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Just 20 miles from the southern edge of the Smokies, the western North Carolina town of Sylva provides a strategic launch point for exploring one of the country’s most beloved natural wonders — Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The national park, spread between North Carolina and Tennessee, is the most visited in the country, boasting 16 peaks above 6,000-feet and 850 miles of trails. Even better, the park is easily accessed from Sylva courtesy of a lofty stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the iconic motorway linking the Smokies with Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.

Waterrock Knob

The stunning view from Waterrock Knob.
The stunning view from Waterrock Knob.
Nick Breedlove

Stretch your legs and get an eyeful of the Smokies before even reaching the park with a stop at Waterrock Knob, the southernmost visitor center on the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 451.2). From the visitor center’s overlook — or the 6,292-foot summit of Waterrock Knob, accessible via a brief but steep 1.5-mile trail — the Smokies ripple into the distance, a seemingly endless sea of peaks, framing the historic city of Cherokee and the Qualla Boundary, a massive swath of land owned by the Eastern band of the Cherokee people.

Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Mingus Mill offers visitors a glimpse into 19th century life in the region.
Mingus Mill offers visitors a glimpse into 19th century life in the region.
Ken Lund

The Blue Ridge Parkway delivers visitors to the park’s southeastern entrance, in a valley along the Oconaluftee River. Aside from the stunning backdrop, the park’s Oconaluftee entrance is also deeply entranced with cultural history. Just a short stroll from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the Mountain Farm Museum and nearby Mingus Mill immerse visitors into the existence of the region’s resourceful 19th century settlers with a collection of authentic artifacts and structures.

Just outside the park, the early history and legacy of the area’s first inhabitants is explored at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and the Oconaluftee Indian Village.

The area surrounding the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is also a hub for some excellent animal viewing, most notably elk. Once abundant across Appalachian ecosystems, elk were extirpated from the region by the middle of the 19th century, as a result of enthusiastic over hunting. Elk were reintroduced in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001; in the last decade and a half, the herd size is believed to have grown to more than 100 animals. Most frequently found lingering in the Cataloochee area of the park, grazing elk can also be encountered grazing the patchwork of fields flanking the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, especially at dusk and dawn.

Oconaluftee River

The Oconaluftee River is one of the park’s trout fishing strongholds, ideal for anglers in pursuit of brown or rainbow trout. In the southeastern corner of the park, the waterway is also paralleled by 1.5-mile Oconaluftee River Trail, which leads from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to the edge of Cherokee (and is one of only two trails in the park where dog walking is permitted).

Mingus Creek Trail

The Mingus Mill Trail offers hikers access to the summit of the 5,160-foot Newton Bald.
The Mingus Mill Trail offers hikers access to the summit of the 5,160-foot Newton Bald.
Ken Lund

Beginning just a half mile from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, at Mingus Mill, the Mingus Creek Trail is loaded with both history and scenery. The first stretch of the trail is nestled in a Depression-era road bed built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. You’ll travel through bunches of rhododendron, over gushing creeks, and even skirt a historic cemetery. For a longer day hike, the trail also provides access to 5,160-foot Newton Bald, a summit once cleared by early settlers that has since regenerated with new growth forest.

Clingmans Dome and Andrews Bald

Andrews Bald is one of the easiest summits to reach in the park.
Andrews Bald is one of the easiest summits to reach in the park.
Miguel Vieira

For avid hikers — or peak seekers — Clingmans Dome is a must-visit destination. At 6,643-feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the national park and the entire state of Tennessee. Even better, an elaborate observation platform cresting the summit offers panoramic views stretching for 100 miles. The viewpoint is accessible via a short half-mile climb from the Clingmans Dome parking area, or with a more extensive hike on the Appalachian Trail, which meanders directly past the summit’s viewing tower.

In the shadow of Clingmans Dome lies another iconic Appalachian summit, Andrews Bald. The highest but also one of the most accessible balds in the park, Andrews Bald features a meadow-blanketed 5,906-foot summit that is accessible via a 1.8-mile hike on the Forney Ridge Trail, which begins at the Clingmans Dome parking area.

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Featured image provided by Nick Breedlove

Western North Carolina is a land of waterfalls. Countless cascades punctuate the waterways braiding the vast expanses of forest and lofty Appalachian peaks dominating the western corner of the state, lending the landscape an undeniably enchanting quality. Some of the falls are accessible only after delving into wild pockets of backcountry, while others are just steps from the state’s tree-lined byways. With the abundance of waterfalls, narrowing down a short list is a formidable of challenge, but these are among the most stunning cascades adorning the North Carolina mountains.

Whitewater Falls

The towering Whitewater Falls.
The towering Whitewater Falls.
Photo Courtesy of JCTDA

Located just outside of Cashiers, in Nantahala National Forest, Whitewater Falls is one of the most awe-inspiring cascades in waterfall-laden western North Carolina — and it has the notable distinction of being the loftiest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. The mighty cascade announces itself in rushing roar audible from the trailhead for the half-mile path to the overlook for the 411-foot waterfall. A second, lower view platform, accessible after a descending a steep set of stairs, provides another perspective of the falls, highlighting the sheer scope of the towering flume.

Schoolhouse Falls

Schoolhouse Falls are accessible via a 1.4-mile hike.
Schoolhouse Falls are accessible via a 1.4-mile hike.
Nick Breedlove

Schoolhouse Falls is located in a stunningly wild corner of Nantahala National Forest known as Panthertown Valley. Even though the hike is fairly brief, stumbling upon Schoolhouse Falls feels like a foray deep into the backcountry. The 25-foot waterfall spills in a broad flume, pouring into a tannin-tainted plunge pool turned swimming hole during spring and summer. The falls are accessible along the Panthertown Valley Trail via a 1.4-mile hike from either the Cold Mountain trailhead, on the eastern side of Panthertown Valley, or a 2.4-mile hike from the Salt Rock Gap trailhead, on the western edge. Be sure to be prepared for the rugged hiking in the area with a reliable map.

Silver Run Falls

Silver Run Falls is near the town of Cashiers.
Silver Run Falls is near the town of Cashiers.
Jared

South of Cashiers, in Nantahala National Forest, Silver Run Falls is a popular summer retreat. Compared to some of western North Carolina’s lofty cascades, the 25-foot drop of Silver Run Falls may sound uninspiring. But the broadly spread wall of water spills into an idyllic swimming hole that’s bordered by sizeable stepping stones, providing a unique access to view the falls. The trek to Silver Run is equally restorative — the falls are accessible courtesy of a quarter-mile trail beginning along North Carolina Highway 107.

Mingo Falls

Mingo Falls descends 120 feet in a narrow cascade.
Mingo Falls descends 120 feet in a narrow cascade.
Doug Kerr

Just outside the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park within the confines of the Qualla Boundary (and not far from Cherokee), Mingo Falls is a thin but lofty flume. The nearly 120-foot cascade consists of a series of slender strands of water, all of which funnel together just before tumbling into a pint-sized pool in Mingo Creek. The falls are accessible courtesy of a brief but stair-filled climb of about a half a mile to a footbridge at the base of the cascade, accessible from a trailhead located on Big Cove Road.

