Blue Ridge Outdoors February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

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BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE READERS CHOOSE TOP VIEWS, BREWS, TRAILS, AND ADVENTURES IN THE REGION

BRINGING MUSSELS BACK

Inside the James River Restoration Efforts

THE RUNDOWN: 5 GREAT SOUTHERN RACES How to Be Alone in the Wild

Come Together HIPPIES AND HUNTERS UNITE FOR CONSERVATION

+ B O B WE IR’ S N E W JA M S + G E A R MA D E IN T H E S O UT H

Life’s full of tough choices: red pill or blue pill? Hops or Malts? Bacon or Vegan?

On the mountain, similar conundrums await: manicured groomers or challenging steeps? Hidden glades or park features? First tracks, or sunset cruisers? Snowmobile adventures or moonlight turns? High Fives or Blow-‘Em-Up-Fist-Bumps? Here, however, one choice is clear: when in doubt, take one more run. Welcome to Snowshoe.

snowshoemtn.com

TRAILSETTER: Don’t follow trends. Create them.

LIVE YOUR METRO MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE.

BE A #TRAILSETTER

VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE

VisitVBR.com | 800.635.5535 CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE BUSINESSES IN VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE: Barbecue

Buddy’s Barbecue

Beer

Coffee Shop

Mind / Body Studio

Costumed Event

National Park / Forest

Distillery

Overlook

Salt Foot Sanctuary & Spa at The Hotel Roanoke

RND Coffee

Uttara Yoga

Fleet Feet RunAbout Sports

Spa or Wellness Center

Get Bent Grapefruit IPA (Parkway Brewing Company)

Dead Reckoning Halloween

Bike Race

Twin Creeks

McAfee Knob

Environmental Organization

Place for Outdoor Singles to Live

Peg Hatcher’s Straight Whisky (Twin Creeks Distillery)

Place to Raise an Outdoor Family

Tacos Rojas

Go Cross Cyclocross Race

Bike Shop Cardinal

Brewery

Parkway Brewing Co

Burger

FarmBurguesa

Climbing Crag Dragons Tooth

Climbing Event

Big Lick Showdown

Climbing Gym

River Rock Climbing

Friends of Blue Ridge Parkway

Family Friendly Festival GO Fest

Farm-to-Table Restaurant

Blue Ridge Parkway

Running Store

Roanoke Roanoke

(local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients) Local Roots

Post-Adventure Hangout

Instagram-worthy Spot

Real Estate Company

McAfee Knob

Kid-Friendly Adventure Explore Park

Lake

Smith Mountain Lake

Parkway Brewing Co The Joe Kraft Team

Regional Instagram Account Best of Roanoke

Running Event

(13.1 miles and over) Blue Ridge Marathon

Spirit

Tacos

Toughest Race

Blue Ridge Marathon

Triathlon

VBR Ironman 70.3

Unique Lodging

(B&B’s, Quirky Hotels, etc.)

Roanoke Boutique Hotel

Urban Park / Greenway Roanoke River Greenway

ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT BLAKE DEMASO b l a ke @ b l u e r i d g e o u t d o o r s . c o m E D I TO R I N C H I E F J E D D F E R R I S jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com

February 2022

D E PA R T M E N T S

P U B L I S H E R L E A H WO O DY leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R L AU R E N WO R T H lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com

7 | FIELD REPORT

A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Inside the efforts to bring mussels back to the James River.

E D I TO R I A L & P R O D U C T I O N S E N I O R E D I TO R W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com

13 | PERSPECTIVE

When a runner receives an ominous diagnosis, she rethinks her sport.

T R AV E L E D I TO R E L L E N K A N Z I N G E R ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com

C O N T R I B U TO R S

63 | OUT AND BACK

L AU R E N S T E P P MIKE BEZEMEK ALEXANDRA GARCIA

Learning how to be alone in the wild.

C O P Y E D I TO R S JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE

65 | GOODS

Our favorite products from brands based in the Blue Ridge.

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E

M A R T H A E VA N S

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com

50 | TRAIL MIX

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E TAY LO R L E A L taylor@blueridgeoutdoors.com

New music from the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and Big Thief.

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E H A N N A H C O O P E R hannah@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R M E L I S S A G E S S L E R melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com

65 14

D I G I TA L M E D I A O N L I N E D I R E C TO R C R A I G S N O D G R A S S webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G I TA L C O N T E N T S P E C I A L I S T

S H A N N O N M C G OWA N

F E AT U R E S

14

14 | BEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE

Readers pick the top places, faces, and races in the mountains.

shannon@blueridgeoutdoors.com

26 | RACE RUNDOWN

C I R C U L AT I O N I N Q U I R I E S circulation@blueridgeoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

Start training and get ready to run five of the region’s best races.

39 | COASTAL ESCAPES

PUBLISHING

Beat the winter blues with these sweet Atlantic getaways.

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

©2022 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GOT A STORY IDEA OR COMMENT? submit@blueridgeoutdoors.com B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAMP MONT SHENANDOAH

977 SEMINOLE TR PMB294 C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E , V I R G I N I A 2 2 9 0 1

47 | COMMON GROUND

An unexpected partnership is pushing for the Craggy section of Pisgah National Forest to become a National Scenic Area.

57 | FREE THE FLOW

Environmental groups and outdoors enthusiasts want to remove Tugalo Dam so the Chattooga River can run as nature intended.

61 | DIFFICULT PURSUITS

An unlikely adventurer keeps pushing her limits.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KITSBOW

DAV E S TA L L A R D G R A H A M AV E R I L L D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N

CHICA, NOW BLIND, ENJOYS ONE OF HER LAST S U N S E T V I E W S A L O N G T H E B L U E R I D G E PA R K WAY I N W E S T E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A . P H O T O B Y J AY MICHAUD, WINNER OF THE 2021 BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS COVER PHOTO CONTEST

TH E AWA R D-WI N N I NG

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

FIELD REPORT

AQUATIC SPECIES

FRESHWATER FLEX Inside the Efforts to Bring Mussels Back to the James River

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

DIVING BENEATH THE WATER’S SURFACE,

Erin Reilly descended to the riverbed and began placing mussels in the sediment.

Breathing through her scuba gear, she watched as thousands of the freshwater critters settled into their new home— the James River. Amid the scattered concrete remains of bridges and natural bedrock, the mussels started to filter the water through their gills.

As a staff scientist with the James River Association (JRA), Reilly works with a team of biologists from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring mussels back to the James, starting in the urban section of the river through downtown Richmond, Va. “Seeing all those mussels down

there when you’ve just planted several thousands of them and they haven’t started to bury yet was really cool,” Reilly said, not long after her dive last fall.

“Mussels can’t move very far,” Reilly said. “So if they’re gone from an area, even if the area has improved water quality, it can take a long time for the mussels to get back.”

An indicator species, mussels are useful for determining the overall health of a waterway. Once a prominent species in Virginia’s storied river, years of waste and pollution made the James an uninhabitable place for them to live. With the help of a grant from the Good Shepherd Foundation, this partnership is trying to create a thriving mussel population again, especially as water quality has improved since they disappeared in the 70s and 80s.

“Mussels can’t move very far,” Reilly said. “So if they’re gone from an area, even if the area has improved water quality, it can take a long time for the mussels to get back.”

B I O L O G I S T S G I V E M U S S E L S A H E A D S TA R T AT T H E H A R R I S O N L A K E N AT I O N A L F I S H H AT C H E R Y. P H O T O S B Y S H A N N O N M C G O WA N

Mussels also play an important role in the ecosystem, as each individual can filter up to 15 gallons of water a day, removing algae, bacteria, and nutrients from the water column. “The James is a very industrial river and has been for a long time,” Reilly said. “The more that we can get the river’s natural processes to take care of things, the less money that our wastewater treatment centers and water treatment facilities have to spend, the better the water is."

But across the continent, freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups of taxa, with around 70 percent of species considered threatened or endangered in some manner. In Virginia alone, there are more than 80 species of freshwater mussels, including almost two dozen of which can be found in the James.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

Mussel restoration work is not a new concept in Virginia. For almost three decades, biologists have been working in the Clinch River of southwest Virginia,

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

7

known as a biodiversity hotspot for its concentration of rare and imperiled freshwater animals, to restore native mussels. Over the years, that work spread to other rivers, including the Powell, Holsten, Nottoway, and now the James.

But establishing a sustainable population of mussels in a waterway is no easy task. Unlike efforts to return oysters to the Chesapeake Bay, of which there is only one species found on the East Coast, there are hundreds of species of freshwater mussels.

Each species has different habitat and water quality needs, so scientists and conservation groups can’t apply the same strategy to every mussel released.

At the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery just outside of Richmond, researchers work with a variety of mussels to be released across the region. Amy Maynard, a former freshwater mussel propagation biologist at the hatchery, said those differences are apparent in a mussel’s reproductive cycle. When breeding, males will release sperm into the water column which the females will then filter in to fertilize their eggs. Mussels then depend on a host fish to incubate the larvae in their gills.

“Some mussels will release their larvae straight into the water column and let

A M Y M AY N A R D P R E PA R E S T O R E L E A S E M U S S E L S I N T O T H E I R N E W H A B I TAT. P H O T O B Y S H A N N O N M C G O WA N

the fish get them from there,” Maynard said. “There’s actually a species that will close down their shells on a fish’s head to spread their larvae around. They're all trying to get their larvae on a fish.”

Other species have evolved to include a mantle that mimics another creature the host fish might prey upon.

The larvae stay with the fish as they develop into juveniles, a process that can take between a week and a month. “They’ll fall off wherever the fish might have moved and settle out into the sediment,” Maynard said. While this relationship is mutually beneficial with the fish receiving clean water in exchange for the ride, it also means that a decline in one species can affect the other. Waterway impediments like dams impact a mussel’s ability to reproduce because the host fish can no longer get upstream. “If their host fish is threatened, you might have a harder time finding access because you can’t move,” Maynard said.

But even the host fish varies among mussels, including the alewife floater and yellow lampmussel, two species that thrive in the James. The alewife floater uses alewife herring, blueback

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

herring, and American shad, while the yellow lampmussel needs bass, sunfish, yellow perch, or white perch. In order for mussel restoration to be successful in the James, these fish species must also be present.

“Mussels have to be able to bury a little bit. If it’s really consolidated, then they can’t hunker down when high flows come through. Same thing if it’s really soft, they’re just going to get washed away.”

Release the Mussels

Restoration efforts in downtown Richmond began with two releases in the main stem of the river in 2020. But the river's width and strong current made it difficult to monitor growth.

Instead, the team decided to focus on smaller tributaries of the James where they’d be able to keep track of the population and collect data.

The team chose three sites where there was good habitat and the appropriate host fish. Bryce Maynard, a former biological science technician at the hatchery, said knowing what makes good habitat is both an art and a science. “Some of the time you just look at a place and it looks mussely,” he said.

B R Y C E M AY N A R D R E L E A S E S M U S S E L S I N T O WA R D S C R E E K .

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“Mussels have to be able to bury a little bit. If it’s really consolidated, then they can’t hunker down when high flows come through. Same thing if it’s really soft, they’re just going to get washed away.”

Once released in the tributaries, researchers use laser-engraved numbers to identify each individual mussel when they come back to do population counts. Because the mussels burrow down and can be hard to find, some released mussels also have a PIT tag glued to the outer shell so a team member can run an antenna over the bottom of the river and know exactly where the mussel is located. “By using that technology, we increase our recapture rate, therefore we get more information from the site,” Maynard said.

The data collected will be used to determine future release sites as JRA and other partners look to continue restoration efforts throughout the river.

According to Reilly, restoring these filter feeders to the waterways is a vital step in maintaining the biodiversity of the state. “Ultimately, we want the James to have healthy wildlife and human communities.”

Follow the QR code to watch a short video on mussel restoration efforts in the James.

North Bend State Park

Experience the great outdoors in Greater Parkersburg.

Surrounded by 225 miles of single-track trails and located near the starting point of a 76 mile rail-trail, Parkersburg is a must-see for biking enthusiasts. The area’s lakes and rivers offer beautiful kayaking and canoeing venues.

Spend your days enjoying the outdoors, and then settle into comfortable accommodations in town or a peaceful tent under the stars at North Bend State Park. This spring, find your own adventure in Almost Heaven.

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This is your sign to

LAKE HARTWELL COUNTRY

Eat. Shop. Stay. Play.

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PERSPECTIVE

NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS

BEST FOOT FORWARD

T H E A U T H O R ' S F E E T, I N F A S T E R TIMES. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

When a runner receives an ominous diagnosis, she rethinks her sport.

BY LAUREN STEPP

I HAVE WEIRD FEET. THE FIRST PERSON

to notice was the doctor who pulled me from the womb. My mother’s stomach was still smiling ear-to-ear from the Caesarean when the obstetrician turned to her and frowned. “Well,” he sighed, his gloves a gory mess of innards, “she won’t be a foot model.”

Imagine my mom’s horror. The poor woman’s uterus was flopped outside her body and now this dude was ruminating on foot modeling? That’s when a nurse revealed my tiny hooves. On each foot, my second and third toes were fused in a webby mess of skin. They were like little paddles, ready to dive back into the amniotic fluid and escape the impending doom of ill-fitting footwear.

It only got worse from there. In elementary school, I developed high arches and abnormally wide feet. As a kid, I dreaded special events because it meant hunting for fancy shoes. After hours in a department store, my face would be sweaty and my heels would be blistered. Intent on escaping this special hell, I would grab the nearest pair of flats, convince my mom they fit, and spend the following weekend limping around as a flower girl at a cousin’s wedding.

Young adulthood didn’t get much better. After college, I again found myself in a department store, shoving my paws into sandals and ankle boots like a crazed Cinderella. Finally, I found a pair of shoes that looked like wooden clogs. They were undeniably ugly, especially the faux buckle that concealed a strip of velcro. Still, I wore those hideous Mary Janes until sock lint compromised the velcro’s integrity.

Even then, I just learned to walk slower.

If I ever rushed off to a meeting, I would hear a horrible ripping sound and my shoes would go flying.

But here comes the part where I tell you that life turned around, right? That my feet experienced a magical glow up. That the doctor was wrong. That, against all odds, I became a foot model.

Except, that’s not what happened.

One afternoon at the gym, I stepped onto the treadmill. I started walking and progressed to a snail-like jog. It took me 20 minutes to finish that first mile, but I felt like Quicksilver. I was hooked. Soon enough, I ran my first 5K and placed second in my age group. A month later, I signed up for a half marathon.

Instead, I got bit by the running bug.

I had already started dabbling in hiking and mountain biking, shedding weight from my 278-pound frame like crazy, when I decided to push myself harder. One afternoon at the gym, I stepped onto the treadmill. I started walking and progressed to a snail-like jog. It took me 20 minutes to finish that first mile, but I felt like Quicksilver. I was hooked. Soon enough, I ran my first 5K and placed second in my age group.

A month later, I signed up for a half marathon.

The runner’s high tasted so sweet that I almost forgot about my weird feet. Then, one day during a 10-miler, a deep pain seared through my big toes.

I stopped and choked down an energy gel, thinking I might just be bonking. But with each subsequent smack against the pavement, I felt like my bones were exploding. I hobbled the last four miles home, dunked my tootsies in ice water, and read up on the dangers of overtraining.

I took it easy for the next few weeks—I nixed my long runs and started doing nightly stretches. But the gnawing ache persisted. What’s worse, my toes had started falling asleep.

Worried it might be a stress fracture, I reluctantly made an appointment with a podiatrist. His office was a depressing hovel in a half-empty strip mall. In the waiting room, it was just me and a dozen pamphlets about functional diabetic shoes. “Shit,” I worried to myself, “I’m

practically a senior citizen.”

