Happy Rainy New Year
In this very wet ending to 2015, we went in search of the silver lining in all the rain we've had: rushing, gushing waterfalls. Our hike took us to Snowbird Creek in Graham County, NC, where we chose a shorter version of…
How to Cross a Creek
There's more than one way to cross a creek. We're talking about a "wet crossing" here—one without a bridge, a log, or stepping stones to rock-hop over. Regardless of the stream depth, it always means getting your feet immersed in the…
The View from a Pluton: Vermont’s Mount Ascutney
At about 3,130 feet, Mount Ascutney is not the highest mountain in Vermont or even in Windsor County, but it does stand out as a prominent landmark, a solitary pluton sitting outside the Appalachian chain—a monadnock, in fact. What's a monadnock? What's a pluton?…
The Southeast’s Newest Mountain Biking Guidebook
Nearly 25 years after the publication of his first mountain bike trail guidebooks, Jim Parham is replacing them—with the most comprehensive and current off-road cycling guides yet for the Southeast. Here's a quick preview of his latest project, due…
Getting Out of Our Backyard: Hiking the John Muir Trail
We love the Southern Appalachians, but once in a while it's good to get out of our own backyard. Last month Jim Parham returned from hiking the John Muir Trail in California with son Sidney. The JMT stretches from Yosemite Valley in Yosemite…
A Motorcyclist’s Code of the Road
Autumn is upon us, and it can be the absolutely best season for motorcycle touring: cool weather, clear skies, breathtaking fall foliage. With that in mind, we're sharing some tips from Hawk Hagebak, author of our Motorcycle Adventures guidebook series, taken from his…
Hiking with Grandchildren in Western North Carolina
by Danny Bernstein What does it take to get grandchildren on the trail? Where's the best place to go and what's the best way to approach a hike with children of different ages? The Carl Sandburg Home (www.nps.gov/carl) National Historic Site…
Table Rock Mountain: A Carolina Hiker’s Rite of Passage
by Scott Lynch There are many recognizable landmarks in the wilds of the Carolina Mountains: Max Patch, Grandfather Mountain, Clingmans Dome, Caesars Head, and Devils Courthouse are just a few that come to mind. There’s also Table Rock. This massive…
Sourwood: Honey Queen of the Summer Forest
In a six-week summer window between mid-June and the end of July, tens of thousands of workers near our office are busy creating a rare Southern delicacy. Made in tiny batches in the smallest facilities imaginable and produced only in the region where North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and…
Hiking to Shuckstack Lookout Tower in the Smokies
In the spring, when the wildflowers are at their peak and the temps are on the cooler side, we take every opportunity to get out on the trail. This Mother's Day we headed for Shuckstack Lookout Tower in Great Smoky…