Glen Falls

A tiered trio of cascades, Glen Falls tumbles over a broad, rocky section of the east fork of aptly named Overflow Creek, which is located in Nantahala National Forest just outside Highlands. A scenic but strenuous round-trip hike of about 2 miles on the Glen Falls Trail leads to the collection of cascades, with views of Blue Valley early in the trip. The top tier of the falls, which tumbles nearly 70-feet, is visible from an observation area just half a mile down the trail, and the second significant portion of a falls, a wide, 60-foot flume, appears another quarter mile down the trail.

Rufus Morgan Falls

The 60-foot Rufus Morgan Falls is located just outside the town of Franklin. Alan Cressler
The 60-foot Rufus Morgan Falls is located just outside the town of Franklin.
Alan Cressler

Tucked away in a wooded cove in Nantahala National Forest just a few miles outside of Franklin, Rufus Morgan Falls seems much farther removed from any traces of civilization. The 60-foot partially rhododendron-shrouded flume falls flatly over a craggy cliff face and seems to tumble almost unexpectedly out of the thickly grown forest. Despite the isolated feel, the falls are easily accessible after a leisurely, half-mile hike on the Rufus Morgan Trail.

Tom’s Branch, Indian Creek Falls, and Juney Whank Falls

These three waterfalls are In a southern corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, not far from the Deep Creek entrance. Tom’s Branch and Indian Creek Falls are easily linked on a brief out-and-back hike. Tom’s Branch, the loftier of two flumes, falls 60-feet, stair stepping a weathered rock face. It will emerge after only about a half a mile hike on the Deep Creek Trail, one of the first pathways in the national park constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Barely a quarter of a mile later, after the junction of the Indian Creek Trail, the second cascade appears — the 25-foot Indian Creek Falls.

After taking in the first two falls, tack on a trip to Juney Whank Falls. The trailhead for the Juney Whank Trail is also located in the Deep Creek area of the park, adjacent to the starting point for the Deep Creek Trail. Juney Whank Falls, a slender shimmering ribboning falling for nearly 90-feet in two distinct sections, appears after just half a mile on the Juney Whank Falls Trail.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is outside of Highlands, N.C.
Bridal Veil Falls is outside of Highlands, N.C.
William McKeehan

Just a couple of miles outside Highlands, Bridal Veil Falls is one of the few waterfalls in western North Carolina visitors can drive to — and even behind. The cascade is accessible directly from U.S. Highway 64 along a stretch of North Carolina’s 98-mile Waterfall Byway. Created by a drop in the Cullasaja River, the falls thin out while spilling over a prominent rock ledge, which juts out far enough for people (and even vehicles) to perch behind the plunging flume and admire the tumbling water from underneath.

A note on safety: Heed posted warning signs indicating danger and stay on established trails. Never climb on or around waterfalls and never play in the water above a waterfall. Rocks can be slippery and it’s easy to lose your balance especially with bare feet. Currents near waterfalls can be extremely swift even in areas further upstream.

Never jump off waterfalls or dive into plunge pools at the base of waterfalls. Rocks and logs can be hidden beneath the surface of the water. Often waterfall pools have swirling water or currents that can drag and keep you underwater. Even if you have seen other people enjoy playing around waterfalls, be aware they have been lucky to escape unharmed.

Waterfalls are constantly changing with varying water flows and erosion of the rocks around them. The current from one place to the next may be faster than you anticipate and the arrangement of rocks or other debris such as logs in the plunge pool is ever-changing.

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Featured image provided by Alan Cressler

Across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, miles of interconnected trails meander through lush, green valleys, hug the banks of moss-laden, rocky creeks, and climb through thickets of mountain laurel and rhododendron to the blue-tinged mountain peaks.

You could spend weeks backpacking through this rich landscape, but a weekend trip will also allow you to experience the best of the Smokies. To help you plan your visit, we’ve highlighted three backpacking loops that give you the Appalachian Trail, streamside and ridgeline campsites, killer views, and enough distance and elevation to satisfy your inner weekend warrior.

Big Creek Loop

Combining the best of front-country and backcountry camping, the Big Creek area on the northeastern tip of the park off I-40 offers something for every level of hiker. Tackle a 21.5-mile loop over big peaks or lower your mileage and elevation with a night at one of the sweetest creekside campsites in the park. Either way, you’ll hike the AT through some of the most scenic terrains in the Smokies.

You will be in constant awe of the beauty on Big Creek Loop.
You will be in constant awe of the beauty on Big Creek Loop.
Rock/Creek

Roll into Big Creek Friday night to enjoy campground amenities like restrooms, dinner at a picnic table, and campsites with fire rings. You’ll be up early on Saturday to climb the Chestnut Branch Trail 2 miles to the Appalachian Trail. One of the shortest AT access points, the trail passes the remains of homesteads that pre-date the national park.

Turn south on the AT and continue climbing 3.3 miles to the 0.6-mile Mt. Cammerer fire tower spur trail. At 4,928 feet, the tower overlooks the Pigeon River Gorge to the north and Mt. Sterling to the south. From the fire tower, it’s a moderate descent 2.1 miles to the Low Gap Trail. Take Low Gap 2.5 miles to campsite #37 at the Big Creek Trail junction. Right on the banks of Big Creek, you’d be hhard-pressedto find a more spacious backcountry site in the park.

On Sunday, you can go big or go home, as they say. Going big means a hike up the Swallow Falls Trail 4 miles to the Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail. It’s another 1.4 miles and more climbing to an elevation of 5,842 feet on Mt. Sterling. Climb Sterling’s 60-foot steel fire tower for panoramic views of Cataloochee Valley, the Black Mountains, and the Southern Appalachians. Now, the downhill endurance test begins, with a 4,000-foot elevation loss over 6 miles on the Baxter Creek Trail. If you opt to go home, you can sleep in, savor your coffee by the campfire, and still have plenty of time to hike the moderate, 5-mile descent along Big Creek back to the campground, passing two stunning waterfalls and plenty of swimming holes along the way.

Big Creek loop ends with a 4,000-foot elevation loss over 6 miles on the Baxter Creek Trail.
Big Creek loop ends with a 4,000-foot elevation loss over 6 miles on the Baxter Creek Trail.
virgntn2011

Big Creek Campground is open from April through October and makes a great base camp for groups by serving a wide variety of abilities and interests. On your way home, make sure you leave enough time to refuel at Carver’s Apple Orchard in Cosby, Tenn. At Carver’s you can shop for fresh produce at the farmers market, nab awesome treats at an old-time candy shop, and feast at a homestyle restaurant, where the apple fritters are not to be missed.

Twentymile Loop

In the southwest corner of the Smokies, you’ll find a lesser-used trailhead that leads to the AT and one of the most scenic balds in the park. From this trailhead, you’ll log 17.6 miles on the way to Gregory Bald, sleeping one night on the AT and camping the other night on the bald.

Start off Friday afternoon at the Twentymile Ranger Station off Highway 28 near the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. A non-technical climb takes you 4.5 miles to meet the AT at Sassafras Gap. Campsite #113, at Birch Spring Gap, is less than 1 mile north of the trail junction. If time allows late Friday or early Saturday morning, head south on the AT for 360-degree views at sunset or sunrise from the top of Shuckstack Fire Tower. The historic lookout isn’t regularly maintained, so watch your step on the 200-foot climb to the top.

