Posts Tagged ‘Hiking the Highlands’
Special Sections Along the Appalachian Trail
We asked folks which sections of the Appalachian Trail are their favorites, and here’s what we found!
Read MorePristine Waters At Bottom Creek Gorge
The Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., contains more than 5 miles of trails and the second-highest waterfall in the state.
Read MoreWest Rim Loop Trail
A hike through Cloudland Canyon State Park reveals spectacular views of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.
Read MoreBays Mountain: Lakeside and Fire Tower Trails
The network of trails at Tennessee’s largest city park allows hikers of any skill level to design an outing to suit them.
Read MoreGetting Wild: The Tennessee Wilderness Proposal
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Currently, a proposal to designate nearly 20,000 acres of the Cherokee National Forest as official wilderness sits in Congress. Writer Chris Samoray takes a hike through a proposed wild area along the Bald River.
Read MoreStreamside Technology in the Clinch River Valley
By Kimber Ray Although visitors are unlikely to stumble upon Saint Paul, Va., by chance, those who do might be surprised to learn that this small, rural town hosts some of the most novel trails in the country. Located along the crystal-clear waters of the Clinch River in Russell and Wise Counties, Saint Paul boasts…
Read MoreGood Ole Rocky Top: Trail Repair in the Smokies
By Davis Wax Leaving I-40 South near Newport, Tenn., heading down Cosby Highway, I slowed down and leaned forward over the steering wheel, watching as the late September sky disappeared behind undulations of green and blue earth. The Great Smoky Mountains loomed ahead, as did my next adventure on the Appalachian Trail, a footpath —…
Read MoreA Waterfall and a View at Bad Branch State Nature Preserve
By Dana Kuhnline Bad Branch Falls near Whitesburg, Ky., was one of the first hikes I experienced when I moved to Appalachia almost 10 years ago. I happened to be chaperoning two vans full of at-risk teenagers on a weekend trip from West Virginia to Whitesburg. The last stop before heading home was this hike.…
Read MoreAbrams Falls Trail: A Jaunt to a Jewel of the Smokies
By Stephen Otis The Abrams Falls Trail has historical nuances you won’t find just anywhere. Located in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, the trail, creek and falls are named after a historic leader of the Cherokee Nation, Chief Abram; a short side trail leads to Elijah Oliver’s…
Read MoreThe White Squirrel Hiking Challenge
Editor’s Note: We have long featured our region’s fantastic places and phenomenal hikes in the “Hiking the Highlands” column. What we have less frequently focused on, however, is how some of our favorite places were protected in the first place. Non-profit land trusts are committed to the preservation of our region’s natural heritage and scenic…
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