Blue Ridge Outdoors June 2018 by Summit Publishing

Welcome to the land of never hold back. Where beauty is in the eye of the downhill mountain bike maverick, Shavers Lake belly flopper, and back-nine birdie hunter. And sheer happiness is found at the end of every scenic hike, village zipline runs and decadent 4-course dinners. Hang on tight, summer just kicked into a higher gear.

snowshoemtn.com/mountainrules

Don’t miss the boat! WHERE IS GRANT COUNTY, KY?

Where your next adventure begins! • Home of the Ark Encounter • 35 miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio • 45 miles north of Lexington, Ky.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• St. Elizabeth (Grant Co.) Triathlon -

A HIKE-IN, OFF THE GRID M O U N TA I N E X P E R I E N C E Located on Madison County’s highest peak, only 45 minutes from Asheville. Enjoy incredible views on 500 acres. AT S A N D Y M U S H B A L D

828.400.8147

T H E C A B I N S AT S A N D Y M U S H B A L D . C O M

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 0 1 8 / M O U N TA I N E D I T I O N

USA Sanctioned Event - July 21 Sprint: swim 500m/bike 20k/ run 5k Olympic: swim 1500m/ bike 40k/ run 10k Expo is 4 to 8 p.m. July 20 Triathlon/kid’s duathlon & Finish Line Festival with live music, food and vendors from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on July 21

www.stelizabethtriathlon.com

800-382-7117 visitgrantky.com

JUNE 2018

S A R A H H A U S E R / V I R G I N I A T O U R I S M C O R P O R TAT I O N

D E PA R T M E N T S 8 QUICK

HITS

Tree-sitters halt pipeline construction • Can bikers and equestrians play together nicely? • Resorts and landowners are blocking angler access to popular trout streams • New speed record for Kentucky’s longest trail • West Virginia’s $84 billion plan for a petrochemical hub 57 THE

GOODS

Bellyak founder Adam Masters picks his go-to gear for river adventure. 68 TRAIL

MIX

70 FINAL

WORD

Sounds under the stars: Summer outdoor shows in the South. A synchronous firefly discovery raises questions about how we experience the outdoors.

F E AT U R E S 14 MEET

ANGELO WASH

A triple-A baseball star from the projects of Richmond, Angelo Wash traded in his baseball cleats for biker cleats to become one of the region’s top downhill riders.

19 THE

RIVERS WE LOVE

26 THE

EAST IS BEAST

Dive deep into the six most significant waterways in the region—including the Chattooga, French Broad, Watauga, James, Cheat, and Clinch—and meet the people fighting to protect them. These 12 adventure capitals prove it. Find close-to-home climbing cliffs, whitewater rapids, urban parks, fishing holes, and downtown singletrack right in your backyard. 33 WHAT’S

IN OUR WATER?

Few people know exactly where their tap water comes from. Follow your drinking water to its source, and learn what you can do to protect your watershed address. 59 SNORKELING

APPALACHIA

IN SOUTHERN

Just below the surface, hidden worlds await discovery on the Conasauga, Clinch, French Broad, and Little Tennessee Rivers. 63 THE

GRAND DEPART

There’s no entry fee, no support, no prize should you finish first, but for a growing niche of endurance bikers, that’s not the point.

COVER PHOTO : SARA H HAUSE R / VIR GINIA TOURISM CORPORTATION PA D D L I N G T H E J A M E S R I V E R I N R I C H M O N D , V I R G I N I A

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M BRO_June_18_00881_FINAL.indd 1

4/20/2018 3:26:59 PM

Preferred Seating

BACKTALK STARVING TREE SITTERS

BLAKE DEMASO

PRESIDENT

E D I TO R I N C H I E F W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com P U B L I S H E R L E A H W O O DY leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A R T D I R E C TO R M E G A N J O R DA N megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com 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 J E D D F E R R I S jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com S E N I O R D E S I G N E R L AU R E N W O R T H lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Has anyone tried airlifting them some granola bars with a drone? —Ronnie Wiley

The pipeline is getting built, one way or another. —Dannon McKinnon

PROTECT PISGAH?

The Forest Service doesn’t care that 98 percent of public comments support more protected areas. The Forest Service wants to cut whenever it wants, wherever it wants. —Jill P.

C O N T R I B U TO R S M A S O N A DA M S G R A H A M AV E R I L L DA N I E L D E W I T T J E S S DA D D I O KIM DINAN

G R E G PA R L I E R R AC H E L H I C K S WA L LY S M I T H DAV E S TA L L A R D

C O P Y E D I TO R ROBERT MCGEE A DV E R T I S I N G & B U S I N E S S 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 AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E / D I G I TA L P U B L I S H E R

DUSTY ALLISON

dusty@blueridgeoutdoors.com

True North Treks

CrazyCreek.com

#sitthere

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com 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 hcooper@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 C I R C U L AT I O N M A N AG E R K A I T Y VA N C E kvance@blueridgeoutdoors.com 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 M E D I A S P E C I A L I S T

JUSTIN FORREST

justin@blueridgeoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

116 WEST JEFFERSON STREET 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 2 5 6 C O L L E G E S T R E E T, S U I T E 3 0 3 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801

North Carolina Appalachian Trail

License Plate Application The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now has a specialty license tag in the state of North Carolina. By getting your tag today, you’ll help the ATC protect and maintain America’s Facts Favorite Long Distance Trail! The ATC will receive $20 annually for each AT plate purchased or renewed. How Much Does It Cost?  $30 Regular Appalachian Trail plate*  $60 Personalized Appalachian Trail plate* You are allowed four (4) spaces for a personalized message. __ __ __ __ 2nd Choice __ __ __ __ 3rd Choice __ __ __ __ 1st Choice Name (as shown on certificate of title): FIRST

MIDDLE

LAST

ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP CODE

HOME PHONE

OFFICE PHONE

Current North Carolina Vehicle _______________________ ____________________________________ PLATE NUMBER

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

______________________ ____________________________________ DRIVER’S LICENSE #

YEAR

MODEL

MAKE

 You must already have the vehicle registered in North Carolina.  You receive a FREE ATC Membership with the purchase of your NC AT Tag.  *The $30 or $60 annual fee is in addition to regular annual license fees you have already paid.  Personalized tags may be relinquished to someone else, but once a numerical tag expires without renewal, that number can never again be reissued.  If you change your mind, you can go back to a regular license plate at any time. There will not be a refund of unused portion of special fees.  Additional applications can be found online at

BODY STYLE

FULL NAME OF INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED IN NC – NOT AGENCY OR GROUP

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 0 1 8

POLICY NUMBER – IF POLICY NOT ISSUED, NAME OF AGENCY BINDING COVERAGE

______________________________________ _________________________________________ SIGNATURE OF OWNER

DATE OF CERTIFICATION

—Emily Diznoff

RED WOLF COMEBACK?

There is still time to save the wild wolves in eastern North Carolina, and even bring them back to the mountains. But we have just a few months to convince Congress and the US Fish & Wildlife Service to reverse their awful trajectory and come to the aid of this incredibly endangered species. Red wolves are one of the most endangered species in the world, with less than 40 animals left in the wild, and their numbers have declined rapidly due to people shooting and trapping them. The Fish & Wildlife Service must resume its recovery program to save the last wild red wolves. —Dr. Ron Sutherland I am not against wolves in the parks where hunting is not allowed. The wolves were here first. I'm against wolves outside the parks and think they should be regulated and controlled dramatically once they leave the parks. The packs learn to stay in the parks, and any genetic issues could be handled through introduction of other genes. Let’s keep wolves in parks and let them do their thing but do recognize the devastation they can create. Families can now go through Yellowstone without seeing elk; that’s a shame. —Wayne Turner H AV E S O M E T H I N G TO S AY ? R E AC H O U T TO U S H E R E

www.appalachiantrail.org

Owner’s Certification of Liability Insurance I certify for the motor vehicle described above that I have financial responsibility as required by law.

If the Forest Service plan doesn’t include more protected areas, which is what 98 percent of people want, then it’s pretty clear that the Forest Service is completely ignoring the public. For the past few years, I’ve been to several Forest Service meetings, but I am starting to think that the entire fiveyear planning process is a total sham.

M AY 2 0 1 8

Ashevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Raft / Kayak / SUP

Source

828.255.6700

SouthernRaft.com

2000 Riverside Dr. Suite 3B Asheville, NC

In this storied realm, boundless adventure awaits. Request your free Adventure Guide and Waterfall Map today. VISITWATERFALLS.COM (800) 648-4523

M O U N TA I N E D I T I O N / J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

QUICK HITS

THE TREE SITTERS' LAST STAND STARVING ACTIVISTS HALT THE

C LO C K W I S E F RO M T O P L E F T: P O L I C E PREVENT SUPPORTERS FROM GIVING FOOD A N D WAT E R T O T R E E - S I T T E R S R E D A N D T E R R Y MINOR; SECURITY AND TREE CUTTERS FOR THE M O U N TA I N VA L L E Y P I P E L I N E WA L K B Y N U T T Y ’ S M O N O P O D I N J E F F E R S O N N AT I O N A L F O R E S T; A N T I - P I P E L I N E A C T I V I S T S T E P H A N I E S TA L L I N G S I S A R R E S T E D AT A M O U N TA I N VA L L E Y P I P E L I N E CONSTRUCTION SITE WHERE CLEARCUTTING HAS BEGUN. / PHOTOS BY WILL SOLIS

PIPELINE—FOR NOW BY MASON ADAMS

THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

approved the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) and Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) in October. Both are intended to run fracked natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale fields in northern West Virginia to markets in the Southeastern United States. After FERC’s approval, MVP was given a green light by Virginia and West Virginia’s environmental agencies, and a judge awarded MVP immediate possession of more than 300 properties through eminent domain. The pipeline’s construction crews began clearing swaths of trees along the route. Then, in late February, two anonymous individuals stationed themselves in trees on Peters Mountain near the Appalachian Trail. Their position blocked pipeline crews from drilling a hole beneath the trail. Soon they were joined in the Jefferson National Forest by a woman known only as Nutty, who climbed onto a suspended platform to block an access road to the construction site. Inspired by the actions on Peters Mountain, a 61-year-old mother and her 30-year-old daughter began tree sits in early April within a swath on their own land in southwest Roanoke County, Virginia, that had been awarded to the pipeline. Later that month they were joined by three more tree-sitters on Four Corners Farm in Franklin County, Virginia. Tree-sitting emerged as an environmentalist tactic of direct action in the late 60s and 70s before becoming more broadly used as a means of blocking logging operations in the ’80s. Julia Butterfly Hill won global recognition for her 738-day sit from 1997 to 1999, protecting a massive coastal redwood in northern California. A decade later, environmentalists used tree sits in southern West Virginia to delay blasting for mountaintop removal mining in at least three different battles with coal companies. One of the Peters Mountain tree-

sitters posted about their motivation on Facebook at the Appalachians Against Pipeline page: “Each of us in this fight, in a tree or on the ground, have our reasons. For me, it's because Appalachia is my home.” The tree sits have bought time for six different lawsuits to work their way through the courts, even as MVP crews are felling trees along the route. And in mid-May, a federal appeals court halted construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline thanks to litigation brought by Southern Environmental Law Center over improper analysis of endangered species along the pipeline route. It offers pipeline opponents at least a temporary victory in a process that has largely gone against them. Meanwhile, the pipeline companies have tried to use the courts to force the tree-sitters down, with mixed results. On Peters Mountain, a judge denied an injunction to force the protesters out of the trees. The U.S. Forest Service and pipeline crews have blocked Nutty from receiving food, water, or medical attention. In Facebook posts, Nutty said that she has food and water to continue her stand, while advocates are fighting in courts and media coverage to win the right to re-supply her. In April, three people were arrested after one tried to deliver supplies to Nutty. On Day 42, Nutty wrote, “I have gallons of water stored. I still have a stock of energy bars and some packets of applesauce. This is, comparatively, an extremely mild form of deprivation,

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 0 1 8

and one I’m fortunate my body seems to have adapted well to. Recently a doctor hiked up to check on me, and asked (via megaphone, over the noise of the generator the cops turned on) if I needed any medicine. I don’t; all the medicine I want right now is to hear that rebellion is spreading.” Natalie Cox, a spokeswoman for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, wrote in an email that the company is committed to “responsible construction” of the pipeline. “We respect opponents' right to peacefully and lawfully protest. At the same time, however, it is important to note that all work for the MVP project has been authorized by federal and state agencies, and the Virginia DEQ has imposed on MVP the most stringent oversight of a natural gas pipeline project in the department's history,” Cox wrote. The stand-off on Bent Mountain became the focal point for media attention through April and early May chiefly because the two tree-sitting women, Red and Minor Terry, were both charged with trespassing on their own land—albeit in a place to which MVP had been awarded possession by courts. A judge eventually ordered the Terrys to descend, but their twomonth vigil won them support not just from environmentalists but also from property rights advocates. Can the tree sits stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline?Anti-pipeline activists hold out hope that a judge will intervene in the Mountain Valley Pipeline through one of the half-dozen B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

remaining court cases, or that the Virginia State Water Control Board blocks it by denying permits under the federal Clean Water Act, as New York did in 2016 to successfully block the Constitution Pipeline. Some think the MVP’s parent company, the Pittsburghbased EQT, might back down under market pressure if the price of gas falls. These are longshots, at least based on previous history. The tree sits and accompanying media coverage, however, have changed the pipeline conversation in Appalachia. Virginia’s state legislature killed every piece of substantial pipeline-related legislation in the opening months of 2018, but since the tree sits began, more state lawmakers have spoken out against the pipelines. This is how political change begins to happen, as elected officials follow the grassroots. The coalition may not ultimately stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline, but a growing number of people are finding common ground over shared concerns for property rights, protection of a clean environment, and the energy future of the nation. The Mountain Valley Pipeline tree sits have energized a new group of activists in Appalachia and changed how people think about natural gas pipelines. And as of this moment, three people still remain stationed in the canopy— two on Peters Mountain (counting Nutty on her monopod) near the A.T. and one in Franklin County. The tree-sitters aren’t done yet. G O O U TA N D P L AY

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

BIKERS, HIKERS, AND HORSES CAN WE ALL PLAY TOGETHER NICELY? B Y D O T T I E D AV I S

THERE’S NOTHING AS FRIGHTENING AS SEEING

cyclists—often oblivious to their surroundings—barreling down a trail toward me and my horse. As a horse owner, rider, and trainer for more than 40 years, I’ve spent a lot of time in our beautiful parks and forests here in Western North Carolina. But lately I’ve been noticing more and more incidents of people failing to be courteous and observe the rules of the trail. On a beautiful spring day last year, two 70-year-old women were riding their horses in DuPont. As they rounded a bend, two bikers flew toward them. The lead biker had his head down and headphones in his ears. He was followed by a female companion. When the two women on horseback started screaming, the riders looked up and—with expressions of sheer fear—slammed on their brakes just inches from one of the horses. The horse whirled around and threw its elderly rider, who fell and broke her clavicle and shoulder. The bikers? The male stopped next to the elderly women on the ground, removed his ear buds, and asked, “What in the hell are you horse people doing on our bike trails?” Most of the local bikers who ride in DuPont are usually observant of the “yield” rules which are posted prominently throughout the forest. In all cases, hikers and bikers yield to horses. DuPont has established a

civilian patrol to help educate visitors who aren’t familiar with the rules. Recently, one patrol member on horseback had a close call. A biker whizzed around a blind curve and suddenly found himself face to face with her very large horse. He slammed on his brakes and wound up under her very tolerant horse. The horse stood perfectly still with the biker and his bike underneath him. Fortunately, her horse remained still while he extricated himself. After the color returned to his face, he apologized and said he didn't know horses where allowed on the bikers’ trails. Another patrol encountered a biker going entirely too fast for safety. When the patrol member suggested that he slow down for safety's sake, the biker flipped him off. If an approaching biker announces his approach most horseback riders will gladly tell bikers, “Let me find a place to move to the side and let you pass.” Horses are a fright-flight prey animal, and when frightened, will do many things to avoid being attacked. If bikers and hikers would alert equestrians by voice when approaching, horses will know you are not a mountain lion about to pounce on them, and they will remain relaxed. With limited space available to multiple user groups on our public lands, let’s all try to be considerate of everyone we encounter. We can do this, and we must do this before someone gets killed. J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

QUICK HITS

A PRIVATE RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT RESORTS AND LANDOWNERS ARE BLOCKING RIVER ACCESS TO ANGLERS BY RANDY JOHNSON

SOLITUDE IS A GOOD THING WHEN IT’S JUST YOU,

a fly rod, and an Appalachian stream— which may explain why some resorts and private landowners are inclined to add “No Trespassing” signs to the streamside ambience. A few recent steps in that direction on the upper Watauga River reflect how the trend is playing out in the North Carolina High Country. Five years ago, a rushing, rocky stretch of popular public-access river was posted with “No Trespassing” signs. Once managed and stocked by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the river near Hound Ears Club sprouted “towing enforced” signs and roadside boulders to eliminate parking. The once idyllic sight of anglers casting near the upscale resort largely disappeared until 2016, when Hound Ears officially opened a new private fishing area where “members, property owners and guests may enjoy a picnic meal or grill out at the designated table in full view of this picturesque stream.” That closure deleted the public from a popular piece of what Hound Ears boasts is “one of the top-rated rivers in North Carolina for fly-fishing.” Already privatized adjacent properties on this prime section of river range from a Christian alcohol rehabilitation facility to the Twin Rivers development, both of which stock the river for paying guests or members. Twin Rivers attracted attention to a growing regional trend last winter with an explosion of metal signs along N.C. Highway 105. One large sign dangles on cables over the river and asserts its exclusivity. Resort expansion in the area has also closed other once publicly accessible fishing sites, among them Blowing Rock’s Chetola Resort. Stream privatization received added attention recently when local fly fishing outfitter Patrick Sessoms spoke out against the practice in last 10

fall’s Boone Film Festival. Since starting Due South Outfitters eight years ago, Sessoms says “there are a lot of places that are no longer accessible.” He faults a few factors, including landowners “who turn their property into a cash cow by privatizing streams for private trout fishing clubs, and resorts that market trout fishing in the Southern Appalachians, but that’s not what you get,” he maintains. “We call it country club fishing. It’s like turning streams into trout ponds.” The trend, Sessoms says, “stokes the egos of Instagram celebrities who post pictures of whale-sized, pelletfed trout that no one would ever net on a real stream.” Sessoms guides exclusively on streams accessible to the public so his clients “know what the public fishing experience is like and can duplicate it, instead of just experiencing someone’s private honey hole.” The problem is not just limited the High Country of North Carolina. Streams across Southern Appalachia are becoming increasingly privatized, which makes public lands and waterways even more important. Gil Willis and wife Mary own Elk River Touring Center in Slatyfork, W.Va., a 150-acre former homestead with an inn, restaurant, and access to a long stretch of the Elk River for fly fishing. Willis expects that there will be less access to private land and streams in the future due to the increasing pace of development throughout Southern Appalachia. “West Virginia is lucky,” Willis says. “If we didn’t have all this public land, it’d be a different story. Here in Pocahontas County, it’s 64% state and federal land. No wonder it’s called the birthplace of eight rivers.”

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Outfitters and guides may play their own role in the problem, says Doug Besler, Mountain Region Fisheries Supervisor for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Outfitters and guides may play their own role in the problem. Doug Besler, Mountain Region Fisheries Supervisor for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, noted that many outfitters and fishing clubs are now leasing a section of river and stocking it.” He’s not sure if that accounts for loss of public access to other streams, “but it’s a factor.” Southern Appalachian resorts have long commercialized fly fishing. The resort town of Linville got its start in 1892. Angling images from that era still adorn the chestnut-paneled walls of Eseeola Lodge. For a fee, public lodge guests can cast on a private file-mile stretch of the Linville River. Under director of outdoor programs Alan Burchell, anglers have a full range of rentals and lessons to enjoy as they fish reservable sections of river called beats. Linville’s seventeen beats lie between Grandfather Golf and Country Club on the north and southerly Linville Land Harbor. The private status of the river was more noticeable recently when stream habitat improvements were undertaken, including deepening pools, improving oxygenation, and eliminating two nearby ponds that fed warm water into a stream that trout prefer to be cool. Burchell touts these improvements as “some of the good things that come with having a private part of a stream. We can truly mandate that anglers use barbless hooks and practice catch and release.” And the benefits, he asserts, B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

LEFT: THE LINVILLE RIVER, BORN ON THE FLANKS O F G R A N D F AT H E R M O U N TA I N , O F F E R S A N G L E R S A C C E S S N E A R T H E T O W N O F L I N V I L L E FA L L S . / PHOTO BY RANDY JOHNSON R I G H T : P R I VAT I Z AT I O N H A S B L O C K E D A C C E S S T O P O R T I O N S O F T H E WATA U G A R I V E R , A P R I Z E D TROUT STREAM NEAR BOONE N.C. / PHOTO BY SAM DEAN

flow downstream. Ensuring the exclusivity of such private waters and compliance with the rules requires security that can range from video surveillance to hired wardens who patrol daily and even at night. “Fifteen years ago, there was more water available to the public,” admits Burchell, a longtime Southern Appalachian angler. “We’re becoming more limited on put-ins and takeouts, too.” That limitation also affects paddlers and swimmers. Uncontrolled parking beside an overly popular swimming hole were factors in the Hound Ears river closure. Wildlife officials stress that anglers can help forestall exclusion from private land by being courteous to property owners and being sure that they park discreetly, close gates, don’t litter, and ask when uncertain. “Back in the 1950s, there were large tracts with single family owners, and the fishermen knew the owner,” says the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Doug Besler. “Things have certainly changed.” Over time, large tracts were broken up and development has increased. “We’ve definitely seen a trend of decreasing access.” Privatization may sound bad to some eco-types, says Besler, but “most hatchery supported streams are on private land with access to G O O U TA N D P L AY

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

QUICK HITS the public through the sheer generosity of landowners. Each year they permit us to stock 1500 miles of streams in North Carolina with almost a million fish. It’s a wonderful partnership with private citizens.” “I’m just thrilled we have 300 miles of public waterways,” adds Alex Dale, owner of Highland Outfitters in Linville and Foscoe Fishing Company. “We have more people on this planet than we did ten years ago, and a bigger portion of those people may have just started fishing.” But keeping streams open remains an uphill battle given the misperceptions out there. “Many landowners think they’d be liable for granting access, so the natural instinct is to post the property,” concludes Besler. “But the law in North Carolina is clear—landowners are not liable for fishermen and hunters on their property.” Anglers, too, have blind spots. In some states, you can fish any stream below the high-water line, but “that’s definitely not the case in North Carolina,” assures Besler. “The landowner owns the bottom of the stream. The water and fish are public trust. People are surprised by that.” Many also think they have access to any “navigable river,” but even “that’s a big source of confusion. Maybe that’s the French Broad in Asheville,” but not mountain streams, even in a kayak. Cynicism and outrage are understandable with exclusion of the public, but there are positive developments. Two new sections of the Watauga have also been designated for public access and stocked by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, including the mile-long ribbon centered on Valle Crucis Community Park, a privately owned, non-profit-run parcel. Two Watauga River put-in parks are being developed. And Boone’s expanding greenway system and Brookshire Park, both on the South Fork of New River, permit trout fishing inside of town. “Public access is vital to conservation,” says Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill. “The more people who enjoy the resource, the more people who will want to protect it.” 12