In the southwest corner of the Smokies you’ll find the lesser-used Twentymile Loop trailhead.
In the southwest corner of the Smokies you’ll find the lesser-used Twentymile Loop trailhead.
Chris M Morris

You’ll resume your northward journey on the AT, traveling 2 miles over Doe Knob to the next trail junction. Next, take Gregory Bald Trail west a little more than 3 miles to campsite #13 on the bald. Known for spectacular flame azalea blooms each year in mid to late June, the grassy high-elevation meadow offers stunning views of Cades Cove, Fontana Lake, and Clingmans Dome.

On Sunday, make the final 6.3-mile descent to the trailhead on the wide, non-technical Wolf Ridge Trail. Refuel at Fontana Village, just over 6 miles down Highway 28, before heading home. Burgers and brews will hit the spot at Wildwood Grill, while the Mountainview Restaurant highlights seasonal produce, along with fresh, local rainbow trout.

Deep Creek Loop

Along Deep Creek loop you’ll pass Indian Creek Falls.
Along Deep Creek loop you’ll pass Indian Creek Falls.
Alan Cressler

Enjoy the streams and waterfalls of the Deep Creek area in the south-central region of the Smokies on this 28.2-mile loop. You’ll also spend a night in an AT shelter and exit on one of the longest continuously descending trails in the Smokies.

You’ve barely left the Deep Creek Ranger Station before you come across Tom Branch Falls and Indian Creek Falls. Once you pass these Insta-worthy stops, it’s a slight uphill grade for 4 miles along the moderately rocky Deep Creek Trail to campsites 54-59. Claim a site for Friday evening (all but one are non-reservable) to enjoy the refreshing waters of Deep Creek and thickly wooded campsites.

Creek crossings and easy bushwacking are on the agenda Saturday, as you hike another 4 miles to the Fork Ridge Trail. Fork Ridge ascends 5 miles to Clingmans Dome Road and the AT. A short hike north takes you to the Mount Collins shelter, where you’ll spend the night in a high-elevation spruce-fir forest and dramatically cooler, drier conditions. Enjoy the shelter amenities, like cozy bunks and a fireplace inside.

Hike down from Clingmans Dome Road to start your final 11.4-mile descent.
Hike down from Clingmans Dome Road to start your final 11.4-mile descent.
Kevin Stewart Photography

The pre-dawn hike south to Clingmans Dome is highly recommended for 360 degrees of sunrise from the highest point in the Smokies. Hike 2 miles down Clingmans Dome Road to the Noland Divide Trailhead to start your final 11.4-mile descent. The trail slopes gently for the first 5 miles before making a steeper drop into Deep Creek, but there are few roots and rocks to slow you down. Make sure you stop to enjoy the views at Lonesome Pine Overlook along the way.

After logging all those miles, nothing’s going to taste more satisfying than a meal and craft beer at The Warehouse at Nantahala Brewing Co. Wrap up your Smokies adventure on the outdoor patio in downtown Bryson City with specialties like the slow-cooked brisket noodle bowl, apple bourbon pork chops, or Bryson City Brown Ale chicken along with a flagship or seasonal draft.

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Featured image provided by Kevin Stewart Photography

When you live near a city, it can be easy to forget just how many stars are in the night sky. But if you take the time to get away from the light pollution, spread out a blanket, and look up, there are more to see than you can imagine. It’s relatively easy to find a dark sky out west, but what about in the southeast? Where can you escape the city lights and find a truly dark sky for stargazing? Here are six of the best places in the southeast to take in the majesty of the night sky.

Before you head out, read this quick guide so you know what to expect and what to look for up there.

1. Staunton River State Park in Scottsburg, Virginia

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Find your favorite constellations at Staunton River State Park.
Virginia State Parks

Designated a Dark Sky Park in 2015, Staunton River State Park is just 25 miles from the North Carolina border and sits between the Dan River and the John H. Kerr Reservoir. There are plenty of opportunities for fishing, swimming, and hiking, but the real draw is once the sun goes down. The park rangers host interpretive programs and there are telescopes available to rent — or you can just show up with your blanket. Bring a tent and spend the night at the park’s campground or rent one of the historic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

2. Blue Ridge Observatory and Star Park in Burnsville, North Carolina

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The Milky Way blazing from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
lawepw

If you’ve ever driven along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you know it’s some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States. But if you haven’t seen it at night, you’re missing out on the real magic! The Star Park is located in the Appalachian Mountains in Burnsville, North Carolina, and is managed by Maryland Community College. Surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest, it’s an experience that you won’t soon forget.

Note: there is no camping allowed in this park.

3. Portsmouth Island, North Carolina

The Outer Banks in North Carolina is already a decent spot for stargazing, but if you’re serious about checking out the Big Dipper, head to Portsmouth Island. The 13-mile-long island is just south of Ocracoke Island, making it the southernmost in the chain of barrier islands. The only way to get there is by boat and there is plenty of fishing, shelling, and exploring to keep you busy during the day. Set up camp pretty much anywhere you want, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of one of the wildest islands in the Outer Banks. Facilities and amenities are very limited so make sure you are prepared before taking a trip out to Portsmouth.

4. Obed Wild & Scenic River in Wartburg, Tennessee

You might be familiar with the Obed Wild & Scenic River because of all the outdoor adventures to be had, but what you may not know is that it’s also a newly-designated Dark Sky Park. The National Park Service regularly hosts night sky outings and the Knoxville Observers and ORION Astronomy Clubs also host astronomy programs in the area. The park service offers a Junior Ranger Night Explorer program, making this spot particularly family-friendly.

The park staff is also working to keep the sky around the Obed dark by prohibiting any permanent outdoor lighting.

5. Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia

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Star trails at Stephen C. Foster State Park.
Alan Cressler

This 80-acre park might not cover a large space, but it does offer the unique opportunity to go stargazing in the Okefenokee Swamp, the country’s largest blackwater swamp. Stephen C. Foster State Park is part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, so you can’t stay overnight, but the park is open until 10 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to get your stargazing fix. Sign up for the Swamper’s Guide to the Galaxy, a Constellation Cruise, or a Paddle Under the Stars to learn more about what you can see in the sky—and in the swamp!

6. Pickett CCC State Park and Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area in Jamestown, Tennessee

This state park lies within the Pickett State Forest in the Cumberland Mountains and is very close to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This means there’s a whole lot of nature and not a lot of light pollution. The area earned its Dark Sky Park designation in 2015, and the staff host several night sky programs in the summer. The park has regular campsites, group campsites, and cabins you can rent and stay for a whole weekend of stargazing.

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Featured image provided by Virginia State Parks

When you think of “wilderness,” what image pops into your brain? I’d wager a lot of you first thought of snowcapped peaks — or maybe a convoluted canyonland, a lake-pocked boreal forest, or some windswept desert badlands.

All of these places are undoubtedly amazing, and worldwide they certainly account for some of the deepest backcountries left on the planet. But in my mind’s-eye, there aren’t many landscapes that so embody “wild” as a swamp: dark, waterlogged, chirring with insects and frogsong — or, in northern wintry mode, a frozen-over backwater of tussocks, deadfall, and horned owls.

One of America’s foremost wilderness sages, ol’ Henry D. Thoreau, also ranks among the world’s most quotable swamp fans. Should you doubt the healthful stimulus a swamp provides the human spirit, just dip into Henry’s writings. “I enter a swamp as a sacred place — a sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength — the marrow of Nature” (“Walking”). Or, from the same essay: “Yes, though you may think me perverse, if it were proposed to me to dwell in the neighborhood of the most beautiful garden that ever human art contrived, or else of a Dismal Swamp, I should certainly decide for the swamp.”

