Blue Ridge Outdoors August 2023

Oktobrewfest 2023

Oktobrewfest 2023 Oktobrewfest 2023

MUSIC • CRAFT BEER • CIDER • WINE • FOOD

OCTOBER 7

Historic Main Street Tazewell, VA 5:00PM-10:00PM

• MACKENZIE PHIPPS- 5:30PM-7:30PM

• BEER STEIN COMPETITION 7:30PM-8:00PM

• STEELE COOKIN BAND- 8:00PM-10:00PM

FRIDAY NIGHT KICKOFF

OCTOBER 6

Featuring dinner and drink specials at local Tazewell County restaurants, and an after Brewfest Party from 10:00 PM-12:00 AM at Back of the Dragon.

VISIT, EXPLORE & ADVENTURE

BACK OF THE DRAGON: SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA’S SPEARHEAD TRAILS, THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, OTHER ATV & HIKING TRAILS AND SO MUCH MORE!

$35.00 for a wristband includes unlimited drink tastings (ID Required) | $5.00 for non-drinkers

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FEATURES

10 | NATIONAL PARK HIKES

Great treks on the trails of Shenandoah, Mammoth Cave, and more.

14 | MAJOR

ADVENTURE

Learn about the outdoor opportunities at East Tennessee State University, named by our readers as this year’s

THE LONG ROUTE TO LECONTE

BY MAGGIE GIGANDET

THE EXTRA HIKE WAS WORTH the strain on my sore muscles. My husband and I were standing on Cliff Tops, an overlook close to the 6,593-foot summit of Mount LeConte. That day, we had hiked up the mountain, the third highest in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to stay at LeConte Lodge, a collection of primitive cabins and multi-room lodges near the overlook. Energized after dinner at the Lodge, we’d set out again to watch dusk fall over the park from this exposed rock.

Tucking away the hair the wind pulled from my ponytail, I studied the forested mountains that stretched below us to the pink horizon, the green of the trees on the closest ridges fading to shades of blue in the distance. Looking down on how far we’d hiked, I was relieved and proud; my doubts and worries about this trip had been unfounded.

The day had been stressful from the start. We’d planned on trekking the Trillium Gap Trail, one of six leading to the Lodge, which can only be reached on foot. But we weren’t sure how long it would take us to cover the almost seven miles to the top, and we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to check in by 4:30 p.m. We had also been concerned about parking. Grotto Falls, a popular waterfall, is on that trail, and we’d heard the small parking lot fills up fast.

So we woke up at 3:30 a.m. to travel to the park. We made it to

the lot with only one space already taken and thought our worries were over. In the dim light of dawn, I pulled out our parking passes and looked them over. My heart sank. Since March, the park requires anyone parking for over 15 minutes to display a parking pass, and each pass must show the license plate number of the car that is parked. When we purchased the passes months before, we entered my husband’s license plate number but forgot and took my car. These nontransferable passes were worthless.

We needed new passes quickly. Waiting a few hours for visitor centers that sold passes to open meant forfeiting parking at the trailhead. We knew from the Lodge website there were shuttle services we could use to park elsewhere and still get to the trailhead, but that would take even more time. We might even be at risk of missing our check-in.

It’s not like we could easily reschedule either. I had tried for a year to get a reservation at LeConte Lodge. Due to its popularity, the Lodge uses a lottery system to book guests. In late summer, staff post a form on the Lodge’s website inviting interested hikers to submit every date they’d be available during the

next year’s eight-month season.

On the first business day of October, two employees split the almost 4,000 online applications between them, and the reservations manager takes bookings by phone. Each independently registers guests, and, with only 15 rooms to rent each night, the calendar fills quickly.

The waitlist is the next option for unsuccessful applicants. Posted on the Lodge’s website in December or January, applicants can request a limited number of dates. The benefit of entering the wait list is that staff will inform an applicant of availability at least 30 days ahead of the stay. Anyone with a more flexible schedule can call the office or check the Lodge’s social media to see if there are any openings from someone canceling with shorter notice. But when an applicant is offered a date from the waitlist, whether they accept it or not, they are then removed from the list.

We had been on the waitlist for the second time when we were offered this stay and didn’t want to jeopardize this opportunity. Miraculously, our phones had a signal, and we learned that the closest automated fee machine, a vending machine for parking passes, was outside the Sugarlands

Visitor Center. We reluctantly abandoned our spot and hurried to get our passes. We made it back to the Grotto Falls parking lot about an hour later. It was only a little after 7:00 a.m., but the parking lot was almost halfway full.