The podiatrist did little to quell my fears. After taking some X-rays and awkwardly massaging my sockless toes, he offered a bitter verdict. “Well,” he sighed, “you’re not going to be a runner.” He went on to say that the X-rays revealed arthritis in my toe and ankle joints, likely because of my high arches and history of obesity. The podiatrist urged me to pick up another sport. If I continued running long distances, he said, I could damage the nerves in my feet.

I left the doctor really frigging bummed. It sounds dumb, but as a chunky kid, I would literally dream about running. My eyes were closed but I was effortlessly sprinting through a field.

Then I would wake up. This diagnosis felt like that—like being jarred from a dream. I was in too much pain to run to the mailbox, much less 13.1 miles, so I pulled the plug on training. I didn’t run a single step until I met my soon-to-be wife a year later.

My wife Ashley isn’t a runner. She actually abhors all cardio. But what she lacks in vascular stamina, she makes up for in levelheadedness. While I tend to think in black and white, Ashley thinks in maybes. Like, maybe if I approached training differently, I could still run.

Or maybe, if I didn’t try to be the next Courtney Dauwalter, I could still log some miles.

Despite my skepticism, I followed Ashley’s lead. We dialed in my nutrition and planned rest days. We slowed down the pace and developed our own sport, one we dubbed “wogging” (walking + jogging). Perhaps most importantly, we ordered some orthopedic inserts.

Today, two years later, I’m proud to say that I can shuffle a few miles on a regular basis. What I’m doing definitely isn’t what others might consider running, but it’s running in the sense that I’m putting one foot in front of the other. And for weird feet like mine, that’s good enough.

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Best of the Blue Ridge E RID B LU G E

T OF

E

TH

2022 Readers’ Choice Awards

BES

2022

A

fter another tough year, the best of the Blue Ridge has helped us all persevere. Despite continued uncertainty, the region’s scenic spaces, big adventures, and independent businesses have been there to help us follow a path towards brighter days.

With that in mind, we once again asked you to tell us what you love the most.

In our annual readers’ choice awards, we highlight your picks for the top trails, towns, events, craft beverages, and outfitters in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Keep reading to get the scoop on this year’s winners.

DESTINATIONS NATIONAL FOREST/PARK Blue Ridge Parkway (N.C./Va.)

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

There’s a reason the Blue Ridge Parkway is regularly the most-visited national park in the country. Snaking 469 miles through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, this storied road will take you to some of the most iconic natural landmarks in the region, including Mount Mitchell, Whitewater Falls, Linville Gorge, and the New River. Along the way, visitors can access a range of scenic hiking options, from the summit views of Mt. Pisgah Trail to the idyllic Apple Orchard Falls. The parkway also runs by several cultural touchstones, including Mabry Mill and the Blue Ridge Music Center, a performing arts center dedicated to preserving regional mountain music.

RUNNERS UP

S TA R I N G U P AT T H E M I L K Y WAY. P H O T O B Y B E S T O U T D O O R PHOTOGRAPHER SARAH LEEK

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

TRAIL Appalachian Trail (East Coast) RUNNERS UP

Virginia Creeper Trail (Va.) Mountains-to-Sea Trail (N.C.)

BIKING TRAIL Virginia Creeper Trail (Va.) RUNNERS UP

New River Trail (Va.) Great Allegheny Passage (Pa. and Md.)

URBAN PARK/GREENWAY Roanoke River Greenway (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

James River Park System (Richmond, Va.) South River Greenway (Waynesboro, Va.)

WATERFALL Cascade Falls (Pembroke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Triple Falls (Brevard, N.C.) Falling Spring Falls (Covington, Va.)

SWIMMING HOLE Devil’s Bathtub (Duffield, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Roaring Run (Eagle Rock, Va.) Hooker Falls (Brevard, N.C.)

LAKE Smith Mountain Lake (Smith Mountain Lake, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Deep Creek Lake (McHenry, Md.) Lake James (Nebo, N.C.)

New River Gorge National Park (W.Va.) Shenandoah National Park (Va.)

WHITEWATER Gauley River (W.Va.)

STATE PARK Douthat State Park (Va.)

RUNNERS UP

RUNNERS UP

Stone Mountain State Park (N.C.) Watoga State Park (W.Va.)

James River (Richmond, Va.) Nantahala River (N.C.) A B O V E : C H E R O K E E F L AT S P R O V I D E S A D A A C C E S S TO FISHING ON BIG STONY CREEK. PHOTO COURTESY OF GILES COUNTY TOURISM

FISHING SPOT (PUBLIC) Big Stoney Creek (Giles County, Va.)

INSTAGRAM-WORTHY SPOT McAfee Knob (Roanoke, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

South River (Waynesboro, Va.) Davidson River (Brevard, N.C.)

RUNNERS UP

Grandview Cottages (Greenville, W.Va.) Humpback Bridge (Covington, Va.)

CLIMBING CRAG Seneca Rocks (Pendleton County, W.Va.)

ADA ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCES Cherokee Flats Day Use Area (Giles County, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

Dragons Tooth (Catawba, Va.) Humpback Rocks (Sherando, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

The Park at Flat Rock (Flat Rock, N.C.) C&O Canal National Historic Park (Potomac, Md.)

OVERLOOK McAfee Knob (Catawba, Va.)

BEER/WINE/SPIRITS TRAIL Asheville Ale Trail (Asheville, N.C.)

RUNNERS UP

Bald Knob Overlook (Pembroke, Va.) Raven’s Roost (Sherando, Va.)

BIRDWATCHING SPOT Wolf Creek Park (Fayetteville, W.Va.) From the forest to the wetlands, you’ll find yourself surrounded by calling birds in Wolf Creek Park. Whether you’re looking for hawks, woodpeckers, flycatchers, wood thrush, or one of at least 15 species of warblers, the park is particularly active during migration seasons. “This habitat not only provides the breeding space for these guys, but the boardwalk and nature trails that are there allow bird watchers to be able to get in there, see them, hear them singing, and watch them in all their activities,” said Rachel Davis, a coordinator and guide for the New River Birding and Nature Center.

“When I go, I look with attention for all of the signs of life, and then I just try to submerse myself in it.” The park is also a stop during the annual New River Birding and Nature Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary this May. RUNNERS UP

Glen Alton (Ripplemead, Va.) Catawba River Greenway (Morganton, N.C.)

PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET Snowshoe Mountain (Snowshoe, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Bald Knob (Pembroke, Va.) Cragg y Pinnacle (Asheville, N.C.)

PLACE TO STARGAZE Green Bank Observatory (Greenville, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Natural Bridge State Park (Natural Bridge, Va.) Roan Mountain (Roan Mountain, Tenn.)

RUNNERS UP

SKI RUN Cupp Run (Snowshoe Mountain, W.Va.) Cupp Run has a long and storied history of challenging the best skiers from the South and beyond. Originally the creation of French World Cup alpine ski racer Jean-Claude Killy, this relentless, black diamond run on Snowshoe’s western slopes provides a tough challenge with plenty of steep, bumpy sections. Over a mile and a half, you’ll experience a 1,500-foot vertical drop and grades of up to 52 percent. Despite skiing at esteemed resorts and areas all over the globe, Killy maintained that Cupp Run’s steep consistent grades were one of his favorite places in the world to hit the snow.

RUNNERS UP

Whoopdedoo (Sugar Mountain Resort, N.C.) T- Diamond Jim (Massanutten Resort, Va.) and Tyro (Wintergreen Resort, Va.)

TERRAIN PARK Mountaineer Terrain Park (Snowshoe Mountain, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Appalachian Ski Mountain Terrain Park (Blowing Rock, N.C.) Wintergreen Resort (Wintergreen, Va.)

CAMPSITE/CAMPGROUND Fairystone State Park (Stuart, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Davidson River (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) Devils Backbone Basecamp (Nellysford, Va.)

KID-FRIENDLY ADVENTURE Explore Park (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

F I V E T E R R A I N PA R K S AT S N O W S H O E M E A N S T H E R E ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS. PHOTO COURTESY OF SNOWSHOE M O U N TA I N

ACE Adventure (Fayetteville, W.Va.) Tie - Wind Rocks Hike (Giles County, Va.) and Arrowhead Bike Farm (Fayetteville, W.Va.)

PET-FRIENDLY ADVENTURE Stonewall Resort (Roanoke, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Cascade Falls (Giles County, Va.) T- Mill Creek Nature Park (Narrows, Va.) and Coyner Springs Dog Park (Waynesboro, Va.)

PLACE FOR OUTDOOR SINGLES TO LIVE Asheville, N.C. RUNNERS UP

Roanoke, Va. Brevard, N.C.

SUMMIT Seneca Rocks (W.Va.)

REGIONAL OUTDOOR ATHLETE Alexandra Garcia (@ alexandramariagarcia_) You can read Alexandra Garcia’s account of her difficult pursuits on page 61.

Neko Mulally (@nekomulally) Karsten Delap (@karstendelap)

Set in southwest Virginia’s stretch of the Blue Ridge, Roanoke offers families ample open spaces to explore. From the mellow paved greenway system along the Roanoke River to the more rugged escapes at Carvins Cove and the Appalachian Trail on the outskirts of town, the small city has plenty of opportunities for kids to progress in the outdoors. Locals also attend adventure-based events throughout the year, like Roanoke GO Fest, which features a weekend packed with live demonstrations and group activities.

Plus, with many outfitters and gear shops in town, Roanoke fosters a community of outdoor enthusiasts to support family pursuits along the way.

Brevard, N.C. Waynesboro, Va .

PEOPLE

RUNNERS UP

PLACE TO RAISE AN OUTDOOR FAMILY Roanoke, Va.

RUNNERS UP

Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail (Shenandoah Valley, Va.) Brew Ridge Trail (Lovingston, Va.)

RAFT GUIDE Ryan Charbonneau, Nantahala Outdoor Center (N.C.) When Ryan Charbonneau decided to train as a raft guide in 2009, it was a spur of the moment decision that he thought would make for a cool summer job. A decade and a half later, he’s still psyched on the waters of the Southeast. “When I first started, it was the adrenaline,” he said. “I was 19 years old and I wanted action. As I get older, I’ve learned to appreciate just getting to spend time outside.” Over the last five years, Charbonneau has also been training new raft guides, sharing his love of the river with the next generation.

RUNNERS UP

Chris “Ewok” Carswell, Smoky Mountain River Rat Whitewater (Tenn.)

Kathleen O’Neil, Ocmulgee Outdoor Expeditions (Ga.)

FLY FISHING GUIDE Walker Parrot, Davidson River Outfitters (N.C.) RUNNERS UP

RUNNERS UP

Humpback Rock (Va.) Mt. Mitchell (N.C.)

Seth Schuler, Fly Fishing the Smokies (N.C.) Alyssa Adcock, Boone’s Fly Shop and High Country Guide Service (N.C.) FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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OUTDOOR VIDEOGRAPHER Tommy Penick (@tommypenick) RUNNERS UP

Nathaniel Flowers (@00nathaniel00) Kurt Schachner (@kshat00)

OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER Sarah Leek (@sarahmleek) For Sarah Leek, the outdoors and photography are inextricably linked.

While she’s happy sharing her photos with an audience, ultimately spending time outside is a form of therapy for Leek. “It’s easy sometimes to get so wrapped up in photography that I’m just looking for somewhere to go just to take photos,” she said. “That’s not really what it’s about. Sometimes I have to take a step back and remind myself that it’s about adventure. If I’m out there and I happen to get some beautiful photos that I can share with people, then that’s amazing. If I don’t, that’s okay too because I just love being outside, and that’s really what keeps bringing me back to it over and over.”

RUNNERS UP

Derek DiLuzio (@derekdiluzio) Connor Fernandes (@photofern.wnc)

REGIONAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT Trek Virginia Outdoors (@TrekVirginiaOutdoors) RUNNERS UP

Best of Roanoke (@BestOfRoanoke) Kat Dellinger (@KitKat.Dellinger)

REGIONAL BAND OR SOLO ARTIST Isaac Hadden (@isaachaddenmusic) The way Isaac Hadden tells it, he’s been around music his whole life. “I’ve been going to concerts and music festivals around this area literally since I was in utero,” he said. So it makes sense that he would one day start playing himself.

Now the Virginia-based teenage musician is a regional phenom who’s been hitting the festivals and venues of the Blue Ridge since he was 15, playing a blend of jazz-infused improvisational funk-rock. “It was a natural transition from audience member to playing on the stage,” he said. This year, you can catch him on the stages of FloydFest, Rooster Walk, and more to be announced.

RUNNERS UP

The Judy Chops (@thejudychops) Balsam Range (@balsamrange)

REGIONAL YOUTUBE PERSONALITY Seth’s Bike Hacks (@sethsbikehacks)

EVENTS

RUNNERS UP

Set against the mountainous backdrop of southwestern Virginia, FloydFest is a renowned roots bash that mixes national heavyweights with regional upstarts, bringing big crowds to the Blue Ridge to check out an eclectic mix of artists across nine stages. Plus, with a schedule packed full of group hikes, bike skills clinics, craft workshops, a children’s play area, and a climbing wall, there’s plenty to keep the whole family busy during the five-day festival.

Get your tickets for 2022 for a lineup that includes Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled By Turtles, Marcus King, Amythyst Kiah, Morgan Wade, and the reunited Turnpike Troubadours.

Biking with Bobo (@bikingwithbobo) Corey Lilly (@corey_lilly_)

OUTDOORS TIKTOK Virginia Tourism (@visitvirginia) RUNNERS UP

Ash Manning (@ashleysadventure_) Stays and Getaways (@staysandgetaways)

REGIONAL OUTDOOR PODCAST Pisgah Podcast (@pisgahpodcast) Michael McQueen and Drew Hager met 20 years ago riding BMX. Their shared love of bikes led them to start a podcast in 2020 focused on the mountain biking scene of western North Carolina. “With my skills and knowledge with audio and with Drew’s knowledge in the industry, it has kind of worked out with both of our powers combined,” McQueen said. From tales of the trails to reroutes and fitness, the podcast provides two-wheel tips with expert insight.

“Trying to get an understanding of why something is the way it is has been a really big lesson for me and helped me out with things outside of even just this podcast or this hobby of mountain biking,” Hager said. Check out episodes 116, 130, and 140 for some of the duo’s favorite conversations.

RUNNERS UP

Virginia Outdoor Adventures (@virginia_outdoor_ adventures) Open Space Radio (@openspaceradio)

MUSIC FESTIVAL (OVERALL) FloydFest (Floyd, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

4848 Festival (Snowshoe, W.Va.) Rooster Walk (Martinsville, Va.)

(LEFT) THE SUN RISES OVER THE BLUE RIDGE M O U N TA I N S . P H O T O B Y B E S T O U T D O O R P H O T O G R A P H E R S A R A H L E E K . G O F E S T F E AT U R E S A C T I V I T I E S F O R T H E W H O L E F A M I L Y, I N C L U D I N G B M X D E M O N S T R AT I O N S . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E R O A N O K E O U T S I D E F O U N D AT I O N

to live music. The young ones will love exploring the kids’ zone, gliding through the air on the zipline, and watching the farm animals.

RUNNERS UP

Highland County Maple Festival (Highland County, Va.) Roadkill Cookoff (Marlinton, W.Va.)

COSTUMED EVENT Dead Reckoning Halloween (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Spooktacular (Stuart, Va.) The Asylum Ball (Weston, W.Va.)

TOUGHEST RACE Blue Ridge Marathon (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL GO Fest (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

FloydFest (Floyd, Va.) Rooster Walk (Martinsville, Va.)

UNIQUE FESTIVAL Sinkland Farms Sunflower Festival (Christiansburg, Va.) More than 175,000 sunflowers cover eight acres of rolling hills during the annual Sinkland Farms Sunflower Festival. Delight in the sights of summer as you wander the fields, explore a variety of food trucks, sample craft beverages, and listen

Moonlight On the Falls (Davis, W.Va.) Hellbender 100 (Old Fort, N.C.)

