December 30, 2018 For years I have spied a fire tower just off of I-26 outside of Unicoi and Erwin, Tennessee. Sunday, I resolved to finally hike to the top of it. Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower sits atop Buffalo Mountain along a nice and very new trail. From the easily accessed parking area, it’s 4.8 … More Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower Trail
December 2, 2018 It’s been several months since my last blog entry. While I have not been idle, I decided to take a break from writing. In November, my brother-in-law and I hiked the Bartram Trail. It was nice to not write every day, to take pictures for fun and generally just enjoy a hike. … More Pond Mountain Wilderness – Laurel Falls Trail
September 9, 2018 Nestled on the border of McDowell and Yancey County just off the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost #339) are the wonderful Crabtree Falls. The 70 ft. falls are known as being one of the most popular and eye-catching in the High Country. It’s a simple .9 mile hike from the parking area, with … More Crabtree Falls
August 26, 2018 The second hike of the day was to another fire tower in Western North Carolina. This one located near the border of Henderson and Buncombe Counties in what is called the Hickory Nut Gorge area. I have not done any hiking in this area, so I knew little of what to expect … More Bearwallow Mountain Fire Tower
August 26, 2018 Nestled in the middle Wilkes County, Rendezvous Mountain State Educational Forest is a place of solitude and historical significance. I was in the area to hike a fire tower as part of the NC Lookout Tower Challenge, but found an area teeming with intrigue. The Hike According to the parameters of the … More Rendezvous Mountain Fire Tower
August 23, 2018 It was too nice of a Thursday not to be outside: sunny, no clouds, no rain and a high of 71. In lieu of work, I headed once again to the Moses Cone Memorial Park off the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike the Rich Mountain Trail. Considered another carriage trail, it snakes … More Moses Cone Memorial Park: Rich Mountain
August 12, 2018 When you think of Blowing Rock, NC, at least for me, the image that is conjured up most often is that of rich, white people on vacation. It’s not a secret that this faux mountain town is a destination for northerners and second-home leaf peepers. Henceforth, it is somewhat surprising that the … More China Creek Trail
July 14, 2018 Chambers Mountain tower has one of the most unique views in Western North Carolina; one can view the Plott Balsams, the Smoky’s, Maggie Valley and the Shining Rock peaks. Centered right beside I-40, one would think 1) it’s easy to find and 2) it’s an easy hike. Both would be incorrect assumptions. … More Chambers Mountain Lookout
July 7, 2018 I’ve enjoyed these weekend, lookout tower challenge endeavors. It takes you to places you might not necessarily go to, and with any older structures, there’s always a historical story to tell, as is the case with Camp Creek Bald. Located literally in the middle of nowhere, the hike to the bald is … More Camp Creek Bald
June 8, 2018 There are a number of trails located at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, off the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) outside of Blowing Rock, N.C. I would classify most of them as very family-friendly. They are nice, gradual uphill hikes, the trails are essentially wide carriage trails and the views are outstanding. The … More Flat Top Mountain Trail
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