Small Journeys
Our daughter isn’t home for summer vacation just yet, but I’ve been taking her on short hiking trips after school so that we can spend time together in the silence of the forest. She usually tries to fight me (homebody … Continued
Dry, Captivating Shortoff Mtn.
My hiking (and life) partner chose Shortoff Mountain because he knew I would fall in love with the dry, stark terrain and the unforgiving sun. I’ve always loved landscapes that reflect extremes and this trail allowed me to revel in … Continued
Quick Hike to Hawkbill Rock on the Snowball Trail
The days are getting longer, the sun setting later, and with that comes the opportunities for real after-work hikes, expanding the time to explore the trails beyond my usual weekend availability. On Thursday, May 18 I decided to take the … Continued
Cruel Descent to Paradise
We chose Rich Falls for our Saturday hiking adventure after finding it in the third edition of Kevin Adams’ North Carolina Waterfalls guidebook. We wanted a crystal clear, private swimming hole, and a trail that would likely be deserted. I’m … Continued
Trip Report: Lover’s Leap Ridge and Pump Gap Loop
Notice 4/22/15: A large wildfire has spread through the area described by this hike, and the trails are currently closed. We’ll update when they re-open, and hopefully go back for a visit to see what it looks like after it’s … Continued
Trip Report: Pisgah Water Everywhere, and Much of it Falling
For the 10 days leading up to New Year’s Eve, we’d had a lot of rain in the southern Appalachians. Really, it was a tremendous stretch of wet weather. So, I just had to get out and look for some … Continued
Trip Report: Lower Trace Ridge Reroute
The lower portion of the Trace Ridge Trail, located in the North Mills River area of Pisgah National Forest, has recently been re-routed. It was a years-long project spearheaded by Pisgah Area SORBA, and one of the first volunteer-built sections … Continued
Trip Report: Another Waterfall in Shope Creek
Ever since the Shope Creek area opened up to visitors a few years ago, I’ve been exploring it and poring over the maps to see what might be worth a visit up there. I’ve “found” a few un-documented waterfalls (so … Continued
Trip Report: Upper Pilot Rock and Laurel Mountain Loop
On Sunday, September 6, I took Darla the Trail Dog out for a hike in the Pisgah National Forest near the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were looking for a moderate-length hike due to time restrictions, and … Continued
South Mills River Hike and the Forest Service Wilderness Evaluation
Mullinax, Squirrel Gap, & Poundingmill Trails And A Reflection on Wilderness…ness On Saturday, November 14, 2015, my wife and I found ourselves with some free time and a babysitter, so we headed down to the Turkeypen trailhead to do a … Continued