MUD RUN/ADVENTURE RACE Mad Anthony Mud Run (Waynesboro, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Gritty Chix Mud Run (Oak Hill, W.Va.) Helgramite Hustle Mud Run (Martinsville, Va.)

RUNNING EVENT (UNDER 13.1 MILES) Fall Foliage 10K (Waynesboro, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Canaan Valley 10K (Davis, W.Va.) Tie: Moonlight on the Falls (Tucker County, W.Va.) and The Rabid Squirrel (Danbury, N.C.)

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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#BestoftheBlueRidge

Enjoy #UniquelyAlleghany moments at award winning places. #DouthatStatePark

Congratulations for being voted Best of the Blue Ridge by the readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine:

1st PLACE

RUNNER UP

RUNNER UP

NOMINEE

NOMINEE

Douthat State Park for Best State Park

Humpback Bridge for Best Instagram-worthy Spot

Falling Spring Falls for Best Waterfall

Jackson River Scenic Trail for Best Urban Park / Greenway

Lake Moomaw for Best Place to Stargaze

Bluegrass BBQ Barbecue

Cascade Falls

Pet-Friendly Adventure Waterfall

virginiasmtnplayground.com

The Palisades Restaurant

Big Stony Creek

Farm to Table

Fishing Spot

Wind Rocks

Kid Friendly Adventure

Cherokee Flats

ADA Outdoor Escape

Bald Knob Overlook

Overlook - Place to Watch the Sunset

Muddy ACCE Race

Mud Run Adventure

18

Glen Alton Farm

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Bird Watching

VisitAlleghanyHighlands.com 540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786 #UniquelyAlleghany

RUNNING EVENT (13.1 MILES AND OVER) Blue Ridge Marathon (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Rim to River 100 (New River Gorge, W.Va.) Park to Park ½ Marathon (Waynesboro, Va.)

TRIATHLON VBR Ironman 70.3 (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Scenic Mountain Triathlon (Richwood, W.Va.) King of the James (Richmond, Va.)

BIKE RACE Gravel Race Up Spruce Knob (Spruce Knob, W.Va.) As the name implies, GRUSK is a true gravel grinder to the top of West Virginia’s highest peak, Spruce Knob.

With options to ride 27, 50, 82, 140, or 212 miles, it’s a multi-day event that challenges riders of all abilities. Amid the grueling ascents and steep descents, take in views of the Mountain State and soak up your time in the saddle. Even if you’re not competing, there’s an option to ride a 27-mile tour of the highlights, including the summit and Spruce Knob Lake. The 2022 event will run July 7-10.

RUNNERS UP

Tour de Dirt (Floyd, Va.) Go Cross Cyclocross Race (Roanoke, Va.)

CLIMBING EVENT Big Lick Showdown (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Hound Ears (Boone, N.C.) Tie: Rocktoberfest (Pine Ridge, Ky.) and Stone Fort (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

PADDLING EVENT Gauley Fest (Summersville, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Kibler Valley River Run (Arat, Va.) The Green Race (Saluda, N.C.)

FLY FISHING EVENT Greenbrier Fly Fishing Classic (Lewisburg, W.Va.) The annual Greenbrier Fly Fishing Classic attracts anglers from around the region as they compete in this smallmouth bass fishing event on West Virginia’s scenic Greenbrier River. Proceeds from the 2022 event, scheduled for May 14, benefit Project Healing Waters, Greenbrier River Watershed Association, and Greenbrier Youth Camp.

RUNNERS UP

South River Fly Fishing Expo (Waynesboro, Va.) So Fly Fest (Warm Springs, Va.)

BUSINESSES SKI RESORT Snowshoe (Snowshoe, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Wintergreen Resort (Wintergreen, Va.) Appalachian Ski Mountain (Blowing Rock, N.C.)

RAFT GUIDE COMPANY Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City, N.C.) RUNNERS UP

RVA Paddlesports (Richmond, Va.) ACE Adventure Resort (Fayetteville, W.Va.)

ZIP LINE Adventures on the Gorge (Fayetteville, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

The Gorge (Saluda, N.C.) Nantahala Outdoor Center Mountaintop Zip Line Tour (Bryson City, N.C.)

FLY FISHING SHOP South River Fly Shop (Waynesboro, Va.) Tommy Lawhorne and Kevin Little met while fishing the waters of the South River more than two decades ago. But it wasn’t until 2011 that their many talks about opening a fly shop became a reality. “A lot of times you go to a nice stream, you end up needing stuff, and there’s not a shop close,” Little said.

“Nearest shop might be an hour away or more.” If that's the case, a day on the water is as good as done, so Laworne and Little opened South River Fly Shop just two blocks from Constitution Park and the river, offering gear and expert advice. “A stream that has its fly shop or a fly shop that has its stream is generally a much better stream and much better fly shop,” Lawhorne said.

RUNNERS UP

Fly Fishing the Smokies (Bryson City, N.C.) Davidson River Outfitters (Brevard, N.C.)

FLY FISHING GUIDE SERVICE Fly Fishing the Smokies (Bryson City, N.C.) RUNNERS UP

South River Fly Shop (Waynesboro, Va.) Davidson River Outfitters (Brevard, N.C.)

PRIVATE TROUT FISHING WATERS Hiner Town Trout Fishing (Monterey, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Davidson River Outfitters (Brevard, N.C.) Grandfather Mountain Trout Fishing (Banner Elk, N.C.)

CLIMBING GUIDE COMPANY Pisgah Climbing School (Brevard, N.C.) RUNNERS UP

Blue Ridge Mountain Guides (Charlottesville, Va.) New River Mountain Guides (Fayetteville, W.Va.)

CLIMBING GYM River Rock (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

The Riveter (Mills River, N.C.) Center 45 (Boone, N.C.)

T H E W H O L E F A M I L Y W I L L L O V E W H I T E WAT E R R A F T I N G W I T H T H E N A N TA H A L A O U T D O O R C E N T E R .

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NOC

Dickson aims to share his love of riding with more people. “Creating personal connections with the riders is really what we’re going for here,” he said.

RUNNERS UP

Cardinal (Roanoke, Va.) Arrowhead Bike Farm (Fayetteville, W.Va.)

RUNNING STORE Fleet Feet (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

GYM/TRAINING FACILITY Burn Boot Camp Blacksburg (Blacksburg, Va.) RUNNERS UP

ACAC Downtown (Charlottesville, Va.) Peak Fitness (Morganton, N.C.)

BIKE SHOP Sycamore Cycles (Brevard, N.C.) When Wes Dickson was a teenager, he got a flat tire while out on the trails of Brevard with his dad. They had to drive almost an hour into Asheville to get it fixed. That memory stayed with him into adulthood as Dickson’s love of bikes continued. In 2000, he opened Sycamore Cycles on the edge of Pisgah National Forest. With another location in Hendersonville and a third shop opening in downtown Brevard this spring,

RunaAbout Sports (Roanoke, Va.) Ragged Mountain Running Shop (Charlottesville, Va.)

OUTDOOR SHOP Walkabout Outfitters (Multiple Locations) RUNNERS UP

Footsloggers (Boone, N.C.) Rockfish Gap Outfitters (Waynesboro, Va.)

REAL ESTATE COMPANY Looking Glass (Brevard, N.C.) RUNNERS UP

Nest Realty (Va./N.C.) The Joe Kraft Team (Roanoke, Va.)

RESORT Snowshoe (Snowshoe, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

The Omni Homestead Resort (Hot Springs, Va.) Chetola (Blowing Rock, N.C.)

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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TH

E RID

Voted Best Real Estate Company in the Blue Ridge!

Supporting locally and marketing globally Looking Glass Realty leads in effective marketing that drives positive results. Our agents are grateful to be able to be part of such a wonderful community and would be honored to assist in your transition to or from these mountains.

LookingGlassRealty.com | (828) 883-HOME | Asheville | Brevard | Connestee Falls | Sapphire

G

WINNER! 2022

BES

T OF

B LU

E

Let our agents be your guide.

E

UNIQUE LODGING Vine Cottage Inn (Hot Springs, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Roanoke Boutique Hotel (Roanoke, Va.) Goshen Post Inn (Goshen, Va.)

RUSTIC LODGING Boone Cocoon (Boone, N.C.) Boone Cocoon isn’t a typical campsite.

Guests spend the night suspended among the trees in hanging pods. “We didn’t want to just tear down a mountain to build a level area and put up cabins,” said co-founder Clayton Oxford. “The idea of building up in the air off of it was intriguing.”

Located five minutes from Boone and 10 minutes from Blowing Rock in the North Carolina High Country, Boone Cocoon is tucked away in a remote setting but within easy access to amenities and activities. The campsite features a porch, grill, cooking utensils, outdoor shower, and a circular bed that measures more than nine feet in diameter.

RUNNERS UP

Wilderness Adventure (Craig County, Va.) Grandview Cottages (Greenville, W.Va.)

SPA OR WELLNESS CENTER Salt Cave and Spa (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.) RUNNERS UP

Salt Foot Sanctuary & Spa at the Hotel Roanoke (Roanoke, Va.) Chetola Spa (Blowing Rock, N.C.)

MIND/BODY STUDIO Ultra Yoga (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

High Country Yoga (Boone, N.C.) Asheville Yoga Center (Asheville, N.C.)

EDUCATIONAL OUTDOOR REC PROGRAM Camp Mont Shenandoah (Millboro Springs, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Muddy Sneakers (Brevard, N.C.) VCU Outdoor Adventure Program (Richmond, Va.)

OUTDOOR CLUB Appalachian Trail Conservancy (Harpers Ferry, W.Va.) As stewards of the iconic 2,190+ mile trail, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s reach extends across 14 states and thousands of volunteers.

Coordinating with partner agencies and 31 trail-maintaining clubs, the conservancy works to keep the trail

SLEEP AMONG THE TREES IN THE BOONE COCOON. PHOTO

BY JOURNEY MORE

open for the more than three million people who visit every year. There are plenty of ways to get involved, from adopting a section of the trail to monitor and maintain to week-long sessions structured to tackle large-scale maintenance projects.

RUNNERS UP

Pisgah Area SORBA (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) Keep Virginia Cozy (Richmond, Va.)

ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

MountainTrue (Asheville, N.C.) Southern Environmental Law Center (Charlottesville, Va.)

LOCALLY MADE GEAR Farm to Feet (Mount Airy, N.C.) RUNNERS UP

Skylark Hammocks (Waynesboro, Va.) Tie: Blue Ridge Overland Gear (Bedford, Va.) and Appalachian Gear Company (Kings Mountain, N.C.)

Food and Drink

POST-ADVENTURE HANGOUT Parkway Brewing Company (Salem, Va.) After a day of exploring in the Roanoke Valley, Parkway Brewing Company is the perfect spot to kick back and relax for après-adventure beverages. The tasting

room taps are constantly changing with seasonal and limited releases, so you can always count on a wide range of craft brews. Plus, a rotating calendar of food trucks and live music means the party doesn’t stop with the drinks. Park yourself on the patio or in the tasting room to finish the day surrounded by friendly folks.

RUNNERS UP

Big A Red—Stanburn Winery (Stuart, Va.) Crose—King Family Vineyard (Crozet, Va.)

DISTILLERY Five Mile Mountain Distillery (Floyd, Va.)

BEER Appa-LATCH-uh—Buffalo Mountain Brewery (Floyd, Va.)

Named for one of the main roads used to transport moonshine out of the area during Prohibition, Five Mile Mountain Distillery is continuing southwest Virginia’s storied history of producing spirits. “Being from this area, we were always around moonshine,” said coowner and distiller Patrick Sisk. “People were constantly making it in their sheds.” You can visit the tasting room and sit on the porch as you sip favorites like Five Mile’s Elderberry Moonshine.

Made from grains sourced locally in a distillery the owners renovated themselves, these spirits combine the traditions of the past with the innovation of the present.

RUNNERS UP

RUNNERS UP

WINERY Chateau Morrisette (Floyd, Va.)

SPIRIT Peg Hatcher’s Straight Whiskey— Twin Creeks Distillery (Rocky Mount, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

Devils Backbone Brewing Company (Roseland, Va.) The Hub/Pisgah Tavern (Pisgah Forest, N.C.)

BREWERY Buffalo Mountain Brewery (Floyd, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Tie: Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.) and Parkway Brewing Co. (Salem, Va.) Highland Brewing (Asheville, N.C.)

Get Bent Grapefruit IPA—Parkway Brewing Co. (Salem, Va.) Full Nelson—Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

Stanburn Winery (Stuart, Va.) Veritas (Afton, Va.)

Twin Creeks (Rocky Mount, Va.) Silverback Distillery (Afton, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

WINE Our Dog Blue—Chateau Morrisette (Floyd, Va.)

Tie: Big Level Bourbon—Smooth Ambler Spirits (Maxwelton, W.Va.) and Amaro Flora—Eda Rhyne (Asheville, N.C.) Roundstone Rye—Catoctin Creek (Purcellville, Va.)

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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magical BATH

Journeys.

The peaceful back roads offer stunning mountain views. The great food, outdoor adventure and exceptional hospitality turn a weekend getaway into an epic road trip. That’s a Made in Bath County experience.

DiscoverBath.com · 540-839-7202 · #MadeInBathVA

Douthat State Park – WINNER

The Omni Homestead – RUNNER-UP

Best State Park

Best Resort

Camp Mont Shenandoah – WINNER

So Fly Fest – RUNNER-UP

Educational Outdoor Recreation Program

Fly Fishing Event

Vine Cottage Inn – WINNER Unique Lodging (B&B, Quirky Hotels, etc.)

Dan Ingalls Overlook – NOMINEE Best Overlook

RESTAURANT (OVERALL) Floyd Country Store (Floyd, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Pickle and Ash (Stuart, Va.) Blue Ridge Pig (Nellysford, Va.)

PHOTO BY ERIC STUMPF

FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT Local Roots (Roanoke, Va.)

CANNED COCKTAIL Orange Smash—Devils Backbone Brewing Company (Roseland, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Copper Mug Mule—Bold Rock (Nellysford, Va.) Watermelon-Basil Vodka Soda—Waterbird (Charlottesville, Va.)

CIDER Bold Rock (Nelson County, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Big Fish Cider (Monterey, Va.) Noble Cider (Asheville, N.C.)

KOMBUCHA Tha Best Kombucha (Floyd, Va.) Kristi-Jo and Brad Procak moved to Floyd after a vacation to the area that had them “falling completely in love with the welcoming people, the mountain views, and the warmer weather.” There, they began brewing kombucha for its health benefits, giving it to friends and family to try. Eight years later, the Procaks now brew over 50 flavors throughout the year, including crowd favorites like Blissful Berry and Lavender Lemonade. You can find their kombucha in farmer's markets, organic stores, breweries, coffee shops, restaurants, and juice bars all around the region.

Sustainable, organic, local, and ethical—that’s the philosophy behind every dish that comes out of the kitchen at Local Roots. “Southwest Virginia has this magical environment around us that I’m able to glean so many great products,” said general manager Abraham Eichelberger.

“Whenever you come to Local Roots, you are coming to a destination spot that really is showcasing southwest Virginia, a certain essence of Virginia on your plate.” The menu at the Roanoke eatery is constantly changing depending on the season and what is being grown locally, but you can always count on the food being fresh.

RUNNERS UP

The Palisades Restaurant (Eggleston, Va.) Wild Wolf Brewing Company (Nellysford, Va.)

TACOS Tacos Rojas (Roanoke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

White Duck Taco (Asheville, N.C.) Alex’s Taco Truck (Waynesboro, Va.)

