I first hiked the 30.1 mile Art Loeb Trail in the fall of 2016. A drought made the hike more challenging than it probably should have been. I did it SOBO over 3 days. My first afternoon featured 4 miles … 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
Devil’s Courthouse is a 5720-foot rock feature just off the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile marker 422.4) in North Carolina. Although the summit requires a short, steep hike, I’m categorizing it as an attraction because it’s right off the road. There … Continued
I’ve hiked most of the trails in Table Rock State Park, but I somehow managed to avoid climbing to the 3124-foot summit of the mountain. I think it was always too crowded compared to neighboring Pinnacle Mountain and Caesars Head. … Continued
Clingmans Dome is the largest mountain in Tennessee and the high point of the Appalachian Trail. I recently had a couple of days free between some work trips. Since I rarely get the exercise I need on work trips, and … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. For reasons that I won’t get into here, I’ve had a very strong urge to take a break from my life lately. If you do … Continued
Most posts to this site involve the travelog, but some simpler experiences demand be shared as well. As I’ve said before, Black Balsam Knob is one of my favorite places. I’m in the Shining Rock Wilderness often because of all … Continued