FKT ON SHELTOWEE JOHN HARDIN NOTCHES SPEED RECORD OF KENTUCKY’S LONGEST TRAIL BY WILLIAM HARWOOD

WELL BEFORE DAWN ON APRIL 14TH, 2018, NEAR

Morehead, Kentucky, a man stands at the northern terminus of the Sheltowee Trace, staring south. Off in the distance awaits his destination: the southern terminus of the trail, 323 miles away. Why do we attempt endurance challenges when we know their undertaking will hurt and will, perhaps, even prove impossible? It’s a complex question with as many answers as there are endurance athletes who ask it of themselves. For John Hardin, the man running the Sheltowee Trace in head-sheets of wind and rain, the answer boils down to a conviction “that we humans have won the cosmic lottery” and that it is incumbent upon us to “go out and make good use of this golden ticket.” For Hardin—a happy husband, a doting dad, and a busy businessman—making good use of his gift means gaining insights into himself from undergoing extreme challenges. “Getting uncomfortable,” he avers, “can build you.” If true, then the Sheltowee Trace is a particularly conducive place for personal development, particularly when one runs for the fastest known time. Named for the moniker the Shawnee gave to Daniel Boone, “Sheltowee” or “Big Turtle,” the trail presents challenges to even the toughest trail runners. Just over thirty miles in on very swampy ground, Hardin sees a lake with dead trees sporting the distinctive “Big Turtle” blazes. On the far side, Hardin can make out yet more blazes. John checks and rechecks his maps and GPS. Yup. The water comes up to his chin. Hardin was initially inspired by Matt Hoyes’ record-setting Sheltowee run in 2014. “I was just amazed there was such a long trail system in our backyard,” recalls John, a native of Nashville and founder of HardWin Adventures, a challenge event company. “I love adventure, and, after reading Matt’s report, I decided right there sitting in my house that I was going to do it.” Back then, the trail was slightly shorter, 308 miles, and ended at

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Leatherwood Ford. Matt did it in 7 days and 12 hours. John’s goal was to pass the 307-mark even earlier before bagging the full 323. At the time, he was a casual runner, logging about 30 to 50 miles per week. He decided to up his game. By September of 2017, Hardin was getting up at 3:30 a.m. to squeeze in long runs. By the time he took his first stride on the Sheltowee, John averaged about 70 to 80 miles a week. With the Sheltowee, though, it’s not just about the miles. There are other obstacles—like sabotaged signs, angry dogs, swollen creeks, and one creepy guy on a four-wheeler who followed Hardin for miles. (He lost him by fording a creek with chest-high water). But, by far, the greatest obstacle John faced was himself, his pain and his doubt. “By the end of day four,” he recalls, “my left leg was in so much pain that I was walking down gravel roads backwards.” At night in the camper, he sweat profusely and constantly had to pee. Hardin began to listen to Scott B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

Jurek’s North, the story of a recordbreaking AT adventure. “Scott took his time,” John says. “He kept it slow. He was injured, but he walked it out and he carried on. So, what can I do to make it feel better? I decided to take a day off running and put on my hiking boots.” And it worked. On day five, he bagged 34 miles by hiking and began to feel better. He receives words of encouragement from scores of runners following the feat on social media. He cranks and loops Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” on his earphones and can begin to sense the end of it. By day eight, he’s up at 4:43 a.m. after an hour’s sleep and begins running. He passes Matt Hoyes’ mark with several hours to spare and keeps on going, arriving at Burnt Mill Bridge, the end of the line, in 7 days, 11 hours and 50 minutes. Waiting for him there are his family and the president of the Sheltowee Trace Association. Hardin has just completed the fastest known time. So who’s next? G O O U TA N D P L AY

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APPALACHIA’S $84 BILLION SECRET CHINA AND THE U.S. ARE PLANNING A MASSIVE PETROCHEMICAL HUB IN WEST VIRGINIA B Y N ATA L I E S T I C K E L

THE BIGGEST ENERGY PROJECT YOU’VE NEVER

heard of commonly goes by the acronym ASTH—the Appalachian Storage and Trading Hub. This massive petrochemical hub in West Virginia and Pennsylvania would be the largest infrastructure in the region’s history, consisting of hundreds of miles of pipelines, fracked gas processing facilities, and underground storage of petrochemicals and fracked gas liquids. Once completed, ASTH would stretch along the Ohio-West Virginia border from Pennsylvania to Kentucky along the Ohio River. Its powerful backers—including the Trump administration, the Chinese government, and Shell Oil—claim it will revitalize a region torn apart by a fizzling coal industry. President Trump and Xi Jinping, the president of China, met this past November on a trade mission, during which Xi Jinping signed on to invest nearly $84 billion in the ASTH over the next two decades— that’s more than West Virginia’s entire 2016 GDP. U.S. Representative David McKinley (R-W.Va.) says that the petrochemical hub “fits in well with Trump’s desire for more federal infrastructure investment.” Opponents say it will be the country's next Cancer Alley. “‘Appalachian Storage and Trading Hub’ is a benign name for how massive and detrimental this project and its impacts would be,” says Dustin White. His roots in West Virginia stretch back 11 generations. He comes from a long line of hardworking coal miners, and he’d always felt proud of that way of life. That changed, however, when he learned his community cemetery and the entire mountain where he his family had lived were threatened by mountaintop removal mining. This discovery spurred him to look more closely at the coal industry and its impacts on Appalachians. The legacy of exploitation he found challenged many of his beliefs. “It slapped me in the face,” says White. “I don’t want others to go through that.” White believes that the petrochemical hub will lock Appalachia

into another century of exploitation by the fossil fuel industry. “Coal dug Appalachians’ grave, oil-and-gas built the coffin, and petrochemical industry wants to put the nails in the lid.” The petrochemical hub Kentucky has long graduated from early planning stages. “They’ve been working on this for ten years with support from both the West Virginia and Ohio governments,” says Cheryl Johncox, Sierra Club organizer. “Despite this, it hasn’t been on the radar for most citizens or even many large environmental organizations.” John Morgan, a resident of Belmont County, Ohio, since 1979, became aware of ASTH eight years ago when gas companies started leasing land adjacent to his community. He has seen firsthand the impact of extractive industries and how the explosive rise of shale gas has irreparably changed the region. His neighbors are especially weary since multiple homes were damaged years ago by nearby mining operations in unstable geology. “Most people have no clue how much more damage is coming if it doesn’t stop,” Morgan says. At a meeting, a gas company representative divulged that around 6,000 shale wells would be required to extract the desired natural gas in Belmont County alone. “The industry doesn’t want people to know about this,” he says. Advocates of the ASTH say it’s needed to meet increasing energy demands and reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuel imports. They say that it will be safe, create long-term jobs, lower locals’ natural gas rates, and ultimately boost a struggling Appalachian economy. However, if built, the ASTH will export much of the fracked gas overseas to China. If the majority of the product will be leaving our shores,

Ohio

local taxpayers may be footing the bill without experiencing lower energy rates or even receiving the gas that’s fracked from beneath them. Even worse, says Johncox, this petrochemical hub locks the region into fossil fuel dependence for decades, when really we need to be investing in a renewable energy infrastructure. Most of the ASTH will be built along the Ohio River, which the EPA has identified as the most polluted body of water in the country for the last seven years. The Ohio River also provides drinking water for millions of people in the region. In 2015, Princeton University researchers found that infants born within one kilometer of a fracking well were 25 percent more likely to have low birth weights than infants born more than three kilometers away. And many of the toxins used for drilling and processing petrochemicals are known carcinogens. Leaks, spills, and explosions are also industry-admitted risks. Appalachia’s Cancer Alley could be even more dangerous than the Gulf Coast's because of its mountainous topography. Air pollution in the mountains gets trapped in low valleys like a smothering blanket, and any leaked gases from underground storage could remain stagnant and ignite with one spark. “It’s horrible what’s going on in Texas and Louisiana, but they have Gulf breezes moving air out of the region. We don’t have that, and it’s a worsecase scenario,” says Johncox.

White says that the gas Industry frequently “targets Pennsylvania those they believe can’t put up a resistance because they’re busy surviving or are seeking a quick fix for the economy.” Already, there are thousands of abandoned fracking wells across Appalachia leaking natural gas, oil, and acid mine drainage into the groundwater, surface water, and air. Locals pay the M AT R I C price—and so will coming generations, says White. And what about jobs? Plant operations, which are heavily automated, will create an estimated 350 to 1,200 permanent jobs. For pipelines, the number of permanent jobs will likely be even smaller. The Brookings Institution found that the Dakota Access Pipeline will provide only 40 full-time post-construction positions. Meanwhile, the renewable energy industry already provides five times more jobs than coal, oil, and natural gas combined in the United States. West Virginia’s thriving outdoor recreation and tourism industries could also suffer from the proposed petrochemical hub. West Virginia is home to some of the most spectacular whitewater, mountain biking, climbing, and hiking in the nation. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor sector generates 91,000 direct jobs in West Virginia, and 215,000 in Ohio, and more than a quarter million in Pennsylvania, dwarfing the number of jobs from coal, oil, and gas combined in Appalachia. The outdoor economy also creates over $62 billion in outdoorrelated consumer spending in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. White believes there are wiser choices for the future of this beautiful region, choices which preserve its natural resources and prioritize the health of all over the profits for a few. “It took me losing friends and family and family history to an extractive industry,” says White. “Folks need to wake up and realize what’s coming and not wait until it hits their backyard.”

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DEANGELO WASHINGTON TRADED HIS BASEBALL CLEATS FOR BIKE CLEATS TO BECOME ONE OF THE REGION'S TOP DOWNHILL RIDERS. BY JESS DADDIO

eAngelo Washington was born in Richmond, Virginia, on May 30, 1986. “Angelo,” or Angie if you’re his mother, grew up in Creighton Court, the second-largest public housing project in the city and one of its poorest. Once described as a place with “one way in and few ways out,” Creighton Court tended to have high rates of crime, violence, drugs, and the resulting fractionalization of households that is so common in the neighborhood. Nearly 90% of the community receives government assistance, with the average annual household earnings topping out at $9,000. Only four out of every 10 adults here continue on after high school to receive higher education. It’s a tough place to be a kid, but Angelo was tough. And, he had baseball. From the age of six, baseball was his world. As he grew older, he played on travel, college, semi-pro, and AAA baseball teams. But then in 2014, at the age of 27, Angelo tore his quad. A year later he received reconstructive surgery after a bat weight crushed the entire left side

of his face. Forced to look for other ways to stay active, Angelo bought a $300 mountain bike off of Craigslist, never imagining that he’d be putting away the bat for good. Now, Angelo, who works as a lead architectural designer by day, is cruising his way through the amateur ranks racing downhill for Commencal on its factory development team. We sat down with him to talk about his journey into the sport and the challenges that he and other African Americans face in the mountain biking industry. W H E R E WA S T H E F I R S T P L AC E YO U W E N T M O U N TA I N B I K I N G O N T H AT CRAIGSLIST RIDE?

Powhite Park. It’s right across the street from my office. My coworker took me there one Friday after work and I crashed three times. WA S I T H A R D G E T T I N G I N TO A N E W S P O R T H AV I N G P L AY E D AT S U C H A H I G H L E V E L I N B A S E B A L L?

It was tough as far as learning the techniques. I had the fitness but I didn’t have the technique. The hardest part was to not get too far ahead of myself.

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As soon as you think you know a trail, you really don’t know a trail, and I found that out real quick. I actually ended up with a group called WMR, Women’s Multisports of Richmond. I rode with them every Tuesday at 5:30. I loved the atmosphere. They really took me in and showed me the ins and outs. I remember one day we did a ride at Freedom Park. I had soccer shoes on, old skateboard kneepads. I was like a storm trooper on a bike. That experience was so fun and to see those guys jump off features and stuff like that, I knew this is what I really wanted to do. YO U R F I R S T D OW N H I L L S E A S O N YO U R AC E D F O R C O Q U I CYC L E R Y. W H AT WA S T H AT E X P E R I E N C E L I K E ?

The team members were fun, but after a year I left the team because it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. I didn’t feel like I was a part of that team, and I was still trying to figure [the downhill scene] out at that point, so having no support was hard. I finished the 2016 season in 2nd place overall in cat 3, but seeing other teams and how they meshed together, I knew I wanted that. In 2017 I joined A-1 Cycling out of B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

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Manassas and we had a ball. We were all around the same age, all still trying to figure out the downhill racing thing. They helped me push some of my limits, because I didn’t like jumping at first. They helped me get comfortable in the air and trusting my bike, trusting my skills. I felt like part of the crew, and I wasn’t excluded from anything. I ended up finishing the 2017 season in 3rd place overall in cat 2. AT M O S T O F T H E S E R AC E S , YO U ’ R E T H E O N LY A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N R I D E R C O M P E T I N G . H A S T H AT D I S C O U R AG E D YO U AT A L L?

When I first started, it was kinda weird. My first experience at Snowshoe was a total culture shock for me. All of these people were taking me in, but I had the support of the friends I made in Richmond, so overall I felt welcomed from other riders. One problem I do have is with other people of color questioning me. At Massanutten last year, an older woman and her friends were walking down from the starting gate. She goes, ‘You gonna do this?’ I asked what she meant. She sorta swiped her hand and said, ‘We don’t do this.’ It threw me off. I get it a lot G O O U TA N D P L AY

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W H AT A R E S O M E OF THE BARRIERS TO E N T R Y W H E N I T C O M E S TO D OW N H I L L M O U N TA I N B I K I N G I N PA R T I C U L A R ?

from other African Americans, like I’m not supposed to be able to ride a bike downhill because of my race. That troubles me, and since that happened, it’s happened more. H OW C A N T H E CYC L I N G I N D U S T R Y D O M O R E TO P R O M OT E D I V E R S I T Y ?

I tried to do some research, I Googled and Googled and Googled, and I could only find one professional downhill racer who was African American—Eliot Jackson—and I’ve never seen him on any commercial or anything like that. I don’t think we have enough representatives to show the potential. You need more than just the one pro. You need to show a variety of riders.

The price of bikes is just so expensive. I can’t afford to replace my bike every year like a lot of these racers can. Commencal helps me out some, but it’s tough. I think the scene can discourage a lot of new riders because it got me when I first started racing. I had this old dinky downhill bike. It was 2015, and my bike was a 2007 bike. I got to the race and see these guys in nice matching kits with $10,000 bikes and I’m like, how can I even compete with these guys? If you look good you must be fast, right? Really, we are all just riding bikes. It’s more about the skills. But the expenses can keep people from ever riding. D O YO U H AV E A N Y CYC L I N G R E L AT E D G OA L S T H I S Y E A R ?

This year my goal is to be more involved in the city and helping city kids out. It’s not just basketball and baseball and football. I want to let them know

CHAMPIONS OF INCLUSIVITY Like Angelo, we are

firm believers that everyone should have the opportunity to ride bikes in the woods. These 10 organizations are providing those experiences and making the outdoors a more welcoming place for all. that you can ride a bike, and it doesn’t have to be downhill, it can be whatever. I want to give them the experience of what I’m feeling right now. My daughters are having a blast with bikes, too. They come to all of the races. My youngest, she’s my rider. Every time she gets on the bike she’s like ‘Daddy, I’m in the starting gate.’ I’m gonna have to watch out for that one. W H AT H A S M O U N TA I N B I K I N G D O N E F O R YO U ?

Mountain biking has taught me so much about myself. I've grown mentally, physically, and have matured so much since I began biking. It's given me a chance to experience different things and see new places and now I can share that with my girls. My daughters got to see a bear in the woods in real life. Those little experiences are what make me feel like, why haven’t I been doing this longer?

B L AC K WO M E N B I K E WA S H I N G TO N , D. C . B L AC K W O M E N B I K E . O R G B LU E S K Y F U N D R I C H M O N D, VA . B LU E S K Y F U N D. O R G OUTDOOR AFRO LO U I S V I L L E , KY. , D U R H A M & C H A R LOT T E , N . C . , N A S H V I L L E , T E N N . , AT L A N TA , G A . , P I T T S B U R G H , P E N N . , WA S H I N G TO N , D. C . O U T D O O R A F R O. C O M B R OW N P E O P L E C A M P I N G WA S H I N G TO N , D. C . BROWNPEOPLECAMPING.COM C I T Y K I D S W I L D E R N E S S P R OJ E C T WA S H I N G TO N , D. C . CITYKIDS.ORG H O M O C L I M B TA S T I C FAY E T T E V I L L E , W.VA . H O M O C L I M B TA S T I C . C O M OUT THERE ADVENTURES VA R I O U S LO C AT I O N S OUTTHEREADVENTURES.ORG OA S I S B I K E WO R K S H O P NASHVILLE, TENN. OA S I S B I K E W O R K S H O P. O R G W I L D E R N E S S WO R K S AT L A N TA , G A . WILDERNESSWORKS.ORG C O LO R T H E C R AG H O R S E P E N S 4 0, S T E E L E , A L A . C O LO R T H E C R AG . C O M

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about 3.5 inches in length with dull green claws and a light amber body. Plethodontid salamanders, or lungless salamanders, are also commonly found in the watershed. Because these salamanders breathe through their skin and depend on a damp environment to survive, the Chattooga watershed, considered a temperate rainforest, makes for the ideal habitat.

RIVERS WE

K N O W T H E T H R E AT S

Southside Project timber sale in the Cashiers-Highlands area, which is the site for the headwaters of the Chattooga; city of Clayton raw sewage contamination in Stekoa Creek, a majorly polluted tributary to the Chattooga.

6 ICONIC WATERWAYS—AND THE PEOPLE FIGHTING TO PROTECT THEM

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Become a member of the Chattooga Conservancy (chattoogariver.org) or volunteer for a river cleanup. The organization hosts monthly cleanups through September.

BY JESS DADDIO

In 2018, we commemorate 50 years of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. It's a good time to celebrate the rivers that sustain us all— especially six iconic rivers in our Blue Ridge backyard.

Chattooga River

NORTH CAROLINA - GEORGIA – SOUTH CAROLINA

Practically equidistant from the major metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Ga., and Greenville, S.C., the Chattooga River has long provided a recreational oasis for Southeasterners looking to escape the grind. It’s one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the region, winding unimpeded by dams for 56.9 miles from the base of Whitesides Mountain in western North Carolina to Tugaloo Lake at the confluence of the Tallulah River. Once home to the Cherokee, Chattooga, or Tsatugi, has been interpreted as, "he drank by sips," or,

CHATTOOGA "he has crossed the stream and come out upon the other side,” according to New Georgia Encyclopedia. But take a look back through the Chattooga’s history and it feels like it was the river, not man, that entered turbulent times and came out on the other side safely. Logged almost entirely during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the nearly 190,000-acre Chattooga watershed is today one of the most critical refugia for at-risk species migrating due to climate change. The U.S. Forest Service manages 70% of the watershed, with over 120,000 acres residing in three different national forests—the Nantahala in North Carolina, the Chattahoochee in Georgia, and the Sumter in South Carolina. Throughout the early to mid 20th century, eight dams were proposed on the Chattooga but they never came to fruition, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Chattooga Conservancy. In 1971, a Congressappointed task force released its “Wild and Scenic Report” on the Chattooga, recommending the river for Wild and Scenic designation. Three years later in 1974, the Chattooga officially became one of the first Wild and Scenic rivers

French Broad River NORTH CAROLINA C H A T T O O G A C O N S E R VA N C Y

in the country. “I used to be a river guide before I got into the conservation business,” says Chattooga Conservancy Executive Director Nicole Hayler. “A lot of people come and go through the river guiding community and guide all over the world in places like New Zealand and Nepal, all over the place, and so many come back to the Chattooga and say it’s their favorite river. I can’t put my finger on it as to why it’s so alluring. It just is. It really takes you back into the feeling of being in a wilderness.” E X P E R I E N C E T H E C H AT TO O G A

Section IV of the Chattooga is a classic whitewater run in the Southeast. Kayakers should have solid class IV paddling skills to run the river comfortably, but for those who are new to the world of whitewater, there are plenty of outfitters like the Nantahala Outdoor Center that offer rafting trips (starting at $110 per head). Anglers can fish for stocked trout at Burrells Ford bridge or head north towards Ellicott Rock to try landing some wild brown trout. SCOUT FOR SPECIES

The Chattooga crayfish is specific to the Chattooga watershed. It’s

Though the Cherokee name for the French Broad, Tah-kee-os-tee, means “racing waters,” there was a time when western North Carolina’s beloved broad was considered “too thick to drink but too thin to plow.” Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, industrialization slowly overtook the banks of the French Broad, so that by the 1950s, the river was considered more of a toxic dumping ground and less as a natural resource. After the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, all of that began to change. Today, over one million people rely on the 4,000-square-mile watershed for their drinking water, and that doesn’t include the explosive population in Knoxville, which draws its drinking water from the Tennessee River, formed by none other than the French Broad and Holston Rivers. Despite point source pollution like unlined coal ash ponds on Duke Energy property and the recent fuel storage tank leak that resulted in 1,000 gallons of petroleum oozing into the French Broad, the river’s health is better than it’s ever been. The river is now home to more than 100 species of fish. Over 50% of the watershed is forested, with much of that buffer protected by the Great Smoky

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E X P E R I E N C E T H E F R E N C H B R OA D

The most accessible way to see the French Broad is to flow the section of river from Hominy Creek to the Salvage Station in Asheville. You can get away with a craft as minimal as a Walmart inner tube if that’s all you have. Whitewater boaters with class III skills should paddle section nine of the French Broad, which flows naturally for much of the year. Flatwater paddlers will enjoy the French Broad River Trail, a 140-mile blueway that offers multiple access points, campgrounds, and paddling services for overnighters of varying lengths.

FRENCH BROAD Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway. The revitalization of the French Broad has simultaneously restored the region’s economy, too. Communities like Marshall and Hot Springs, not to mention the city of Asheville, are sustainably capitalizing on the river as an eco-tourism attraction. Riverfront space, once the cheapest lots in town, is now prime real estate. Breweries, outfitters, and other outdoor industry business are purposefully relocating to

SCOUT FOR SPECIES

have better access to the river. “It’s important to remember how we got to this point,” says French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “It wasn’t an accident that thousands of people now float the river on a Saturday. It was the passage of the Clean Water Act and the implementation of that law that brought the river back from the brink of extinction, but it doesn’t mean there’s a guarantee it’ll stay clean in the future. We have to continue that hard work to keep the French Broad pristine.”