Here, here!

Though the people often label any old morass a “swamp,” it’s got a specific definition. Very roughly, it’s a wetland dominated by woody vegetation: trees or shrubs. Marshes, by contrast, are more open environments with herbaceous plants such as sedges and cattails. A bog can look rather like a swamp with its stunted timber, but it’s an acidic mire that builds up peat and is usually thick with sphagnum moss.

(You’ll notice the Everglades isn’t on the list below: Though it does contain many small swamps in the form of cypress domes and willow/bay thickets, and though it borders two of the big swamp complexes treated here, the true “Everglades” refers to a wholly unique marsh, not swamp, ecosystem.)

Let’s take a mucky tour of some of the most important swamps in America: some of the biggest, yes, but also much smaller ones still notable for their old-growth character — or for being awesomely intimidating pocket wildernesses in the midst of heavily peopled surroundings.

The Great Dismal Swamp (Virginia/North Carolina)

The iconic Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, home to Lake Drummond, one of only two natural lakes in Virginia.
The iconic Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, home to Lake Drummond, one of only two natural lakes in Virginia.
USFWS

“Never was Rum, that cordial of Life, found more necessary than in this Dirty Place.” That was the cheery endorsement offered of the Great Dismal Swamp in the mid-1700s by Colonel William Byrd III, who named this darkly timbered wetland wilderness that once likely covered a million acres on the Atlantic Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. More than 112,000 acres of the swamp, heavily impacted by logging, draining, and development, constitute the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, with North Carolina’s Dismal Swamp State Park bordering the southeastern end.

Diminished though it may be, the Great Dismal Swamp — often considered the most northerly of the Southeast’s great bottomland swamps stretching down to Florida — remains one of America’s most evocative wetlands.

Like some Bahamian blue hole, Lake Drummond (the biggest natural lake in Virginia) forms a big watery eye in the middle of the refuge. Its huge baldcypress hulks are reminders of the stature of the old-growth swamp forest that once covered most of the basin. Baldcypress, water tupelo, and Atlantic white-cedar used to dominate the canopy, but red maple covers the most acreage today, having colonized extensive habitat in the wake of logging, fire suppression, and other human modifications. (You’ll find red-maple swamps all the way from Maine to Florida.) Meanwhile, marsh is developing in the extensive scar south of Lake Drummond created by the lightning-sparked Lateral West Fire, which raged for 111 days in 2011.

The Great Swamp (New Jersey)

You can bet Thoreau would appreciate the fact that the sodden groves and rank fern beds of the Great Swamp bristle only 26 miles from Times Square. He would also appreciate the efforts of the local citizens who banded together in 1959 to thwart the conversion of these forested wetlands, marshes, ponds, glades, and hardwood uplands into a jetport proposed by the Port Authority of New York. The 3,000 acres they donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service became the core of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, now more than twice that size. The refuge’s eastern half composes a federal wilderness area.

The Great Swamp, which edges Long Hill of the Watchung Mountains to the south, formed thousands of years ago in the emptied basin of Glacial Lake Passaic. The Passaic River and a few of its tributaries, namely Black Brook and Great Brook, drain the swamp to the west.

Get your bearings on the short boardwalk trails at the Wildlife Observation Center in the middle of the refuge or the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, then foray into the depths along longer paths penetrating the Great Swamp Wilderness.

The Congaree Bottomlands (South Carolina)

Think all of America’s big trees are on the West Coast? Think again: The floodplain forests and river swamps in Congaree National Park — the largest remaining old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast — flings up a truly mighty canopy, one of the loftiest of any deciduous forest in the world. Congaree’s cathedral groves include a 167-foot-tall loblolly pine, a 162-foot-tall swamp tupelo, a 160-foot sweetgum, and numerous other champion trees.

You can tent out in a pair of developed campgrounds or in the backcountry, penetrated by a trail network and paddling routes along Cedar Creek and the Congaree River itself.

The Four Holes Swamp (South Carolina)

South of the Congaree in the Edisto River basin, the Four Holes Swamp includes the country’s largest old-growth stands of baldcypress and water tupelo, the botanical tag-team that dominates so many Southeastern river swamps. Home to the 17,000-plus-acre, National Audubon Society-owned Francis Beidler Forest, this alligator-, cottonmouth, and anole-prowled blackwater swamp—once a sanctuary for the Natchez Indians and, during the Revolutionary War, the “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion—is named for the deep ponds or “holes” sprinkled within it. Some 1,800 acres of the forest are virgin, defined by giant baldcypresses above an under-canopy of tupelo: trees that may be 1,000 years old or more.

The Four Holes Swamp ranks among the most awe-inspiring of America’s wetlands, and you can get a taste for it with a walk on the Audubon sanctuary’s 1.75-mile boardwalk trail or a canoe or kayak safari (reservations required) through the blackwater channels.

The Okefenokee Swamp (Georgia/Florida)

Camping at Floyd's Island during a 3-day canoe trip in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Camping at Floyd’s Island during a 3-day canoe trip in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Timothy J

Shadowy sloughs through Spanish-moss-spangled baldcypress, jungly tree hammocks, waterlily lakes white with blossoms: The Okefenokee may well be the country’s archetypal swamp. Covering some 700 square miles on the Georgia-Florida line, it’s also one of the biggest. Its sandy basin, hemmed on the east by an ancient dune called the Trail Ridge, serves as headwaters for the Suwannee River (flowing to the Gulf of Mexico) and the St. Marys (flowing to the Atlantic). The floating rafts of peat scattered in the so-called “prairies” of the swamp, which ultimately will be colonized by bays and other plants, explain the meaning of Okefenokee: “Land of the Trembling Earth.”

A multiday canoe trip into the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge locks you into the slow rhythm of the place. Well, for one thing, it’s slow paddling, given the twisting channels, the often-shallow water, and the obstructions of peat islands and emergent vegetation. You’ll probably see more than one gator hauled up on a log; the sight of a swamp black bear’s a rarer thrill.

The Green Swamp (Florida)

Along the lines of the sharp dichotomy between Manhattan and Jersey’s Great Swamp, the Green Swamp of Central Florida stakes out a reptile-thick wilderness within a stone’s throw or two from Walt Disney World (hacked out of a swamp, mind you). Covering roughly 900 square miles, the swamp — actually a diverse matrix of cypress swamps, riverine and bottomland hardwood forests, hammocks, marshes, and upland woods — is one of the Sunshine State’s major headwaters, giving rise to numerous rivers and daily funneling hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per square mile into the Florida Aquifer, upon which millions of people rely.

Some 110,000 acres of the landscape compose the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve overseen by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Hiking opportunities abound, not least on a long segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Southwest Florida Mangrove Swamps

Slacklining during a canoe trip in the Florida Mangrove swamps.
Slacklining during a canoe trip in the Florida Mangrove swamps.
Tristan Loper

The ragged seashore of Southwest Florida is one of the wildest coasts in the country. It’s also one of the greatest swamplands, given it’s dominated by mangrove jungle (aka mangal). Mangrove swamps are massively significant worldwide as nurseries for fish and other marine life as well as stabilizing bulwarks against wave erosion and hurricanes. They’re mostly a tropical feature and therefore rare in the U.S., but the Ten Thousand Islands and the mangal sloughs off the Big Cypress and the Everglades create one of the most significant mangrove mosaics in the Western Hemisphere.