BURGER FarmBurguesa (Vinton, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint (multiple locations) River Burger Bar (Waynesboro, Va.)

BARBECUE Bluegrass BBQ (Pembroke, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Buddy’s Barbecue (Rocky Mount, Va.) Blue Ridge Pig (Nellysford, Va.)

PIZZA Dogtown Roadhouse (Floyd, Va.) RUNNERS UP

Blue Ridge Bucha (Waynesboro, Va.) Buchi (Asheville, N.C.)

Blue Mountain Brewery (Afton, Va.) Tie: Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie (North Garden, Va.) and Pies and Pints (Multiple Locations)

COFFEE SHOP Red Rooster (Floyd, Va.)

FARMERS MARKET Stuart Farmers Market (Stuart, Va.)

RUNNERS UP

RUNNERS UP

RUNNERS UP

RND Coffee (Roanoke, Va.) Trager Brothers (Afton, Va.)

Floyd Farmers Market (Floyd, Va.) Blacksburg Farmers Market (Blacksburg, Va.) FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

23

IN PATRICK COUNTY, WE’RE

ALL WINNERS! Congratulations to all of our

BEST OF BLUE RIDGE WINNERS, runners-up, and nominees!

Find yourself here

We are excited to feature a few winners from our county. Whether you come here to unplug, soak in luxury stays, attend festivals, conquer the outdoors, or sample our farms from a basket or wine glass, we have something for everyone. From the rugged outdoors to 5-Star luxury, there is so much to discover here. visitpatrickcounty.org Visit the Patrick County Visitors Center at 126 N. Main St, Stuart, VA

Our Winners:

Our Runners-up:

Paddling Event: Kibler Valley River Run

Overall Restaurant: Pickle & Ash

Winery: Stanburn Winery

Wine: Big A Red (Stanburn Winery)

Costumed Event: Spooktacular

Family Friendly Festival: FloydFest

Best Campsite/Campground: Fairy Stone State Park

Best Festival Overall: FloydFest

Our Nominees:

Best Farmers Market: Stuart Farmers Market

Winery: Villa Appalaccia

Family Friendly Festival: Front Porch Fest

The Rundown START TRAINING AND TRY ONE OF THESE GREAT SOUTHERN RACES IN 2022

BY JEDD FERRIS

From fast five milers to uphill ultras, here are five races in the Blue Ridge region to put on your calendar in the new year.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Half Marathon Gibsonville, N.C. February 27 Set in the North Carolina piedmont, not far from Greensboro, this winter trail race is for runners who don’t mind being cold and wet. The loop course at the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot winds through the woods of Northeast Park, crossing the Reedy River twice. Water levels can vary from inches to feet, so it’s not uncommon for competitors to be quite soggy by the end. But the sting of being wet in frigid temps after running 13.1 miles is relieved by the cold beer served at the finish line. TriviumRacing.com

Cooper River Bridge Run Mt. Pleasant, S.C. April 2

RUNNERS CROSS THE ARTHUR R AV E N E L J R .

B R I D G E AT T H E COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN. PHOTO BY THE CHART GROUP

26

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

This iconic Southern road race is set to take place on its normal spring date for the first time since 2019. The point-topoint 10K on the South Carolina coast takes runners from Mt. Pleasant to downtown Charleston via the 2.5-mile Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which offers excellent views of the surrounding Low Country waterways. The 45-year-old event attracts a big field—from elite runners to casual striders—who come together to celebrate the run with a post-race festival at Charleston’s Marion Square. BridgeRun.com

Atop Snowshoe Mountain, conditions are perfect for the winter adventure of a lifetime. So, gear up and get in on all the snowy fun by skiing, boarding, carving and sliding your way around the slopes.

As you explore three distinct slope areas with unique personalities and a variety of features to please every skill level, you’ll soon find the kind of exhilaration that you’ve been longing for. This winter, discover your own slice of Almost Heaven at Snowshoe Mountain.

WVtourism.com/Snowshoe

10 TRAILS, 36 SKIABLE ACRES; FULL SERVICE SKI AREA OBER GATLINBURG FREESTYLE TERRAIN TO HOST WEEKLY EVENTS FULL SERVICE SKI AND SNOWBOARD TUNING SHOP GEAR AND CLOTHING AT THE SHOPS AT OBER

Crazy 8s 8K Kingsport, Tenn July 16 The Crazy 8s 8K is anything but a typical road race. Runners hit the starting line at night (last year’s start time was 8:58 p.m.) and follow a figure-eight shaped course through the candle-lit streets of Kingsport with big crowds gathering to cheer in support. But beyond the fun format, the event, branded as the “World’s Fastest 8K,” has built international renown for its insanely speedy competition, with multiple records set for the world’s fastest 8K during the race’s 30-plus years by both men and women. Crazy8s.org

Moonlight on the Falls Marathon Davis, W.Va. August 27-28

Y O U C A N R U N A L L N I G H T L O N G AT T H E M O O N L I G H T O N T H E F A L L S M A R AT H O N .

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C A N A A N VA L L E Y R U N N I N G C O M PA N Y

Bring a headlamp and run under the stars at Black Water Falls State Park, which holds craggy Appalachian terrain and West Virginia’s largest waterfall as its centerpiece. The challenging road race starts at 10pm and rolls through

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Your Parks Your adventures

NATURAL TUNNEL STATE PARK 800-933-PARK (7275) |

www.virginiastateparks.gov | Know Before You Go — Recreate Responsibly

STEVEN HENSLEY FINISHES LAST YEAR'S CRAZY 8S 8K. PHOTO COURTESY OF WE RUN EVENTS

the night to avoid the summer heat, as competitors complete multiple laps on a loop course that’s a little over six and a half miles. In addition to the marathon distance (26.2 miles), there are shorter half- and quarter-marathon options, as well as a distance challenge that can be completed as a multiperson relay team. Moonlight runners also enjoy a festival atmosphere that includes vendors and bands getting runners pumped up with pre-race jams.

CanaanValleyHalfMarathon.com

Blue Ridge Ultra Blue Ridge, Ga. October 8 Fall colors in the north Georgia mountains are starting to show when runners test their mettle at this tough 50K in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The loop course covers a variety of terrain to keep things interesting, including rooty singletrack, steep ascents, and water crossings, as it takes racers on fire roads and 16 miles of Benton MacKaye Trail. From takeoff to finish at the Toccoa River, the route has a total elevation change of more than 6,000 feet. Shorter options of 30K and 15K are also offered. ARGeorgia.com

This spring, embark on the adventure of a lifetime as you and your crew explore the vast mountain landscapes of West Virginia. Venture out on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails by ATV, and embrace the season of new beginnings in the most exhilarating way. After a day full of excitement, rest up in Logan’s various accommodations, like a cozy cabin or comfy lodge. Find your next adventure in Almost Heaven.

WVtourism.com/HatfieldMcCoyCVB

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OUTDOOR HAPPENINGS The top outdoor races, festivals, events, and experiences in the Blue Ridge and beyond.

FOR MORE GREAT OUTDOOR EVENTS VISIT BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

all year long Astronomy for Everyone at Sky Meadows State Park Various Dates (check website) Sky Meadows State Park, Va. Discover Virginia State Parks’ International Dark Sky Park, beginning with their Junior Astronomer program. Learn about dark skies, light conservation, and the latest news in astronomy. Finish the evening by relaxing and enjoying the night’s beauty with a tour of the night sky. virginiastateparks.com

Winter ‘22 Winter Wildlife Tram Tours at False Cape State Park Now through end of March 2022 False Cape State Park, Va. Join Virginia State Parks’ staff for a scenic

ride through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to observe wintering waterfowl.

Then, continue to the heart of False Cape State Park for a one-mile guided hike to the remnants of the Wash Woods cemetery and church site. virginiastateparks.com

February ‘22 Weekend Wonders at Pocahontas State Park February 6, 13, 20, & 27 Pocahontas State Park, Va. Stop by the Virginia State Parks Visitor Center each Sunday in February, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., for a different activity kit that will get you and your family outdoors and making natural and cultural discoveries. Suitable for all ages, but primarily geared towards 12 and under. virginiastateparks.com

#VirginiaMountains

Great Backyard Bird Count February 18-21 (Anywhere!)

The world comes together each February for the love of birds. Participate in the largest biodiversity-related citizen science project to collect data on wild birds. Virginia State Parks are prime habitat for hundreds of species of birds, so find a participating park and start counting. virginiastateparks.com

march ‘22 Stories of the Stars at Staunton River State Park March 5 Staunton River State Park, Va. Join storytellers from the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society to hear stories about constellations, planets, astrophotography, and the distance from the

#JacksonRiverScenicTrail

Enjoy #UniquelyAlleghany outdoor events all summer long.

Full event information at VisitAlleghanyHighlands.com/outdoor-events

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JUNE 4, 2022

AUGUST 20, 2022

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Alleghany Gran Fondo “Agony in the Alleghanies” GranFondoAlleghany.com

Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K JacksonRiverMarathon.com

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stars to Earth. Reduce the impact to observers’ night vision by getting a red light filter at the visitor center for your flashlight or phone. virginiastateparks.com Winterfest March 12 Bryce Resort, Va. Celebrate the end of the winter season with a party at Bryce! Winterfest is back for 2022 with pond skimming, live music from 3 a.m. - midnight, and family-friendly activities throughout the day. Buy a pint of your favorite beverage and take home the custom Bryce Winterfest glass. bryceresort.com/events-and-activities/ events/winterfest Tour de Pocahontas March 20 Pocahontas State Park, Va. Enter in the mountain bike races at Pocahontas State Park, a 7,919-acre park about 30 minutes from Richmond, Va. There

are a variety of races during this event, ranging from 2.5 miles to the 34-mile “tour” race. Bring family and friends to cheer you on and enjoy the park. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/adventureseries

happening during the Dogwood Ultra. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/adventureseries

The Whole Enchilada MTB Race March 26 U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C.

Frozen Foot Challenge April 9 Seven Bends State Park, Va.

Todas las millas. Every mile of trail by bike.

Race includes both Whole and Half Options that cover the entirety of the USNWC trail network (whole is roughly 45-50 miles). whitewater.org/race/the-whole-enchilada Dogwood Ultra Marathon March 26 Green Bay, Va. New to the adventure series, this 10-mile run at Twin Lakes State Park in Green Bay, Va., is not far from Farmville and about an hour from Richmond. Check out the website for all the details about this and other races

april ‘22

Seven Bends State Park is the location for this 6-hour adventure race, which is new to the Adventure Series. The park is located in the geographically unique Seven Bends area of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, and is just a few miles from Historic Downtown Woodstock. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/adventureseries The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon April 16 Roanoke, Va. Get away to Roanoke, Va., for an epic race-cation with “America’s Toughest

Are you up for the challenge?

An innovative race series spanning multiple sports and multiple state parks. Visit virginiastateparks.gov for the comprehensive list of events.

March 20 ..... Tour de Pocahontas at Pocahontas State Park March 26 ..... Dogwood Ultra Marathon at Twin Lakes State Park April 9 ......... Frozen Foot Challenge at Seven Bends State Park April 24 ....... Marl’s Revenge at York River State Park April 30 ....... Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon at Smith Mountain Lake State Park April 30 ....... Spring Bloom Adventure Race at Lake Anna State Park

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UKROP’S MONUMENT AVENUE 10K PRESENTED BY KROGER Richmond’s biggest block party is back!

Whether you're in pursuit of a 6.2-mile PR or prefer a casual stroll, we guarantee live bands, porch parties, tree-lined streets, historic homes, stunning architecture, and more!

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DOMINION ENERGY RIVERROCK From music to trail runs, bikes to beer, SUPs to pups, and climbing to kayaks, this festival draws thousands of visitors and outdoor enthusiasts to the downtown riverfront every May. Soak in everything that makes Richmond, Virginia an outdoor lover’s dream!

RICHMOND MARATHON, CARMAX RICHMOND HALF MARATHON, AND ALLIANZ PARTNERS 8K #RunRichmond and discover unrivaled course support, great swag, beautiful scenery, and enjoy being treated like a VIP. Don’t miss America’s Friendliest Marathon!

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Sports Backers is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization located in Richmond, Virginia.

Road Marathon.” Enjoy more elevation change than any road marathon in America, breathtaking overlooks, downtown music festival, and recovery Slow-K. Choose from: full marathon, half marathon, 10k, 4-person marathon relay, or double marathon. blueridgemarathon.com Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger April 23 Richmond, Va. The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger is back and better on April 23! Whether you’re in pursuit of a 6.2-mile PR or prefer a casual stroll, we guarantee costumed runners, live bands, porch parties, tree-lined streets, historic homes, stunning architecture, and more! sportsbackers.org/events/monument-ave10k Marl’s Revenge April 24 York River State Park, Va. York River State Park in Williamsburg, Va., is home to this new 11-mile trail run or 22-mile mountain bike race. The park is known for its rare and delicate estuarine environment, where freshwater and saltwater meet to create a rich habitat for marine and plant life. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/ adventureseries Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon April 30 Smith Mountain Lake State Park, Va. Enjoy all that Smith Mountain Lake State Park has to offer with a triathlon that shifts from the lake to the rolling hills to the flat trails. This sprint triathlon includes a 750-meter swim, 20K bike ride and a 5K run. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/ adventureseries

may ‘22

bike ride. roosterwalk.com

Agony in the Alleghanies Gran Fondo May 7 Covington, Va.

june ‘22

Visit the beautiful Alleghany Highlands of Virginia to ride in one of the most scenic Gran Fondo’s on the East Coast! This cycling event rightfully exemplifies its name, “Agony in the Alleghanies,” with our Gran Fondo course reaching nearly 10,000 feet of climbing! granfondoalleghany.com Maryland Coast Bike Festival May 7 Ocean City, Md. The Maryland Coast Bike Festival offers riders a unique and beautiful coastal environment. Take it all in, from the shore break and wild ponies on Assateague Island to the flat rural backcountry of Maryland’s coastal region. Choose from three amazing flat and scenic routes. marylandcoastbikefestival.com Dominion Energy Riverrock May 20-22 Richmond, Va. From music to trail runs, bikes to beer, SUPs to pups, and climbing to kayaks, Dominion Energy Riverrock draws thousands of visitors and outdoor enthusiasts to the downtown riverfront in Richmond, Va., every May. Don’t miss the Nation’s Premier Sports and Music Festival! riverrockrva.com Rooster Walk May 26-29 Martinsville, Va. Located in the gorgeous Virginia foothills, Rooster Walk is a nonprofit, family-friendly 4-day music festival featuring an eclectic mix of 50+ bands across six stages. In addition, catch the songwriter brunch, yoga, river floats, disc golf, and a brewery

Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k June 4 Covington, VA This fun event has something for everyone!

The USATF certified course follows an old railroad bed of the C&O Railway that winds through small communities, cultivated fields, and patches of woodland. The Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying race. jacksonrivermarathon.com

september ‘22 Front Porch Fest September 1-4 Spirithaven Farm, Stuart, Va. This intimate gathering on the front porch to the Blue Ridge Mountains is perfect for families of all ages, seasoned festival goers, and first timers. With an entire volunteer staff this labor of love raises funds for local charities. frontporchfest.com

november ‘22 Richmond Marathon September 1-4 Richmond Va. Whether you take part in the marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, or 8k, Richmond provides phenomenal course support, great fall scenery, and awesome finisher swag. The marathon is a top 25 Boston Qualifier, and the course is mostly flat with some rolling hills—perfect for first-timers. richmondmarathon.org •

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T H E C A S T I L L O D E S A N M A R C O S I N S T. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. PHOTO BY SCOTT B A R N E T T, C O U R T E S Y O F V I S I T F L O R I D A

COASTAL ESCAPES Beat the winter blues with these Southern waterfront destinations

BY MIKE BEZEMEK

HAD ENOUGH OF WINTER? THEN follow

the snowbirds to the Southeast’s coast.