It was an unfortunate start, but we still got to enjoy Grotto Falls without the crowds. As we climbed higher on the shaded trail, I tried to ignore the growing pain in my hip and lower back. I needed frequent breaks to catch my breath, and we marveled at runners speeding down the trail and eventually passing us again on the way up. Frustrated by my slow pace, I refused to consider that I might not make it.

To my surprise, we arrived at LeConte Lodge only half an hour after the office’s noon opening. By now, my painful hip and back made each step a feat of will. In the office, we joined the long line of overnight guests waiting to check in and day hikers waiting to buy “I Hiked It” t-shirts, only available at the Lodge office. When it was our turn, a staff member showed us around the property.

Exhausted and hurting, I was intimidated by my new surroundings despite knowing what to expect. Our stark one-room cabin did not have electricity, and our guide

This rustic lodge in Great Smoky Mountains National Park can only be reached on foot. And reserving a stay is a lot tougher than it used to be.

THE VIEW FROM CLIFF TOPS. PHOTO BY MAGGIE GIGANDET

showed us how to use the propane heater and something more common in museums and period movies: a glass kerosene lamp. I watched as the guide removed its tall globe, struck a match, and held it to the wick above the crimson kerosene. A long flame surged from the lamp, and he turned a small knob shortening it before replacing the globe. In the old wooden cabin with its all-wood furniture, I decided I wouldn’t risk lighting the lamp myself.

We learned how to use the communal pump to get fresh drinking water and were shown the bathrooms with flushing toilets, a luxury only accessible with a key kept in each cabin. Because there were no showers, we were given a bucket to collect hot water from a spigot for a sponge bath.

After a long nap to wait out the afternoon fog that poured into camp, we joined the rest of the guests at the dining hall for dinner. Before taking our assigned seats, we put all of our hiking snacks and wrappers in large metal trash cans in the hall as instructed to prevent rodents from invading our cabin at night, my true nightmare scenario. Some guests had paid to enjoy unlimited wine during the dinner hour, and we enjoyed the parade of hot comfort foods served family-style, fueling our evening hike to Cliff Tops.

The next morning, the relief I felt on Cliff Tops grew. I hadn’t been terrorized by the sound of animals trying to get inside the cabin. I had heard an overnight thunderstorm and knew rain was forecasted for our hike down, but when I left the cabin, I saw I wouldn’t need my poncho. With coffee from the dining hall, we stood on the office balcony and watched the sun rise in the clear sky before breakfast.

After buying to-go lunches, we began our trek down the mountain and met the Lodge llama train on their way up. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the llamas trek the Trillium Gap Trail, and other than the supplies delivered by helicopter at the beginning of each season, the Lodge relies on these llamas for essentials.

The llamas were one reason I decided we should take Trillium Gap. I expected this to be my only visit to the Lodge and didn’t want to miss out on seeing them. But as we easily sped down the mountain without a hint of yesterday’s pain despite the additional hike, I reconsidered; all of my fears had been unfounded. Maybe I’ll try my luck in the next lottery; after all, I still need to face that kerosene lamp.

SCENES FROM LECONTE LODGE AND LLAMAS ON THE TRILLIUM GAP TRAIL. PHOTOS BY MAGGIE GIGANDET

A Walk in the Park

Essential hikes in the South’s most popular national parks

BY NOAH POULOS

OUR REGION'S NATIONAL PARKS HAVE SO many trails that it can be hard to know where to start. Epic views, or plunge into a swimming hole? Steep climb that leaves your heart racing? Or maybe just a mellow stroll with the family? The options are endless, which is why we put together a few of the best hikes from some of the most beloved national parks in the Southeast.

Charlies Bunion - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, N.C./Tenn.

Anyone who has ventured to the crest of the highest ridge in the Smokies has seen the range’s stunning views and mystical forests. Traversing the ridge line is the famous Appalachian Trail, and, with multiple access points throughout the park, it is easy to hop on and enjoy this amazing stretch.

A favorite for many is the out-and-back hike to Charlies Bunion. The eight-mile trek starts (and ends) at the Newfound Gap parking area and immediately begins twisting along the rocky ridge. The trail takes visitors through high elevation spruce-fir forests, which are teeming with wildflowers in May and into June.

Along the way there are multiple lookouts with incredible views, culminating at the breathtaking vantage offered from the rocky outcropping known as Charlies Bunion, named after, well, literally the bunion of a man named Charlie, by one of the early founders of the park.

If eight miles isn’t enough, the Appalachian Trail continues in both directions along the ridge, with many spur trails along the way. If you’re looking to spend the night, there are many campsites right off highway 441, which crosses right through the park. Reserve a site early, as they fill up fast.