Though the giant bird rookeries of the past have been reduced, the Southwest Florida mangal is still thronged with feathered life—egrets, ibises, cormorants, pelicans—and manatees, dolphins, and tarpon cruise the bays. American crocodiles, meanwhile, find refuge in the mangrove margin of Florida Bay. For experienced boaters, the Wilderness Waterway serves as the classic journey through this magnificent backcountry.

The Big Cypress Swamp (Florida)

The Florida Trail also strikes through the one-of-a-kind wilderness of the Big Cypress Swamp, a vast patchwork of cypress domes and “strand” swamps, pinewoods, palm savannas, and tropical hammocks edging the Everglades to the northwest. The name today is more evocative of the extent of the country (a watershed of more than 2,000 square miles) than the size of the baldcypresses, given the old-growth titans were nearly completely lumbered out. But take a stroll on the boardwalk through the Corkscrew Swamp, a protected pocket of old-growth in the far northern Big Cypress, to get a taste for how utterly massive those buttressed conifers can grow.

The Corkscrew Swamp is an Audubon sanctuary, separated by development from the complicated patchwork of publicly owned lands encompassing most of the remaining Big Cypress Swamp: among them the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and the Big Cypress National Preserve. The latter 720,000-acre parcel, managed by the National Park Service, borders Everglades National Park to the east and south.

Hikers and backpackers in the sprawling Big Cypress National Preserve outback have the chance of glimpsing a Florida black bear or a Florida panther, that puma subspecies now restricted to South Florida, more common here than in the Everglades. And particularly in the winter dry season, waterways are crammed with egrets, anhingas, wood storks, alligators, and other critters.

The Atchafalaya Swamp (Louisiana)

A tour boat rests serenely in Atchafalaya Basin.
A tour boat rests serenely in Atchafalaya Basin.
Matthew Levine

Encompassing some 900,000 acres of baldcypress-tupelo bayous and bottomland hardwood forests, the Atchafalaya (“Long River” in the indigenous Chitimachas language) Swamp is often called the biggest riverine swamp in the U.S. It hugs most of the Atchafalaya River’s 140-mile corridor extending from just south of the Mississippi-Red River confluence to the vast marshy Atchafalaya Delta on the Gulf of Mexico (its own superlative wetland complex).

Harvested for oil, gas, and timber, long hunted and fished, the Atchafalaya Swamp is also a major haven for wildlife, including the rare Louisiana black bear. The swamp’s intimately tied to the Mississippi River: The Atchafalaya River has long been a flood spillway for the Mississippi, and were it not for Army Corps of Engineers regulating flow, the Mississippi might well abandon its current delta and follow the shorter seabound course through the Atchafalaya.

Heavily impacted by humanity, the Atchafalaya is nonetheless big and wild enough to give a major sense of swamp primeval. The Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge makes a good jumping-off point.

The Honey Island Swamp (Louisiana/Mississippi)

The 70,000-acre Honey Island Swamp in southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi’s Pearl River Basin sums up much of the allure of America’s swamplands. For one thing, it’s one of the wildest and most tucked-away: a remote corridor of hardwood and baldcypress/tupelo swamp in the bottoms between the West Pearl and Pearl rivers, grading into marshlands fronting the Gulf lagoon of Lake Borgne. And for another, like swamps around the world, it’s drenched in lore as an outlaw hideout. Pirates such as Pierre Ramueau, the “King of Honey Island,” used it, as did James Copeland’s notorious gang — and as a sanctuary for a mysterious beast: the Honey Island Swamp Monster.

A good chunk of the Honey Island Swamp falls within the Pearl River Wildlife Management Area. Numerous outfitters run tours through the backwaters, or you can brave the resident “swamp thing” on your own self-guided trek.

The Alakai Plateau (Hawaii)

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Boardwalks stretching into the eerie Alakai “swamp.”
Marvin Bravenboer

OK, OK, so technically this waterlogged highland in the heart of Kauai isn’t a swamp, even though its popular name is the “Alakai Swamp” and Native Hawaiians also called it the “swamp in the clouds.” Ecologically speaking it’s a unique high-elevation cloud forest strung with many bogs, west of the high rim of Wai’ale’ale. With 460-odd inches of rain a year, it’s one of the wettest places on Earth. Perpetually soaked, it’s the island’s signal fountainhead; much of the voluminous Alakai water ultimately drains through the Waimea River, which carves the awesome Waimea Canyon to the southwest of the plateau.

Atmospherically, the Alakai is pretty damn swamplike in a more colloquial sense: It’s like a high swamp-jungle, usually cloaked in rain and rolling mist, tangled with stunted trees (ohia, lapalapa, and others) and huge ferns, broken by etheral mires and gushing ravines. Walled on three sides by sheer pali (cliffs) and almost impenetrable off the few ancient (and often crazy-muddy) trails that enter it—stories abound of bushwhackers lost for days or plumb vanished—it’s gloriously hard to explore. You can get a taste of it, though, along the Pihea and Alakai Swamp trails beginning in Kokee State Park.

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Featured image provided by USFWS

Doughton Park, located between milepost 238 and 246, is the largest recreation area along the 469 mile of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also happens to be one of the most spectacular locations to soak up fall color changes in area.

It’s easy enough to stop at a lookout along the BRP and get the view you came for at Doughton — the scenic highway follows the ridge at the top of the park, putting you in a perfect position to peruse the panorama. But to get fully immersed in the landscape, walking some of the 30 miles of trails is the way to go.

The trail system at Doughton is pretty simple. The longest trek runs for about 16.5 miles and creates a ring around the entire park. If time allows, this is the best way to experience all the amazing views the park has to offer.

To make the walk a little easier and more in line with a day-hike time budget, use the trails that cut through the center of the park. The Grassy Gap fire road links to the Bluff Ridge primitive trail. Bluff Ridge is 2.8 miles of nearly straight uphill climbing, terminating on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A shelter sits right near the end of the trail and is a great place for lunch with a view.

While hiking is the main attraction, Doughton Park also offers some other amenities. The campground holds more than 60 tent sites and 25 RV sites. Rainbow and brook trout can be found swimming in Basin Cove Creek, just waiting for skilled anglers. And cross country skiing is allowed when the park is accessible in winter (even when other parts of the BRP are closed).

Back in the day, the late 1800s that is, the area was home to the bustling Basin Cove community. In 1916, however, a flood claimed most of the structures in the area. Two notable survivors are the Brinegar Cabin (circa 1885) and the Caudill Family Homestead. Both are accessible by trail and offer a glimpse into how this very tough breed of settlers once spent their days.

Luckily, you don’t have to work nearly has hard as the Caudill’s to get your dinner. Once you’ve finished stuffing your eyes with panoramic scenery, it’s time to stuff your belly with some classic Carolina feed. Featured on BBQ with Bobby Flay, the Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery is the perfect place to help you balance out all the calories you burned at Doughton. Pulled pork is the star of the show, but this North Wilkesboro eatery also offers ribs, chicken, country ham, fish, and a whole pile of other choices including their signature side dish, Brushy Mountain Caviar.

Saving room for desert is a requirement. As the name suggests, Brushy Mountain makes their own ice-cream which is then generously applied to shakes, sundaes, and cakes.

If you want a peak at peak Blue Ridge leaf season from the top of a peak, then Doughton Park in late October and early November is where you need to be.