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The Appalachian elktoe is an endangered species of mussel that resides on the Mills and Little Rivers in the upper reaches of the French Broad watershed. The eastern spiny softshell turtle is considered a North Carolina species of concern and likes to burrow in the soft bottoms of the French Broad. K N OW T H E T H R E AT S

Rapid and thoughtless development; point source pollution from leaky coal ash ponds; radioactivity from Duke Energy coal plants

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LEND A HAND

Participate in the Riverkeeper Beer Series, an eight-part river cleanup and special beer release summer series; Blue Ridge Outdoors and MountainTrue Litter Floatilla on September 20th

Watauga River

NORTH CAROLINA - TENNESSEE

Given that the Watauga River basin is one of the smallest in the state of North Carolina (only 205 square miles total), the river has an almost largerthan-life reputation as being one of the best fishing and paddling destinations in the country. Trout fishing in particular has been a huge boon to the local economy. A 2017 study released by Responsive Management and Southwick Associates for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission found that trout fishing on rivers like the Watauga (which has 171 miles of state-designated trout waters) contributed $383 million to western North Carolina’s economy. Contained entirely within North Carolina’s High Country, over two-

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thirds of the Watauga watershed is forested and includes portions of Grandfather Mountain State Park, Pisgah National Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Elk Knob Game Land. Historically, the river was mostly harnessed for power. Four dams provided hydroelectric power for the numerous saw and gristmills that once ran the lengths of the Watauga’s banks. Today, it’s farmers, not mills, which depend on the river. About 10% of the Watauga watershed is covered in rowcrop farms, Christmas tree farms, and livestock operations, all of which have caused sedimentation and erosion issues as of late. Yet it was a single tannery that operated near Valle Crucis in the 20th century which, anecdotally at least, seems to have caused the most lasting damage to the native species of the Watauga. More than the agricultural impacts and even the gasoline seepage that has happened multiple times in the past year alone, Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill is worried about steepslope development. Because of the mountainous topography of Avery and Watauga counties, Hill says it’s imperative that developers do more in the way of riparian zone protection, which will in turn protect habitat for

trout and shiners and salamanders, which need cool clean water to survive. “Even though the water quality now is excellent, we’ve really seen the local population jump in the last five to 10 years,” says Hill. “People are realizing Boone and the High Country in general is a wonderful place to be, but we need to do more to address that explosive development. Being as isolated and well-protected as it is, the Watauga has been able to remain clean, clear, and cold while other rivers have become impaired, and we need to work to keep it that way.” E X P E R I E N C E T H E WATAU G A

Anglers can cast a line for brook, brown and rainbow trout at the 321 river access point or at Valle Crucis Community Park. Further downstream, there’s plenty of smallmouth bass fishing to be had, too. Class IV+ paddlers would be remiss to not kayak the Watauga when it’s running. This boulder-strewn river can be a fun, creeky run one day and a high-volume wave train the next.

WATAUGA

DYLAN MCKINNEY

Clinch River

aptly named tangerine darter is a flashy, brilliant shade of orange and is the largest darter in the state, reaching upwards of seven inches in length.

VIRGINIA - TENNESSEE

K N OW T H E T H R E AT S

Habitat loss due to steep slope development; agricultural runoff; diminished riparian zones; aquatic nuisance species such as gill lice and whirling disease

SCOUT FOR SPECIES

The banded sculpin is a winter spawner that resides in the Watauga river bottom’s rocks and slabs. The

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Become a member at MountainTrue (mountaintrue.org)

Located in the heart of Virginia’s coal country, the Clinch River arguably supports more threatened and endangered aquatic species than any other river in North America. It begins in Tazewell County and flows freely for nearly 200 miles until it reaches Norris Lake in Tennessee. The combined ClinchPowell five-county watershed has historically been responsible for 40% of Virginia’s coal production, with the remaining 60% conducted in two adjacent counties.

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CLINCH Acid mine drainage and heavy sediment continue to contaminate the river. Combined with the negative effects of agriculture, the other primary economic activity in the region accounting for one-third of the area’s land use, this incredible hotbed for diversity is one of the most at-risk rivers in our country. But, there is hope. The Clinch River Valley Initiative and The Nature Conservancy’s Clinch Valley Program have joined forces to defend the Clinch, and are recently underway with the creation of the Clinch River State Park. When complete, the state park will provide 600 acres of canoeing, hiking, and camping for Southwest Virginia, simultaneously creating a protective barrier for a river that is home to more than 40 species of freshwater mussels, 20 of which are federally listed endangered species. According to Chmura Analytics, this state park could generate $3.58 million annually and create 31 local jobs in the first five years of existence. For a region like Southwest Virginia that is struggling to redefine itself in the wake of the coal industry’s decline, the Clinch River is a much-needed lifeline. “Southwest Virginia, like the rest of the Central Appalachian coalfields, faces profound economic and social challenges,” says The Nature Conservancy Clinch Valley Program Director Brad Kreps. “Right now, we are going through a significant transition as the coal mining industry declines and the region seeks ways to 22

JACK LOONEY

diversify, strengthen, and renew local economies. Assets like a new Clinch River State Park will help Southwest Virginia attract visitors interested in recreation but also new businesses that place a high value on access to nature and quality of life.” EXPERIENCE THE CLINCH

Depending on water levels, the Clinch is mostly a flatwater experience, which makes it a wonderful river to float on a hot summer day. Clinch River Adventures in the river town of St. Paul, Va., offers shuttle services and rentals (from $12). Fly fishermen can float down past Norris Dam in Tennessee, where the Clinch River has 13 miles of tail waters stocked with rainbow and brown trout. SCOUT FOR SPECIES

Feared that it had gone extinct in 1969, the yellowfin madtom is still swimming in the warm waters of the Clinch River. Even more rare than the madtom are the 20 endangered species of mussels like the rough rabbitsfoot, fluted kidneyshell, and cumberlandian combshell. For many of these mussels, the Clinch River population is the last holdout. K N O W T H E T H R E AT S

Residual contamination from abandoned mined lands; mountaintop removal and valley fills; agriculture related sedimentation and erosion; stormwater runoff

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LEND A HAND

Visit Southwest Virginia and support the river with your dollar; donate to The Nature Conservancy or the Clinch River Valley Initiative

James River VIRGINIA

It would not be an overstatement to say that the history of our nation literally unfolded along the banks of the James River. From the settlement of Jamestown to the Civil War “battle of the ironclads,” “America’s Founding River” has witnessed some of the most pivotal points in our fledgling country’s saga. Long before Captain John Smith pulled his boat to shore, Powhatan and Monacan Indians had been utilizing the James as a source for sustenance, travel, trade, and defense. The river largely continued to fulfill those roles as Europeans made their way up the watershed. From its beginnings at the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers, the James flows for 340 miles to the Chesapeake Bay. That makes it Virginia’s largest river, covering one-fourth of the entire state and sustaining one-third of the state’s population, many of whom depend on the river directly for drinking water. Because the river flows through major urban centers like Richmond and Hampton Roads, the river has not escaped the threats of industrialization and pollution. Just three years after B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

the Clean Water Act was passed, the harmful pesticide Keypone was discovered in the James in dangerous quantities. The river quickly rose to the top as one of the most polluted rivers in the nation, and a subsequent 13-year ban on commercial fishing killed the area’s fishing industry. The James River Association (JRA) was founded in 1976 as a result of the Keypone dumping and has been working to restore the river’s health ever since. To date, the James is cleaner than it has been at any point in the past 100 years, but there remain concerns over the river’s proximity to coal ash ponds at three major facilities in the watershed. According to JRA, there are 1,100 toxic storage sites, up to 5 billion gallons of coal ash, and millions of gallons of crude oil traveling along the James each week. Fortunately for the James, because it is such a large and vital river, it has a lot of people who care about conserving it. Less than 40 years ago, no one would have ever imagined that bald eagles or Atlantic sturgeon would call the James home again, but today, both of these species are thriving, even in downtown Richmond. “Today especially, a lot of these people depend on the river. It’s their livelihood,” says James Riverkeeper Jamie Brunkow. “If we don’t have a healthy river, that’s affecting their ability to get drinking water and downstream, it’s affecting industry and tourism. The river is that critical nexus to keep everything connected.” E X P E R I E N C E T H E JA M E S

Begin in Botetourt County and float through the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Upper James River Water Trail. The pristine beauty (and ample smallmouth bass fishing) here is absolutely unparalleled. Whitewater kayakers will appreciate the unique urban setting of the class III+ Lower James. If you’re not a paddler, you can still bike along its shores through the James River Park System or ride in a raft with an outfitter like RVA Paddlesports (starting from $60 per person). Though technically a tributary of the James, the Chickahominy is worth a trip all to itself. There’s a water trail in the works here (put in at Grapevine Bridge), which allows paddlers to float 100 miles of tupelo and cypress-lined blackwater back to the James. SCOUT FOR SPECIES

The massive Atlantic sturgeon call the James home just downstream of G O O U TA N D P L AY

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H A P TPHY 5 0 W IL D &

By the mid-20th century, the nation finally E T O T H R IV E R S IC started to realize N E SC ! that dams and SYST E M development were negatively impacting the wildlife and water quality of rivers everywhere. On October 2, 1968, Congress passed the WILD & SCENIC RIVERS ACT as an effort to preserve some of the nation’s most unique and priceless free-flowing waterways. 1974 C H AT T O O G A R I V E R North Carolina / Georgia / South Carolina C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Wild (41.6 miles), Scenic (2.5 miles), Recreational (14.6 miles)

JAMES Richmond. These prehistoric looking creatures can be up to 14 feet in length and weigh 800 pounds. The James is also home to the James spinymussel, an endangered species of freshwater mussel that sprouts short spines on each valve. K N O W T H E T H R E AT S

Agricultural runoff; urban development; wastewater discharge; coal ash. LEND A HAND

Participate in JRA River Hero Home pledge system; become a member of JRA ( jrava.org); volunteer for water testing programs

Cheat River WEST VIRGINIA

No one knows exactly where the name of the Cheat originated. The Delaware Indians’ name for the river was Achsin-ha-nac, which loosely meant “stony river.” Later, settlers claimed the proliferation of cheat grass along the river’s banks gave it its name. Regardless of its origins, many felt the river was appropriately named, albeit doomed, especially after the flood of 1985, which devastated many of the watershed’s dying coal towns like Rowlesburg, Albright, and Parsons, killing dozens and “cheating” many out of life as they knew it. Things didn’t improve after that. In 1994, an illegally sealed underground coal mine blew out and poured

TOTA L— 5 8 .7 M I L E S

S A R A H H A U S E R / V I R G I N I A T O U R I S M C O R P O R TAT I O N

contaminated mine water into Muddy Creek, a major tributary to the Cheat. A year later, another blowout occurred. The river ran orange for 16 miles downstream, killing everything in its flow. The pH of Cheat Lake dropped to 4.5. American Rivers listed the Cheat as one of the top 10 most endangered rivers in the country, and the river’s burgeoning rafting industry collapsed. But, you know the saying—it always gets worse before it gets better. The mine blowouts galvanized an impassioned community of river stewards and stakeholders, who then formed the Friends of the Cheat (FOC). In the last 20 years, FOC has been at the forefront of implementing 15 acid mine drainage remediation sites on the river. That work is far from over, but the mainstem of the Cheat River has been restored, so much so that sensitive species like walleye are well and thriving in the Canyon. “What makes the Cheat especially important to a state like West Virginia is the hope,” says FOC Executive Director Amanda Pitzer. “It’s the reality that in someone’s lifetime, this river was dead and people came together and made a difference and changed it. We hope that other people see the work that FOC has done and not just accept that things are broken or that rivers are polluted because things can get better.” E X P E R I E N C E T H E C H E AT

The Cheat’s rafting industry is also well and thriving and the Canyon, along with some of the river’s major tributaries like the Big Sandy, provide some of the

best class IV boating in the Mid-Atlantic. Cheat River Outfitters in Albright, W.Va., offers rafting trips down the big-wave Canyon starting at $85 per person. Shavers Fork, another tributary to the Cheat, is a little-known trout fishing gem while the mainstem of the Cheat has flourishing numbers of smallmouth bass and pike. Though it doesn’t follow the banks of the Cheat, the northernmost 28 miles of the Allegheny Trail is a littletraveled backcountry hiking trail that offers views of the river from above. SCOUT FOR SPECIES

You can thank the flat-spired three-tooth snail for preserving the Cheat Canyon. This little snail only lives in the Cheat Canyon and resides in the cracks and crevices of this boulder-choked river. The Cheat Mountain Salamander is also unique to the Cheat, specifically its headwaters, and is a small four-inch dark brown amphibian with shiny gold coloring along its back.

1976 NEW RIVER North Carolina

C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Scenic

(26.5)

TOTA L— 2 6 . 5 M I L E S

OBED RIVER Tennessee

C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Wild (43.3 miles), Recreational (2 miles) TOTA L— 4 5 . 3 M I L E S

1986 H O R S E PA S T U R E R I V E R North Carolina C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Scenic (3.6 miles), Recreational (0.6 miles;) TOTA L— 4 . 2 M I L E S

1988 BLUESTONE RIVER West Virginia C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Scenic (10) TOTA L— 1 0 M I L E S

1993 RED RIVER Kentucky

C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Wild (9.1 miles), Recreational (10.3 miles) TOTA L— 1 9. 4 M I L E S

1998 LUMBER RIVER North Carolina

C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Scenic (60 miles), Recreational (21 miles) TOTA L— 8 1 M I L E S

K N OW T H E T H R E AT S

Defunding of programs like the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program that support acid mine drainage remediation; fracking proposals on major tributaries to the Cheat; gas pipelines; climate change impacts to water flow LEND A HAND

Boat with your wallet and support local establishments; become a member of FOC (cheat.org); come to Cheat Fest in the spring

2000 WILSON CREEK North Carolina

C L A S S I F I C AT I O N : Wild (4.6 miles), Scenic (2.9 miles), Recreational (15.8 miles) TOTA L— 2 3 . 3 M I L E S

H E L P A M E R I C A N W H I T E WAT E R VO U C H F O R T H E D E S I G N AT I O N O F M O R E S O U T H E AS T E R N R I V E R S BY V I S I T I N G

A M E R I C A N W H I T E WAT E R . O R G

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TRAVEL DESTINATION

Explore Arlington's

MONUMENTAL GREENWAYS

S TAYA R L I N G TO N

1. BIKE WITH A MONUMENTAL VIEW

Arlington, Virginia, is known for its urban skyline and close connection to Washington, D.C., but locals know Arlington has some of the most interesting hiking and biking trails in the area, along with outdoor festivals and ample watering holes. Let Arlington surprise you with more than 80 miles of paved—and lots more unpaved—trails, making taking a woodsy scenic hike, jog or bike ride a breeze. Check S TAYA R L I N G TO N . C O M to choose from 45 convenient hotels and get lots more tips on making the most of your capital visit.

Probably one of the most popular trails in the area, the Mount Vernon Trail takes guests 18 miles along the Potomac River with unobstructed views of Washington, D.C. You will cruise past green spaces, old bridges and marinas en route from Arlington through Old Town Alexandria to George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Or take in the scenic Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail which starts in Arlington’s Shirlington neighborhood and extends 90 miles to rural Purcellville, Virginia. It passes through quaint villages like Falls Church and Leesburg, and high-tech centers such as Reston and Herndon. Work in some down time at a craft brewery: Posted signs direct you to the locally owned New District Brewing Co., where you’ll even find bike tools and air to keep you rolling. Combining parts of the Mount Vernon and W&OD trails, and passing near Arlington restaurants, shopping, and attractions, try the Arlington Loop. The paved 17-mile loop is an ideal route for smooth bike riding. Need to rent a bike? Capital Bikeshare is always available, and BikeArlington.com has detailed maps. If you’d rather watch professionals in a fastpaced criterium bike race, check out the Armed Forces Cycling Classic in Arlington, June 9 and 10. The first day of the annual race takes place in the lively Clarendon neighborhood, which also happens to be home to another craft brewery, Heritage Brewing Co. Sunday’s events are in the Crystal City neighborhood, and include the Armed Forces Cycling Classic Challenge Ride, in which cycling enthusiasts of all abilities can ride on the professionals’ course.

2. BOULDERING AND MORE

3. RUN THE RACE

To really get away from it all, follow the Potomac Heritage Trail starting in Arlington at the north end of the Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot and continue 10 miles to the American Legion Bridge. Just know that upriver a couple of miles there are challenging sections as the trail narrows: Don't fall in! Later, head to Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood where the Continental Beer Garden offers a lively outdoor drinking spot. The Rosslyn neighborhood, on the shore of the Potomac River, also puts you close to opportunities for paddling. Just a short walk across the Key Bridge in Georgetown, you can rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard and see the capital and Rosslyn skylines from the water. Then get arguably the best view possible of the National Mall from Rosslyn’s Observation Deck at CEB Tower (opening in summer 2018). In this incredible 31st and 32nd-story venue, you take in 360-degree views of Washington, D.C. and the capital region.

Arlington is home of the Marine Corps Marathon, also known as “The People’s Marathon,” in which runners from all walks of life participate each fall. There’s even part of a Rosslyn street that turns into Marine Corps Marathon Drive for October. You won’t want to miss the Finish Festival in Rosslyn, open to spectators and runners. You’ll find free massages, a beer garden, live music and a wide array of food vendors.

4. A WORLD OF CUISINE

In Arlington, dining options are as diverse as Arlington itself, especially in May when the Taste of Arlington transforms the Ballston neighborhood into a family-friendly street festival with dining, music and entertainment. It’s dog-friendly too: Lap up the excitement with your pup in the Taste of Arlington BarkPark. Your dog will love a capital trip and Arlington’s eight dog parks!

F I N D M O R E G R E AT B LU E R I D G E T R AV E L I T E N E R A R I E S AT B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

THE EAST IS BEAST T H E S E 1 2 A DV E N T U R E C A P I TA L S P R O V E I T PA D D L I N G G R E AT F A L L S , J U S T O U T S I D E O F WA S H I N G T O N , D . C . / P H O T O B Y L A U R A F A R R E L L

BY JESS DADDIO

Cities these days are more than just skyscraper skylines. With rivers, trails, and open space strategically incorporated into urban development plans, these 12 destinations are keeping the adventure within city limits.

Washington, D.C. P O P U L AT I O N : 6 9 3 , 9 7 2 F U N FAC T: T H E WA S H I N G TO N C A N O E C LU B WA S F O U N D E D O N T H E B A N K S O F T H E P OTO M AC R I V E R I N 1 9 0 4 A N D H A S T U R N E D O U T N U M E R O U S O LY M P I C M E DA L I S T S S U C H A S F R A N K H AV E N S A N D F R A N C I N E F OX .

According to the 2017 ParkScore index created by the Trust for Public Land, 97% of D.C. citizens live 10 minutes or less from a public park. Granted, those parks are, on average, only one-anda-half acres in size, but when you look at the big picture of open space versus development, that’s 22% of the city designated specifically for parks. That juxtaposition between nature and culture creates an incredibly accessible opportunity for D.C. residents and visitors alike to get outside. For Brown People Camping 26

founder Ambreen Tariq, the fact that recreation infrastructure was so seamlessly woven into the fabric of the city only added to the vibrancy that initially drew her to the city. “I find it very electric,” she says. “There’s so much going on here, and I think the big unspoken tradition that is central to the culture of the city is getting outdoors. Whether it’s watching musical concerts or going to botanical gardens, families have been getting outdoors here for generations. D.C. is all connected to being outdoors in its own special city way.”

Play + Stay Bring some comfy kicks, says Tariq. The city is incredibly walkable with multiple pathways designed exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists. “Rock Creek Park is one of my favorites,” says Tariq. The 2,100acre National Park Service unit is interlaced with more than 32 miles of hiking and paved biking trails. More of a water person? Boating in DC rents paddleboards (from $22 per hour) and kayaks (from $16 per hour). Float the Potomac River on your own or take a lesson (starting at $35). After a day outside, refuel at any number of top-notch restaurants in the area. There are too many to list here, but a few of our favorites are Tico for Latin

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American, Little Serow for Thai, or Pearl Dive Oyster Palace for seafood and cocktails. Post up for the evening at an affordable spot like D.C. International Hostel ($25 per night), or head outside of D.C. proper, where the city of Arlington offers just as convenient lodging at half the price. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Stargaze at the Rock Creek Park planetarium (free). Tour gardens and contemporary art exhibits at Dumbarton Oaks Garden ($10 for adults). Pay homage to ol’ Teddy at Theodore Roosevelt Island. Ride the C&O Canal to Great Falls Park (if you’re a stout paddler, you can kayak this legendary class V run, too). E V E N T S : Savor: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience (July 1-2); Great Falls Race & Potomac River Festival (August 25-26); Paddle-thePotomac Race Series (July 21 and August 26); Comcast Xfinity Outdoor Film Fest (August 24-26)

Baltimore, Md. P O P U L AT I O N : 6 1 4 ,6 6 4 F U N FAC T: N AT I O N A L B L AC K M A R AT H O N E R S A S S O C I AT I O N R U N N I N G H A L L O F FA M E I N D U C T E E A N D C H A R M C I T Y N AT I V E M A R I LY N B E VA N S WA S T H E F I R S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N W O M A N TO R U N A M A R AT H O N A N D WO N T H E 1 9 7 7 A N D 1 9 7 9 M A R Y L A N D M A R AT H O N S . B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

Baltimore’s idyllic setting on the Patapsco River makes it one of the most iconic cityscapes in the country. Sailing, fishing, and crabbing are deeply ingrained in the city’s history and continue to be a trademark of Baltimore’s identity. In recent years, efforts by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore have substantially cleaned the harbor of pollution through the use of floating wetlands, of which Baltimore has more than 2,000 square feet. Last March, the city of Baltimore released its Green Network plan, which will revitalize abandoned lots and turn them into small open spaces. In turn, these micro parks will connect Baltimore’s growing bike and foot corridors, as well as the city’s 4,600 acres of green space. The Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition is in the process of finalizing a 35-mile urban trail system that will unite the diverse neighborhoods and natural resources that Charm City Run Assistant Manager Blair Wooton says defines her city. “I have been in Baltimore my whole life and while it’s a city, it definitely has more of a small-town feel,” she says. “You always see someone you know whether you’re at the grocery store or out for a run. And the running community here is great. The store does a weekly run around the harbor and even on the grossest days we still get a good turnout.” G O O U TA N D P L AY

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Play + Stay Who needs a segway when a pair of running shoes can get you around just fine? Check out Baltimore’s thriving running scene during the annual Baltimore Running Festival on October 20th or take a jog on your own via Jones Falls Trail, a hiking and biking trail that runs for 10 miles from the Inner Harbor to Mount Washington Light Rail Station. To experience the Patapsco at its finest, rent a kayak from Shallow Creek Kayaks for a half-day ($40) and watch the sunset over the city. Anglers can cast a line at any of the three license-free fishing locations, which include Canton Waterfront Park. At day’s end, eat fresh from the water at Thames Street Oyster House before throwing up a tent at Patapsco Valley State Park just south of town. Sites start around $25 here and are centrally located to the state park’s expansive 200-mile trail system and namesake river. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Paddle and rally at the Baltimore Floatilla on June 9th. Ride bikes around Lake Montibello. Learn about wildlife at Carrie Murray Nature Center. Gawk at the aquatic life in Baltimore Aquarium ($25).

