November 17, 2022 The western portion of the Smokies has always held a certain mysterious aura for me. Given how far I have to drive from Charlotte to hike here, perhaps that mystery stems from a lack of familiarity. Maybe it comes from hearing numerous stories of AT hikers abandoning their thru-hike attempt after hiking … More Bear Creek Trail, High Rocks Trail
September 14-15, 2019 Looking at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Smoky’s) map, Spruce Mountain Trail is intriguing. It is a 1.2 mile, in-and-out hiking destination located off a one-lane Balsam Mountain Road. Campsite #42 is the terminus of the trail. My desire to hike and camp here is because of this solitude, as it … More Spruce Mountain Trail
When I started sweetwilder.com, my purpose was to chronicle my hiking adventures for my children and to inspire others to hike. It was an added bonus that WNC Magazine approached me for several pictures from my blog for an article about North Carolina’s Fire Towers. The first picture was from a nearly 16 mile hike … More WNC Magazine
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
July 4, 2018 Having finished the Pisgah 400 and the South Beyond 6000, coupled with the fact that my next long trail won’t occur until early November on the Bartram Trail, I have decided to undertake the Carolina Mountain Club Lookout Tower Challenge. I’ve never been intrigued by waterfalls. That may sound weird for someone … More Green Knob Lookout Tower
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