We’ve rounded up scenic spots where you can walk boardwalks through wetlands or hike sandy trails through coastal nature preserves. Wildlife is abundant, with opportunities to spot birds, alligators, and even dolphins.

Many historic sites reveal fascinating stories about the area’s history, and there’s almost always a good microbrewery not far away.

St. Augustine’s Historic Beachfront Founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1565, St. Augustine—located on the Atlantic coast in northern Florida—is the oldest continuously inhabited, European-established settlement in the United States. One highlight is the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the country. The fort was built by the Spanish in the late 17th century using massive blocks of coquina, a sedimentary stone composed of naturally cemented shell fragments.

Today Castillo de San Marcos is a national monument managed by the National Park Service. Visitors can tour the fort and explore exhibits about its construction and area history.

Other attractions include walking through the historic downtown, with

colonial architecture and many buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.

One such building is the Gilded-age Ponce de León Hotel, built in 1887 and now part of Flagler College. Also downtown, you’ll find the St. Augustine Distillery and A1A Ale Works Restaurant & Taproom for post-tour libations.

Located on nearby Anastasia Island, more worthy sites await. At the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, you can climb the steps to the top of an active lighthouse and learn about 500 years of local maritime history.

Nearby is the 1,600-acre Anastasia State Park, known for undeveloped beaches, paddling in the tidal salt marshes, wildlife viewing, and camping.

Barrier Solitude on Jekyll Island A barrier island just north of Cumberland Island National Seashore, Jekyll Island is entirely owned by the state of Georgia and offers a partially developed seaside experience. Unlike Cumberland, which is accessible only by ferry, Jekyll Island can be reached by car on a paved causeway. (Note that a daily parking pass is required.)

Once on the island, a popular activity is cycling the 20 miles of paved paths and gravel trails. Bikes can be rented from several outfitters on the island or bring your own. These shared-use

pedestrian and bike paths access most of the island’s key sites, including the Horton House ruins—one of the oldest tabby construction buildings in the state.

Other highlights include miles of pristine beach, inland routes through forests of twisty live oak draped in Spanish moss, and a 240-acre historic district.

Mosaic, the Jekyll Island Museum, has exhibits and tours about the island’s history. Nearby, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center offers educational exhibits and the chance to see turtle rehabilitation in action. While many visitors come for a day trip, if you want to stay overnight on the island, there are about a dozen hotels, many homes to rent, and a single campground.

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DISCOVER

Halifax County, Virginia

What makes your heart race?

Photo Credit: HyperFEST

www.gohalifaxva.com

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Remote Discovery on Bulls Island Part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, in the Low Country of South Carolina, Bulls Island is a 5,000-acre barrier island that is almost entirely undeveloped. Throughout its history, the island has been home to Native Americans, pirates, and enslaved plantation laborers, and, in the 1920s, it was purchased by a New York banker who used it as a nature retreat until the 1930s, when it was given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Today, the island can only be reached by ferry and only day trips are allowed. During the winter season, from December 1st to February 28th, the ferry runs only on Saturdays.

Reservations are required and can be made online with Coastal Expeditions.

Most visitors to the island hike along the 16 miles of sandy roads and trails, though a limited number of bicycles can be brought, with advanced reservation, and used on the island’s unpaved roads.

There are many highlights for visitors, including Boneyard Beach, where the sea has eroded into a coastal forest, stripping the bark from trees and leaving bleached trunks that resemble bones.

Throughout the island there are several observation towers, and the abundant wildlife includes countless birds and many alligators. Even the ferry ride through the tidal marshes is an adventure, with the chance to see loggerhead turtles or bottlenose dolphins.

Waterfront Escapes in Wilmington Located in southeastern North Carolina near Cape Fear, the area around Wilmington offers a variety of outdoor adventure opportunities. Venturing southeast from the city toward the cape leads to the town of Carolina Beach.

There you’ll find Carolina Beach State Park.

The park has six miles of hiking trails that wind along the Cape Fear River, through swampy pocosins, and into longleaf pine forests. Perhaps most interesting is the abundance of carnivorous plants like the endemic Venus Flytrap and pitcher plant. The park is also popular for tent and RV camping and paddling on the Cape Fear River. Just outside the park, Good Hops BIKING ON JEKYLL ISLAND. PHOT0 BY RALPH DANIEL, COURTESY OF EXPLORE GEORGIA (BELOW) THE FERRY TO BULLS ISLAND. PHOTO BY MIKE BEZEMEK

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Maryland Coast Bike Festival S AT U R D AY, M AY 7 T H , 2 0 2 2

Join us on one of the three amazing routes exploring Maryland’s scenic coastal region.

The event also offers the opportunity to perserve this pristine coastal environment.

Start, finish and celebrate at the waterfront festival in Ocean City’s famous harbor.

Three enhanced routes this year with Assateague Island vistas!

Robust beach-themed rest stops. marylandcoastbikefestival.com

Brewing offers microbrew beers and a free disc golf course.

Continuing south along US-421 leads to Fort Fisher State Historic Site.

The highlight here is touring a wellpreserved Civil War-era Confederate fort, where earthworks and large guns were used to defend the vital blockaderunning trade route to Wilmington.

A decisive invasion by the Union in January of 1865 helped seal the outcome of the Civil War. Back in Wilmington, there’s a twomile Riverwalk along the Cape Fear River near the historic downtown. If you’re looking for a different type of walk, the Wilmington Ale Trail has no fewer than 20 microbreweries throughout the area, with five of these in walking distance of the Riverwalk and historic downtown.

Just outside of town, the Green Swamp Preserve is for more adventurous explorers. Managed by the Nature Conservancy, the Green Swamp offers a wilderness-like experience in a longleaf pine savannah. A 1.5-mile trail, one-way, leads into the swamp. During frequent wet conditions, waterproof shoes or boots are recommended.

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The

Ultimate Guide

to Virginia Beach

Ready to discover a new side of Virginia Beach? With this visitor’s guide, you’ll find there’s a whole lot more to a coastal getaway than just sand and surf. Dig into the area’s top destinations, tastiest restaurants, and coziest stays for a trip you won’t soon forget.

Fun in the Sun

What’s on the agenda? That’ll probably depend on what you want to get out of your trip.

Looking for a heart-pounding adventure or a spot where you can relax? Or maybe you want something the whole family can do together? Don’t worry—this beach town has it all.

Thrill Seekers Is a lack of running water a dealbreaker for you? If you answered no, then camping at False Cape State Park is the way to go.

Four campgrounds feature primitive tent-only campsites that require you to carry in all the gear you’ll need for your

stay. Before you can settle in for the night, you must first hike or bike between five to eight miles through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to reach the park.

Without vehicle access, you’ll want to make sure you pack light. But all that work is worth it to enjoy one of the last undeveloped areas on the Atlantic coast as you watch the migrating birds, sit in the sand, and fall asleep to the sounds of the bay.

Don’t want to commit to a fully-immersive adventure?

There’s still plenty of action to be found in other places.

Several outfitters in town offer a variety of guided tours or the equipment you need to get out on your own.

Whether you want to spend

the day fishing for rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay, paddleboarding salt marsh habitats, or biking miles of trails, you don’t have to worry about packing a thing. You can even take a tour with Pleasure House Oysters where you can sample the legendary Lynnhaven Oyster pulled out of the water right in front of you. It doesn’t get any fresher than that.

Chill Vibes For those who prefer to keep things more low-key, First Landing State Park is a great place to start. Follow one of the boardwalks to Take in the wildlife and scenery by land or water. Photos by Ellen Kanzinger

Walk along the Lynnhaven River at Pleasure House Point. Photo by Shannon McGowan

more than a mile of beach along the Chesapeake Bay or walk the interior trails past bald cypress swamps, waterways, and wildlife habitats. There are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the views along the way.

Running parallel to the city’s oceanfront, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk is an excellent spot for a leisurely jaunt. Whether you’re exploring on foot or bike, this paved pathway will lead you to three miles of restaurants, museums, boutique shops, and more.

You can then head into the ViBe District to view vibrant murals and choose from an eclectic mix of dining options.

Family-Friendly At the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, you’ll find there’s no shortage of activities to keep everyone entertained. Wander through a variety of habitats, featuring everything from harbor seals and komodo dragons to snakes, sea turtles, and sharks. When you’re done inside, the Adventure Park features a ropes course and ziplining that’ll have you soaring amongst the trees.

For the true Virginia Beach experience, you can even book a whale or dolphin watching tour that’ll get you close to these magnificent marine mammals.

Depending on the growing season, you can then head out to the farms of Pungo to pick your own produce.

Featuring a variety of crops, including strawberries, apples,

peaches, and veggies, this is a great way to spend some time outside while you pick up something delicious to eat.

Fresh Eats

You’ll need several days in the area just to try all of the food within your reach. Even the pickiest of eaters will find something they want to try at one of these local eateries.

Breakfast Start your morning off on the right foot with a Pungo Latte from Three Ships Coffee Roasters or a mouthwatering pastry from

May’s Parlor. In the mood for something savory and sweet? Try pairing eggs benedict with a Cinnamon Toast Crunch latte from The Bee & the Biscuit.

Lunch Whether you choose to fill up on a wrap from Redhead Bay Café, a crepe from Commune, or something from the raw bar at Atlantic on Pacific, it’s important to keep your energy up during the day and make time to rest your body.

Dinner Round off your day with a delicious meal as you watch the sunset over the water.

Sit on the deck at The Porch on Long Creek as you sip on cocktails and taste the local seafood, most likely caught earlier that morning. For panoramic views of the city and the ocean, head to Orion’s Roof on the 23rd floor of the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

What better way to end your night than with a local craft beverage served amongst friends. Sip on spirits from Tarnished Truth Distillery in the Cavalier Hotel or choose from the 27 stops along the Virginia Beach Beer Trail.

Top right: Winter is the perfect time to watch for migrating birds.

Photo by Shannon McGowan Bottom: Warm up with a latte from Commune. Photo by Ellen Kanzinger

Extended Stay Looking for something longer than a day trip?

Virginia Beach has plenty of options when it comes to finding a place to rest each night. Wake up to a sunrise over the water at one of the hotels or resorts along the oceanfront. If you’re traveling with a bigger group, look for a vacation rental that will accommodate everyone.

Plus, with countless bed and breakfasts, cabins, and campsites, there’s no shortage of ways to stay.

This is just the start of what Virginia Beach has to offer. With a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, plus dozens of restaurants to try and miles of beach to walk, there are endless opportunities to have a good time. Take this as your invitation to visit Virginia Beach.

VisitVirginiaBeach.com

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

This spring, explore West Virginia’s beauty and adventure at your own pace. Raft world-class whitewater. Zipline through the trees. Hike, bike, climb and immerse yourself in the magic of the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve with Adventures on the Gorge. No matter which adventure you pursue, you’re sure to find your own slice of Almost Heaven.

WVtourism.com/AOTG

COMMON GROUND Unlikely groups have come together to propose a new National Scenic Area

BY WILL HARLAN

PHOTO BY STEVEN MCBRIDE

HUNTERS AND HIPPIES ARE A LOT ALIKE.

I’ve spent over two decades living alongside both of them in a rural corner of Appalachia that’s home to militias and communes. Outwardly, they may fly different flags, but when you get to know them and what they value most, their Venn diagrams almost completely overlap.

Hippies teach permaculture and primitive skills. Hunters call themselves preppers, but let’s face it: they’re basically doing the same things—canning a lot of homegrown vegetables and stocking the chest freezer with venison.

Hunters and hippies both love wildlife. And they are both happiest in the forest. One may be wearing camo and the other tie-dye, but they are both deeply connected to the wild woods.

That may be the secret to a rare conservation success story unfolding in southern Appalachia, where hunters and hippies are working together to create North Carolina’s first-ever National Scenic Area.

WTF? In other parts of the country, these groups are raging at each other.

What has brought crusty old-timers and New Age millennials together? A big, beautiful forest.

The Craggy section of Pisgah National Forest includes 16,000 acres of world-class trails, waterfalls, ancient forests, and trout streams. And folks of different backgrounds and beliefs have forged an unusual and unlikely partnership to permanently protect it.

“There’s a lot more we have in common than you might think,” says Alan Smith, a 73-year-old who has been hunting in Craggy’s forest for decades.

“People love the forest for a lot of

different reasons, but we all share a deep connection with the woods. If you start there, good things can happen.”

Eight years ago, Alan sat around a wobbly table at the community center with a dozen other farmers, teachers, and carpenters from the Craggy community. Born-again Bible thumpers and witchy wildcrafters had come together to talk about the logging that threatened their Craggy forest. They began spitballing ideas about how to save it, and someone suggested proposing it for National Scenic Area designation. After all, its panoramic vistas from Craggy Gardens were some of the most popular and photographed spots in the country.

So they hatched a plan that included door-to-door conversations, flyers at the local gas station, and a community meeting with the U.S. Forest Service.

“We didn’t know what the hell we were doing,” said Steven McBride, one of the neighbors around the table at that first meeting. “But we had to try. We just decided to go for it and got to work.”

The Craggy National Scenic Area proposal quickly gained momentum: over 10,000 supporters submitted comments to the U.S. Forest Service.

The proposal also received unanimous bipartisan resolutions of support from county commissioners and Asheville City Council after hundreds turned out at their meetings.

The Craggy National Scenic Area also got the attention of another unusual and unlikely coalition: the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership. Since 2014, this coalition of 30 diverse organizations has been working together to find common ground on the Pisgah-Nantahala National

Forest. The Partnership includes the logging industry, leading conservation groups, national hunting organizations, and an array of recreation organizations.

They are perhaps unlikely allies— tree-huggers and timber industry executives, hunters and hikers. For years, they have been trying to hammer out a blueprint for the future of the PisgahNantahala National Forest.

And last year, they forged a stunning, precedent-setting agreement, signed by all 30 organizations. At the top of their list of recommendations: create the Craggy National Scenic Area.

What’s so special about Craggy? It has something for everyone. Blockbuster movies like "The Hunger Games" have been filmed in Craggy: Katniss kissed Peeta for the first time just below one of the most popular bouldering spots in Craggy.

"The Last of the Mohicans" was also filmed in Craggy—there is even a trail named after the opening scene of the movie, where the Mohicans hunt an elk through the forest.

Today, Craggy is a popular bear hunting destination and a fly fishing oasis. It also boasts some of the steepest downhill mountain biking and best trail running in the East. Native brook trout shelter in cold headwater streams.

Swimming holes abound—and so do morels and ramps.

The 1,000-mile Mountains to Sea Trail—North Carolina’s state trail, stretching from the Smokies to the Outer Banks—rolls along Craggy’s ridgeline. And the area has milehigh, 360-degree views from Craggy Gardens and Craggy Pinnacle along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Craggy is a temperate rainforest, and its cold, clear creeks supply drinking water to two rapidly growing municipalities. That water is also important to area farmers, including Anna Littman, a North Carolina native who owns Ivy Creek Family Farm just a stone’s throw from the Craggy section of Pisgah National Forest. She is a full-time farmer who grows fruits and vegetables and sells at local markets to support her family. All of her crops depend on the clean, clear headwaters of Craggy.

“We don’t want our creek running brown or drying up. We depend on that forest,” says Littman. “We need to keep that forest just the way it is.”

Ivy Creek Family Farm is one of over 150 area businesses that have endorsed the Craggy National Scenic Area.

As a result of this groundswell of support, the U.S. Forest Service has recognized Craggy as a special area worthy of long-term protection in its forest plans.

The Craggy National Scenic Area is now only one step away from a reality: now it needs North Carolina’s senators to formally introduce a bill. Senator Tillis is an avid mountain biker; Senator Burr is retiring this year and looking for a legacy.