Charm City Run 5K (August 12); Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival (August 18); Baltimore Running Festival (October 21-22) EVENTS:

Pittsburgh, Pa. P O P U L AT I O N : 3 0 3 ,6 2 5 F U N FAC T: T H E D I R T Y D O Z E N B I C YC L E R AC E , N O W I N I T S 3 6 T H Y E A R , I S O N E O F T H E TO U G H E S T R OA D R AC E S I N T H E R E G I O N , W E AV I N G C YC L I S T S I N A N D O U T OF THE CITY FOR 50 MILES AND UP THE 13 S T E E P E S T H I L L S I N TOW N , I N C LU D I N G T H E 35% GRADIENT “STEEPEST STREET IN THE W O R L D,” A K A C A N TO N AV E N U E .

Rivers, it’s no surprise that Pittsburgh is leading the charge when it comes to prioritizing outdoor recreation as an economic engine. Pittsburgh’s five city parks total over 2,000 acres in size, not including Point State Park or the various riverfront parks like Three Rivers and North Shore. “The topography is what really sets Pittsburgh apart,” says Over the Bar Bicycle (OTB) Cafe Bar Manager Ray Karhut. “Within the city limits, landscape can vary from completely flat floodplains to the steepest street in the world!”

Play + Stay Boats, bikes, and beer are big in the ‘Burgh (as are the ‘Stillers,’ but save the football for another visit). Check off the first by renting a kayak from Kayak Pittsburgh and joining the brand’s parent company Venture Outdoors on a group paddle. For cyclists, the options are far and wide. All of Pittsburgh’s city parks are crisscrossed with trails ranging in style from crosscountry to skills parks and everything in between. North Park and Frick Park are two of the more popular riding destinations and are ideally situated close to downtown. There are a few beginner friendly rides here, but the vast majority of trails are intermediate and advanced. Once you’ve worked up a sweat, stop in at the OTB Bicycle Cafe for burgers, mind-blowing vegan options, and of course, some local suds (try the Hazedelic Juice Grenade from Grist House Craft Brewery). The closest and coolest camping in town is located at Cecil Henderson along the Montour Trail rail-trail. There’s no fee to camp here, but the caveat is, you have to ride there to reach it (and we’re all about that). Ride the Great Allegheny Passage. Tour Bicycle Heaven Museum, the world’s largest E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S :

Located at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio

bicycle museum (free). Rip inside at The Wheel Mill, an 80,000-square-foot indoor bike park ($23-29 per day). Get inspired and get happy at Randyland. E V E N T S : Create Festival Pittsburgh (June 6-7); SouthSide OutSide Paddle & Music Festival (September 1); Dirty Dozen Bicycle Race (November 24)

Richmond, VA. P O P U L AT I O N : 2 2 3 ,1 7 0 F U N FAC T: I N 2 0 1 5 , R I C H M O N D P L AY E D H O S T TO T H E U C I R OA D WO R L D C YC L I N G CHAMPIONSHIPS, IGNITING A CITYWIDE R E VA M P O F C YC L I N G A M E N I T I E S F O R LO C A L S .

Visit Richmond’s crown jewel Belle Isle on a sunny weekend day and it’ll feel like a modern day spoof on the famous Georges Seurat painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte: river-smooth rock outcroppings jutting out into the sparkling waters of the James River, crowds of college kids sprawled out on blankets while rafters and kayakers plunge through class IV rapids just a few yards beyond. This 54-acre island sanctuary has it all—singletrack, a climbing wall, historical ruins—and it’s just a tiny slice of Richmond’s adventure pie. “One of the biggest draws for me was being able to live an outdoor life in a pretty metropolitan sized city,” says Carrytown Bicycle Company Manager JP Rutledge. “I can start my ride here in Carrytown or at any one of the cool shopping districts and in about 10 minutes, I’m on the local trails.”

Play + Stay The James River is at the heart of Richmond’s adventure scene, whether you’re experiencing it by boat or admiring it from the riverside trails. Splash down the class III-IV section of the James with RVA Paddlesports, which offers rafting trips down the

L E F T : B A L T I M O R E ' S I N N E R H A R B O R M A K E S A G R E AT BACKDROP FOR CHARM CITY RUNNING. / PHOTO BY IAN JOHNSON R I G H T : S U P T H E K A N AW H A R I V E R W H I C H W I N D S R I G H T B Y T H E W. VA . C A P I T O L B U I L D I N G . / P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F A P PA L A C H I A N B O A R D I N G C O M PA N Y

Lower for $60 a pop. Save some steam for a ride in the James River Park System. With multiple trailheads, you can make your ride as short or as long as you like, though Rutledge recommends linking all of the trails for a 20-30-mile roundtrip ride. Once you’re sufficiently spent, pull up to Legend Brewing Company for some après vibes. The brewery is just a few blocks off trail and is known for its stick-to-your-ribs burgers (sub black bean or Portobello for you veggies). About 20 miles down the road is Pocahontas State Park, where you can pitch a tent ($33) or rent a cabin ($47). E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Ride the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail to Jamestown and catch a lift back with Cap Trail Bike Shuttle ($15-38 per person, depending on the pickup point). Stroll through history along the Richmond Liberty Trail. Catch a show at The National. E V E N T S : Festival of the River (June 8-10); Richmond Paddle Cup (August 11); Capital Ale House National Beer Expo (November 1-4); Dominion Riverrock (May 2019)

Charleston, W.VA. P O P U L AT I O N : 4 9,1 3 8 F U N FAC T: U N T I L T H E 1 9 2 0 S , W E S T V I R G I N I A’ S C A P I TA L WA S A M A J O R P L AY E R I N T H E S A LT I N D U S T R Y T H A N K S TO T H E M A N Y S A LT D E P O S I T S F O U N D A LO N G T H E B A N K S O F T H E K A N AW H A R I V E R .

Like much of the state, West Virginia’s capital city has a long history of coal mining. For decades, the Kanawha and Elk Rivers were used primarily as

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acres of forested area protected by our parks. Kentucky is in a bourbon bubble and a lot of people are coming here for that, but young folks from out of state, they are spontaneous. They want to play, and Louisville has plenty of places to get outside.”

Play + Stay The Parklands of Floyds Fork is Louisville’s pride and joy. At 4,000 acres, this park system is one of the largest metropolitan parks projects in the nation. Rent a bike for $10 per hour from Blue Moon Canoe & Kayak of Kentucky and explore the trails at Turkey Run Park or build your skills at the Silo Center Bike Park. Anglers can grab a fishing license for $23 and wade the waters of Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area ($3 per day), where the smallmouth and spotted bass fishing is some of the best in the region. If you’re good enough, you might even land a rainbow trophy trout. For food, we like the 1930s’ vibe at Jack Fry’s, a blast-from-thepast southern eatery with nationally acclaimed dishes. For good pub food and craft beer that’s holier than thou, check out Holy Grale. Camping is less than a half hour from town at Horine Reservation.

T H E R E ' S S O M U C H T O D O AT T H E U . S N AT I O N A L W H I T E WAT E R CENTER IN CHARLOTTE, N.C.

an industrial highway for coal barges. Those days are over, and in the past few years, the energy in Charleston has shifted away from resource extraction and toward outdoor recreation. “We’re leading the fight and trying to create that community culture in Charleston,” says Appalachian Boarding Company and Charleston native Evan Young. “We have an opportunity here and all of the stoke going on over in Fayetteville is trickling down right here in Charleston.

Play + Stay Only seven miles from downtown Charleston is Kanawha State Forest, a 9,300-acre state forest that at one time was the site of extensive logging and mining. Mother Nature has since recovered what was rightfully her own, and the forest is now home to a diverse array of birds and more than 25 miles of mountain bike trails. Closer to town is Coonskin Park, which has a disc golf course, river access to the 28

Elk, and an outdoor amphitheater. Rent a SUP for the day from Appalachian Boarding Company ($60) and listen to Live on the Levee from the water every Friday of the summer. The company will be located on Magic Island each Friday to rent boards, provide instruction, and lead the inaugural Sunset Sprint SUP series. To see a unique angle of the gold-domed capitol building, put in at Daniel Boone Park on the Kanawha and float just over four miles downstream through downtown Charleston. At night, check out the newly opened beer and burger joint Gonzoburger or, for more vegetarian friendly options, head to Bluegrass Kitchen. Primitive and electric sites are available at Kanawha State Forest starting at $21.60 per night. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Watch a live recording of the Mountain Stage. Walk through Capitol Street. Have lunch in Davis Park for a free Brown Bag Concert Series. E V E N T S : FestivALL (June 15-24); Multifest (August 4-6); Charleston Distance Run (September 1)

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Louisville, Ky. P O P U L AT I O N : 6 1 6 , 2 6 1 F U N FAC T: T H E K E N T U C KY W H E E L M E N WA S F O U N D E D I N T H E 1 8 8 0 S A N D WA S O N E O F T H E F I R S T O R G A N I Z E D G R O U P S O F C YC L I S T S I N T H E C O U N T R Y. M E M B E R S TO DAY R E S TO R E A N D R I D E B I C YC L E S M A D E P R I O R TO 1 9 1 8 .

Don’t get us wrong, we love Kentucky’s bourbon and derby, but in just a few years, Louisville has completely transformed itself into a progressive city spilling over with bikes, parks, and yes, bourbon, too. The city has a long history of cycling, which started in the late 1890s with the Louisville Wheelmen. Today, the bike is a major part of Louisville’s identity. The city regularly hosts national cyclocross championships, has recently unveiled its VeloLou bike share program, and will soon complete construction of a 100-mile bike loop that circumnavigates the city. “My family moved here in 1960 so I’ve been around a long time,” says Quest Outdoors General Manager Scott Newsome. “Louisville has a variety of terrain, with the Ohio River and its tributaries and thousands of B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Cruise the Belle of Louisville, one of the country’s oldest operating steamboat ships. Try underground mountain biking at Louisville’s 320,000-square-foot Mega Cavern. E V E N T S : Forecastle Festival (July 1315); Blues, Brews, and BBQ Festival (July 20-21); Bourbon and Beyond (September 22-23)

Raleigh, N.C. P O P U L AT I O N : 4 5 1 ,0 6 6 F U N FAC T: T H E C I T Y ’ S N I C K N A M E “ C I T Y O F OA K S ” T R AC E S B AC K TO T H E Y E A R 1 8 4 4 W H E N T H E N P R E S I D E N T I A L C A N D I DAT E H E N R Y C L AY C O M P O S E D T H E I N FA M O U S “ R A L E I G H L E T T E R ” W H I L E S I T T I N G B E N E AT H A N OA K T R E E W I T H A 1 0 0 - F O OT- W I D E C A N O P Y.

Known primarily as one of the South’s technology hubs, Raleigh has long touted that it’s two hours from the beach and four hours from the mountains. That central location has been a major attractant for Raleigh transplants, but now, the city is finding more and more ways to incorporate those adventures right in its own backyard. To date, the city has over 180 miles of greenways, connecting local landmarks like the North Carolina G O O U TA N D P L AY

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

GET THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURE SANDAL AT KEENFOOTWEAR.COM

Communications & Brand Manager Eric Osterhus is excited to see. Having grown up in the Charlotte area as a kid, he says Charlotte has really stepped up to the plate to make the entire Charlotte experience one-of-akind. “It offers something for everybody,” says Osterhus. “There’s a pretty diverse number of ways to live an engaged life, whether that’s someone who loves being adventurous and outdoors, of course, or someone who’s here for the music scene. One of the coolest things I’ve seen develop over the years is the sheer number of bike racks and boat racks around town. It’s great because they no longer have to drive two hours down the road to get to the mountains. They’ve got it right here.” B O U L D E R I N G I N C H AT TA N O O G A , T E N N . / PHOTO BY CALEB TIMMERMAN

Museum of Art and William B. Umstead State Park. Currently in the works for Raleigh’s future is the Falls Whitewater Park, which will be located at the base of Falls Dam on the Neuse River and should be completed in the coming years. “Raleigh is a multi college town with a lot of people working in a lot of different fields who come from all over the world,” says Crank Arm Brewing Company co-founder/coowner Adam Eckhardt. “Combine that with the people who have lived here their whole lives and you have a pretty awesome melting pot.”

Play + Stay Trail runners will love William B. Umstead State Park for its quiet trails and gorgeous pine-choked forest. Despite its proximity to the bustle of the city, run just a half-mile from the parking lot and the sounds of traffic dissipate to silence. Another popular run just 12 miles from downtown is the Falls Lake section of the Mountainsto-Sea Trail, which can be as easy or epic of a run as you make it. Cyclists should drive northwest out of Raleigh to ride the flow trails at Lake Crabtree County Park. The lake is also a beautiful spot for flatwater paddling and boats can be rented for $7 per hour. The Neuse River is another great place for kayaking, especially at higher flows when the class II-III rapids come in. Around 2,000cfs, there’s some awesome playboating near the dam, which has been the major impetus behind the whitewater park movement. When you’re done playing, grab some 30

James Beard-worthy southern fare at any one of Ashley Christensen’s restaurants. This rockstar chefproprietor owns Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, Chuck’s, and Fox Liquor Bar. For just $25 you can pitch a tent back at William B. Umstead State Park without ever leaving city limits. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Join the Wednesday night road ride and pizza party every week at Crank Arm Brewing. Pack a picnic and catch some music at Dorothea Dix Park. Tour the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

IRONMAN 70.3 (June 3); Summer Daze Music Festival (August 18); City of Oaks Marathon (November 4) EVENTS:

Charlotte, N.C. P O P U L AT I O N : 8 2 7,0 9 7 F U N FAC T: T H E U. S . N AT I O N A L W H I T E WAT E R C E N T E R I N C H A R LOT T E I S T H E W O R L D ’ S B I G G E S T M A N M A D E W H I T E WAT E R R I V E R A N D I S H O M E B A S E F O R A N U M B E R O F O LY M P I C L E V E L PA D D L E R S .

Long before Charlotte gained a reputation for being an adventure destination unto its own, the city had already made its mark as an easily navigable city with Uptown at the forefront of that movement. Building pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure has been a natural progression of Charlotte’s transportation system. Now, the nearly 40-mile greenway system is part of the much larger 15-county Carolina Thread Trail and serves as a model for other cities looking to incorporate non-motorized paths into their urban development. That’s something U.S. National Whitewater Center’s (USNWC)

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 0 1 8

Play + Stay First stop, USNWC. Whether you’re a climber, paddler, mountain biker, or trail runner, the Whitewater Center has it all. For just $59, you can buy a day pass and try everything, including zip lines and ropes courses. This place packs some serious adventure punch, and there’s no doubt you could spend an entire day here and hardly scratch the surface. For a less adrenalinefueled outing, we like Reedy Creek Nature Preserve, which protects 927 acres of stunning forest within Charlotte proper. There are more than 10 miles of hiking trails in the preserve, so come, stroll, sit, study, and be. Grab a light lunch from local purveyors at 7th Street Public Market or Earl’s Grocery, then grab a campsite at Lake Norman State Park (starting at $15 per night). There’s plenty of swimming ($5 per day), paddling (canoe rental for $5 per hour), and mountain biking here to keep you busy for another day. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Bike the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. Revel in art and nature at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden ($12.95). E V E N T S : USNWC River Jam Outdoor Concert Series (throughout the summer); Sol Fest (June 16); XTERRA Whitewater Triathlon (July 7)

Greenville, S.C. P O P U L AT I O N : 4 9 8 ,7 6 6 F U N FAC T: G R E E N V I L L E S TA R T E D O U T I N T H E MID 1700S AS A GRIST MILL AND TRADING P O S T, LO C AT E D R I G H T AT T H E B A S E O F R E E DY R I V E R FA L L S W H E R E FA L L S PA R K I S TO DAY.

Positioned right at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, this B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

southern city has undergone a total face-lift over the past 30 years. Like many Main Streets in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Greenville’s downtown sector had deteriorated into abandoned storefronts and crumbling buildings. Now considered the city’s most iconic feature, the 60-foot Reedy River Falls was once covered almost entirely by Camperdown Bridge, which not only prohibited the aesthetics of the river but also covered up the unsightly activities happening along the Reedy’s banks. Today, downtown Greenville is alive with activity and at its core is Falls Park, a 20-acre green space along the Reedy River completed in 2004. The city is continuing to clean up the Reedy River, which was once seen as little more than an industrial dumping ground. That commitment to the environment has in turn allowed for the energy built downtown to trickle upstream of the city. “I like that here is diversity here,” says Piney Mountain Bike Lounge owner Jackie Batson. “That was missing when I was growing up. I used to say I would never move back here, but now, there’s so much going on. If you’re into art, there’s an art scene. If you’re into the outdoors, there’s a scene for that. If you’re into sports, or going out to eat, Greenville has all of that. And, it has great weather.”

Play + Stay See the Falls Park for yourself by hopping on a bike. Rent a cruiser from the Swamp Rabbit Inn Bike Shed (starting at $15 for a half-day) and cruise through downtown Greenville via the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail. This paved rail-trail is 20.6 miles in length and connects the city of Greenville with the nearby town of Travelers Rest. Once you get to “TR,” as the locals like to call it, stop in at Tandem, a super hip, bike-friendly crêperie located just off trail. More of a mountain biker? Check out Paris Mountain State Park just outside of the city. There’s about 11 miles of quality singletrack here, which vary from fast and flowy to moderately technical. In the evening, head over to Piney Mountain Bike Lounge for some good beer, great company, and a few laps around the pump track out back (free for all riders). The Swamp Rabbit Inn offers a wide variety of chic lodging, from town houses to cozy cottages, all of which are conveniently located on or near the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Grab a room for you starting at $101 per night. G O O U TA N D P L AY

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E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Paddle Lake Jocassee. Hike to the Table Rock overlook at Caesars Head State Park. Hunt for waterfalls at Jones Gap State Park. E V E N T S : ScanSource Reedy River Concert (June-August); Indie Craft Parade (September 14-16); Get Out Greenville (October 6)

Knoxville, Tenn. P O P U L AT I O N : 1 8 6 , 2 3 9 F U N FAC T: W I T H I N C I T Y L I M I T S A LO N E , K N OX V I L L E H A S OV E R 4 , 5 0 0 AC R E S O F PA R K S A N D G R E E N S PAC E , W H I C H I N C LU D E S T H E 1 ,0 0 0 -AC R E U R B A N W I L D E R N E S S .

The literal gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River, Knoxville’s location in eastern Tennessee can’t be beat. But closer to town, there’s more than enough to satisfy any adventure craving. The Tennessee River flows through the southern edge of the city and the 1,000-acre Knoxville Urban Wilderness can be quickly accessed from most any point downtown. “If we had the snow we’d be the Boulder of the East,” says River Sports Outfitters owner Ed McAlister. “I think we’re blessed in that a lot of new public officials are being elected who are pro outdoors. They get it, they understand the need to pursue that, and that’s what’s going to bring more people to Knoxville. Having an outdoor component to our economic development plan is vital to attracting not just new people but businesses, too.”

Play + Stay Thanks to the hard work of the Legacy Parks Foundation, mountain bikers and trail runners can have a consistent 50mile singletrack experience all without ever leaving the city. The signature 12.5-mile South Loop seamlessly connects some of Knoxville’s most popular parks, namely Ijams Nature Center, Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area, Anderson School Trails, William Hastie Natural Area, Marie Myers Park, and Baker Creek Preserve. The closest paddling to Knoxville is mostly flatwater or class I, but within a couple hours’ drive you can reach the French Broad and the Big South Fork, both of which are Southeastern whitewater gems. Rent a boat from River Sports Outfitters for $50 a day and paddle past the stone bluffs at Ijams Nature Center. If you’ve

been out riding on the South Loop, pull up with your bike for tacos at SoKno Taco Cantina, which is conveniently located near the trail. Norris Dam State Park is a quick 30 minutes from Knoxville in Rocky Top, Tenn., and is about the closest camping you can find. There’s also hiking and fishing here, so you’re travels won’t be for naught. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Hike at House Mountain Natural Area. Search for birds at Seven Islands State Birding Park. E V E N T S : Bike Boat Brew & Bark (June 2); Knoxville Brewfest (June 16); Rhythm N’ Blooms Music Festival (April 2019)

Chattanooga, Tenn. P O P U L AT I O N : 1 7 7, 5 7 1 F U N FAC T: I N 2 0 1 7, C H AT TA N O O G A B E C A M E T H E F I R S T C I T Y I N T H E W O R L D TO H O S T ALL FOUR IRONMAN EVENTS IN ONE YEAR: T H E I R O N M A N 7 0. 3 , 1 4 0.6 , A N D B OT H T H E M E N ’ S A N D WO M E N ’ S I R O N M A N 7 0. 3 W O R L D CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Back in the 1980s, the city of Chattanooga rose from the depths of de-industrialization despair and reinvented itself, starting first with a downtown revitalization investment that included, among many other wonderful things like the Tennessee Aquarium, a riverwalk. That riverwalk arguably changed the way ‘Noogans thought about their city, and today, Chattanooga is by far one of the top outdoor recreation destinations in the South. “We have some of the best climbing in the South within 30 minutes of the city and that’s pretty awesome,” says High Point Climbing Supervisor Logan Bailey. “Point in any direction and you’ve got great rock climbing and mountain biking as well, and yet you can still go into the city when you’re done being outside for the day.”