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Featured image provided by Rob Glover

Thousands of years ago, when extreme cold gripped the North American continent, flora and fauna most suited to northern latitudes migrated south, covering what is now North Carolina. As the cold retreated and temperatures climbed, the trees and animals more suited to warm weather returned. Except, that is, for those living on the highest peaks in the state.

Like islands of alpine forest in a sea of temperate climate, the rounded precipices of North Carolina’s loftiest mountains still have the look and feel of their Canadian counterparts — none more so than Mount Mitchell, standing 6,684 feet above sea level.

Coated in crystalline frost even while surrounding valleys are bathed in relative warmth, Mount Mitchell is among the best places in North Carolina to experience a real winter wonderland. Here we offer four reasons to brave the fickle conditions on the East’s loftiest peak during its harshest months.

1. You’ll earn serious bragging rights.

Bent trees and horizontal ice formations tell the tale of powerful winds that frequently sweep across the top of the mountain. North Carolina State Parks
Bent trees and horizontal ice formations tell the tale of powerful winds that frequently sweep across the top of the mountain.
North Carolina State Parks

Hiking to the top of the highest peak east of the Mississippi is a formidable goal any time of year. But in winter, when the Frasier fir trees are dusted with snow and a brutal wind forms sideways icicles, hearty hikers gaining Mitchell’s summit become part of a special club.

The Mount Mitchell Trail is the most popular summit route in the state park. This 6-mile, one-way trail begins at the Black Mountain Campground and wanders through several distinct biomes on the way up. Mountain laurel and rhododendron line lower elevation creek beds. Mountain maple, spruce, and birch trees crowd for sunlight midway up, while the last remnants of an alpine fir forest cap the final stretch.

The Black Mountain Range, a 15-mile stretch of peaks anchored by Mount Mitchell, stands high enough to affect the weather. Temperatures have dropped to minus 34 degrees while wind gusts of more than 170 mph have been recorded at the peak — and it’s important not to take a winter day here lightly. These conditions certainly add to the challenge, but also to the accomplishment.

2. It’s a different world in winter.

“Post-holing” through a heaping layer of snow can make the already challenging hike to the top of Mount Mitchell a real beast. North Carolina State Parks
“Post-holing” through a heaping layer of snow can make the already challenging hike to the top of Mount Mitchell a real beast.
North Carolina State Parks

During spring, multi-hued flowering bushes line babbling creeks on the mountainside. Songbirds fill the trees and lush vegetation buffers the trail in an expansive green carpet.

But winter brings an entirely different mood to Mount Mitchell. There are no songs from the forest now; just the crunch of your footsteps on frozen trail reverberating off weathered tree trunks. On a rare, still day, there is no other sound. On a typical day, however, the whistle and howl of wind overhead surrounds you.

Down low, at the beginning of your hike, branches are coated in a heavy snow. Nearer to the peak, horizontal ice formations and bowed trees are static reminders of punishing winds. Where a blue haze might limit views in the summer, clear winter days provide vistas of frosted peaks up to 80 miles away. It’s a special kind of serenity that only a winter hike affords.

3. You’ll savor plenty of solitude.

The challenge of climbing some 3,600 feet to the top of Mt. Mitchell may be substantial, but in good weather it’s a common undertaking. No surprise, then, that the Mount Mitchell trail can be heavily trafficked in summer. And at the top, where a large parking lot sits adjacent to the snack bar and museum, families and groups of motorcyclists can crowd the view.

In winter, however, the snack bar and museum are closed for business. Difficult road conditions, school schedules, and the tough climate keep many visitors at bay. The quiet of the trail continues all the way to the top. It’s a memorable outdoor adventure not possible on busy summer days, making the wind-burnt skin and cold toes well worth it.

4. You’ll find plenty of post-hike happiness nearby.

An 800-degree stone oven provides the tell-tale char on the crust at Fresh Pizza and Pasta. Don’t want it? Just let them know when you order. Rob Glover
An 800-degree stone oven provides the tell-tale char on the crust at Fresh Pizza and Pasta. Don’t want it? Just let them know when you order.
Rob Glover

A winter exploration of Mount Mitchell will chill your bones and burn some serious calories. These days are made for hearty craft beer and huge, wood-fired pizza.

This perfect one-two punch awaits in the quaint town of Black Mountain, due south of Mount Mitchell. Begin with a stop at Fresh Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta. Settle into this cozy restaurant and watch while bubbly-crusted pizzas are pulled from an 800-degree stone oven. (The typical pie comes with a charred crust which creates a wonderful flavor, but you can ask them to leave it un-charred if you prefer.) The calzones are the size of a small RV and the beer selection is admirable. Leaving hungry, even considering your incredible effort earlier in the day, is unlikely.

If You Go:

  • Check the weather report before setting out. It changes quickly here, and being caught in a blizzard with howling winds is no joke.
  • Bring your hiking poles for this trek. They can provide a lot of support on an icy trail.
  • Check the park website for closures. The park staff works hard to clear roads, but they may shut down for a day or two after a heavy snow.

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Featured image provided by North Carolina State Parks

If it seems too good to be true, than it probably is. These are wise words to live by, yet living in Asheville is the rare exception to this rule. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, you can find wild, rolling meadows, exposed peaks of bare rock, and views of heart-melting beauty — and all reachable by trails so short, you’ll barely break a sweat.

1. Devil’s Courthouse

Devil's Courthouse sunrise
The hike to Devil’s Courthouse is short, strenuous, and well worth every step.
Frank Merenda

According to Cherokee legend, the sinister, bare-rock profile of Devil’s Courthouse is the dwelling place of Judaculla, the slant-eyed giant that dances in the caves below the summit. And while there’s no telling what sort of apparition you might see lurking in those mysterious hollows of rock, the view from the top is guaranteed to leave you breathless. Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and North Carolina unfurl in every direction in a rippling expanse of mountains. The journey to this ominous 5,720-foot peak is a mere half-mile from the parking lot. Remain on the trail to protect the abundance of fragile, high-altitude plants that cling to the rock and ensure that the giant lurking beneath you remains undisturbed.

2. Max Patch

Purple mountains at Max Patch.
Purple mountain majesty from the summit of Max Patch on an early morning.
Marcos Gasc

The greatest reward awaiting you from the airy summit of Max Patch is the deepest breath you’ve been able to draw in a long, long time. The feeling of tranquility and expansiveness that this rolling Appalachian meadow will instill in you is similar to that inspired by the ocean. Layer upon layer of mountains unfold into the distance in a 360-degree panorama, and the sky above you is a perfect blue dome. The road to Max Patch is long and winding, but the hike is short and sweet: a half-mile trek to the top, where you’ll find the Appalachian Trail cutting a neat path along the ridgeline.

3.Waterrock Knob

The Blue Ridge Mountains at Waterrock Knob.
From the summit of Waterrock Knob, ethereal blue layers of mountain fold into the distance.
Doug Waldron

The summit of Waterrock Knob is best enjoyed on the first morning after a rain, when the atmosphere is clean and polished. Waterrock Knob is located in the Plott Balsam Range, the chain of mountains that connects the Smokies to the Great Balsams. From its soaring peak 6,292 feet above sea level, the view stretches for more than 50 miles across Maggie Valley and into the Smokies beyond, including some of the tallest peaks within that range. The trail is just half a mile from the parking area (which also yields extraordinary views, and is a lovely destination if you are not ambulatory.) The trail includes many overlooks and opportunities to wander off and claim a few moments of solitude.

