John Rock
I’ve been meaning to hike to the top of John Rock for a while. It’s a side trail in the middle of Cat Gap Loop, which I hiked a couple of months ago. This was purely impulsive. I realized on … Continued
The Art Loeb Trail is a 30.1-mile pathway through Pisgah National Forest that crosses four 6000-foot peaks and winds around the base of a fifth at Cold Mountain. I’m still shaking down my new gear, so I thought this would … Continued
Looking Glass Rock is one of the more famous peaks in Pisgah National Forest. Its bald, stone face is easily observed from the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is parking in a dedicated lot at the trailhead and along the road. … Continued
I’m planning a few shakedown hikes over the fall to test my backpacking gear list. The first is a 12-mile loop consisting of sections of the Foothills Trail, Mountain Fork Trail, and Chattooga River Trail (SC). The second is a … Continued
Pink Beds is a fun little recreation and picnic area in Pisgah National Forest. The parking lot is just past Cradle of Forestry heading northwest on US 276. It’s around four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway, about halfway … Continued
Cat Gap Loop is a well-populated hiking trail in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. I dropped by the Sunday before Labor Day thinking that most tourists would be at one of the more popular trails in the area. … Continued
Daniel Ridge Loop is one of the more enjoyable trails I’ve hiked in a while. The hike is in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. It didn’t hurt that the temperature dropped into the mid-60s, which is rare for … Continued
I don’t know how I’ve never been to Gorges State Park before. It’s just across the South Carolina state line in western North Carolina. It’s a great park with an impressive welcome center. There are lots of activities in the … Continued
Catawba Falls is a fun, family-friendly nature area about 25 miles east of Asheville, NC. There is ample public parking in a gravel lot that features a privy. That means no sinks or soap, so bring some hand sanitizer. The … Continued
Hickey Fork Trail is in Pisgah National Forest, about 10 miles northeast of Hot Springs, North Carolina. It’s easily accessible by car, but you might have trouble using your GPS in the area. Make sure you screenshot the step-by-step directions … Continued