Play + Stay Start your day on the rocks at Foster Falls, the closest major sport climbing area to the city. The bullet-hard sandstone is textbook Southeastern climbing, and with more than 130 developed routes ranging from moderate 5.8s to a handful of legit 5.13s, there’s a route for every level of climber. Not a rope climber? Check out the boulderfields at Stone Fort, which are so stellar that one of the largest outdoor bouldering competitions is held here every year (see Triple Crown Bouldering Series for more info). Acquired just last year, The

Boulders on Old Wauhatchie Pike are the closest bouldering to town and are situated right at the base of Lookout Mountain. Mountain bikers have a variety of options, too, from the fast flow of Enterprise South Nature Park to the steep and technical rock gardens of Raccoon Mountain. Later in the day, swing over to the Flying Squirrel Bar for authentic farm to table cuisine and craft cocktails. When you’re good and full and tipsy, you need only stumble next door to the Flying Squirrel’s sister business The Crash Pad, a climber-friendly hostel with affordable rates as low as $35 per night. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Explore Ruby Falls. Hike through Rock City. Peruse the Chattanooga River Market. E V E N T S : Riverbend Festival (June 8-16); Moon River Music Festival (September 8-9); River Rocks Chattanooga (October 5-21)

Columbus, Ga. P O P U L AT I O N : 1 9 7, 4 8 5 F U N FAC T: T H E C I T Y I S LO C AT E D AT T H E E A R L I E S T N AV I G A B L E P O I N T O F T H E C H AT TA H O O C H E E , W H I C H M A D E C O LU M B U S A MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL HUB IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES.

Home of Coca-Cola and Wayne Brady, Columbus wasn’t known for much beyond those veritable claims to fame until the city beefed up the downtown section of the Chattahoochee River. Now, their urban whitewater course ranks among the top 10 in the nation, with the two release levels offering everything from class II to class IV+ rapids. “It’s really become the place to be,” says Whitewater Express Manager of

PA D D L E P L AY I N C O L U M B U S , G E O R G I A ' S C H AT TA H O O C H E E R I V E R / PHOTO BY PETER HOLCOMBE

Operations Alex Quinney. “You can go down to the river on a Saturday and it’s just filled with people. We have one of the best play waves for kayaking in the United States, and those kayakers come from all over.”

Play + Stay Raft high-volume rapids right through the heart of Columbus, Ga., with Whitewater Express. Individual rafting rates start at $38.50 for a low-water run and $49.50 for the high-water action (we recommend you go big or go home). The outfitter also offers canopy tours and aerial challenge courses for the vertically fearless. After your in-town rafting trip, cruise the Dragonfly Trail by bike. This 11mile multi-use bike and pedestrian path weaves through the heart of the city and can connect to the 15-mile Chattahoochee Riverwalk. For dinner, bring your appetite to The Black Cow, famous for its fried green tomatoes. Lake Pines Campground in eastern Columbus provides tent sites for $24 per night and keeps you close enough to get to Plucked Up Chicken & Biscuits for breakfast in the morning. E X T R AC U R R I C U L A R S : Fish for brown and rainbow trout in the Chattahoochee River and at West Point Lake. Browse Uptown Columbus at Market Days on Broadway. Dive deep into nature at Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center. E V E N T S : Color Vibe 5K (TBD); Woodruff Park 5K (June 9); RiverBlast Festival (March 2019)

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What's In Our

Rivers?

most of us don't know. here's a quick guide to the health of the water you paddle, fish, swim, and drink.

WATER WOES

APPALACHIAN RIVERS FACE WATER QUALITY THREATS

Potomac River (WEST VIRGINIA/VIRGINIA/MARYLAND)

The Potomac was named the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most endangered river in 2012 by nonprofit American Rivers due to pollution from agricultural and urban land uses. Ongoing issues with coal ash disposal are causing further concern within the Potomac watershed.

Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers (GEORGIA/ALABAMA/FLORIDA)

Increasing water demand and pollution from expanding suburban populations in the Atlanta area are putting strain on wildlife and human populations downstream, triggering a decades-long legal battle among stakeholders.

B Y WA L L Y S M I T H

entucky's Stoney Fork isn't supposed to run an otherworldly shade of translucent red, but that's what Matt Hepler found in late March last year. Hepler, a water scientist, says the color was due to an upstream storage tank leaking potassium permanganate, a chemical used in treating acid mine drainage. Hepler's photos of the discolored creek went viral on social media. The spill wasn't an isolated case for Appalachian rivers. As many as 10,000 gallons of chemicals leaked into West Virginia's Elk River in 2014, leaving a quarter million people without potable water. Just six years earlier, millions of cubic yards of coal ash flooded the mouth of the Emory River in Kingston, Tenn. Those incidents all pose fundamental questions about the health of our waterways, but diving deeper into their answers often means descending into a maddening blend of jargon and legalese. Terms like 303(d) impairment and Section 319 funding all complicate an easy understanding of issues that have impacts on each of us. What's really happening to our rivers, and how do those issues affect the millions of people across the Blue Ridge who rely on them for drinking water and as places to swim, paddle, or fish?

Dan River (NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA)

KENTUCKYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STONEY FORK WA S D I S C O L O R E D I N E A R L Y 2 0 1 7 B Y A L E A K O F P O TA S S I U M P E R M A N G A N AT E , A C H E M I C A L U S E D I N T R E AT I N G A C I D M I N E D R A I N A G E

Elk River (WEST VIRGINIA)

A 2014 chemical leak into the Elk River left several hundred thousand residents without drinking water and raised national awareness about the health of Appalachian streams.

Emory River (TENNESSEE)

A ruptured dike at a waste containment area near the confluence of the Emory and Clinch Rivers resulted in the largest release of coal ash in U.S. history in 2008.

Saluda River

We Are What We Drink "Every aspect of what we do in our daily lives affects our water quality," says Stephanie Kreps, a water manager with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Kreps says that the host of threats is so pervasive that it's virtually impossible to find a major watershed anywhere across the Blue Ridge that doesn't have at least some of its streams suffering from water quality impairments.

A February 2014 leak of an estimated 39,000 tons of coal ash entered the Dan River from a Duke Energy steam facility in Eden, North Carolina, causing concern about potential contamination from metals and other pollutants for miles downstream.

(SOUTH CAROLINA)

WA D E M I C K L E Y

The Saluda, which cascades off of the Blue Ridge into the South Carolina Piedmont, has been plagued by bacterial contamination in recent years. Several guides, outfitters, and other businesses filed a 2017 lawsuit against a regional utility provider, alleging a loss of business due to pollution in the river. J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

Headline-grabbing incidents like the 2014 Elk River spill justifiably dominate our public dialogue about water quality, but less-visible issues like sediment and bacteria are often even more dangerous. These types of pollution often stem from "nonpoint" sources, a regulatory term meaning that they cannot be traced to a single location like a pipe or the site of an accidental spill. Instead, any number of sources dispersed across thousands of square miles of land can all contribute pollutants to the same waterway. In Southern Appalachia, disturbed lands for development, logging, and surface mines expose large amounts of sediment that can eventually make its way into nearby rivers. It’s more than just runoff; the increased sediment load causes higher concentrations of salt and selenium downstream of mining activities. A 2017 Duke University study showed that several streams impacted by mountaintop removal mining in West Virginia now run consistently saltier for up to 80 percent of the year. While elevated sediment and salinity levels may sound like a minor issue, they can spell huge problems

for the overall stability of the stream ecosystem. Those impacts often show up first in animals like aquatic insects that thrive along the stream bottom, creating ripple effects throughout the stream's food web, all the way up to fish populations. In other cases, excess levels of contaminants like selenium can cause different problems altogether. A 2010 study of West Virginia's Mud River watershed found physical deformities in a number of fish species—including game fish like bluegill and largemouth bass—as a result of selenium toxicity. Then the hard work of addressing those sources of pollutants begins. "How are we going to fix this?" Kreps asks. That question is answered through the development of an implementation plan, where Kreps says state and federal agencies work with nonprofits, community members, and other stakeholders to draft a blueprint for reversing a stream's pollution issues. It's a process that may take years, but it's a key step in securing the financial resources needed to help communities address polluted streams.

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Up Sh*t Creek Upper Tennessee River Roundtable Executive Director Carol Doss has spent much of her time in recent years grappling with another nonpoint source pollutant: bacteria. The cause of bacterial problems in most streams is fecal coliform contamination, the scientific term for bacteria that originate in the large intestines of warm-blooded animals. The proverbial bear shitting in the woods can be a source of fecal coliform issues, but problems really begin when human waste enters the picture. Doss mentions that unmaintained septic systems and pet or livestock waste are major sources of fecal coliform bacteria in regional streams. "I think it's something people don't think a lot about," Doss says, but without appropriate control measures, "it's going to get into the water somewhere." Among the cocktail of pathogens commonly found in fecal coliform contamination is E. coli, which can cause gastrointestinal illness in swimmers, boaters, and other users that might accidentally ingest untreated water. In other

GET YOUR FEET WET

How You Can Actually Do Something About Water Quality K N OW YO U R WAT E R S H E D

What stream does runoff from your community end up in? Is it safe to swim, fish, or float a nearby river? The USEPA’s How’s My Waterway? tool allows you to enter a zip code or town and receive info on the status of streams that are found nearby. WATERSGEO.EPA.GOV/MYWATERWAY

K N OW YO U R P O I N T S O U R C E S

Concerned about what might be getting discharged into your favorite river? Most states keep searchable, online lists of permitted point sources. North Carolina has even assembled its permitted point sources into a map showing the location of each. DEQ.NC.GOV/ABOUT/DIVISIONS/WATER-RESOURCES

G E T AC T I V E

Most major watersheds across the Blue Ridge have nonprofit organizations dedicated to preserving and improving the condition of nearby streams. Find and join your nearest watershed advocacy group to keep track of events in your area. Most organizations host regular public events such as stream cleanups or events to train citizens in water quality monitoring.

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cases, viral pathogens like those causing hepatitis can even hitchhike with the bacteria found in untreated sewage, further enhancing public health threats. Many areas have programs that help landowners repair failing septic systems or remediate erosion issues, but those projects can be time-consuming and expensive to complete, especially for low-income residents. Plus, nonpoint source issues can present communication hurdles since they are often not as visible as something like a pipe discharging wastewater into a stream. "With nonpoint sources coming from all over," Doss says, "you don't immediately know where (pollutants) are coming from if you see them in a stream."

Regulating a River By contrast, identifying and regulating those known locations—called point sources—is much more straightforward. That's thanks in part to the Clean Water Act, a landmark environmental law that governs how both point and nonpoint sources are regulated. While the law doesn't prevent the release of contaminants into waterways outright, it does establish a licensing system that controls the

amount of pollutants—everything from treated sewage to chemical waste to even water artificially warmed by industrial processes—that a facility can release into a waterbody. The resulting permits obtained by those facilities allow for regulators to track wastewater discharges and ensure that pollutant levels remain within the safe confines of regulatory standards. Today, the number of permitted discharge facilities spread across the Blue Ridge numbers in the thousands, ranging from large facilities like the region’s power plants to mining outfalls and even the small wastewater treatment plants serving the region's subdivisions and ski resorts. The value of permitting point sources is that regulators can keep track of individual facilities and issue penalties for violations, but that doesn't mean that those regulations are without controversy. As one example, communities across the Blue Ridge are currently embroiled in a long-term battle over the storage of coal ash—a chemical-laden residue that results from burning coal—in constructed ponds near waterways. Lawsuits and public outcry over coal ash disposal have raged in recent years, especially at coal ash ponds along the French

Broad River, James River, and Potomac River. These often-unlined storage leak toxic pollutants into waterways, aquifers, and drinking water sources. The Southern Environmental Law Center has been engaging in legal action related to coal ash across multiple Southeastern states, including filing a 2017 lawsuit against Duke Energy over its coal ash storage at a power plant near Charlotte, citing elevated levels of arsenic, mercury, and other toxic pollutants in waterways near the site.

Taking Action Solving the region's water quality challenges ultimately comes down to one thing: awareness. Doss's organization, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, works across the thousands of square miles to enhance public understanding of water quality threats. Doss says that people "just light up" once the acronyms and jargon surrounding water quality topics are broken down into realworld terms. "They want to help do something good for the environment," she says. Anglers and padlers are especially important in providing input. A recent

project led by recreational groups to develop a new put-in along one Virginia stream discovered a location where a nearby building was straightpiping untreated sewage directly into the waterway. "You can't beat the local context of somebody who lives on the ground," Kreps says. And what about monitoring wastewater discharges or catching accidental spills like the one that discolored Kentucky's Stoney Fork? Public awareness has a critical role to play there, too. Savage and Hepler both say that citizen involvement is a crucial step in identifying and addressing water quality violations. In fact, Hepler says that he originally became aware of problems with Stoney Fork while traveling to investigate a citizen complaint at a nearby stream. Join a water monitoring group, or submit reports to your state’s environmental agency if you're out on the river and see something that doesn't look right. Even the small step of vocally supporting healthy rivers can empower others to action, says Erin Savage, program manager at Appalachian Voices. "Get the word out within your community that you are aware of water quality issues and you value clean, public water."

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2018 GUIDE TO

Explore the gorge

A LL- I N C LU S I V E PR I Z E PAC K AG E G I V E AWAY !

V I S I T B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S .C O M + E N T E R F O R A C H A N C E TO W I N !

2 F U LL DAYS O F A DV E N TU R E CHOOSE FROM RAFTING, ZI P L I N E S , R A P P E LLI N G , TIMBERTREK, ROCK CLIMBING AND MORE!

2 N I G H T S TAY I N A CO U N T RY CABIN

WeLove Love Adventure Adventure We

We Love Adventure

2 F U LL DAYS OF MEALS

F e e l i n g d i s ta n t ? P e r f e c t.

Each step away from the churn and burn of the daily routine is a step closer to the place you belong. The place full of mystery, wonder and surprise. A remote, placid lake. A world-class trout stream. A luxury cabin in the mountains. In West Virginia, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel far away from everything. And a little closer to heaven.

Spruce Knob Lake

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almost heaven, west virginia T h e M o u n t a i n St a t e m e a n s peak trout fishing. Fishing enthusiasts young and old will find trout fishing paradise in the many scenic rivers and s t r e a m s o f We s t V i r g i n i a . Whether you prefer fly fishing, boat casting or bank fishing, a serene and rewarding experience awaits in this p l a c e l o c a l s c o n s i d e r “A l m o s t H e a v e n .” Ke e p i n m i n d t h a t y o u ’ l l n e e d a We s t V i r g i n i a l i c e n s e a n d t r o u t s t a m p, a s w e l l a s a N a t i o n a l F o r e s t St a m p, f o r some rivers. Follow the locals down to these hidden trout-teeming hotpots.

s ec o n d c r e e k

28 is narrower than other parts o f t h e r i v e r, w h i c h m a k e s i t t h e ideal spot to perfect your short casts. Fish like a local by using dry flies and nymphs.

elk r iver

Many enthusiasts consider this the best trout fishing in the East. W h i l e We s t V i r g i n i a h a s m a n y worthy candidates for fishing utopia, the Elk River offers anglers brookies, browns and rainbows, with rumors of catches topping 22 inches. Af t e r d i s a p p e a r i n g i n t o underground caves for several miles, the river reappears in the form of three huge underground springs where rainbows as large as wild salmon have been s p o t t e d . Lo c a l t i p : t h e b e s t catches happen after dusk.

This 1.5-mile-long stretch of stream is one of six spots in We s t V i r g i n i a d e s i g n a t e d f o r f l y f i s h i n g o n l y. Lo c a t e d i n M o n r o e C o u n t y, i t ’s s t o c k e d e v e r y April, and local anglers divide the river into two sections: above and below the water b r i d g e. T h o u g h n o t e t h a t t h i s bridge is private property and o p e n t o f o o t t r a f f i c o n l y, n o vehicles. Plot your course for about five miles south of the city of Ro n c e v e r t e, a n d t h a t ’s w h e r e y o u ’ l l f i n d S e c o n d C r e e k . I t ’s about 25 feet wide and offers a n e a s y w a d e, p a c k e d w i t h mayfly nymphs and scuds on t h e s u r f a c e, a n d a r e s p e c t a b l e population of brown trout—with t h e o c c a s i o n a l r a i n b o w — b e l o w.

B u F Fa lO FO r k lake

sO uth B r a n c h POtO m ac r I v e r

w hy w e st virginia

A l t h o u g h i t ’s b e s t k n o w n f o r i t s smallmouth bass population, the North Fork of the South B r a n c h Po t o m a c R i v e r b o a s t s a mix of rainbow and brown trout, the occasional brook t r o u t a n d We s t V i r g i n i a’s magical golden trout. T h e s t r e t c h a l o n g Ro u t e

This 22-acre lake is stocked r e g u l a r l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r, with some of the trout remaining y e a r - r o u n d . I t ’s b e s t s u i t e d f o r boat casting, but there is also a trail circling the lake for bank fishing. B u f f a l o F o r k La k e i s c l o s e d t o s w i m m e r s , s o y o u d o n’ t h a v e to worry about unruly splashing scaring off your next big catch. Night fishing is allowed, so you can practice your cast under the s t a r s o f Po c a h o n t a s C o u n t y ’s f a m o u s d a r k s k y. V i s i t W Vt o u r i s m .c o m t o f i n d other spectacular hotspots—on t h e w a t e r a n d b e y o n d — i n We s t Virginia.

T h e s t a t e ’s s u b l i m e n a t u r a l beauty offers the ideal backdrop for outdoor lovers to create their own rich and rewarding experiences. W V TO U R I S M . C O M

WE LL TAKE YOU THERE Her paddle cuts through the water as she works in tandem with her sisters to conquer Mother Nature’s majestic rapids on the mighty New River. It will leave her tired, proud, invigorated and yearning for more! At Adventures on the Gorge, our passion is leading the world outdoors. It drives everything we do.

NewRiverGorgeGetaway.com | 888.383.9933

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2018 BARBOURVILLE, KY SPONSORED BY UNION COLLEGE U-CANOE & BARBOURVILLE TOURISM

snowshoe mountain resort

discover your next adventure...

T hings we can do...

Your next epic adventure is waiting in Nature’s Mountain Playground. Miles and miles of Hiking and Biking trails traverse river-laced lowlands and high mountain views. Whether you have kids in tow, or are young at heart, Adventure Awaits you. It’s time to get your adventure on. Plan your next adventure adventu at: NaturesMtnPlayground.com/adventure38

_ Wine & Jazz Festi val June 15 -16, Snowshoe _ Moun tain Trai l Chal leng e Half Mara thon & 5k Aug. 11, Watoga State P ark

fun stuff to do on our trip to P ocahontas County

_ WV Roadkill Cook -off Sept. 29, Marlinton Home of:

800.336.7009 NaturesMountainPlayground.com Text “adventure38” to 304.782.0400

CUMBERLAND

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adventures on the gorge

pocahontas county west virginia

Summertime is meant for sunshine, good friends and great adventures. There’s a lot going on in the New River Gorge that will easily fill your days with carefree fun. Fayetteville, West Virginia had a slam dunk in the 2018 Best of the Blue Ridge. Find some of the highlights at Adventures on the Gorge. Spend your day zipping through the woods on TreeTops Zip Line Canopy Tour, voted Best Zipline this year. Cruise above a reclaimed strip-mine on Gravity Zip Lines. You’ll be stoked on the speed of the zips and amazed at how seamlessly Mother Nature heals.

Discover the Birthplace of Rivers. Adventure awaits in Nature’s Mountain Playground, where pristine, crisp waters cut through winding valleys laying at the feet of the Appalachian Mountains.

paddle the new Paddlers in the New River Gorge celebrate 50 years of West Virginia Whitewater this season, and nothing says summer like a day spent floating downstream. The New River offers sections for all ages and adventure levels. With the family-fun Upper New, children and adults have an up-close experience as they paddle their duckie down the incredibly scenic gorge and through playful rapids. Adventure seekers will find a thrill on the Lower New as they tackle challenging rapids with house-sized boulders, hydraulics and exciting surf spots. Other popular adventures include stand up paddleboarding, rock climbing, and electric assist Fat Kat bike tours. Options are available for novices to seasoned pros alike. If you’ve always wanted to try something, but aren’t sure where to get started, the guides at AOTG can get you going. After working up an appetite, there are plenty of places to visit. Try the massive ½ pound Chetty’s Burger with hand-cut fries for a casual pub experience. Or treat yourself to a gourmet dinner at Smokey’s Steakhouse, where the views of the New River Gorge rival the delicious food. Cap the weekend off with a night of dancing at Rendezvous Lodge. When you drift off to sleep after a funfilled day, you’ll feel the rocking of the boat on the water, the wind in your hair and a smile spread across your face.

Be there! Join AOTG and celebrate 50 years of whitewater in West Virginia at the Brewgrass Reunion on June 8-9, 2018. NEWRIVERGORGEGETAWAY.COM

ADVENTURES ON THE GORGE

pocahontas county rivers Pocahontas County holds the waters of eight West Virginia rivers, from slow flowing waters suited for kayaking and lakes offering up a relaxing paddle board outing, to rushing white waters hiding the elusive rainbow trout from some of the Blue Ridge’s most skilled anglers. There’s water adventure for the whole family! Lakes, streams, rivers, and waterfalls—it’s all here waiting to be uncovered in Nature’s Mountain Playground. Plan your next great adventure NaturesMountainPlayground.com. NATURESMOUNTAIN PLAYGROUND.COM

barbourville kentucky cumberland river challenge Historic Barbourville, Kentucky is as rich in adventure as it is in history. The Cumberland River Challenge Canoe & Kayak Race is an annual event, hosted by Union College U Canoe and Barbourville Tourism. Racers compete on 15 miles of river that range from calm water to Class II rapids. There are three boat classes, from tandem canoes and solo kayaks, to paddleboards.Each class will have its own winner! The winner will receive bragging rights and trophies for each division. Call or go to Facebook to register for this amazing race.

keep adventuring When you’re done paddling, take time to enjoy and attend some of our festivals, events, and parks, or take a hike through time on the Boone Trace, the Wilderness Road or the Warrior’s Path. BARBOURVILLETOURISM.COM

POCAHONTAS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

BARBOURVILLE KENTUCKY CUMBERLAND RIVER CHALLENGE

Love is too big for four walls to hold. With hundreds of miles of coastal marshes, salty bays and open ocean, and the James River stitching it all together, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really only one thing to do in Virginia: launch.