Across three presidential administrations, unlikely allies have worked together to build unanimous bipartisan support for the Craggy National Scenic Area.

This is a rare opportunity to show that communities matter, public lands can unite us, and democracy still works.

Learn more about the proposed Craggy National Scenic Area at iheartcraggy.org.

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Cabin at Roanoke County’s Explore Park ·

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Ac r oss u n h u r r i e d c r e e ks , up s t e e p m o u n ta i n s , t h r o u g h r h o d o d e nd r o n f o r e s t s , an d p a s t t u mb l i n g w a t e r fal l s , t h e t r ai l s o f t h e S o u th e a s t lea d t o s o m e t r ul y s p e c t ac ul ar s i g h t s . D i s c o v e r t h e b e s t s po t s t o h i ke, b i ke, and p ad d l e i n o u r r eg i on , p l u s s o m e o f t h e b e s t c r af t b e v e r a g e m a ke r s y o u c an f i nd . P l e as e c h e c k w i th lo c a t i o n s p r i o r t o t r av e l f o r l o c al g ui d e l i n e s o r u se t h i s g ui d e f o r f ut ur e t r i p s !

How to Play in Virginia’s Blue Ridge With over 1,000 miles to hike, bike, and paddle, Virginia’s Blue Ridge is the ultimate trail destination. Blue Ridge Outdoors readers seem to agree. This year, several destinations in the region took home top honors in the 2022 Best of the Blue Ridge Awards. Discover the best spots to explore in this guide to Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

Roanoke — Best Place to Raise an Outdoor Family Roanoke invites adventurers of all ages to get out and explore the area. From the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Jefferson National Forest to Carvins Cove and Smith Mountain Lake, you’ll find there’s no shortage of places and ways to get outside with your family. Easy access is key to making sure everyone has a great time, and all of these destinations are within an hour’s drive from the city’s center.

Explore Park — Best Kid-Friendly Adventure Take the family to Roanoke County’s Explore Park, located at Milepost 115 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The fun never stops when there’s so much to do for young kids and the young at heart. Featuring trails for hiking and mountain biking, water access for paddling, boating, and fishing on the Roanoke River, and an aerial adventure course called Treetop Quest, this is your one-stop-shop for all things outdoors. Plus, with food and beverages available at the Twin Creeks Brewpub, and cabins and campsites offering overnight lodging, you will have everything you need for a relaxing weekend getaway.

Ride the trails of Allegany County. Photo courtesy of Allegany County Tourism

PHOTO BY JENNIFER GRIFFIN, COURTESY OF VISIT VBR

Roanoke Valley Greenways — Best Urban Park/Greenway There’s no need to venture far to enjoy the sights along the Roanoke Valley Greenways.

Over 30 miles of trails showcase many unique local communities as you walk, run, or bike past some of the area’s most recognized landmarks, including Mill Mountain and the Roanoke Star. Several access points to the Roanoke River and local creeks also make this a great destination for paddling and fishing.

Parkway Brewing Company in Salem, Va.

VBR Cheers Trail — Extra Miles When you’ve had your fill of exploring, check out the stops along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Cheers Trail. This craft beverage trail showcases more than 25 breweries, wineries, and distilleries in the area. In the city of Salem, Parkway Brewing Company and Olde Salem Brewing Co. are great options for a post-trail beer while in Roanoke, Starr Hill Pilot Brewery and Twisted Track Brewpub always have something fun brewing.

Unlock the key to exploring the mountains and waterways of Virginia’s Blue Ridge as you spend the day on the trails. VisitVBR.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROANOKE COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION & TOURISM

of the

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT CHARLOTTESVILLE

Hit the Trails in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Va. What could be better than world-class hiking trails and epic mountain views paired with a flight of award-winning wines? You’ll find a captivating combination of these elements when you visit Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, there are countless trails to explore along the way. Discover some of the top route recommendations in the area for your next trail-focused adventure.

Climbing high above the city on the Saunders-Monticello Trail, located at the base of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, this accessible network leads to some unforgettable sights.

Cross the boardwalks, take in views of the pond, and enjoy the seasonal scenes. Just down the road, the Highland Rustic Trails at the historic home of James Monroe run across rolling hills with opportunities to encounter a variety of species and habitats as you stroll about the grounds.

Walk, run, or bike along the Rivanna Trails, which encircle the city. You can see how quickly the scenery changes from paved, urban pathways to natural trails that’ll have you feeling like you’re in a completely different environment. For even more ways to explore, the multi-use trails at Patricia Ann Byrom Forest Preserve Park are perfect for an afternoon outing or mountain bike ride up Little Flat Mountain while Ivy Creek Natural Area is the place to be if you’re looking for a relaxing excursion.

Head out of the city limits to the nearby Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway for miles of rocks, roots, and switchbacks. But that burning in your quads and sweat on your forehead will be worth it for the overlooks and waterfalls you’ll pass along the way. At 2.2 miles roundtrip, Turk Mountain is a nice trek with the perfect vantage point to watch the sunset or eat Overlook from a picnic lunch. Keep it short up the steep Humpback Rocks Trail climb to Humpback Rocks, providing 360-degree views of the surrounding area. From Sugar Hollow Reservoir, located at the base of the national park, the out and back to Blue Hole is another local favorite, especially during the summer when the refreshing waters will help you cool down. Other hikes along the North Fork Moorman’s River lead to additional stream crossings and waterfalls.

With more than 40 wineries in the Charlottesville area, there’s no shortage of spots to sit back and relax with a glass

Stroll the Monticello Trails

Views from a local vineyard.

Photo by David Anhold

of wine in your hand after taking on the trails. Dozens of wineries round out the Monticello Wine Trail, all within 25 miles of the city. Many of the wineries serve up light fare, host a revolving lineup of food trucks, or allow outside food so you can refuel with some delicious bites. Make sure to sign up for the Monticello Wine Trail Passport, which makes it easy to find your next destination and tracks your visits. You can even win a special wine glass after your tenth winery. Learn more about the passport at Experience.VisitCharlottesville.org.

Stay Awhile You’ll find it’s easy to start planning your trip as Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer visitors a wide variety of places to stay, including resorts, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, cabins, and vacation rentals. Stay in the heart of the city or escape to a relaxing retreat. Plus, with a schedule full of upcoming outdoor events, a thriving music scene, and countless restaurants to taste something new, it’s always a good time to visit.

Start planning your trip today at VisitCharlottesville.org.

Sandy Trails at Pleasure House Point Natural Area. (Below)Sightseeing on the Atlantic Ocean.

Photos by Shannon McGowan

Take to the Trails of Virginia Beach, Va. Virginia Beach welcomes you to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay where you’ll discover all types of trails leading to awe-inspiring views. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing stroll or a challenge to get your heart racing, there’s no shortage of ways to see the sights on your next getaway.

By Land On what kind of surface do you prefer to hike and bike? Paved? Natural? Sand? From two state parks to the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, you’ll find you can do it all from one central location.

At First Landing State Park, the most-visited Virginia state park, there are a variety of habitats to explore along 20 miles of trails. Follow one of the boardwalks down to the water and walk 1.5 miles along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Or head inland on a system that will take you past bald cypress swamps, salt marshes, waterways, and an abundance of wildlife. Common animals you might spot include marsh crabs, turtles, lizards, herons, and osprey. The Cape Henry Trail is a great way to cover the most ground in the park and is open to cyclists looking to ride a fairly accessible stretch of natural surface.

While you’re in the area, it’s worth stopping at the Pleasure House Point Natural Area just off the Lynnhaven River for a quick walk appropriate for all ages. This peaceful spot is home to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Brock Environmental Center, and you can see evidence of their oyster restoration efforts up close.

Drive a little outside of the city’s center to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park.

This remote section of protected coastline provides a chance to immerse yourself in the beauty of the beach. As you walk or bike through Back Bay, keep your eyes peeled for a variety of marine wildlife amidst the wetlands and dunes.

There’s even more to experience once you reach False Cape, the least-visited Sunset over the water. Photo by Ellen Kanzinger Virginia state park, including pollinator

Discover and fish new waterways. Photo by Ellen Kanzinger

Get outside with friends. Photo

by Shannon McGowan

fields, campsites, and overlooks. Bikers will love riding through one of the last undeveloped areas on the East Coast along the Sand Ridge Trail from the park’s entrance all the way down to the North Carolina border.

Winter is an excellent time to visit this destination as thousands of species migrate south for warmer weather. From November through March, the interior trails of the refuge are closed to visitors but you can still access the park by way of the beach. Check out Surf & Adventure Co. for fat tire bike rentals made for cruising over the sand. For the road cyclists out there, Pungo Loop Trail will take you past vineyards, strawberry fields, and waterways on quiet roads.

Back by the oceanfront and the ViBe District, a bike is the best way to take in all of the excitement and sights of this coastal city. Cruise along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, designed with separate biking and walking paths. You can even rent a four-wheeled surrey bike that takes a team of people to pedal the three-mile boardwalk. Then it’s time to hit the Bikes, Brews & Art Tour for a taste of Virginia Beach’s culinary delights and over 50 murals and pieces of public art all mapped out along a pre-planned, self-guided route.

Miles of Chesapeake Bay waterfront.

Photo by Shannon McGowan

By Water and Air You can’t visit the beach without getting on one of the many scenic waterways around. Along the border of First Landing State Park, link up Broad Bay and Linkhorn Bay as you paddle through the Narrows. Locals know this is one of the best spots to watch the sunset from your boat. Or you can float the shallow tributaries trailing out to Back Bay where you’ll be treated to the sight of barrier islands, sand dunes, maritime forests, and marshes.

For those feeling a little more adventurous, take to the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Keep your eyes peeled for pods of dolphins dancing their way around the area, plus any number of other marine animals and birds.

Your visit wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium. You’ll be flying high on the treetop trails between platforms on this self-guided ropes course and zipline tour. With 17 trails at varying difficulty levels and 258 treetop platforms, this is something the whole family can do together.

Bonus Trail What better way to cap off your trip than a tour of the craft beverage scene along the Virginia Beach Beer Trail? Twelve homegrown breweries boast flavors for everyone to enjoy. Sit back and relax with friends in the taproom as you savor a variety of food trucks, snacks, live music, and events throughout the year. An additional 14 stops on the trail highlight other craft beer destinations, like restaurants and shops, that should definitely be on every visitor’s list.

With this many trails dotting the landscape, you’re going to need a few days to explore all the area has to offer. Stay at one of the many local hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation home rentals, or campsites for a full week or weekend of fun. Whether you choose to stay right on the oceanfront or in a more remote spot, you’ll have easy access to all of the activities, restaurants, and fun happenings the area has to offer.

No matter what time of year it is, head to the coast, hit the trails, and discover what Virginia Beach is all about for yourself. VisitVirginiaBeach.com

Every Kind of Trail in Virginia State Parks Hiking trails? Check. Biking trails? Double check. Paddling trails? Triple check. You can always find a new adventure at a Virginia State Park. With 41 parks dotting the landscape from the ocean to the mountains, discover more than 660 miles of trails and 500 miles of shoreline.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIRGINIA STATE PARKS

For the Hikers At Natural Tunnel, take in the scenic beauty of southwest Virginia and the grandeur of the tunnel from Lover’s Leap, wander through the park on Purchase Ridge, or head down the steep decline to the base of the towering rock formation on Tunnel Trail. More than 40 miles of wooded trails at Douthat will lead you to tumbling waterfalls, scenic overlooks, and views of the lake. If you’re in the mood for some challenging switchbacks that lead to epic views, try the Stony Run, Mountain Top, and Mountain Side trails. Wander along the Shenandoah River or head up the Explore the waterways of western slope of Powell Mountain into York River State Park the national forest when you visit Seven Bends, one of the newest state parks.

For the Bikers Pocahontas features 90 miles of multi-use trails just outside of downtown Richmond, including some of the best mountain biking you’ll find in the state.

At York River, there are ride sections of bike-only singletrack with great views of the water. If you’re feeling adventurous, New River Trail is a 57-miles linear park along the river. This is a great option if you’re looking to try bikepacking for the first time with its gentle grade and excellent riding surface.

Plus, find extra thrills at the Hoover Mountain Biking Area.

For the Paddlers Explore the shore of the Rappahannock River, plus the surrounding creeks and wetlands, by boat at Belle Isle. Seasonal boat rentals and

Miles of adventure at New River Trail State Park (Above) Paddle the new Clinch River State Park

guided canoe trips make it easy to get on the water here. Just down the road, Machicomoco is an ideal spot for a sunrise or sunset as you paddle Poplar and Timberneck Creek or York River.

Although it’s still under development, you can visit sections of Clinch River, Virginia’s first blueway state park. Once complete, the park will connect multiple access points along a 100mile stretch of the river so you can customize your trip length and difficulty. For now, access the water from the Airtrip Boat Launch and explore one of the most biodiverse rivers in the world.

So, what are you waiting for? The trails of Virginia State Parks await adventurers of all ages and abilities. VirginiaStateParks.gov

A World of Adventure in Danville, Va.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CITY OF DANVILLE

Travel to the foothills of Piedmont Virginia in pursuit of a weekend filled with outdoor adventure, fine dining, and friendly faces in Danville and Pittsylvania County.

At the Anglers Ridge Mountain Bike Trail System, discover one of the longest singletrack routes in the region. Over 35 miles of natural-surface trail weave through forested hills and across creeks with options for riders of all levels. You don’t need a bike to enjoy these award-winning trails. Lace up your shoes for a scenic trail run or outing with your dog.

Follow the Dan River for almost a dozen miles on the Riverwalk Trail. Along the way, connect local parks, overlooks, and boat launches with the Danville Science Center and historic downtown. This paved pathway is accessible for adventurers of all ages and abilities to enjoy this charismatic community.

While you’re in town, the outfitters of Danville are there to make sure you have everything you need for a day on the trails. Swing by The Brick for a large stock of shoes, apparel, equipment, and nutrition items that’ll keep you going through those tough climbs. At Head Up Eyes Forward, shop a wide range of apparel to fit your adventure or to inspire the next one.

Your adventure doesn’t stop with the trails. Reserve a lane at Grizzly’s Hatchet House and try your hand at axe throwing or wander through the exhibits at the AAF Tank Museum. Plus, keep your eyes on the calendar for a schedule packed full with festivals, concerts, and races in the area. These events are the perfect Sip and play opportunity around at Grizzly’s which to plan an Hatchet House extended stay.

Aprés Trail A wide variety of dining options await the hungry explorer.

Whether you need a kick start in the morning or a place to refuel after the day’s activities, you’re sure to find something that matches your cravings.

The intimate setting at Links

Explore the Riverwalk (Above)Take in seasonal views

Coffee House Café provides the perfect atmosphere to sip your cup of joe and snack on a pastry. Crema & Vine is a unique offering in the area, combining a coffee shop and wine bar with the tastes from the cafe for an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re on the search for brunch, lunch, or dinner, Golden Leaf Bistro is always an elegant option with live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sitting on the patio at Cotton at Riverside Mill, fill up on a menu full of delicious flatbreads, plates, desserts, and spirits as you watch the Dan River flow past. From thai curry and noodle bowls to mouthwatering entrees, you’ll want to try a little bit of everything at Moon River Thai Bistro. Don’t forget about the fresh, seasonal offerings at King Cropp Kitchen or expertly-prepared seafood dishes from the Schoolfield Restaurant.

When you’re ready to settle in for the night, you can’t go wrong with the area’s top lodging destinations. The Bee is a charming boutique hotel, once home to the city’s newspaper, that combines cozy accommodations and modern features in a historic landmark. Experience southern hospitality at its finest when you stay at the Berry Hill Resort, featuring sweeping views of the estate, a swimming pool, five miles of trails, and bike rentals. Just steps from the river, unwind at the Courtyard Danville as you rest up for another day of exploration.

