November 8, 2017 This was the last hike in the South Mills River area of the Pisgah Ranger District. I’ve saved it for last, as I did not want to hike it in the summer. Known for being a breeding ground for copperheads, the trail meanders for 3.5 miles besides the South Mills and Bradley … More Riverside Trail
October 1, 2017 The countdown to finishing the Pisgah 400 (all the trails of the Pisgah Ranger District in North Carolina) has begun. Emily and I concocted a great plan: we would stay for the week at her family’s house in Hendersonville and I would spend the days hiking, and then spend the nights with … More Biltmore Campus Trail, Forest Festival Trail, Forest Discovery Trail
September 17, 2017 It’s been nearly a month since my last hiking post, much too long an absence from the woods. Life gets hectic at times, things happen, schedules tighten, but one must make time for the outdoors. The Wagon Road Gap Trail is a connector between Turkey Pen Gap Trail and the South Mills … More Wagon Road Gap Trail
April 14, 2017 Laurel Mountain Trail is my last trail in what is known as the Mills River area. 7.3 miles in length, it extends from Yellow Gap on F.S. 1206 to the M.S.T. near Mt. Pisgah and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is rated as moderate and while there are steep sections, it was … More Laurel Mountain Trail, Laurel Mountain Connector Trail
April 9, 2017 Many years ago, I was day hiking by myself in South Mountain State Park; when from afar I see a middle-aged woman with a giant St. Bernard dog. As I’m prone to do, I yelled out, “Is your dog friendly?” The woman quickly shakes her head and says, “No!” She then kneeled … More Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail, Pilot Cove Loop Trail
April 2, 2017 On a sunny spring day, the masses will flock to a select few trails in the Pisgah Ranger District: Pink Beds, Graveyard Fields, Looking Glass Rock, Black Balsam Knob. Hidden near these other beautiful destinations is a gem: Pilot Rock Trail. I hiked three trails: Thompson Creek Trail (#602), Pilot Rock Trail … More Pilot Rock Trail, Pilot Rock Extension Trail, Thompson Creek Trail
March 19, 2017 Located in the North Mills River area, the Big Creek Trail is partially a pleasant stroll amongst a verdant forest and calm creek and partially a ball-buster of a haul up a mountain. Big Creek starts at the Hendersonville Reservoir, a convergence of Fletcher Creek and Big Creek which creates the North … More Big Creek Trail
February 19, 2017 “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” -Theodore Roosevelt The Rainbow Falls … More Rainbow Falls Trail
January 29, 2017 “To many a city man there comes a time when the great town wearies him. He hates its sights and smells and clangor. Every duty is a task and every caller is a bore. There come visions of green fields and far-rolling hills, of tall forests and cool, swift flowing streams.” -Horace … More Bad Fork Trail
January 22, 2017 In between two thunderstorms, I managed to make it out for a short hike. I’ve spoken before about my affinity for hiking in the rain. Lightening is another thing altogether. Bear Branch Trail (#328) is located just outside Asheville near the North Mills Recreation Area. The trail itself is very family friendly, … More Bear Branch Trail
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