Buggs Island Lake

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the rivers of virginia V ir g inia’s v as t sy stem of r iv e r s , s alty tid al b ay s , a nd quie t in l ets and stream s provi de m o de r n p ad d lespo rt en thusi a sts o p p or t unities to leav e the worl d b e h in d, hav e an ad v enture of t h e ir ow n, and explo re nature on its terms.

th e h i sto r i c Ja m es r i v e r

M ov in g gently in s o me areas a n d ov e r w hitewater rapi ds i n o t he r s , the James is the l ongest, mo s t h isto ric riv er in Vi rgi ni a , fl o w in g b eneath Civ il War tra i n t r e s t le s and mo d ern- d ay bri dges wit h p a n o ramic c ity s c apes a nd b r e a t h t a king natural b eauty as b a c kdr o p s. T h e r iv er is stud d ed wi th i s la n ds and huge ro cks that a llow p ad d lers time to pi cni c, s o a k u p the s unshine and fresh a ir, o r d oze to the s o un ds of the r ive r f lo wing b y. Water l evel s a r e no r mally s uf f icient for yearr ound c a no eing and sui tabl e fo r p a d dlers o f all lev el s of e x p e r ie n ce. I f yo u v enture to the U pper J a m e s R iv er, y o u’ll f ind more l e is ur e ly w aters—tho s e good fo r t ub in g, c as ual c anoei ng, a n d w a t er play. T he Upper J a m e s R iv er Water Trai l wi nds b e a u t if ully thro ugh the sceni c A lle g h e n y and B lue Ridge M ount a i ns .

whitewater

V ir g in ia has plenty o f whi tewater r ive r s t hro ug ho ut its western mo u n t a in regio ns, suc h a s the C lin c h, S henand o ah, a nd N ew Riv e r s , whic h af f o rd river-runni ng a c t iv it ie s f o r pad d lers of al l l e ve ls o f exp erience—from the n ov ic e t o the expert. Lying at the b ase o f Vi rgi ni a’s mo u n t a ins are p ied mo n t ri vers t h a t m e and er thro ugh remote wo od la nd s, many w ith smal l i s la n ds and intermed iate l evel s o f w hit e w ater where they cross t h e f a ll l ine. T h e J ames Riv er is di fferent fr o m m o s t pied mo nt rivers b e c a us e it f lo ws thro ugh the h e a r t of R ic hmo nd ’s urba n

di stri ct over a 7 -m ile s h e lf o f gra ni te, droppin g m o r e t h a n 1 00 feet over the f a ll lin e w h e r e it cha nges to ti d a l w a t e r s . The N ew Ri ve r in t h e s o u t h w e s t regi on of Vi rgin ia f lo w s t h r o u gh gorgeous mo u n t a in s ce n e r y surrounded by t a ll r o ck clif f s a n d deep gorges a n d mo ve s n o r t h w a r d from N orth C a r o lin a t o We s t Vi rgi ni a , even t u a lly s pillin g in t o the Mi ssi ssi ppi. Pa d d lin g t h e Ne w i s trul y a step b a ck in t ime, a s it i s the second o ld e s t r ive r in t h e worl d.

l e i su r e r i v e r tr i p

East of the pie d mo n t r e gio n lie Vi rgi ni a's fl at co a s t a l pla in s w h e r e ri vers a re per f e ct f o r e xplo r e r s seek i ng a mor e in t ima t e, le is u r e ly ri ver experi en ce. C oasta l ri ve r s , t r ib u t a r ie s a n d creek s such as t h e B la ckw a t e r, N orthwest an d No r t h La n d in g tra verse hi sto r ica l s it e s a n d r e mo t e ma rshes, swa mps , a n d w ild e r n e s s fl anked wi th c ypr e s s t r e e s a n d dense forests. These sma lle r r ive r s a n d s t r e a ms al so provi de h a b it a t s f o r a w id e va ri ety of fi sh a n d w ild lif e w h e r e paddl ers can ge t a b ir d 's e ye vie w of mother nat u r e. Farther ea s t o n Vir gin ia’s coastl i ne, the t id a l cr e e ks a n d estuari es near t h e C h e s a pe a ke B a y are becomi ng in cr e a s in gly po pu la r wi th sea k aya ke r s . W i th the de ve lo pme n t o f t h e Vi rgi ni a Sea s id e Wa t e r Tr a il, paddl ers can n a viga t e t h r o u gh 37 routes—100 m ile s o f w a t e r w a ys !

outfitters

Outfi tters and ca n o e live r ie s a r e l oca ted al ong t h e s h o r e s o f m a n y of Vi rgi ni a’s r ive r s a n d m a ke r ive r runni ng easy, s a f e, e n jo ya b le and conveni e n t . M o s t o u t f it t e r s offer cl asses, gu id e s , r ive r ga u ge i nforma ti on an d e qu ipme n t ; and some eve n le a d o ve r n igh t combi na ti on c a n o e in g a n d h ikin g tri ps. Fi nd a n o u t d o o r gu id e a n d ma ke your va ca t io n d r e a ms co me true. VIRGINIA. OR G / RIVE RS

THAT TIME

the water took you

FAR AWAY.

With 22 miles of salt and fresh water, largely free of wind and waves, there’s no better place to get your paddle on than Chesapeake. Onshore, you’ll find farmers’ markets, great shopping and dining and lodging as affordable as it is convenient. Join us, and let the moments begin. VisitChesapeake.com

Let the moments begin. Blue Ridge Outdoors_Ad_92x4975_WO349_Due4_25ƒ

4/10/18 11:15 AM

The great outdoors is calling and it’s closer than you think... Kayaks, Rafts, Tubes, Canoes, Camping, Fishing, Paddleboards

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BR Outdoors_Kayak Ad_Water Issue.indd 1

4/28/18 4:25 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA

chesapeake, virginia

menokin

That time the road less t r a v e l e d w a s a c t u a l l y a r i v e r. . . No matter the season, C h e s a p e a ke, V i r g i n i a i s t h e perfect place to lose your cares a n d g e t b a c k t o l i f e’s s i m p l e pleasures. Just minutes from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, it is a n o u t d o o r l o v e r s’ p a r a d i s e — complete with 22 miles of wave a n d w i n d f r e e w a t e r t h a t ’s m a d e for paddle boarding, kayaking, s a i l i n g , c a n o e i n g , a n d m o r e.

Menokin is located on Cat Point Creek, a pristine tributary of the Rappahannock River and is a part of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. It is also a designated Chesapeake Bay Gateway.

explore chesapeake B a c k o n s h o r e, t h e N o r t h w e s t R i v e r Pa r k a n d C a m p g r o u n d offers over 700 trails, complete with campsites, a putt-putt course and a certified disc g o l f c o u r s e. Ta ke p i c t u r e s o f the gorgeous cypress trees and explore the historic G r e a t D i s m a l Sw a m p N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e Re f u g e — b e l o v e d f o r i t s a b u n d a n c e o f b i r d s , w i l d l i f e, a n d miles of hiking and cycling trails.

lakes and rivers La ke D r u m m o n d i s a f r e s h w a t e r l a ke r a r e l y e xc e e d i n g 6 - f e e t d e e p, m a k i n g i t i d e a l f o r f a m i l y f u n o f a l l k i n d s l i ke k a y a k i n g , swimming, canoeing, or just gazing. The Northwest River and the Elizabeth River have some of the best bass and trout fishing— a n d c r a b b i n g — i n t h e c o u n t r y.

play and stay Af t e r a d a y o f p a d d l i n g , t h e r e are plenty of indoor pursuits to b e h a d . C h e s a p e a ke o f f e r s a number of charming shops and boutiques and an array of great places to eat and drink. There are also a variety of affordable hotel accommodations, and you’ll be sure to find something to suit your tastes, on virtually any budget. W h e t h e r i t ’s a r o m a n t i c g e t a w a y, u n f o r g e t t a b l e f a m i l y t i m e, o r a p l a c e t o r e l a x w i t h friends, you’ll have it all. Le t t h e m o m e n t s b e g i n i n C h e s a p e a ke, Vi r g i n i a . V I S I TC H E SA P E A K E . C O M

wildlife refuge In 2005, Menokin became part of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The National Audubon Society identified the Lower Rappahannock River, including Menokin, as an Important Bird Area. Menokin is also listed in the 1,000 Virginia Treasures initiative to highlight important ecological, historic, scenic, and recreational lands in the Commonwealth. The National Park Service awarded grant money to Menokin for the purpose of implementing public access to Cat Point Creek. Officially opened in 2015, use of the launch is free and available seven days a week unless otherwise posted. They offer kayak rentals using their fleet and equipment that were purchased with a grant from the Gwathmey Memorial Trust.

MENOKIN WARSAW, VIRGINIA

MENOKIN.ORG.

front royal outdoors Experience the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley and the thrill of its namesake river. But first, head to Front Royal Outdoors where friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you plan your perfect trip down the water. Front Royal also offers self-guided kayak, canoe, raft and tube trips on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, which make for perfect day excursions for the individual, family, or group of friends. Staff can even provide the shuttle, so all you have to focus on is your adventure.

but wait there's more! Visit their site for lodging and paddling packages, including the Paddle-n-Sip (Wine Tour). FRONTROYALOUTDOORS.COM

FRONT ROYAL OUTDOORS

Kayak. With. Dolphins. VisitVirginiaBeach.com

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virginia beach Wit h miles o f Atlanti c sho r e lin e, p riv ate b ay s, i nl a nd w a t e r w ay s and nature refuges, i t ’s t im e to p lan y o ur n ex t co a s t a l getaw ay and get out o n t he water in V irginia Beach. G r a b a p ad d le and expl ore one o f t h e last preserv ed sal t ma rsh h a bit a t s o n the E as t Coa st a t Fir s t La nd ing State Par k , have a m e e t - and - greet with fri endl y d olp h in s alo ng the Atla nti c sho r e lin e, o r jus t kic k ba ck i n y our be ach c hair and watch the t i d e c o m e in. Where the Atl a nti c Oc e a n meets the Chesa peake B a y, t h e re are c o untless wa ys t o ha ve a water- f illed adventure i n V ir g in ia B each.

chesapean outdoors

W it h t he p ro f usio n o f wa terwa ys fe e d in g into the Ches apea ke B a y a nd Atlantic Oc ean , there ma y be no b etter way to c e le b r a te the natural beauty of V ir g in ia B eac h than b y fl oati ng r ig ht t h r o ugh it. V isito rs ca n e x p lor e the co astal landscape wit h C h e s ap ean Outd oors, a lo c a l o utf itter o f f ering e x p e r ie n ces rang ing f r om s t a n d- u p pad d leb o ard ( SU P) t o ur s o f the o c ean and ba y to s ur f le s so ns and kay ak tours. F or m or e than 20 - y ears, they’ve g uid e d t o urs o f f the North End o f t he Oc eanf ro nt Distri ct to e x p e r ie n ce Atlantic B ottl enose D olp h in s in their natural e n vir o n ment. T his unf orgettabl e a dv e n t u re is the perf e ct way to e x p lor e their f amed w aterways.

surf & and adventure co.

W h ile t here’s no thing qui te a s s a t is f y ing as a d ay on t h e w a t e r, w hen f resh, l ocal s e a f o od is includ ed , it reaches a w ho le new lev el o f awesome. V is it or s lo o king f o r an a cti ve fo od ie ad v enture are in l uck wit h k a y ak sunset d inner tours o f f e r e d b y Surf & A d v enture C o. Pa dd le thro ug h the peaceful i n la nd w aterway s o f the Ba ck B a y N a t io nal Wild lif e Refuge, j u s t s o u t h o f Sand b rid ge Bea ch,

before dockin g u p a t B lu e Pete’s Rest a u r a n t f o r a s e a f o o d feast. As you s kim a cr o s s t h e water, keep a n e ye o u t f o r t h e more tha n 300 s pe cie s o f b ir d s and an a rra y o f lo ca l w ild lif e that cal l the r e f u ge h o m e.

rudee inlet stand up paddle

For the mor e h e a lt h -co n s cie n ce adventurer s , R u d e e In le t St a n d U p Paddl e o f f e r s f r e qu e n t tours of ou r w a t e r w a ys , i ncl udi ng y o ga w o r ko u t s a t o p a pa ddl eboa r d t a ilo r e d t o yo u r fi tness l eve l. Yo u w o n’ t ju s t b e work i ng on b a la n cin g d u r in g a yoga fl ow, yo u ’ ll b e give n the opportu n it y t o t a ke in t h e scenery a n d ge t e n e r giz e d f o r the da y a he a d .

plan your virginia beach vacation

Vi rgi ni a Be a ch b o a s t s a di verse, i m me n s e co lle ct io n o f comforta bl e a cco m m o d a t io n opti ons. You ’ ll f e e l a t h o m e bei ng a bl e t o e a s ily f in d a pl ace tha t f it s yo u r pe r s o n a lit y a nd your b u d ge t . W i th hote ls , r e s o r t s , b e d & brea k fa s t s , va ca t io n home renta ls , ca mpgr o u n d s , cabi ns and mo r e, yo u r vaca ti on pr o mis e s b o u n d le s s possi bi l i ti e s . Wh e t h e r yo u choose gor ge o u s vie w s , l ux uri ous am e n it ie s , a s po t under the s t a r s , o r yo u r pla ce ri ght on the s a n d , yo u w ill ha ve the p e r f e ct s t a y f o r yo u r getaway, ma d e w it h yo u in mi nd. From t h e m igh t y At la n t ic swel l and th e ca lm w a t e r s o f the bay, to t h e m o r e t h a n 1 2 0 mi l es of i nla n d w a t e r w a ys , bei ng on th e w a t e r is a w a y of l i fe i n Vi r gin ia B e a ch . Fr o m coa stal cuis in e, t o t h e e xqu is it e na tural won d e r s , s o a k in t h e good l i fe th is s u mm e r o n your Vi rgi n ia B e a ch va ca t io n . Sta rt pl ann in g yo u r s t o d a y a t Vi si tVi rgi ni a B e a ch .co m

VISITVIR GI NIAB E AC H. C O M

Get

Maury River

OUTSIDE and enjoy our public transportation.

Scenic mountain towns built on southern hospitality, history and culture.

LexingtonVirginia.com RockbridgeOutdoors.com

This is Lynchburg.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like spending the day out on the water, navigating through rolling rapids. Here, our pace is timed by the speed of the water. With gorgeous vistas and plenty of space to roam, our city is the perfect escape. Take some time to explore. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be glad that you did.

Find more: lynchburgvirginia.org

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lexington, Buena vista, and rockbridge county virginia If paddling is your passion, Rockbridge County, Virginia is a must on your bucket list of paddle destinations. Incredible paddling coupled with cool towns, local brews and wines, and outstanding restaurants make the perfect water getaway. The Maury River is a historical tributary to the James River that starts and ends entirely in Rockbridge County. Scenic and sometimes wild, the Maury roars to life in spring, tempting kayakers with a thrilling six-mile romp through the gorge at Goshen Pass. With two Class IV rapids —Devils Kitchen and Corner Rapid—this seasonal run, which ends at Rockbridge Baths, is Virginia’s most challenging whitewater. It’s typically runnable from March to June. This draws whitewater enthusiasts from all over the country.

the james river Virginia’s largest river, the James, flows through Rockbridge and offers a wide variety of activities such as tubing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and overnight camping trips. The first 59 miles of the Upper James is designated Virginia Scenic River, offering mountain views and great opportunities for wildlife viewing. The Upper James River Water Trail is the perfect choice for a day or just a few hours on the river, Outfitters and professional guides are great resources for more than just gear. They can help you to find a route suitable for your skill level, make sure you’re bringing the right gear as well as teach you how to use it, and educate you on safety and other precautions. Plus, they’ll watch for your safe return. The Wilderness Canoe Company provides single day and overnight river trips on both the James and the Maury Rivers. Choose from kayaking, canoeing, rafting and tubing options. Guided fishing excursions for beginners to experienced angler are available through John Roberts Fly Fishing Adventures. L E X I N GTO N V I R G I N I A . C O M ROCKBRIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

JAMES RIVER, ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA

lynchburg, virginia Lynchburg is for paddle people! This vibrant and welcoming city sits alongside American’s founding river, the James, offering watercraft enthusiasts ample opportunities to get their paddle on! You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the city sophistication surrounded by a beautiful, natural river setting teaming with fish, birds, and views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Make a weekend of it with an overnight at one of their downtown boutique hotels and dine overlooking the scenic riverfront at one of the many exceptional restaurants. In the morning, hop across the bridge to Riversedge Park for an excursion with James River Adventures to experience the river’s history, health, and future while having fun and enjoying its splendor via canoe, kayak, standup paddleboard, or tube.

ride into history Check out the revelry that is the annual Lynchburg Launch of the James River Batteau Festival! June 16th marks the 33rd time Batteau enthusiasts, who have spent years building their very own 19th century flat bottom river boats, gather for the eight day trek down the James River. The captains and crew of these fascinating vessels love to have kayakers and canoeists cheer them on as they launch from the shores of Percival’s Island.

clemmons lake Looking for a family friendly lake to paddle? Spend a weekend in May– September floating on Clemmons Lake, teaching your little one how to canoe or kayak at Ivy Creek Park, a green oasis that includes the six-acre lake, multi-use trails, picnic and play areas, as well as an auxiliary site for the naturalists of the Nature Zone. Bring a picnic on shore while your family ventures out on the water. Park amenities include canoe and adult/youth kayak rentals (no outside canoes or kayaks are permitted), multi-use and ADA compliant trails, playground and picnic area. So pack up your water shoes, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses and enjoy a new adventure in Lynchburg, Virginia. They just may surprise you a little. LYNCHBURGVIRGINIA.ORG

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

Philpott Lake at 65 (1953-2018)

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the years,

but the miles yet to paddle

Photo: Matt Ross

VisitFranklinCountyVa.com #VisitFranklinCo

VisitPatrickCounty.org #pcva

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franklin c o u n ty

Dip your paddle into cool mountain waters that have just tumbled off the eastern slopes o f t h e B l u e R i d g e. W i t h t w o l a ke s , f o u r r i v e r s a n d a c c e s s t o f i v e d i s t i n c t a n d e xc i t i n g blueways, Franklin County is a p a d d l e r ’s p a r a d i s e n o r t h o f Greensboro and just south of Ro a n o ke.

waterways The line-up of aquatic trails i n c l u d e t h e P i g g R i v e r B l u e w a y, B l a c k w a t e r R i v e r B l u e w a y, S m i t h R i v e r B l u e w a y, Ro a n o ke River Blueway and the recently l a u n c h e d P h i l p o t t La ke B l u e w a y, as well as the vast waters of S m i t h M o u n t a i n La ke.

Paddling fun Indulge yourself with a host of invigorating seasonal paddling activities, including the classic Ra m b l e We e ke n d — a t h r e e - d a y padding festival, and the annual S m i t h M o u n t a i n La ke S U P Ra c e. Le a r n t o S U P a n d s e a k a y a k from instructors on Philpott La ke. At t e n d t h e Pa d d l i n g F i l m F e s t i v a l Wo r l d To u r. Ta p your paddle at Concerts by C a n o e. J o i n t h e C r e e k F r e a k s Pa d d l i n g C l u b i n o n e o f t h e i r many outings. Need a spare p a d d l e c r a f t o r s u p p l i e s? T h e r e are several locations at Smith M o u n t a i n La ke w h i c h c a n accommodate your needs.

tastes of franklin county Speaking of liquids, paddling is c e r t a i n t o m a ke y o u w a n t t o w e t y o u r w h i s t l e ! Yo u c a n q u e n c h your thirst as Franklin County is home to both Chaos Mountain B r e w i n g C o. a n d H a m m e r & F o r g e. S i p i n t o t h e m o o n s h i n e heritage at the tasting rooms of Franklin County Distilleries and Tw i n C r e e k s D i s t i l l e r y. U n c o r k a t t h e B r o o k s M i l l W i n e r y. A n d f i n a l l y, n o o n e c a n p a s s u p the world famous Homestead C r e a m e r y, w h i c h a l s o c a l l s F r a n k l i n C o u n t y h o m e. V I S I T F R A N K L I N C O U N T Y VA . C O M

patr i c k c o u nty

Fi ve ri ve r s o r igin a t e wi thi n the bo r d e r s o f Pa t r ick C ounty and f lo w o u t in t o t w o maj or wate r s h e d s . In Pa t r ick C ounty, pa d d le r s h a ve ma n y opportuni tie s t o e n jo y t h e sceni c bea u t y, a b u n d a n t wi l dl i fe, a n d a n glin g o f t h e a rea .

patrick county rivers The Da n Ri ve r b e gin s northea st o f t h e M e a d o w s o f Da n commu n it y o n t h e cr e s t of the Bl ue R id ge M o u n t a in s . Many specie s o f t r o u t ca n b e found i n th e s ix-m ile s e ct io n between Ta lb o t t D a m, lo ca lly ca l l ed the “ Uppe r D a m,” a n d Townes Res e r vo ir. T h e r ive r fl ows from To w n e s D a m, lo ca lly ca l l ed the “ Lo w e r D a m,” a r o u n d the Pi nnacle s o f D a n , t h r e e mountai n p e a ks t h a t r is e u p from the D a n R ive r G o r ge, t o the Pi nnacle s Po w e r h o u s e. T h e N orth and S o u t h M a yo R ive r a r e frequentl y s t o cke d w it h b r o w n and ra i nbo w t r o u t . T h e S mit h Ri ver’s hea d w a t e r s a ls o s t a r t i n Pa tri ck Co u n t y a n d ca n b e accessed at Ir o n B r id ge Ro a d . Al so near Wo o lw in e is Ro ck C astl e C ree k, w h ich co n t a in s pi ckerel an d s u n f is h . T h e Ar a r a t Ri ver ri ses u p n e a r t h e Ar a r a t communi ty a n d co n t a in s n a t ive and ra i nbo w t r o u t .

PHOTO BY MATT ROSS

patrick county lakes In a ddi ti on t o t h e ma n y r ive r s , Patri ck C ou n t y is a ls o h o m e to four beau t if u l la ke s f o r paddl ers to e n jo y. T h e 1 6 8 acre Fai ry St o n e La ke, h o me o f Fai ry Stone St a t e Pa r k, o f f e r s great fi shi n g, ca m pin g a n d hi k i ng i n add it io n t o pa d d lin g opportuni ti e s . P h ilpo t La ke in Patri ck , He n r y, a n d F r a n klin counti es, als o w e lco me s paddl ers, w it h d ir e ct io n a l s ign s l eadi ng pa d d le r s a n d b o a t e r s al ong the B lu e Wa y. Ta lb o t t Da m a nd To w n e s Re s e r vo ir a r e other great o pt io n s t h a t o f f e r paddl i ng to h a n d ca r r ie d b o a t s and ca noes . V I S I T PAT R I C KC O U N T Y. O R G

PHOTO BY MATT ROSS

There are so many ways to see the Blue Ridge Mountains. On a beautiful summer day, the best choice is from the water. In Virginia’s Blue Ridge, the options include the Roanoke River Blueway and Upper James River Water Trail, plus two lakes and four rivers of Franklin County. Canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard or simply go with the flow

RIVERS & LAKES

in a tube – all in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

PLAN YOUR BLUE RIDGE DAY AT

VisitVBR.com

in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

#BlueRidgeDay 800.635.5535

RoanokeRiverBlueway.org

UpperJamesRiverWaterTrail.com

Paddle your way through virginia state Parks Did you know that there are 37 state parks across Virginia, one within an hour drive from anywhere in the state? Whether you’re a big family or a family of one, there’s something for everyone.

explore |

Hiking, biking, taking a leisurely stroll, and horseback riding are ways to hit over 500 miles of trails available across state parks but many parks can and should be explored by hitting the water. Virginia State Parks offer access to Virginia’s most popular waterways—Buggs Island Lake, Claytor Lake, the Chesapeake Bay, the James River, Lake Anna, the Potomac River, the Rappahannock River, Smith Mountain Lake and the York River. Paddle in a one-man kayak or a brawny powerboat. 24 parks offer boating access.