4. Linville Falls

A view of Linville Falls.
Linville Falls is a powerful spectacle in every season.
Stephen

The power of water—ancient, patient, and unyielding—may be the most moving and humbling force on the planet. Linville Falls, a 90-foot cascade that drops into the  Linville Gorge, is a spectacular example of such power. From the visitor center, a stair-cut, three-quarter mile trail leads to the base of the falls, where the pounding of whitewater drowns out all other sound, and the riverside boulders beg you to climb and explore. Swimming is not allowed, as the current could quickly sweep you over Lower Falls and into the canyon. The two trails that begin at the visitor center lead to five separate viewpoints, including Plunge Basin Overlook, which allows for a bird’s-eye-view of Lower Falls and Chimney Tops.

5. Green Knob Fire Tower 

View from the Green Knob Fire Tower.
Quite fittingly, the summertime view from Green Knob Fire Tower is one of innumerable shades of green.
Michael Sprague

There’s a beatnik romance to fire towers, an undeniable lure to these mountain structures that have become, if not completely anachronistic, then at least an aging relic of Americana. Half a mile on an overgrown and nearly hidden trail will lead you from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the summit of Green Knob Mountain, where the fire tower is perched along the Eastern Continental Divide. Although the cab has recently been closed to visitors, the vista at the top of the staircase is worth the rickety climb. A grab-bag of the Carolinas’ most impressive peaks, the view includes the Black Mountain Range, Mt. Mitchell, the Great Craggy Mountains, and the distinguished profiles of Table Rock and Grandfather Mountain.

6. Black Balsam Knob

Take a stroll through the goldenrod on the summit of Black Balsam Knob.
Take a stroll through the goldenrod on the summit of Black Balsam Knob.
Melina Coogan

Black Balsam Knob is nothing short of heavenly. This grassy bald lies atop the Great Balsam Mountains, drenched in open sky, with a 360-degree panoramic view. A short, switchbacking trail leads from the parking lot to the summit, where it intersects with the 30-mile Art Loeb Trail. For an easy overnight, settle in at an established campsite on the summit, taking care to Leave No Trace. On a clear evening, you will be treated to a water-color sunset and a dome of shooting stars. Just don’t be surprised if, in the morning, the mountains beckon and you find yourself following the Art Loeb Trail toward the Shining Rock Wilderness. The landscape of high mountain balds is utterly irresistible.

7. Rough Ridge

The view from Rough Ridge.
The boulders alongside the Rough Ridge provide easy opportunities for stunning photography.
David Clarke

Life can be exhausting. Some days, you simply need to find the edge of the world, sit with your legs dangling into the ether, and just breathe. Luckily for the explorers of Western Carolina, there is a trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway, just outside of Blowing Rock, where you can do just that. Rough Ridge is a dazzling, one-mile section of both the Tanawha and Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The splendor begins only a third of a mile from the parking area, when the boardwalk trail emerges from the forest into an alpine, rock-studded landscape. Continue for another half mile to the 4,773-foot summit, a steep rock fang with views of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Gorge, and the lights of the Piedmont glimmering in the distance. Make sure and scramble to the top of boulders along the way, and savor the dizzying sensations of elevation and exposure.

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Featured image provided by Erich Burton

Autumn is that seasonal sweet spot between the balmy, bug-bitten days of summer and the frigid frost of winter. Fall is a time when fiery foliage makes outdoor excursions even more alluring. While leaf-peepers flock to the mountains of North Carolina, some of the state’s most stunning natural spaces remain nearly devoid of visitors. This fall, soak up North Carolina’s stunning seasonal color in the state’s overlooked wild places.

1. Medoc Mountain State Park

The 10 miles of hiking trails are an excellent way to explore Medoc Mountain State Park.
The 10 miles of hiking trails are an excellent way to explore Medoc Mountain State Park.
bobistraveling

Just outside the town of Hollister, Medoc Mountain State Park is an inviting, but often ignored, autumn retreat. Laced with 10-miles of hiking trails, the park offers everything from gentle, streamside rambles to more rugged loops over the park’s rocky bluffs. Take to the placid waters of Fishing Creek or bring a picnic and set up shop for the day in the midst of the park’s sprawling, fall-color-tinged meadow.

2. Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Falls Lake State Park offers excellent hiking, paddling, and mountain bike opportunities.
Falls Lake State Park offers excellent hiking, paddling, and mountain bike opportunities.
Razvan Orendovici

Enjoy autumn colors at one of the state’s most unique outdoor spaces, Falls Lake State Recreation Area in Wake Forest. A veritable paddler’s paradise, the recreation area actually consists of a series of access sites dotting the forest-fringed fingers of a massive 12,000-acre reservoir. Beyond the water, many of the access points also feature campsites, mountain biking trails and hiking trails, including an extensive segment of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail, which hugs the lake’s southern shore.

3. Middle Prong Wilderness

The Middle Prong Wilderness is one of the least visited parts of the Pisgah National Forest.
The Middle Prong Wilderness is one of the least visited parts of the Pisgah National Forest.
Joe Giordano

Tucked away in the massive Pisgah National Forest, the Middle Prong Wilderness is one of the vast recreation area’s most rugged and least-visited corners. The 7,900-acre wilderness located near Asheville is loaded with challenging terrain dominated by high peaks, precipitous drop-offs, and craggy ridgelines. For real solitude seekers, Middle Prong Wilderness is managed to show minimal signs of human impact. While there are ample hiking options, including access to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, signage is minimal, so plan on using those well-honed navigational skills.

4. New River State Park

New River State Park features both hike-in and paddle-in campsites.
New River State Park features both hike-in and paddle-in campsites.
bobistraveling

One of the state’s wildest parks, New River Park showcases one of North Carolina’s most stunning waterways. Distinguished as a National Scenic River four decades ago, the New River flows past some of the state’s most dramatic, mountain-loaded landscapes. The park features a handful of hiking trails, but the real highlight is the mighty river itself. The state park is also loaded with pristine backcountry retreats, offering an array of primitive hike-in and paddle-in campsites spread throughout the 750-acre recreation area.

5. South Mountain State Park

A misty morning in South Mountain State Park.
A misty morning in South Mountain State Park.
Charlie Cowins

Clinging to the Jacob Fork River, South Mountain State Park is a blissful escape for backpackers. There are 50 miles of sylvan trails, trout-loaded steams, and dispersed backcountry campsites to explore. Besides just hiking, the park also boasts 18 miles of mountain biking trails and 33 miles of bridle trails. High Shoal Falls’ tumbling, 80-foot cascade is a beautiful waterfall that is especially alluring when framed by autumn’s palette of burning colors.

6. Merchants Millpond State Park

Merchants Millpond features excellent paddling.
Merchants Millpond features excellent paddling.
bobistraveling

Foliage-seeking shutterbugs will relish in Merchants Millpond’s photogenic potential. The tannin-tinged backwater makes for a stunning backdrop of iconic fall portraits. Aside from just aesthetics, hikers can enjoy the state park’s 9-miles of trails while paddlers can explore Merchants Millpond from the water. For a longer getaway, the park also offers family-style campgrounds, backcountry tent sites, and even a few rustic paddle-in campsites.