Fill your itinerary with new sights and tastes when you escape to Danville and Pittsylvania County for a relaxing getaway in south-central Virginia.

DiscoverDanville.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLEGANY TOURISM

When you travel to Allegany County, the Mountain Side of Maryland, it’s easy to see why trail lovers of all kinds flock to this destination. From internationally-recognized trail systems to hyperlocal tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy no matter the season.

With over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, there’s no end to the places you can explore. The Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath, which converge in Cumberland, provide the perfect opportunity for an afternoon outing or multi-day excursion. Take to these gravel routes for an array of terrain and wildlife sightings. The Western Maryland Rail Trail is a more leisurely paved option that parallels the towpath for 28 miles while Rocky Gap State Park features rugged natural trails around Lake Habeeb.

For a different view of the area, the storied Potomac River Water Trail forms the county’s southern border. Whether you choose to paddle for a few miles or a few days, opportunities for sightseeing, fishing, and exploration abound on the North Branch and Upper Potomac.

If you prefer to get around by car, drive the Green Ridge State Forest Scenic Overlooks Tour where you’ll be treated to some of the best sights around the area. Pack a picnic lunch and find a stunning view along the 45-mile tour. Plan to cruise around for about three hours, depending on how long you stay at each stop. You can even travel into the past as you trace the footsteps of the nation’s first president along the George Washington Trail 1753. Follow Washington’s first diplomatic mission as you stop at historical and natural landmarks through the mountains.

Don’t forget to enjoy the best food and drinks the area has to offer while you’re in town.

Start your morning off right with an order to wake you up and fill you up as you taste the delights of the Donut and Go Trail.

If you’ve got a soft spot for sweet treats, check out the Ice Cream Trail for unique flavor combinations, sundaes, frozen yogurt, and more. Finish your day along the Mountain Maryland Tap and Pour Tour, featuring a smorgasbord of craft beverages from award-winning wineries, breweries, and distilleries.

By the end of your trip, you’ll be wishing you could stay longer with so much more to see and do in the mountains of Maryland. Visit Allegany County and unearth a new adventure around every corner.

MDMountainSide.com

The patio at 1812 Brewery

You won’t find any switchbacks, berms, or mile markers on these trails of Nelson County. There’s no better way to keep the fun with friends rolling when you’re done exploring the Blue Ridge Tunnel, skiing the slopes of Wintergreen Resort, or paddling the James River than a trip along one of the local craft beverage trails.

For the group that can’t decide on what it wants, Nelson 151 has a little bit of everything. With four Find your favorite local brew breweries, six wineries, three cideries, and two distilleries, you’re sure to find a stop that meets everyone’s requirements at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Nelson 29 Craft Beverage Trail invites you to spend some time really getting to know the stops with a smaller, more intimate experience. Bop around between four wineries, a brewery, and a distillery dotting a scenic route.

Looking to find your next favorite brew? Between the eight breweries and three cideries that make up the Brew Ridge Trail, you’ll find that’s a hard decision to make.

As if all of that wasn’t enticing enough, add in a rotating set of live music and food trucks for good times that will last long after the sun has set in Nelson County. NelsonCounty.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION

Find Your Stride in Allegany County, Md.

Sip Your Way Through Nelson County, Va.

It’s All About the Flow in Tucker County, W.Va. Slip away to the quiet mountains of Tucker County Pedal the for a wonderful West Virginia Promised Land adventure. There are endless Trail ways to explore the area by foot, bike, or boat.

For decades, mountain bikers of all abilities have traveled to the Canaan Valley for miles of scenic routes. One of the more recent additions to the scene includes the Promised Land Trail, a 5.5mile loop in Canaan Valley Resort State Park. This flowy purpose built trail is perfect for beginners and novice mountain bikers looking to get a feel of the landscape. Plus, in the winter the resort grooms the trail for cross country skiing. It’s the perfect year round route.

Prefer to see the area by water? The Upper Cheat River Water Trail provides access to nearly 40 miles of peaceful paddling. Here, you’ll find solitude through the Allegheny Mountains, a brilliant display of the local biodiversity, and a glimpse at the region’s storied history.

But that’s just a taste of what Canaan Valley has to offer visitors. You’ll want to visit again and again as this trail-loving community always has something new in the works.

Experience the trails and beauty of Tucker County for yourself. CanaanValley.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF TUCKER COUNTY

Paddle the “Nation’s River”

At the crossroads of luxury and unspoiled wilderness and only moments from the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, you’ll find Country Road Cabins. Here, you can go glamping in safari-style tents, celebrate family in deluxe log cabins or embark on a romantic getaway in a cozy tree house.

Enjoy unfiltered connection with nature and the people you love amidst the beauty of Almost Heaven. Let country roads take you home—away from home—to Country Road Cabins.

WVtourism.com/CountryRoadCabins

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SHOUT OUT TO OUR LATEST TRAILHEADS! Deva J. (Marietta, GA) Maria S. (Roanoke, VA) Katy L. (Thompson Station, TN) Michael H. (Front Royal, VA) Larry W. (Martinez, GA) Becky J. (Knoxville, TN) Maria S. (Roseland, VA) David M. (Vinton, VA) Allen S. (Morganton, NC) Colin B. (Asheville, NC) Cary L. (Midlothian, VA) Andy C. (Waterloo, SC) Robert P. (Basye, VA) Kevin T. (Leesburg, VA)

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Waynesboro, Virginia Discover the Best of the Blue Ridge in Waynesboro, VA Located at the intersection of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Trail, Waynesboro is divinely placed among the adventure. Whether your tastes run toward biking, hiking and scenic drives, or paddling and fly fishing in the trout-stocked waters of the South River, you can plan your perfect adventure at visitwaynesboro.com.

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A FA M I LY R A F T S T H E R A P I D S O F T H E C H AT T O O G A R I V E R . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W I L D WAT E R ADVENTURE CENTERS

FREE THE FLOW

A Grassroots Movement Wants to See Two Iconic Southern Rivers Running As Nature Intended

BY MARK POWELL

TWO MILES DOWN A GRAVEL ACCESS

road that itself sits 12 miles south of Clayton, Georgia, the white pines and tulip poplars fall away to reveal the concrete embankment that is the Tugalo Dam. If you stop on the gravel pull off— which I did one gorgeous November afternoon—you can look north across the lake at the broad blue V that once marked the confluence of the Tallulah and Chattooga Rivers. The rivers are no longer visible, of course—they disappeared nearly 100 years ago when Georgia Power built the 160-foot-tall dam that forms the nearly 600 acres of Lake Tugalo. But as the dam faces millions of dollars of upgrades a decade ahead of a relicensing process, a movement is afoot not to relicense the dam but to remove it, a move that would restore the last four miles of both the Chattooga, a National Wild and Scenic River, and the last two miles of the Tallulah. The very possibility has excited environmental activists, commercial raft companies, and private boaters.

It isn’t hard to see why.

Less than one quarter of one percent of U.S. rivers are designated Wild and Scenic, and few are as iconic as the Chattooga. This is the Deliverance river made famous by the James Dickey novel and John Boorman film, the river a young Governor Jimmy Carter paddled in an aluminum canoe. Every summer thousands of paddlers—from families in bulky commercial rafts to hardcore boaters in sleek kayaks—soak up both

the adrenaline and the serenity the river never fails to offer.

I grew up a half hour away in Walhalla, S.C., and, remarkably, if predictably, didn’t appreciate the uniqueness of the Chattooga and its watershed until I was in my twenties.

Descending nearly 2,500 feet from its headwaters at the base of Whiteside Mountain to the Tugalo Dam 56.9 river miles south, the Chattooga offers some of the best whitewater paddling in the East. It’s also a biological hotspot of world renown—a temperate rainforest that excepting the Pacific Northwest receives more rainfall than anywhere in the lower 48 states.

It’s also a biological hotspot of world renown—a temperate rainforest that excepting the Pacific Northwest receives more rainfall than anywhere in the lower 48 states.

Imagine, I think, standing there overlooking the dam, four more miles to paddle, four more miles to camp by.

Imagine the whitewater, the trails.

Imagine the tremendous ecological benefits to be gained.

It seems too good to be true. I’m from the rural South, and while I know well the region’s beauty and resilience, I also know its resistance to change. It

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seems almost impossible to imagine.

But I’m not the only one imagining.

“WHAT I WANT,” JACK WISE TELLS ME,

“is an honest and open conversation about returning the river to its natural course. Let’s make a conscious decision.” Wise is the CEO of Wildwater, a commercial outfitter based in Long Creek, S.C., but now operating in three states, and he probably knows the Chattooga as well anyone alive. It’s the rush to increase dam capacity without considering alternatives that has Wise and others concerned.

While removing the dam might not make a whole lot of economic difference to Wildwater as a company, it does mean new areas to explore, new rapids, and, most of all, “a river experience of total immersion.” That matters a great deal since the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was meant to protect not only physical rivers but our experience on them. Every year around 15,000 boaters paddle Section IV, which means their day ends with either a long flat paddle or a boat tow.

Either way, the river’s spell is broken, the clean clear water of the Chattooga giving way to the milky silt that gathers in the Lake.

Tugalo Dam was completed in 1923 and, according to Georgia Power’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan, is nearing the end of its useful life. The dam’s operating license isn’t set to expire until 2036, but in September of 2021 Georgia Power filed a request to amend its operating license. This amendment proposes to modernize the dam to the tune of 24 to 30 million dollars, thus extending the dam’s life for another 40 or 50 years. Having just proposed a collaborative partnership, conservation organizations were caught off guard by the application.

A public comment period was over nearly before it started, and on November 24, a few days after I stood on the overlook, six conservation organizations filed a motion urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study the dam’s removal. If Georgia Power is allowed to preemptively dump the money into the dam, Jack tells me, “this kills the conversation about returning the Chattooga back to its natural flow.”

At the moment that conversation is thriving. The story has been picked up by news organizations not just in South Carolina and Georgia but as far away as Arkansas. Patagonia of Atlanta posted their support on Instagram. American Whitewater put it on their webpage.

It is certainly on the radar of American Rivers, an organization

devoted to protecting and restoring rivers. April McEwen, the nonprofit’s project manager who focuses on sustainable water infrastructure and has been involved with dam removal projects all over the U.S., also happens to have grown up paddling the Chattooga. To run the river in its free-flowing natural state is “my lifelong dream,” she tells me. But is it possible?

It's certainly possible in a physical sense. After all, she tells me, “dams seem larger than life, but they’re actually just another piece of infrastructure that needs repair, replacing, or removal.”

Maintaining an old single purpose dam “is expensive and just doesn’t make sense considering modern engineering, technological alternatives.” Some hydroelectric dams helped meet peak power demands—think of the reservoir as a battery—but advances in actual batteries have made many reservoirs inefficient substitutes. Dams also create sediment problems: Lake Tugalo has lost 36 percent of its original capacity. The gathering silt is a growing liability and will only get worse as climate change increases flood events that carry more dirt downstream into the lake.

And there it is again—for all the joy removing the dam would bring to boaters, hikers, and trout fishermen, climate change may well be the most compelling reason to act.

And there it is again—for all the joy removing the dam would bring to boaters, hikers, and trout fishermen, climate change may well be the most compelling reason to act.

ONE AFTERNOON I TYPE ‘Migrations

in Motion’ into the search engine of my computer and watch—not without a certain amount of awe—as an otherwise blank map of the United States begins to swirl with purple, blue, and yellow light. The map, built by the Nature Conservancy, shows “the average direction mammals, birds, and amphibians need to move to track hospitable climates as they shift across the landscape.” Using something called “electronic circuit theory,” scientists at the University of Washington have plotted projected migratory routes, all of it done in beguiling swirls.

Remarkably, those swirls converge over the Chattooga Watershed. One of the purposes of the map is to make clear the need to “rebuild or maintain connectivity” through these corridors.

If we want to give nature a chance in the face of the climate crisis, we have to focus on “[r]emoving fencing, adding wildlife overpasses…to major roadways, and better routing of infrastructure like pipelines and powerlines…” There’s no mention of dams, but there it sits, just as those lines begin to twine into one great pulsing cord.

Migratory routes are just one of the ecological benefits outlined for me by Nicole Hayler, director of the Chattooga Conservancy, a grassroots organization founded in the 1990s to fight the logging and road-building that was threatening the watershed’s three national forests. There is also the presence of Trillium persistens, a federally endangered flower. There is also the green salamander, the only arboreal salamander east of the Rockies. There are, in fact, 22 different endangered and threatened species in the watershed’s 180,000 acres, including the peregrine falcon, swamp pink, bog turtle, and the small whorled pogonia, a rare orchid that has disappeared from much of the United States.

It all culminates in what Nicole calls “the compelling need to act now.”

The purpose of the Chattooga Conservancy is to protect and restore “the eco-system to the greatest extent possible…restoring the habitat under Lake Tugalo would be a huge step in that direction.”

It would also remove the footprint of a significant source of greenhouse gas while opening 600 acres to rewilding and carbon storage and sequestration. It would also, of course, remove a power source. But the plant currently produces only 45MW of hydroelectricity, less than one percent of Georgia Power’s total electric power production. As for replacing that power, American Rivers has noted that “a solar array producing the same amount of energy would require a much smaller spatial footprint—likely a 50-percent reduction—and could be sited outside a waterway in a lowimpact manner.”

While it sounds perfectly logical, I’ll admit it takes a lot to imagine a solar array replacing a hundred-year-old dam. It takes a lot to imagine four more miles of the Chattooga and two more miles of the Tallulah. It takes, frankly, a lot to imagine any of it. So it’s good to know that while I stand on the overlook dreaming of a wild, free-flowing river in the southern Blue Ridge, a number of remarkable people are finished dreaming. They are doing.

Imagine that.

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DIFFICULT PURSUITS

obsessed over how much farther, longer, faster I could go, and this fixation only intensified after having seen a sunrise at 19,341 feet above sea level. The dream of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, more than reaching the summit itself, changed my life.

Through it all, I developed a heightened sense of appreciation for the place I called home and completely shattered my expectations of my physical capability to endure pain, as well as my emotional capacity to withstand it when I wanted to quit.

An unlikely adventurer keeps pushing her limits

BY ALEXANDRA GARCIA

IN AUGUST OF 2020 I COMPLETED my

first long-distance speed hike, when I traversed Shenandoah National Park north to south via the Appalachian Trail in under 60 hours. It was the culmination of months of planning what I call one of my Difficult Pursuits— done in the first year of the pandemic while social upheaval raged across the nation. Previous pursuits have included battling fatigue at altitude in the Rockies, a single day rim-to-rim crossing of the Grand Canyon, and another solo traverse in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. And yet, the conditions, personal and societal, that loomed during the Virginia A.T. hike challenged me in ways like nothing had before and allowed me to strengthen my devotion to the mountains. Because the truth is, just six years ago, spending every waking hour of a weekend on a trail on my own was a far-fetched absurdity for me.

And yet, the conditions, personal and societal, that loomed during the Virginia A.T. hike challenged me in ways like nothing had before and allowed me to strengthen my devotion to the mountains. Because the truth is, just six years ago, spending every waking hour of a weekend on a trail on my own was a far-fetched absurdity for me.

I moved to Virginia from Puerto Rico in 2015, right after college, excited to begin a new chapter in life I thought I understood. Within a few weeks of jumping ship, though, the bliss of previous experiences in the U.S. was replaced with the realities of adulthood in a place that felt foreign. Hiking, which had never been accessible back home, became a coping mechanism, the trails automatically providing refuge.