DIscover |

Self-guided or rangerled programs are available at each park. Visit the Visitor Center to see what you can do on your own or check the schedule to see what’s happening while you’re there. A popular program is the ranger-led moonlight kayak tour where the moon is your guide. Or, after you pack your

paddleboard away, enjoy a program from shore that illuminates the water to give a peak at life underneath.

think outside |

Have you ever tried standup paddle boarding? Or kayaking on the James? Or a hike that leads you to a breathtaking overlook where the clouds reflect perfectly on the water? You haven’t lived until you have. Whether you’re a lake, river or beach kind, we’ve got you covered. Rent a kayak, canoe, or jon boat or pull your boat up to the boat dock. Better yet, rent a cabin, yurt or campsite and stay for a while.

DOGs love to paddle too Pets are family too, so bring Fido along. All cabins are pet friendly (except False Cape State Park), including nearly all overnight accommodations, as long you keep your furry friend on a leash. They’ll appreciate you for getting them outside. Maybe they can even join you on the water to lead the way while you paddle along. With this hot weather we’ve had, your furry friend will appreciate a splash in the water. VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV

Start Your Mountain Paddling Adventure In St. Paul Virginia!

St. Paul is located right on the Clinch River, the most biodiverse river in the country! • Oxbow Lake • Blue Bell Island & Clinch Trails • Sugar Hill Trails • Spearhead Trails - Mountain • Clinch River Days Festival View ATV Trails Prepare For Your Adventure At These Wonderful Retailers: • Clinch River Adventures • Clinch Life Outfitters

276-762-5297 www.StPaulVA.org Facebook: StPaulVA WEBSITE.COM

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virginia's blue ridge V i s i t t h e Wa t e r s o f V i r g i n i a’s B l u e R i d g e. I f y o u ’ r e r e a d y f o r a g o o d t i m e o n t h e w a t e r, h e a d t o t h e Ro a n o ke Va l l e y i n V i r g i n i a’s Blue Ridge Mountains! The region is home to n u m e r o u s r i v e r s , l a ke s , a n d blueways that wind through the heart of the mountains and offer beautiful natural scenes. Ka y a k i n g , c a n o e i n g , f i s h i n g , tubing, paddleboarding, boating, swimming... they have it all in V i r g i n i a’s B l u e R i d g e !

paddle the waters Pa d d l e r s w i l l l o v e t h e s i g h t s and sounds of the Upper James R i v e r Wa t e r Tr a i l , p a r t i c u l a r l y the 59-mile stretch designated a s a V i r g i n i a S c e n i c R i v e r. I t ’s a great spot to get on the water with the entire family and some segments include Class I & Class II rapids, as well as scenic v a l l e y s a n d r o l l i n g f a r m l a n d . Yo u c a n a l s o c h e c k o u t t h e Ro a n o ke River Blueway for an additional 45 miles of paddling fun in V i r g i n i a’s B l u e R i d g e. A popular spot for paddling, f l o a t i n g a n d f i s h i n g , t h e Ro a n o ke River Blueway is connected by many public parks in the region and multiple greenway trails, providing the opportunity for outdoor adventures on both land a n d w a t e r.

lake life F o r a r e l a x i n g l a ke e x p e r i e n c e, m a ke y o u r w a y t o F r a n k l i n C o u n t y, w h i c h i s h o m e t o S m i t h M o u n t a i n La ke a n d P h i l p o t t La ke. B o t h l o c a t i o n s p r o v i d e outstanding opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming, c a m p i n g , a n d e xc e p t i o n a l v i e w s . Franklin County also offers unique floating and paddling on the Blackwater and Pigg River Blueways.

fish the blue ridge Lo o k i n g f o r m o r e s p o t s t o c a s t y o u r l i n e? T h e G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n & J e f f e r s o n N a t i o n a l Forest features various options

for classic creek fishing, i n c l u d i n g Ro a r i n g R u n , N o r t h Creek, and Middle Creek in B o t e t o u r t C o u n t y. G e t o u t o n t h e water and see why we named them a Blue Ridge Outdoors M a g a z i n e “ To p A d v e n t u r e To w n .”

local outfitters Lo c a l o u t f i t t e r s o f f e r i n g g e a r rentals and guided trips: J a m e s R i v e r : Tw i n R i v e r Outfitters, Dead Drift Outfitters. Ro a n o ke R i v e r : Ro a n o ke Mountain Adventures. S m i t h M o u n t a i n La ke : Bridgewater Marina, Crazy Horse Marina, Gills Creek Marina. R OA N O K E R I V E R B LU E WAY. O R G U P P E R JA M E S R I V E R WAT E RT R A I L . C O M

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

heart of appalachia Start your mountain adventure in St. Paul, Virginia, which is located right on the Clinch River, the top Bio Diverse River in the nation that offers easy paddling.

HEART OF APPALACHIA, ST. PAUL, VIRGINIA

get out on the water Bring your own kayak or canoe to Clinch River Adventures to arrange a float trip on this wonderful river. If you are an angler, meet with Clinch Life Adventure to set up a guided fishing trip on the Clinch River. Visit Pathfinders Outfitter in Norton to rent kayaks and SUP for multiple rivers and lakes. The Pound River at Pound offers events for kayaking and stand up paddle, with 56 miles of great water. In Scott County, Dungannon and Duffield have access points ready for paddling. Visit the Russel Fork River near Haysi and Breaks Interstate Park. October weekends offer Class V rafting when the John Flannagan Reservoir is released. For complete lakes, rivers and fishing information visit their website. HEARTOFAPPALACHIA.COM

VIRGINIA STATE PARKS

BLOUNT COUNTY A WATER LOVER’S

PARADISE K AYA K I N G RAFTING PA D D L I N G F L O AT I N G TUBING FISHING & MORE

How will YOU explore? smokymountains.org

smoky mountain outdoor center SMOKY MOUNTAIN OUTDOOR CENTER

B lo u n t C o u n t y is a w a t e r lo ve r ’s pa r a d is e. F r o m t h e L it t le R ive r r u n n in g t h r o u g h t h e G r e a t S mo ky M o u n t a i n s t o C a ld e r w o o d La ke n e a r J oy c e K ilme r Fo r e s t , o ppo r t u n it i e s a b o u n d t o ge t yo u r pa d d l i n g f ix w h ile vis it in g B lo u n t C ou n t y.

smoky mountain outdoor center S mo ky M o u n t a in O u t d o o r C e n t e r pr o vid e s t h e n e ce s s it ie s f o r a gr e a t t r i p t o t h e S m o kie s . Tu b in g d ow n t h e L it t le R ive r is a s ce n ic a d ve n t u r e t h a t s h o u ld n’ t be mis s e d . M a d e b y AIR E , t h e i r ca n va s co ve r e d t u b e s w it h a mesh bottom are made to e n d u r e t h e r ive r a n d give yo u t h e b e s t e xpe r ie n ce po s s ib le. S h u t t le b u s e s r u n t h r o u gh o u t t h e d a y f o r t u be r s’ co n ve n ie n ce. Fa milie s , ch u r c h gr o u ps , s ch o o l gr o u ps , in d ivid u a ls , a n yo n e, ca n r e n t a t u b e a n d h it t h e w a t e r f or a

da y of t u bi n g fu n . S Bi ke s a r e a v a i l a bl e t o r e n t a n d t h e bi ke t r a i l s of Tow n se n d a r e a g r e a t p l a c e t o r i de a n d t a ke i n t h e S m ok y M ou n t a i n v i e w s w h i l e be i n g c l ose t o su r r ou n di n g n a t u r e. S m ok y M ou n t a i n O u t door C e n t e r h ou se s t h e t op br a n ds i n ou t door r e t a i l su c h a s Pa t a g on i a , C h a c o, Ye t i , C ost a , Ka v u , a n d E N O for bot h e v e r y da y w e a r a n d ou t door e xc u r si on s. T h e i r st a ff a r e k n ow l e dg e a bl e a bou t t h e p r odu c t s sol d t o a n sw e r a n y q u e st i on s a n d p r ov i de i n for m a t i on a s n e e de d. A fa m i l y fr i e n dl y a t m osp h e r e m a ke s S M O C a g r e a t p l a c e t o sp e n d t h e da y. Pi c n i c t a bl e s a r e a v a i l a bl e w h e t h e r y ou ’ r e h a v i n g a sn a c k be t w e e n t u bi n g t r i p s or t a k i n g a br e a k i n t h e sh a de. C or n h ol e boa r ds, W i n dPou c h e s a n d E N O h a m m oc k s a r e se t u p i n t h e fr on t y a r d for u se a n d e n t e r t a i n m e n t , a c c om p a n i e d by a be a u t i fu l v i e w of t h e m ou n t a i n s. S M O KY M O U N TA I N S . O R G

Explore

Have a Big Vacation in a Small Town

South Carolina’s Freshwater Coast

The challenge is to stay on your tube when floating down the upper section of Deep Creek

Over 2,000 miles of shoreline along more than 100,000 acres of water

Where will your adventure lead you? S C T R AV E L O L D 96 .C O M

take an easy hike to Deep Creek’s three sparkling waterfalls

SOUTH CAROLINA’S LITTLE RIVER BLUEWAY

paddle south carolina's little river blueway Loc a t ed within the Sumter N a t iona l Fo rest where Li ttl e R iv e r a n d Lake T hurmond c onv e r g e in No rthern M cC ormi ck Co u n t y, So uth Caro lina’s Li ttl e R iv e r B lueway o f f ers outdoor a dv e n t u re and v acation opti ons for e ve r y o ne. Featuring di verse hiking and b iking trails, pa ddl i ng a n d c a n o eing , c amp ing, a nd even a g olf r es o rt, the Little Ri ver B lue w a y in So uth Carol i na’s Ol d 9 6 D is t r ict is a hid d en gem.

the little river blueway 51 mi l es of wa t e r t r a ils . Us e the Bl uewa y Wa t e r Tr a il ma p t o pl a n your ro u t e a n d id e n t if y t h e cl osest outfit t e r o r ca mps it e. Some routes a llo w yo u t o e n d your da y a t a w a t e r f r o n t ca m ps it e, whi l e others a llo w t o t a lly secl uded pad d lin g e xpe r ie n ce s . The most ce n t r a l s t a r t in g po in t i s Baker C re e k St a t e Pa r k, a ls o k nown a s Bl u e w a y B a s e C a m p. La unch your w a t e r a d ve n t u r e f r o m Ba ker C reek o r n e a r b y Hicko r y Knob Resort , w h ich o f f e r s ca n o e and k a yak re n t a ls . S C T R AV E LO L D 9 6 . C O M

GreatSmokies.com

800-867-9246

DESIGN FOR THE EXPERIENCE

Luke Hopkins is Surf9’s Watersports President, inflatable paddle sports designer, and renowned visionary in the paddle sports industry. Hopkins is a former pro athlete in Standup Paddling as well as whitewater kayaking and has pioneered several innovative inflatable manufacturing techniques. He loves spending time on the water with his family and is creating products that bring a fun shared experience to everyone at any skill level. Surf9 is creating a variety of recreational, user friendly designs in watersports products that create the most fun filled adventure possible. The added stability, unique construction methods, with added stiffness brings a solid platform for the experience of fun on the water. When Hopkins set out to create the Crusader (Body Glove’s 4-6 person inflatable stand up paddle board) he had his wife and kids in mind and how they could all paddle and enjoy the water together on the same vessel. The inflatable Glide Kayak design is no different, while most kayaks are very tippy and unstable the flat bottom and stable design allows him to bring his daughter along for the ride. Thinking outside the board and focusing on the experience resulted in the most user-friendly paddling vessel on the market allowing even the most novice paddler to have a safe and fun adventure on the water. To contact Luke Hopkins & Surf9 team email: Luke@surf9.com

LUKE HOPKINS SURF9 WATERSPORTS PRESIDENT

“THINK OUTSIDE THE BOARD”

THE GOODS

DIFFERENT STROKES BELLYAK FOUNDER ADAM MASTERS PICKS HIS GO-TO GEAR B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

dam Masters was born into kayaking. His father, Bill Masters, founded Perception Kayaks in the ‘70s and had a large hand in taking the sport mainstream thanks to Perception’s affordable plastic boats. Adam has been kayaking all his life, but in the last several years, he’s made his own contribution to the world of paddlesports by developing the Bellyak, a kayak you paddle while lying down. “I got into hand paddling in 2004 and loved the connection with the river,” Adam says. “I wondered what it would be like to lay on top of my kayak and paddle, like I was swimming through the river.” Masters took an old Perception, cut it up and filled it with spray foam and duct tape to make his first prototype. It was 85 pounds and tough to handle, but he was hooked. “All of the rivers I’d been on forever became a completely new experience. It was super fun.” Fast forward 14 years and that original prototype has evolved into Bellyak, a niche sport that’s introducing thousands of people to whitewater. “A lot of people come to me who always wanted to kayak but never learned because they were scared of the roll,” Adam says. “With the Bellyak, you can run class II or III whitewater and you’re never stuck inside a boat under water. It increases the reward without increasing the risk.”

MORE GEAR ALLBIRDS WOOL RUNNERS $95

SWEET PROTECTION THE ROCKER

Most outdoor shoes are made with unsustainable, often toxic materials. Allbirds does things differently: they make simple, comfortable shoes with a durable, water-resistant merino wool upper, recycled laces, and castor-beanoil cushioning in their insoles. Your feet and your conscience will feel good in these shoes.

$250

This helmet fits really well, offers bombproof protection and doesn’t impede my visibility. You take face hits a lot when you’re in a Bellyak. You don’t want your helmet to push back on your head.

BELLYAK PLAY 35 $729

My favorite is the Play 35. I love them all. But it's the most high performance. Really light, super responsive. I can throw it around. It performs well on a wave, great for river running. If you want something more stable, but still good for river running, size up to the Play 45.

TIGERLIGHT D.A.D.

(DEFENSE ALERT DEVICE) $130

NRS RADIANT 3/2 WETSUIT $230

This might be my favorite piece of gear. I’m in the water constantly, and we’re wet the whole time, so depending on the air/water temp combo, a wetsuit might be necessary.

ASTRAL HIYAK $115

Astrals are great and I really love this high top river shoe. We’re actually in the water, standing in eddies and moving around in the current, so good foot protection is crucial.

DAD is always looking out for you: in this case, DAD is a handheld multi-use protection tool that has the ability to spray a unique chemical deterrent that had a documented 96% stop rate and sends Bluetooth danger alerts with your exact location. The alerts can be lifesaving in the event of an attack or if you hurt yourself and are stuck somewhere. The lightweight device also has a multi-mode flashlight and convenient hand strap that allows the device to always be in hand and ready to use.

LORPEN T3 TRAIL RUNNING ULTRA LIGHT SOCKS $15

ASTRAL LAYLA $135

This is a women’s jacket, but it’s perfect for Bellyaking because it has a nice flat front, which is key for paddling prone. You don’t want a PFD with a lot of bulk up front.

With separate layers of fibers that work together for comfort, support, and moisture management. The T3 sock is perfect for running in any season, keeping feet dry, comfortable, and blisterfree.

J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

HYDRATION, TRANSFORMED

The great outdoors just got greater. The Seeker™ is HydraPak’s ultra-light, durable water storage system for camping, backpacking, you name it. It packs down to the size of a fist, attaches to your pack or hangs from a tree. You can freeze it to use as an ice pack or fill it with hot water to keep you warm. Katadyn® BeFree™ filtration compatible.

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 0 1 8

Find one at a dealer near you hydrapak.com B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

G O O U TA N D P L AY

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

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CASPER COX SITS NECK-DEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF the river, a purple snorkel strapped around his head. "We're all attracted to beauty," he says to the camera, pausing for effect, "and there is an enormous amount of beauty in this water." Cox is a featured player in a short video I'm showing to my college biology class, a group of 15 or so twentysomethings from across the Southern Appalachians. Brook Trout hover just below the surface of a mountain stream. A hellbender salamander slinks by the camera in one shot, while a group of neon-orange shiners shimmers in another. As the video plays, I sneak a look back at the class. We're miles from the river, but the group of young adults might as well be in the water with Cox themselves. For maybe the first time the whole semester, not a single person is dozing off. Smartphones are placed face-down on every table. The students' jaws are dropped. For Jim Herrig, it's a familiar reaction. "When you look at a river from above, you have absolutely no idea what's in there," says Herrig, a retired aquatic biologist with the Cherokee National Forest. The snorkeling trips featured in that video are in large part Herrig's brainchild, an award-winning program blending outdoor recreation and science education that grew from Herrig’s career working underwater

Southern rivers are some of the world’s most biologically diverse. Snorkelers are taking the plunge to see for themselves. to inventory the southern mountains' aquatic life. "You get in there that first time," he says, "and you're just amazed at what you're seeing." In many ways, that aquatic biodiversity is the unsung star of Blue Ridge streams. The Appalachians, in fact, are home to some of the highest aquatic biodiversity in the temperate world. According to the University of Georgia's River Basin Center, the Southeast is home to nearly two-thirds of the nation's fish species and more than ninety percent of the United States' freshwater mussels. That diversity peaks across the Tennessee River Basin, whose headwaters arc across the high elevations of the Blue Ridge from Virginia southward through North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. That wealth of wildlife often escapes public notice, but it's part of a revival of sorts that’s working to raise the profile of Appalachian rivers. And that revival could not be coming at a more urgent time. Our regional rivers have taken a beating in recent decades, from high-profile coal ash spills on the Emory and Dan Rivers to a host of smaller incidents in streams all across the mountains. Unraveling what those events mean for our streams— and how the health of those waterways can best be rehabilitated—starts and ends with the often-unseen wildlife that lives within them.

Rebuilding a River

Nowhere is that importance more relevant than a short stretch of river near the town of Cedar Bluff, Va. Located not far from the tri-state junction where Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia meet, Cedar Bluff holds a place of infamy in the nation's environmental history, thanks to what happened just outside town on August 27, 1998. Early that morning, a tanker truck carrying a chemical used in manufacturing rubber overturned on U.S. Highway 460, the main travel artery through town. Around 1,300 gallons of rubber accelerant spilled from the truck, making their way downhill into the nearby Clinch River. Once there, the chemical turned the Clinch a milky white, wiping out aquatic life for miles downstream and killing an estimated 7,000 freshwater mussels. The effects of the spill were so intense that it is considered by many to be the single largest kill event in the history of the Endangered Species Act. Two decades later, Tim Lane's job is dedicated to restoring the Clinch River to its former glory. Lane, a mussel recovery coordinator with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, says that the mussel

and fish diversity found in the broader Tennessee River basin make the watershed "our Amazon rainforest." And it's not just the value that those creatures have by simply existing that make them important, Lane says— their existence can benefit humans that depend on the river, too. "Some individual mussels can filter ten or 20 gallons of water a day," he says. "This is a resource that's cleaning our water for us." The work that Lane and colleagues are doing in the Clinch is a microcosm of what it takes to restore a degraded Appalachian stream, as well as how long that restoration process can take. A single spill event like the one in Cedar Bluff may last mere minutes, but its impacts can echo for generations. Recovery efforts for a 2008 spill of coal ash on Tennessee’s Emory River, for example, will require long-term monitoring for 30 years. Farther south, the Ocoee River watershed is still dealing with the impacts of copper mining that began in the 1800s at a spot upstream of the river’s 1996 Olympic whitewater course. Water quality in the Clinch has improved somewhat in the two decades since the 1998 spill, but restoring the wildlife populations that once thrived there has needed help from biologists. One goal of the Center is to aid in that process by raising

J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

WILD, WILD WEST! The Road Team returns to Colorado this month! We’ve pointed the van west and we’re overjoyed to reunite with dry air, freezing snow-melt streams and familiar faces. It was a snowy spring this year, so we’ll face a long mud season—our fingers are crossed hoping that the solar shower will hold up, the van tires will grip on gravel roads and our gaiters will withstand post-holing through snow-covered, high-altitude trails.

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young mussels in the safe confines of captivity, THE TENNESSEE RIVER SYSTEM IS A HOTSPOT FOR F R E S H WA T E R M U S S E L B I O D I V E R S I T Y / P H O T O B Y T I M L A N E releasing them back into the river once they are developed enough to survive on their own. The Center has raised 32 mussel species to date, including 14 federally endangered species that have been on the brink of extinction. But Lane says that the process of raising those mussels is half the battle. "In mussel biology, we're still in our infancy. We're still learning about these species," he says. One challenge lies in step across which have six or more the fact that many freshwater mussels species in them,” Herrig says. “It's just are reliant on a fish host to reproduce, incredible diversity." meaning that immature mussels must In the past several years, that attach to a particular fish species' gills secret has gotten out regionwide. to complete their development into an Conservation agencies, nonprofits, adult. Figuring out where those fish and outfitters all across the Blue hosts live—and where the right habitats Ridge have started similar snorkeling for adult mussels exist in the river—can programs, placing biodiversity at be key to successfully reintroducing center stage in regional streams. the creatures into the wild. Outdoor enthusiasts can now dip their River impoundments and heads below water with experts from impairments related to human land the French Broad River headwaters use can also put aquatic wildlife at risk. to Whitetop Laurel Creek along the Understanding those hurdles and how Appalachian Trail in Damascus, Va. they can best be addressed makes Virginia State Parks has even started restoring a mountain stream all the its own "canorkeling" program—a more challenging. mash-up between canoeing and Two-hundred miles south of the snorkeling—along the Clinch River. Clinch River, the snorkeling trips Snorkeling alone won't save a river, started by Jim Herrig and colleagues but the experience it provides is a key in Tennessee's Cherokee National cog in the network of partnerships that Forest are helping to raise awareness can. Lane says reviving rivers requires and support for river restoration. Herrig increased public support for the wild says that the program began in 2000 creatures inhabiting them. and tapped into a public curiosity Herrig hopes that snorkeling about what lives in Appalachian will become a larger part of the streams. "I felt like we were really recreational landscape across the accomplishing something," he says. Blue Ridge, since the experience it "People came away just amazed at provides is so different than what users what they were seeing." see above the surface. To support that Snorkeling trips began in the point, he brings up another montage of Conasauga River, a headwater tributary images that characterize Southeastern of the Coosa River that rises deep rivers: a child floats on an inner tube within Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness. above an underwater salamander, Since its inception, the snorkeling while a fisherman wades along the program has reached more than 6,000 river bottom—none of them fully aware people and has expanded into several of what lies beneath. It's a metaphor, other streams, including Tennessee's sure, but it also speaks an old truth Citico Creek and Hiwassee River. about water quality issues: saving a "We have streams here that you can river often means diving in headfirst. B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

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GRAND DEPART THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT LINE COOKS AT THE TEXAS Tavern in Roanoke, Va., might have mistaken Dave Williams for just another drunk the morning of April 12, 2018, had he been wearing anything other than black lycra tights and a matching jersey. It was 1 a.m. when Williams stumbled into the 24-hour 1930s era diner, weary, delusional, a shell of a human. He didn’t look at the menu. He had known for four days, 16 hours, and 27 minutes exactly what he was going to order the moment he set foot in that restaurant. He wanted a cheesy western, and he’d ridden a damn long way to get it. He plopped his saddle-sore bottom onto a red pleather stool, practically melting from the abundance of heat and light. The phone rang. A waiter handed it to Williams. On the other line was Rob Issem, organizer of RockStar, the 270-mile singletrack route that Williams had just ridden from Harrisonburg to Roanoke, Va. “Congratulations!” Issem said. “You’re the second person to finish. Everyone else has quit.” And that was it. There was no formal finish line, no finisher’s medal, no podium or cheering crowd. Williams ate his cheesy western in silence, fought every fiber of his being to not fall asleep on that red pleather stool, and eventually plopped into a bed at 2:30 in the morning. It would be five days before the next, and last, singletrack rider would arrive at the Tavern. BY JESS DADDIO

Digging Deep The inaugural running of the RockStar was brutal in every sense of the word. During the days leading up to the April 7th grand depart, the pending forecast varied from 12 inches of snow to 50 degrees and sunny. Seven of the 34 registered riders didn’t even try to start, and over the course of the first 24 hours, two-thirds of the grand depart bailed.

