Lower Bearwallow Falls is a 55-foot waterfall in Gorges State Park in North Carolina. When most people think of Gorges, they think of Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls. But there’s another parking area near Frozen Creek with trails that connect … Continued
The Standing Indian Mountain Loop is a moderate 25-mile hike that mostly follows the Appalachian Trail (AT) as it makes a semi-circle around the Nantahala Basin. I usually avoid the AT in the warmer months, but I thought that early … Continued
I spent most of January fighting off head and chest colds, so I wanted to get out in February and grind out some miles. I considered several trails, but the lack of car shuttling tipped the scales in favor of … Continued
Crabtree Meadow is a campground and hiking area in Pisgah National Forest off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s about 16 miles north of Mt Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. The map point below … Continued
Rocky Branch Creek Falls and Hospital Rock are attractions in Jones Gap State Park in upstate South Carolina. Most visitors to the park hike the easy trails to Rainbow Falls and Jones Gap Falls. A few people challenge themselves with … Continued
The Dismal Creek area is tucked away in western North Carolina, not too far from Panthertown Valley. The trail—and I use that term loosely—features 4 waterfalls. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a little under 2½ miles from … Continued
I’ve hiked just about all of Panthertown Valley in both directions. It’s a beautiful area that mostly features easy to moderate hiking. There are a few strenuous sections of trail, but they’re avoided with this loop except for the short … Continued
Pilot Cove/Slate Rock Loop is a 7+ mile series of trails in Pisgah National Forest near Mills River, North Carolina. This area of the forest is much less popular than the traditional attractions along US 276 and the Blue Ridge … Continued
As I’ve said before, I’m more of a hiker than a camper. Even though hikers camp and campers hike, the best part of backpacking for me is the walking. I don’t blog most of my backpacking trips because I start … Continued
I’ve been to Silvermine Bald Overlook a few times. The first time was during my first Art Loeb Trail thru-hike when I randomly stumbled upon it. The leaves were changing and I was stunned at the unexpectedly alpine landscape. View … Continued