Surprisingly, some of Virginia’s natural features – the lush green forests, crystal blue water holes, rooted paths— mirrored what I loved and missed in Puerto Rico. Through hiking I could go back and forth between my past and future, while still being entirely immersed in the experience of the present. The trails fulfilled my need for familiarity.

Difficult Pursuits has become an ongoing project that started rather

THE AUTHOR, HIKING IN THE SMOKIES. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

serendipitously in my quest to prepare for a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017. I knew I’d need to work hard if I truly wanted a shot at reaching the roof of Africa. Months prior to the climb, I challenged myself to a host of outdoor adventures to be ready for the Kili dream: running half-marathon obstacle course races, backpacking on my own, racking up training mileage in Shenandoah. Everything I accomplished, physically speaking, was “the hardest thing I’d ever done,” until I attempted the next feat. Consistently, I surprised myself with what my body and mind were capable of enduring in pursuit of a goal that had no tangible benefit except my own satisfaction. The trails became a blissful contradiction, where I satisfied both my craving for the familiar and looked for new experiences to endure. I

When I decided to section speed hike the A.T. in Shenandoah years later, I took the same approach as I had for Kilimanjaro and every other Difficult Pursuit since. I trained methodically, racked up mileage on trails, and carefully pushed myself to gauge my limits without breaking my spirits.

Focusing on a Difficult Pursuit during the hardest months of the COVID-19 pandemic gave my quarantined life a sense of direction, a familiar North Star among an endless dark sky.

The limitations in travel meant I had to get creative with my training and learn to see places I knew well—The Priest, Triple Crown, Three Ridges, Massanutten—with new eyes. Through it all, I developed a heightened sense of appreciation for the place I called home and completely shattered my expectations of my physical capability to endure pain, as well as my emotional capacity to withstand it when I wanted to quit.

Difficult Pursuits started with the desire to better myself, and my adventures have progressed way beyond my expectations. Based on my background, it was improbable that I’d become a mountain athlete. I grew up on a small island, but I am not confined

by Antillean length distances to define how far I’ll go. As I like to say, “born by the sea, raised for high ground,” with the best yet to come.

Follow more of the author’s adventures at difficultpursuits.com.

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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THE OUT AND BACK

ALL BY MYSELF

(NOT SO) FREE SOLO The bummer of being alone in the wild B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

LET’S GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT

right off the bat: I’m not scared of the dark. I don’t sleep with a night light or anything like that. So, when I tell you that I don’t like spending the night in the woods alone I don’t want you to think it has anything to do with the darkness of those woods. It’s not about the pitch black that pervades the wilderness, per se. It’s about being alone. By myself.

Without a companion. In the woods.

Overnight. I don’t like it.

It’s a weird thing to admit as a 45-year-old with a wife and kids, but there it is: I don’t like to be alone in the woods overnight. I’ve done it, a bunch, but it’s not for me. I’m just uncomfortable with all that…me time. Which is weird because as a dad who works from home, I cherish the 7 to 9 minutes of solitude I get during the typical day. When my kids were younger, I would look forward to those few minutes in the evening when I’d take the trash out to the bin behind the house. I’d crack a beer and linger around the trash and recycling bins just reveling in the quiet of it all, while all hell broke loose inside because either A) some kid didn’t want to eat the food on his/her plate or B) some other kid didn’t want to eat the food on his/her plate (most of the hell breaking loose in our house was about kids not eating food).

I’d really make an evening of that nightly trash run, looking up at the stars and drinking my beer.

My dad was the same way. He had four kids to contend with (twice as many as me), so he would look for any opportunity to engross himself in an activity that those kids showed no interest in at all. Like, say, removing dog poop from the bottom of a pair of sneakers. My dad would spend the better part of an evening by himself in the backyard with a stick getting the poop out of the grooves and lugs of one of our shoes. He threw himself into the project with gusto, often telling us that, “anything worth doing is worth doing right.” For years I thought my dad was meticulous, but now I know he was just seeking out some solitude.

And I do like my solo trail runs and mountain bike rides. At this stage in my life, I see them more as therapy than exercise. Those lunch runs or post-work rides make me better equipped to handle the daily business of deadlines and leaky faucets and lost retainers.

But those rides are brief and I’m able to keep my mind busy on the task at hand, which is either trying to not die on my mountain bike or trying to not have a heart attack while running. But spending the night in the woods alone, or dare I even think it, spending multiple nights in the woods alone…all by myself…just doesn’t appeal to me.

Maybe it’s because I have an active imagination, so you know, werewolves are a lingering concern. Or maybe it’s because the first time I ever went camping alone, when I was in college, I spent the night huddled around my hatchet inside my bivy, because some rednecks rolled up to a dead-end gravel road nearby to throw some sort of party.

I don’t like to make assumptions and suggest they were up to no good (they could have been gathering to discuss a book of poetry), but all I could hear were gunshots and screams of laughter, so it must’ve been a lively poetry discussion.

Mainly I think it’s because I’m just not good at being alone. After grad school I spent a month driving and camping across the West, hitting a series of bucket-list national parks. It was

awesome, but I went to bed at sundown every night because I couldn’t figure out a way to entertain myself.

Being alone is a skill. Being able to just sit with yourself. Just yourself. With nothing to distract or entertain you other than the stars up above and maybe the fire at your feet. That’s a skill that I have yet to develop. All of that aloneness is unsettling.

Being alone is a skill. Being able to just sit with yourself. Just yourself. With nothing to distract or entertain you other than the stars up above and maybe the fire at your feet. That’s a skill that I have yet to develop. All of that aloneness is unsettling. I avoid meditation for the exact same reason; I’m scared of my monkey brain. All of that quiet is… disquieting.

I’m willing to guess with the advent of smart phones and infinitely scrollable social media feeds, that I’m not the only one who isn’t good at being alone. I’d bet being alone is a skill that is quickly vanishing from our modern society. With our phones we never have to be alone anymore. There are always thousands if not millions of people keeping us company.

But because we no longer need to be alone, most of us don’t even know we’re missing that key skill in our

repertoire. It’s like blacksmithing. Do any of us miss not being able to forge steel with fire in 2022? No, we don’t.

But it makes me wonder what I’m losing by not spending more time solo in the woods. Am I missing out on some key element of my own personality that I would discover if I just went camping for a few days solo? Would I come out of the woods with a new understanding and purpose in life? Like, maybe my calling is to be a sandwich maker? Or a balloon artist? I love balloons. If I just sat with myself for a few peaceful nights, would I know myself better? Would I learn how to settle my monkey brain?

I think about all of the thru-hikers, van-lifers, train hoppers…or those people that sail across the world by themselves. They get to experience some amazing adventures, but maybe the true value of a solo quest into the wilderness like that is the solo time itself. Imagine the epiphanies they have about their own life, their own being.

I think about those brave individuals so much that I start making plans for a solo backpacking trip. Maybe knock out the Art Loeb, or a piece of the A.T. in the High Country. I’d start the trip as an emotionally stunted man-child and finish with a deep pool of wisdom and certainty about myself and my place in this world. Or I’d spend the entire time bored and lonely and maybe come back a werewolf. There’s really no telling.

FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

THE GOODS

GREAT GEAR FROM THE BLUE RIDGE RECOVER BRANDS PROTECT THE PARKS AND MADE X MTN TEES

LOCAL HEROES The Blue Ridge region is a hotspot for independent outdoor gear manufacturers who are working to create products that are sustainable and benefit the local community. Here are some of our favorites.

ALBEMARLE CANNABIS BLUE RIDGE CHAIR WORKS BLUE RIDGE CHAIR

B Y D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N

ENO

KITSBOW HASKELL PANT

SOLID STATE CLOTHING NATURAL DYE SHIRT

FARM TO FEET TRAIL SOCKS

ENO DOUBLENEST GIVING BACK A.T. HAMMOCK

DoubleNest Giving Back A.T. Hammock

Based in Asheville, N.C., Eagles Nest Outfitters revamped its legendary line of single and double hammocks this year. The new iterations are just as tough and easy to enjoy on a balmy day in the backcountry as the originals, but you can rest even easier in them, since the brand rethought its supply chain sustainability and the nylon meets Bluesign certification, the strictest on the planet. Plus, the brand gives $10 to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy for each of these hammocks featuring an A.T. design that it sells. $85; eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com

Kitsbow Haskell Pant

A revolution took place at Old Fort, N.C.,–based apparel brand Kitsbow last month: The employees bought the company. That means you don’t have to feel like you are helping line the pockets of the Man when you slip on these rugged hike/bike/sip espresso pants. The water-resistant stretch fabric can deal with all the variables of Blue Ridge weather and each pair is custom tailored to fit you by those aforementioned local owners. $229; kitsbow.com

Albemarle Cannabis Company Legal recreational cannabis is indeed coming to Virginia, which means we all may be able to get over the weed stigma and embrace the plant for its anti-inflammatory and pain-erasing properties, a big boon to outdoor athletes. Charlottesvillebased Albemarle Cannabis is a woman-owned company that’s ahead of the curve and its CBD rubs, gummies, tinctures, and soaks are federally legal now and can help ease aches after a big day in the woods. albemarlecannabiscompany. com

Solid State Clothing Natural Dye Shirt

Sustainably minded Solid State manufactures all of its organic cotton tees within

a 250-mile radius of its Burlington, N.C., home base.

Better still, the dyes it uses in this comfy tee come only from plants, including locally foraged black walnuts. Don’t believe the hype? A QR code in the shirt allows you to trace the entire supply and manufacture chain—from the harvest by a third-generation Tar Heel State farmer to your door. $65; solidstate.clothing

Blue Ridge Chair Works Blue Ridge Chair

Simple, stylish, and sturdy, the standby chair from one of our favorite local brands is a gear piece that we pack on road trips or just flip open to enjoy the sunset on our deck.

It’s also handcrafted right in our North Carolina backyard and the company—founded by former West Virginia whitewater guide Alan Davis—

is committed to zero waste. In fact, its Blue Ridge Cap Lifter bottle openers are made from wood waste created when building the chairs. $155; blueridgechair.com

edition beauties. $25; recoverbrands.com

Farm to Feet Trail Socks

It’s enough to praise North Carolina’s Farm to Feet Recover Brands for the pure comfort of its Protect the Parks and MADE technical merino hiking X MTN Tees socks that provide warmth, Sustainable apparel breathability, and padding in manufacturer Recover Brands, the right places. Also, add in the brainchild of two guys the fact that the brand only who love to ride bikes on uses wool from American Blue Ridge roads and trails, farmers. But the best thing crafts its tees with 50% postabout this sock is the Unity consumer PET (aka old plastic Blaze. It’s the symbol of bottles) and 50% organic forward-thinking advocacy cotton. The result is a shirt group Black Folks Camp that feels great, can handle Too, whose mission is “to some action, and lightens remove fear, add knowledge the load on the planet. Even and invite “more Black better, the brand partnered folks to camp, and enjoy with Protect Our Parks, to fight the outdoor lifestyle with for public lands, and MADE any and everyone.” That’s X MTN, to promote pride in a cause we can all march Western North Carolina’s to in these socks. $25; mountains, on these special farmtofeet.com FEBRUARY 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM 65

TRAIL MIX

WINTER TUNES

MUST-HEAR NEW MUSIC FROM THE BLUE RIDGE AND BEYOND Every month our editors curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In February we’re highlighting new tunes from Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Greensky Bluegrass, and Big Thief, plus Bob Weir’s latest Grateful Dead offshoot.

BOB WEIR IS BACK WITH A NEW LIVE ALBUM WITH HIS BAND WOLF BROS. PHOTO BY TODD MICHALEK

B Y J E D D F E R R I S A N D D AV E S T A L L A R D

BOBBY WEIR AND WOLF BROS

“New Speedway Boogie”

Bob Weir continues his long, strange trip of Grateful Dead offshoots with a new live release from his band Wolf Bros. The group’s interpretation of “New Speedway Boogie,” originally found on the Dead’s 1970 album “Workingman’s Dead,” is relaxed and funky, meandering for over 10 minutes with woozy horns, chunky guitar fills, and Weir’s aging howl. The new version is found on the upcoming “Live in Colorado,” which was recorded during a performance last summer and will be released February 18 on Jack White’s Third Man Records. – J.F. BIG THIEF

“Spud Infinity”

Indie folk heroes Big Thief bring an old-time aesthetic to “Spud Infinity,” a quirky, rambling tune from the band’s new album “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You,” which comes out on February 11. Accompanied by front-porch fiddle and rustic jaw harp, lead singer Adrianne Lenker offers existential musings with wry humor reminiscent of the late John Prine.

The group’s new LP is a sprawling 20-track effort made in four different locations with multiple engineers. “Spud

66

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

Infinity” came from sessions in Tucson, Arizona, with help from Dr. Dog’s Scott McMicken. – J.F. URGE OVERKILL

“Freedom”

Though Minnesota rockers Urge Overkill have been releasing music since 1984, “Oui,” which dropped in late January, marks their first set of fresh tunes in a decade. The new record features 11 originals and a catchy spin of Wham’s “Freedom.” Melodic and spunky, the track blends echoes of nineties grunge with soaring choruses.

Urge Overkill have paid homage to a classic pop song and its iconic writers while making the song distinctly their own. – D.S. THE WHITMORE SISTERS

“Learn To Fly”

The Whitmore Sisters offer sage guidance on “Learn To Fly.” Through sensational harmonies, the kind that only seem to emanate from singers who grew up singing together, Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore sing of lessons learned from their Navy aviator father as they too took to the skies. Their keen words about embracing nerves and danger while overcoming struggle resonate deeply as the world enters its third year of a global pandemic. – D.S.

SARAH SHOOK AND THE DISARMERS

CHRIS CASTINO & CHICKEN WIRE EMPIRE

“No Mistakes”

“Red Sky”

North Carolina altcountry ace Sarah Shook is back with a rocking honky-tonk tune about lessons learned from mistreating a lover. Shook, a leader in the thriving queer country scene, faces the music, admitting, “My baby she sure showed me.” But as she begs for one more try, the song stays upbeat, with crisp drumming and pedal steel winding around gritty electric guitar solos. The track is found on Shook’s new album, “Nightroamer,” which will be released on February 18. – J.F. GREENSKY BLUEGRASS

“Monument”

Greensky Bluegrass deliver a heartfelt string-band tune inspired by the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when life suddenly stood still. But even though it’s a piece of quarantine creativity, the track doesn’t linger in despair. Instead, lyrics about appreciating what’s truly important are delivered with an uplifting chorus and the soaring fret workouts characteristic of the band’s marathon live shows. The song is found on the band’s latest album, “Stress Dreams,” which was released in January. – J.F.

Throughout the late nineties and early aughts, Chris Castino and his mates in the Big Wu grooved across the festival circuit with their jam-centric rock and roll. Castino, now joined by Chicken Wire Empire and a host of special guests, has just released “Fresh Pickles,” a collection of bluegrass interpretations of tunes from the Big Wu catalog. “Red Sky,” inspired by Castino’s travels following the Grateful Dead and featuring Sam Bush on fiddle, proves just how well the grassy take on these tunes works. – D.S. MAYA DE VITRY

“How Bad I Wanna Live”

While on a backpacking trip, Maya de Vitry and her boyfriend were caught in a surprise storm and, after a section of the trail washed out, were faced with limited options, all of them harrowing. Walking that knife’s edge between life and serious injury or, even worse, death, led de Vitry to write “How Bad I Wanna Live.” Evident in both her words and voice are the power and joy that come from knowing that life still has so much to offer. – D.S To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.

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OPEN WAVES OPEN HEARTS

This is the time of year when Virginia Beach is at its best; when the sunrises over the water bathe what you expected to be a typical beach vacation in a whole new light. With pleasant weather and an unmistakably more local vibe, there’s no better season to discover the renewed sense of self and vibrancy of our coastal city.

The invitation is open. We’ll see you when you get here.

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