THERE’S NO ENTRY FEE, NO SUPPORT, NO PRIZE SHOULD YOU FINISH FIRST, BUT FOR THE GROWING NICHE OF ENDURANCE BIKEPACKERS, THAT’S NOT THE POINT.

“We all knew this was a ridiculously stout ride,” says Issem, who rode the 165-mile paved version of the course. “Even the gravel route (250 miles) is really more of a doubletrack mountain bike route. Still, we maybe would have had double or triple the people that were there on that Saturday morning if the weather had been something else, but the forecast added this extreme level of challenge to an already extremely challenging undertaking.” Over the course of 270 miles, riders climb more than 13,500 feet along some of Virginia’s steepest and most technical terrain. Singletrack gems like Lookout Mountain, Hankey Mountain, Fore Mountain and North Mountain feel like cruel punishments when stacked back to back to back. Even in perfect conditions, the route is a true test of perseverance. Throw two snowstorms in the mix and it’s not even an adventure anymore. It’s an epic. Barry Croker is a big fan of that word. The Manassas-based active duty Air Force Captain has been racing mountain bikes since the ‘90s, eventually finding his home in the National Ultra Endurance series and the 100-miler movement. In his world, the bigger a challenge, the better. Croker’s one of only a handful of mountain bikers to have successfully ridden The Ring, a grueling 66-mile loop along the Massanutten Mountain range that humbles even the strongest of Virginia’s riders. When Croker saw Issem’s post promoting this 270mile singletrack event, there was no question that he’d be putting rubber to trail come April. “The Ring was like a 17- or 18- hour ride, so I thought maybe it would be just a little longer with a little camping thrown in there,” says Croker. “I didn’t realize that it’s not just riding. There’s logistics, route finding, sleeping on the ground with a bivy sack, finding food and water. All of that is a huge part that I underestimated, and I think a lot of

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people underestimated, too, especially when the conditions deteriorated.” The first night of the RockStar, it snowed three inches. The next day, temperatures soared back up into the 50s with blue skies and sun to boot. The snow melted entirely. But at 4 a.m. the morning of day three, it started snowing again, and harder this time. Croker, who felt the first flakes on his face, quickly mobilized and packed up. The snow was falling in heavy sheets and accumulating an inch an hour. By mid morning, the trail had entirely disappeared beneath six inches of snow. Croker was forced to push his fully loaded 50-pound bike uphill for miles on end. His 5 milesper-hour pace slowed to a mere crawl. When he arrived in Covington 8 hours later, having covered just 20 miles, he was ready to call it quits. “Really going over Fore Mountain, I was totally demoralized, like what am I doing with my life, why do I ride bikes anymore. I was ready to pull the plug then, like I’m done, but I couldn’t be done because I was in the middle of nowhere in the snow. I still had to get out.” Some 30 miles north of Covington atop Bald Knob near the Ingalls Airport, Dave Williams was desperately trying to thaw his frozen limbs while waiting out the worst of the storm. Hunkered in his $20 emergency tent from Walmart with 20mph winds whipping at the paper-thin walls, Williams forced himself to eat and drink and to not think about how dire a state he was in. “That was bad, bad news. I’ve never been in a situation like that where if I made the wrong decision, I could have died.” He was able to rally, but the final slog into Douthat State Park, the halfway point on the route, practically broke him. Williams’ hands and feet were completely numb. The few times he was able to ride, he had to visually confirm that his fingers were indeed on the brakes because he couldn’t judge from feeling alone. Mostly though, he was shuffling along beside his bike, not riding it. “In the snow, climbing 800 feet felt like going up Everest,” he says. “You’re pushing two feet forward, holding the brakes down, using that to get you up, like an old man with a walker. It took forever.” When Williams finally descended into Douthat, the park’s restaurant was already closed. An employee gave him coffee and parked him by a space heater. After two hours, Williams started to regain feeling in his limbs.

And herein lies the crux of RockStar, both for Croker, who holed up in a hotel for the night, and Williams, who could have easily stayed with his toes stuck in a heater for the rest of eternity. Do you quit or, in the words of Jack Kerouac, “climb that goddamn mountain?” Williams, sensing the call of the siren, suited up and hit the trail that night, descending down below the snow line to make camp. The next day was forecasted to be warm and sunny. Croker pressed on in the morning, covering an impressive 110 miles up and over Price Mountain, the Dragon’s Back, Carvins Cove, and the Mill Mountain Star in 18 hours to become the first rider ever to complete the RockStar trail route. One day and a couple of sleepdeprived wrong turns later, Williams finished his own journey. Even a week after the RockStar ended, he still had not regained the feeling in his toes.

The Journey is the Destination Within the past five years, a growing number of cyclists like Croker and Williams have been ditching the rules and red tape of sanctioned stacked loop cross-country races for the challenge and adventure of grassroots ultra endurance events. Inspired by the 2010 release of the documentary on the Tour Divide, a 2,700-mile mostly gravel route extending from Banff, Canada, to the New Mexico–Mexico border, Chris Tompkins of Danville, Va., concocted his own mini Tour Divide using the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) Allegheny Mountains Loop. The 408-mile loop, which begins in Blacksburg, Va., and dips over the West Virginia line before circling back, takes riders through some of the most remote and rugged parts of the Virginias. Piecing together gravel roads, rail-trails like the West Fork Trail and Greenbrier River Trail, and secondary roads, the route packs in over 32,000 feet of climbing. In 2012, Tompkins had 17 riders at the start of the AML400. Only 9 finished that year and in every subsequent year since, the scratch rate has held fast around 50% to 70%. Despite the shutdowns, the interest keeps building, and the riders keep coming. “There’s an extra added investment of your time and your energy into an event like that because you do know it’s all on you if things go south,” says Tompkins. “The camaraderie of all the participants is second to none. Everybody is pulling for everybody. They all know that you just showing J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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up and having the courage to toe the line means that you have invested a tremendous amount of heart into the goal of finishing and there is so much respect for that.” Kim Murrell of Ocoee, Tenn., is not one for the pomp and circumstance of a grand depart. Since becoming the first woman to finish the Florida Divide (850-1,500 miles, depending on your route) back in 2015, Murrell has continually set out on her bike, sometimes without much more than a day’s notice, to crush independent time trials (ITTs) on her own terms, solo, and unsupported. “I’m a bit of a winger,” she says. “I’m not a researcher. I’m not stupid about it either, but I don’t want to know. I’m not the person who is going to have a cue sheet written up for every mile. I’m not going to know where every hotel or gas station is. I just download the [GPX] file and then be surprised.” It seems appropriate, then, that Murrell’s bikepacking events (chilhoweeoutdoors.com) —the Dirty 130, Death March Revival, and the Vista 300/Mountain 420—are surprising, as in, surprisingly hard. The Vista 300/Mountain 420, which begins in Reliance, Tenn., and crosses into Georgia before heading back north, crams in over 35,000 feet on the 300-miler and 47,000 feet on the 420-miler. Earlier this spring, the first grand depart for the routes brought out over 40 riders from all over the country. For Murrell, the explosion in interest seems like a natural progression of the industry. Bikes, gear, the riders, all of that changes over time. If there’s anything the bikepacking movement has proven, it’s that cyclists are seeking more on the bike, and longdistance self-supported events are providing that platform. “These events have created that outlet for people that need some kind of structure still but want to get out and push themselves,” she says. “It’s unique in that one minute you can be bonking and the next you’re riding with a person who just caught up to you and you ride together for three days and finish best friends from sharing that experience.” Chris Coleman of Fredericksburg, Va., got a little taste of that camaraderie on his ITT of the RockStar gravel route, which he started only a day before the grand depart. Coleman finished the 250 miles in 57.5 hours, posting up comfortably in the Texas Tavern well before the start of that second snowstorm. Even with the early start, Coleman

was surprised to feel so much support from fellow riders. Compared to the cross-country races he’d competed in near his hometown, he said the overall vibe was incredibly welcoming. As a cyclist with just over a year’s time on the bike, he really appreciated that. “Those cross-country races are super competitive because you’re just sprinting all out but doing an endurance race is so different,” he says. “It turns from racing the guy in front of me to racing myself. It’s all about learning how to pace myself really slowly and it’s a different mental strategy. It’s almost like you’re not even racing. It’s almost like a social ride. Everyone’s just out there to see what they can do rather than racing each other so much.” Travis Jones of Blacksburg, Va., proved a lot to himself during his own RockStar experience. Though it took him over eight days to complete it, Jones is only the third rider to finish the RockStar trail route from start to finish. When everyone else bailed, Jones stuck it out, even when it meant staying put at camp for an entire day by himself in the middle of a blizzard. Prior to RockStar, Jones had never ridden more than 45 miles in a day, and that was, as he put it, on “freaking gravel granny trails.” On singletrack, he hadn’t ridden much more than 20 miles in a given ride. To take on a consecutive week of 35-40-mile days was new territory for Jones, and he loved every minute of it. “That feeling of freedom and adventure and just exhilaration knowing that it was nothing but the open road, it was such a great feeling,” he says. “I literally had withdrawals two days after the event when I was thrown back into reality. I’m definitely going to do it again.” It’s that accessibility that Greg Hardy, owner of the Asheville-based bikepacking bag manufacturer RockGeist, hopes to see more of in the years to come. Hardy, who has raced the Arizona Trail Race 300 three times and the 750 once, says he knows from personal experience what it’s like to be a curious novice on the other side of the fence with a lot of questions, a lot of stoke, but not a lot of experience. “The barrier to entry I think is high,” he says. “A lot of these perceived notions of what bikepacking is seem very romantic, and while that can be true, that can also be overwhelming for beginners. In reality, all it takes is a 15-mile route out your backdoor and some drybags and you’re ready to roll, but that’s not often how it’s portrayed.”

JESS DADDIO

Hardy hopes to enable more riders to get out there and experiment by offering a bag rental program at three locations—Mulberry Gap in Georgia, his brick and mortar shop in Asheville, and Bluestone Bike & Run in Harrisonburg, Va. For $60, riders with a naked bike can rent all of the bags they’ll need for a weekend trip without ever having to make that pricey financial investment up front. “There’s no doubt these rides are definitely challenging, but the hard times always have that pendulum swing and provide these awesome moments as well. The first time I did the Arizona Trail Race, it took me five and a half days, but for me, it wasn’t about coming in first or last, because I probably did come in last. I finished it, and that’s what was important to me.”

Beyond the Bike Attendance for this year’s Trans North Georgia Adventure (TNGA), a 350-mile mostly singletrack route traversing the North Georgia mountains, is expected to be at an all-time high. As of May 2018, 225 people had signed up. That’s 100 more than the Forest Service permit of 125 starters. For the first time ever, the grand depart has a waiting list. Between the growing popularity of the TNGA and the Cohutta Cat 300, a roughly 300-mile figure-8 in northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike GetA-Way co-owner Kate Gates says bikepacking specifically is becoming a big boon to the local economy. “These races bring people from all over the country to mostly rural areas where small mom and pop type businesses get fully involved in supporting the racers as they come through,” she says. “Many

extend their store hours and become obsessed with watching blue dots on Trackleaders make their way through the course. Most of these people have no idea what mountain biking entails but can see the struggle that the racers go through and are so happy to help in any way possible. These events also give a new source of revenue for local shops, restaurants, and lodging facilities.” Back in Virginia, riders attempting the RockStar certainly supported local businesses and lodging providers, but the racers’ biggest contribution to the area happened long before the grand depart. Though organizer Rob Issem technically didn’t charge a fee for entry, he did require participants to either contribute $100 to a local trail organization or volunteer a minimum of 10 hours of trail work on the route. Because the route connects lessertraveled pieces of singletrack in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Issem says the trail maintenance hours logged by RockStar riders helps not just the event but the Virginia cycling community at large. “There are some beautiful, beautiful sections like Shenandoah Mountain Trail and Little Mare, but they don’t see all of the traffic that a trail like Lookout gets,” he says. “They’re just more remote. The problem is they receive such little traffic that there’s almost a danger of them not being viable trail systems if we don’t do something. We realized by connecting them up and riding them, just how much good we could do with an event like this.” WA N T TO L E A R N M O R E ?

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has more bikepacking resources plus dates and links to the bikepacking events mentioned above

J U N E 2 0 1 8 / B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

TRAIL MIX another self-titled effort (this one known as “The Black Album”) on May 25, but few details had been revealed. The joint tour includes stops at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va. (July 22), Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Raleigh, N.C. (July 24), and PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, N.C. (July 25).

Breweries Tap into Tunes

SOUNDS UNDER THE STARS

Around the region many craft breweries with expansive properties

SUMMER OUTDOOR SHOWS IN THE SOUTH BY JEDD FERRIS

LIVE MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WHILE STANDING under a big open sky. Fortunately this summer the Blue Ridge region is full of options to get your outdoor sonic fix.

A Big Dose of Alt-Country While alt-country and Americana sounds are thriving through a continually expanding crop of new artists, an upcoming tour will feature three pioneering artists that have been messing with the borders of traditional twang for decades. The LSD Tour, a triple bill featuring Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, and Dwight Yoakam, will offer a trip through the extensive catalogs of the extremely prolific singer-songwriters. This year Earle has been playing shows that specifically celebrate the 30th anniversary of his landmark album Copperhead Road, acclaimed for its mix of gritty rock and dusty Texas storytelling. Williams, too, has been looking back, last year releasing a re-recorded version of her 1992 album Sweet Old World to mark its 25th anniversary. Once a cowpunk trailblazer, Yoakam crossed over and became a country hit maker in the late 80s. The honky-tonk icon released his last album, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars, in 2016, but he stays busy on the road and occasionally as an actor. He appeared in last year’s film “Logan Lucky” with Channing Tatum and Adam Driver. The tour includes stops this month 68

at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. (June 17) and Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, Md. (June 19). Later in the summer the tour moves deeper into the South, stopping at Chastain Park in Atlanta, Ga. (August 9), Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, N.C. (August 10), and Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre in Charlotte, N.C. (August 11).

Alternative Nostalgia Thirty years ago the Pixies released Surfer Rosa, a breakout debut album that put the band on its way to becoming pop-punk heroes. Six years later similar melodic angst was heard in the debut self-titled record from Weezer; an effort affectionately known to fans as “The Blue Album” that contained the hits “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So.” This summer the two bands with mutual admiration for each other are teaming up for a lengthy summer tour of huge outdoor sheds. Fist-pumping alt-rock anthems will be plentiful as both groups dive into their extensive catalogs. The Pixies reunited in 2004 after a breakup that lasted 11 years; the band has since released two albums, the latest being 2016’s Head Carrier. Weezer has been more prolific, recently infusing its sound with modern electronica touches on last fall’s Pacific Daydream. At press time, the band was scheduled to release

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are using their open spaces to host outdoor shows. This summer, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, located in the mountains of central Virginia near Wintergreen Resort, is launching the new Music in the Blue Ridge concert series with shows taking place on the first Saturday of June, July, and August. The series starts on June 2 with a triple bill featuring Yarn, Dangermuffin, and Grateful Dead cover band the ‘77z, and during all shows the brewery will offer onsite camping. Down in Black Mountain, N.C., Pisgah Brewing Company is known for churning out some great beers like Greybeard IPA and the rich Valdez coffee stout. The brewery also has an outdoor stage with enough room to host bands like Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers (June 26), Rebelution (June 27), Lake Street Dive (July 3), and the Punch Brothers (July 13). B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

Wheels of Soul Rolls On It was sad times last year for fans of blues-rock legends the Allman Brothers Band after the deaths of founders Greg Allman and Butch Trucks. But fortunately former member Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi are carrying the torch of Southern-flavored jams with the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The 12-piece outfit tours relentlessly, delivering high-energy shows that highlight Trucks’ blazing guitar licks and Tedeschi’s deeply soulful vocals, backed by a powerful band that includes tight rhythm and horn sections. For the fourth straight year the group is embarking on its Wheels of Soul Tour. The roots-driven caravan takes the band across the country this summer, this time pairing Tedeschi Trucks with DriveBy Truckers and the Marcus King Band. Dates in the South: Volvo Car Stadium in Charleston, S.C. (July 1), Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va. (July 11), Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Raleigh, N.C. (July 13), and Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre in Charlotte, N.C. (July 15).

City Sounds Many Southern cities host concert series in the summer with impressive line-ups for little or no cost. In Richmond, Va., the three-decade-old Friday Cheers features top national acts along the James River on Brown’s Island for no more than 10 bucks. Through the end of the month, catch sets from Tyler Childers (June 1), Rhiannon Giddens (June 8), Parquet Courts (June 15), Knower (June 22) and the Turnpike Troubadours (June 29). In Asheville, N.C., the monthly Downtown After 5 concert series takes place on the third Friday of the month from May through September. This year bands playing for free on North Lexington Avenue include Town Mountain (June 15), Fantastic Negrito (July 20), Southern Avenue (August 17), and hip-hop legends the Pharcyde (September 21). G O O U TA N D P L AY

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CHASING THE LIGHT A SYNCHRONOUS FIREFLY DISCOVERY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS B Y WA L L Y S M I T H

NIGHT FALLS IN THE COVE WHERE I'VE SET UP A camera and tripod, one of those places where the sun sets early thanks to steep terrain and thick tree cover overhead. But the darkness doesn't last. Not long after twilight, the entire forest is pulsing with hundreds of perfectly-timed, golden pinpoints of light. I reach for my camera and start recording video. The lights are from Photinus carolinus, the famed synchronous fireflies that display each year in and around the Elkmont section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The fireflies are a biological oddity and visual wonder, with males flashing in unison—a behavior that attracts females—for several weeks each summer. While fireflies are a common occurrence here in the East, this particular species is our only true synchronous flashing insect. Its display in Elkmont attracts thousands of people each year. However, I'm sitting alone in that cove. Elkmont and its crowds are hours away. Instead, I've traveled well beyond the national park as a researcher chasing reports of the same species. Synchronous fireflies are known from only a handful of places outside of Elkmont, and if the light show that members of the public have been seeing here is the same one found in the Smokies, we'll be able to add another population to that list. Counting the insects' flash pattern carefully, my excitement builds: we've located another spot. Here in the Blue Ridge, though, discovery isn't always a good thing. In fact, our fireflies have become an emblem of the challenges facing resource managers as public interest in the outdoors grows at an explosive rate. Wildlife is a big part of that draw, and in a world accelerated by social media, natural wonder travels fast. A 2017 video of the Elkmont fireflies shared by the Knoxville News Sentinel racked up nearly 60,000 views on Facebook alone. That attention can be a doubleedged sword. For many, experiencing something as spectacular as a firefly display can ignite a lifetime of learning 70

about the outdoors. But our mountains’ species are often fragile, and too many people striking out to find them can spell bad news. The overwhelming popularity of Elkmont's display has led to a lottery being used to control the number of visitors hoping to catch the show. In North Carolina's DuPont State Forest, concern about visitor impacts on another popular firefly species has led to seasonal trail closures. This conundrum has also touched off a national conversation about the tradeoffs of what we share—and how we share it—related to the outdoors. Some websites are now scrubbing GPS coordinates from wildlife photos out of fear that they might provide a road map for poachers hunting rare species. And a growing group is lobbying for an "eighth principle" related to media and tourism promotion to join the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics' existing guidelines for low-impact outdoor use. Part of the problem is that buzz about an outdoor activity or destination can spread faster than management plans can keep up. In the West, Instagram posts have transformed little-known alpine lakes into viral outdoor meccas, sending hordes of people flocking to sensitive locations that can be damaged by overcrowding. A video shared by a regional tourism page flashed across my own feed earlier this year, showing folks blasting a caravan of ATVs up the middle of a creek—a practice that can kill aquatic life and pollute water for users downstream. For the Blue Ridge’s fireflies, the challenges are more subtle. Females need to be able to see the males’ light show to choose a mate, and too many people walking around with flashlights and smartphones can outshine their glow. Even in total darkness, excess foot travel can compact the spongy leaf litter and soil needed for young fireflies to develop. The more people who come looking for the fireflies without knowing how to minimize their impact, the less chance there is that anything will be left for them to see. So how can we walk that line between sharing outdoor experiences

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and causing unintended harm? The Leave No Trace Center’s recommendations coalesce around a simple idea: stop and think. “If we can simply encourage people to stop and think about the potential impacts and associated consequences of their actions,” the Center writes in a blog post on the issue, “we can go a long way towards ensuring the protection of our shared recreational resources.” The Center’s strategy might mean considering what information should accompany a photo or video before posting it, or maybe it could mean waiting to promote a spot that isn’t ready for the spotlight. For tourism officials, a conversation with land managers prior to marketing an asset could help prevent negative outcomes. B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S

Those considerations are on my mind as I watch that newlydiscovered population of fireflies. Promoting them could be a release valve of sorts, taking pressure off of crowded firefly-watching spots like Elkmont. But could too much promotion hurt the fireflies before experts can understand how much attention they can handle? I’m mulling over that question as a car pulls into a nearby parking lot, headlights sweeping across the forest floor. The insects’ light show stops, and a family jumps out. “Where are the fireflies?” they yell. The secret has already gotten out. Before I have a chance to reply, the group runs off through the night, spotlights in hand, deeper into an emptier woods. G O O U TA N D P L AY

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