaceful side of the USNWC — entirely the opposite of the buzz of the summer months.

“I think a common misconception is that we hibernate during the colder months of the year, and that’s definitely not the case,” says USNWC communications and brand manager Eric Osterhus. “You have just as much, if not more, accessibility during the winter months as any other time of the year.”

(3) Crowders Mountain

Best for: Quick trips, playing on boulders, celebrating how accessible nature is in the Charlotte area.

Approach: The beauty of Crowders Mountain is how accessible it is. Just 45 minutes from Charlotte, you can park at the base (522 Park Office Lane, Gastonia) and take a look at the trailhead map for your route options. We elected to start at the Linwood Access Area and take the Towers Trail, which led us to the Crowders Mountain summit and plenty of fun boulders to play on.

(4) Badin Lake and Uwharrie National Forest

Best for: Bonding with your fellow hikers, dogs, participants young and old.

Approach: The Uwharrie National Forest is quite big, so access points vary depending on where you want to explore. For accessing Badin Lake, 90 minutes from Charlotte, park at the Badin Lake Group Campground. You can access the trail behind the campsites.

Highlights: The flat, 6-mile Badin Lake loop takes you along the lake for nearly your entire hike. Being a flat trail,

it’s perfect for bringing dogs and hikers and of all ages and abilities — and it’s far from boring. The scenery is different from any other hiking in the area, and there’s a peacefulness and cheerfulness to the area that lends itself to skipping rocks and bonding with your fellow hikers.

(5) Stone Mountain State Park

Best for: Picturesque streams, striking scenery, plenty of smaller trails that can be easily strung together for a larger exploration of the park.

Approach: The park is about 90 minutes from Charlotte (3042 Frank Parkway; Roaring Gap, NC). Once you enter the park, keep driving and you’ll come to both an upper and a lower parking lot. Both work fine, and you can strategically select where you want to start — but be mindful, as this can get a bit confusing. Check the website for updates pre-departure to see the status of trails, some of which are currently closed due to storm damage.

Highlights: We strung together parts of the middle falls, lower falls, and Stone Mountain loop trails, allowing us to experience a variety of what that park has to offer. Waterfalls, gurgling streams, and of course the striking façade of Stone Mountain all left an impression on us. Snowflakes were falling and melting mid-air, as though their presence was only an illusion, making the whole setting a bit magical. It was one of those moments you try to capture on your phone only to find that its camera can’t capture it, forcing you to sit back and enjoy the moment for what it is.

Restaurant Openings

Recently we have seen an explosion of new restaurants and bars in Sedgefield and surrounding neighborhoods, many of which are worth a visit:

Dilworth Tasting Room: Located in the former Dilworth Billiards on Tremont Avenue, Dilworth Tasting Room (DTR) is a destination that has something for everyone. In addition to a carefully selected, unique wine selection, there are multiple beers and an excellent cocktail list including the aviation: gin, crème de violette, maraschino and lemon, and classics such as the gimlet, high ball or martini. There is even a “break-even” section of special and rare spirits such as Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky offered at cost for a 2 ounce pour. The interior is sophisticated and comfortable, although it does get loud when full, and the patio with koi pond is a lovely spot during warmer months. DTR also has well-made cheese and charcuterie plates, flatbreads, paninis, small and large plates and desserts. A morning coffee and pastry service is offered, too. Weekly specials include half off select Cabernet Sauvignons on Thursdays. Website: dilworthtr.com

Seoul Poke Bowl: The poke craze has now officially taken Charlotte by storm and one of the first poke restaurants to open was Seoul Poke Bowl on located at 3609 South Boulevard near the Scaleybark rail station. Poke is a raw fish salad traditionally served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine. At Seoul Poke Bowl, customers order at the counter and watch as their poke masterpiece, either a “Build Your Own” bowl or a “Signature” bowl is created. Protein options include several varieties of raw sushi-grade fish and cooked crab meat, shrimp and Bulgogi Korean beef. Customers also choose their base such as rice or salad and toppings like pickled radish, pineapple, kimchi, wonton crisps and even crushed spicy Cheetos! Top it off with one of the housemade sauces. Prices range from $10.95 for a two protein build your own bowl to $15.95 for the Seoul Poke Special which includes raw salmon, tuna and yellowtail as well as scallions, seaweed salad, cucumber, masago, edamame, mango, and avocado served with a homemade citrus ponzu sauce. Website: seoulpokebowl.com

OTHER RECENT AND NOTABLE OPENINGS

Nekter juice bar at the new Harris Teeter shopping center

Hyde Brewing and Suffolk Punch, a brewery and culinary lab located on the Lynx light rail line at the New Bern station Not Just Coffee Dilworth in the Food Lion Shopping Center, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with signature cocktails, wines by the glass and of course, coffee.

Flourshop, a new concept from the owners of Customshop in Elizabeth, serving house-made pasta and other Italian specialties with an open kitchen in the backlot of Park Road Shopping Center.

LOOKING AHEAD

Holler & Dash gourmet biscuit house is scheduled to open at the Harris Teeter strip on March 13.

The Waterman, a pub and oyster bar from the owners of Sea Level uptown, also scheduled to open at the new Harris Teeter strip with rooftop bar and patio at the end of summer 2018.

Shake Shack, a fast-food concept originally from New York with burgers, crinkle-cut fries and frozen custard milkshakes, is scheduled to open next to Burton’s at Park Road Shopping Center by the fall of 2018.