A Geography Geek Finds North Georgia
Sooner or later, those who hike or bike the trails of the Southeast (and draw maps of them) delve deep into the lay of the land. Here’s what Jim Parham says about locating a region he covers in several of…
Hiking in the Season of Thunderstorms
In the Smokies, Pisgah, and all throughout the mountainous region known as the Blue Ridge Province, summer is the season of the thunderstorm. It's not unusual for a pattern to set in: at about 3 pm on an otherwise bright…
For Urban Birding, Head to Atlanta
Where might you go in Atlanta to find a cedar waxwing? What about an indigo bunting, a tufted titmouse, or an osprey? If you’re not an amateur ornithologist, you might not even recognize these exotic-sounding names. But if you’re a…
Will You Visit Lake Fontana This Summer?
It’s here—the summer solstice is upon us. And during these warm days we count ourselves particularly fortunate that our offices are located so close to Fontana Lake. At closing time it’s not uncommon for us to jump in the car…
In Pisgah, Rain Comes In Many Forms
Over the course of the last decade I’ve spent part of each summer leading biking and hiking trips into the popular Pisgah District of the Pisgah National Forest. Most folks around here just refer to this area as Pisgah, but…
Keeping the Chattooga River Wild & Scenic
In the outdoor recreation world, perhaps no river has had a greater impact on the Southern Appalachians than the Chattooga. If you appreciate the treasure of this historic river and what it brings to the region, now is your time…
Dogwood Winter and Other Seasons
What is Dogwood Winter? What is Blackberry Winter? Spring will come eventually, but this year it's hard to tell when. With temperatures yo-yoing throughout the late winter (a frigid January followed by a warm February), now in late April we're…
Wildflowers and Wildfires
In the final months of 2016, parts of western North Carolina were in flames. It took weeks for firefighters to control the wildfires that raged through the dry woods. Many people evacuated thier homes, still more were on alert and…
Wildflower Walks & Hikes in the NC Mountains
It took outdoor writer Jim Parham eight years to produce his latest guidebook, Wildflower Walks & Hikes: North Carolina Mountains. Perhaps that's because the region covers a lot of territory: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, DuPont State Forest,…
Trailing Arbutus: First Flower of the Pilgrims
Yesterday we woke to snow. In the afternoon, we saw trailing arbutus in bloom. This fragile-looking early wildflower is much hardier than it appears. Growing up in Vermont in the 1960s, I learned early that trailing arbutus was an endangered species…