7. Uwharrie National Forest

Uwharrie National Forest features some of the oldest mountains on the continent.
Uwharrie National Forest features some of the oldest mountains on the continent.
emily accipiter stewart

A little more than an hour’s drive from Charlotte and Greensboro, the Uwharrie National Forest harbors seemingly untouched backcountry and some of the oldest mountains on the continent. The 51-acre national forest is also traversed by nearly 70 miles of trails, including two extensive routes perfect for color-loaded fall backpacking trips: the 10-mile Dutchman’s Creek and 20-mile Uwharrie Trail. Beyond the potential for backcountry forays, the national forest also boasts a bounty of scenic lakeside campsites at the Badin Lake Campground.

8. Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is filled with birds and other wildlife to see, including black bears and a small population of red wolves.
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is filled with birds and other wildlife to see, including black bears and a small population of red wolves.
USFWS SE Region

Fall is still prime paddling season along North Carolina’s coast and the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge has an abundance of options to suit any skill level. Fringed by the Alligator River and the Albemarle, Croatan, and Pamlico sounds, this wildlife refuge includes more than 15 miles of well-marked paddling trails plus plenty of terrestrial trails and bike-able public access roads. The mammoth refuge is also one of the state’s most unique wildlife areas. This sanctuary harbors more than 200 different birds, a booming black bear population, and most notably, a small population of endangered red wolves, reintroduced from captivity in the late 1980s.

9. Three Top Mountain Game Land

A hike at Three Top Mountain can take you to elevations 4,800 feet above sea level.
A hike at Three Top Mountain can take you to elevations 4,800 feet above sea level.
James Lautzenheiser

Managed by the Nature Conservancy, Three Top Mountain in the North Carolina High Country is still off the radar of many weekend warriors. Named for the three distinctive rock outcroppings dominating the protected area, Three Top Mountain is loaded with seasonal color, in large part, due to the preserve’s unique geological composition. This includes amphibolite bedrock, rarely found in regional ecosystems. The 2,308-acre preserve’s high country hiking trails still feel undiscovered and include gritty climbs to elevations of 4,800 feet above sea level.

10. Goose Creek State Park

Explore the coastal ecosystems at Goose Creek State Park.
Explore the coastal ecosystems at Goose Creek State Park.
bobistraveling

Nestled along the confluence of Goose Creek and the Pamlico River, Goose Creek State Park showcases a stunning array of coastal ecosystems, from cypress swamps to mixed hardwood forests. The park is also loaded with recreational opportunities including 8 miles of hiking trails and an abundance of recreational paddling on both Goose Creek and the Pamlico River. For a starry night away from the urban grind, pitch a tent in the park’s pine shaded campsites.

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Featured image provided by David Siu

Dawn patrol is the practice of heading out before sunrise and beginning the day with a paddle, run, ski, hike, or whatever form of outdoor adventure you most crave. Crawling out of bed into the cold and making your way to the trailhead in darkness requires deep motivation, commitment and prior planning — but the payoff is enormous. Set the alarm, ready your things the night before, and see for yourself how dawn patrol sets the stage for a fulfilling and invigorating lifestyle. Here are ten reasons for Asheville explorers to head for the hills before daybreak.

1. You Don’t Have to Travel Far

One of Asheville’s greatest assets is its proximity to the wilderness. Your morning mission could take you as far away as Cataloochee Ski Area or as nearby as Richmond Hill Park. Ease yourself into the realm of dawn patrol with a sunrise run on a greenway, work your way up to a trail run at Bent Creek, or take an illuminated ride at Pisgah. When the Blue Ridge Parkway is shut down in the winter, it creates a beautiful track of clean snow (469 miles long) for hiking and cross-country skiing. Whatever gets your heart beating and fills your lungs with fresh air makes a suitable morning conquest.

2. Achieve the Coveted Work/Life Balance

Asheville sparkles in predawn light.
Asheville sparkles in predawn light.
Pulaw

Achieving a healthy work/life balance is very possible in a small city such as Asheville. When your life is partly defined by outdoor adventure, however, the limited daylight of winter does present a challenge. Practice alarm clock discipline, arm yourself with warm layers and a headlamp, and fearlessly face the pre-dawn darkness to infuse each day with outdoor endeavors before you even clock in.

3. Appreciate the Comforts of the Office

There’s nothing like coming in from the cold to help you appreciate everyday luxuries so often taken for granted. Those first few lungfuls of frigid mountain air might feel harsh, but dawn patrol will help you revel in the comforts of office life as you never have before: placid temperatures, hot water, your lumbar-supporting office chair. Even that brown bag lunch you brought from home will be a source of gleeful anticipation to your stoked appetite.

4. Catch a Blue Ridge Sunrise

The sun rises over Graveyard Fields, a popular hiking destination along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The sun rises over Graveyard Fields, a popular hiking destination along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Jenn Deane

Greeting the dawn is one of the healthiest rituals you can incorporate into your life, and the ethereal Blue Ridge Mountain range puts on a truly spectacular sunrise. Catch the show from Mt. Mitchell State Park, Sam’s Knob, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or any place where you can glimpse those first rays. The tranquility, awe, and invigoration you experience will fuel you straight through your 9 to 5.

5. Shoot Stunning Photos

Perfecting the camera settings to catch those elusive moments of daybreak.
Perfecting the camera settings to catch those elusive moments of daybreak.
Matt Paish

Western North Carolina is photogenic. But Western North Carolina at sunrise is really, really photogenic. Dawn patrol can yield some breathtaking captures: silhouettes and sun rays, the delicate colors of dawn seeping through the forest or brightening the streets, and you (in a glorious selfie), looking burly and alive in the first light of day.

6. Stick to Your Exercise Plan

Experts agree that the most effective way to stick to a workout plan is to exercise first thing in the morning. So while you’re outside, being uplifted by nature and extolling in the many virtues of dawn patrol, you’re turning this healthy practice into part of your daily routine and upping the chances of meeting your fitness goals.

7. Avoid a Congested Commute

Don’t hit that snooze button: the earlier you’re up and at ’em, the emptier the roads. Asheville’s growing traffic issues are never as apparent as they are during peak commuting hours. By heading into the mountains before dawn, not only will you skip the morning commute, you’ll also save yourself from battling post-work traffic as you try to make it to Bent Creek before nightfall.

8. Coffee in the Mountains…

Coffee in the mountains sure beats the drive-through line at Starbucks.
Coffee in the mountains sure beats the drive-through line at Starbucks.
Martin Cathrae

Coffee tastes better on the side of a mountain or sipped from a thermos as you stroll alongside the French Broad river. That pleasant caffeinated buzz hits you harder when mixed with fresh air and exercise endorphins. Simply put, dawn patrol coffee is one of life’s most amazing offerings. Enjoy it as often as possible.

9. …Espresso in the City

Enjoy your second round of coffee at one of Asheville's many cafes.
Enjoy your second round of coffee at one of Asheville’s many cafes.
Unsplash

You’re back in town and ready to start the work day….but not until you’ve finished a second cup, this one purveyed at one of Asheville’s many coffee shops. Treat yourself to an espresso and a glazed twist; after all, it’s 9 a.m. and you’ve already earned it.

10. The Breakfast Beer

Once in a while, your morning conquest might just turn into a ”mental health“ day.
Once in a while, your morning conquest might just turn into a ”mental health“ day.
Jay Johnson

If your morning conquest somehow turns into a full blown snow day, this is the perfect time to try out a “breakfast brew.”

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Featured image provided by Caleb Morris

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