HIKING IN NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE.

PHOTO BY DAVE BIERI/ COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Rose River Trail - Shenandoah National Park, Va.

Deep in the heart of Shenandoah National Park, the Rose River Loop Trail is a great spot for a half-day hike to a quintessential Blue Ridge waterfall. The trailhead parking is right off Skyline Drive, making the 3.8-mile loop a great hike to get a break from the car for visitors driving through the park.

This easy loop goes through hardwood forests along the Rose River and Hogcamp Branch, and, while it is best known for Rose River Falls, there are many cascades along the way. There is even an old family cemetery just off the trail.

While the loop is under four miles, it connects to a network of nearby trails that navigate creeks and climb to mountaintops, all accessible from the same trailhead. In fact, just on the other side of Skyline Drive is Big Meadows Campground, which offers sites for RVs and tents for those who want to explore for a few days or longer.

Green River Bluff Loop - Mammoth Cave National Park, Ky.

If you’ve never been to Mammoth Cave or the parts of Kentucky surrounding it, add it to your adventure bucket list. The park’s namesake cave was formed in a unique limestone geology that also has led to immense rocky outcroppings, incredible waterfalls, and fascinating flora.

Aptly named, this trail meanders mostly along a bluff above the Green River area of the park. Perched upon the bluff, you can enjoy views of the river all year long. In between the vistas, the trail is home to a number of sinkholes and interesting rock formations. If you’re looking to cool off or just hang by the river, there is a spur trail about halfway through the loop that leads to

RIDING & WALKING. OUR TRAILS DO THE TALKING,

MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK. PHOTO BY NATHANIEL LEIES/ COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The Best

views areyours

in Hagerstown & Washington County, MD

beach access. While doable for the whole family, be ready for some steep stretches and rocky terrain.

Hiking this or any of the trails is a great way to pass time while you wait for a scheduled tour of the mammoth caves, an experience that books up quickly and requires reservations, especially in summer and fall. The colossal cave has an estimated 1,000 miles of trails to explore, with many different tour options to different parts of the caverns.

Glade Creek Trail - New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, W.Va.

West Virginia’s New River Gorge is the oldest gorge in the Appalachian mountains, with a surrounding landscape characterized by massive boulders, steep sandstone cliffs, and tons of ancient fossils. While it is most known as an incredible destination for whitewater paddlers and rock climbers, there is no shortage of opportunities for hikers.

The Glade Creek trail follows an abandoned railroad bed along the creek. For those looking for a swimming hole during the trek, there are spots to hop in along most of the trail, many of which have crystal clear cascades flowing into them. Glade Creek is also popular for anglers, so hikers may also want to pack a fly rod.

The New River Gorge is home to some of the most pure bituminous coal in the whole world, which used to feed boilers of industry in the early 20th century. Since being protected and turned into a national park, mining the area has seized even while the coal remains embedded in the rock for visitors to see. In addition to the geological treasures, the trail also winds through stretches of one of the most biodiverse forests in the region, with wetlands and old growth forests holding many threatened and endangered species.

Weverton Overlook

Pottery Trail

Annapolis Rock

Peak adventure, here in the Mountain State.

With forested trails, stunning overlooks and scenic drives, experience the abundant natural splendor of Southern West Virginia starting at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Hike, bike, or raft your way to one-of-a-kind adventure.

WVtourism.com/SWVNRG

Major Adventure

East Tennessee State University Raises the Bar for Outdoor Education

BY LAUREN STEPP

IT’S A MONDAY MORNING, AND MEGAN FISHER IS leading a hiking group through the Colorado Plateau, an area of red rock monoliths and dramatic canyons. As a Lead Program Instructor at Keystone Science School in Keystone, Colo., this is Fisher’s office—a wild, wonderful place where she teaches students to appreciate the natural world.

“We’re an outdoor education nonprofit dedicated to introducing kids to earth science through exploration and observation,” says Fisher, who owes this “really awesome gig” to her alma mater, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, Tenn.

Named this year’s Top Adventure College by the readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors, ETSU is a mecca for 20-somethings who love to hike, bike, climb, camp, paddle, and generally be outside. That’s thanks in part to the school’s proximity to scenic destinations like Roan Mountain State Park and the Cherokee National Forest.

“ETSU is located in an amazing part of the Appalachian Mountains,” says Kari Albarado, director of campus recreation. “There are so many trails, lakes, rivers, caves, and waterfalls found in this region.”

But the university’s appeal is about more than geography; it’s also about culture. As Albarado explains, ETSU goes to great lengths to ensure that every student—regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation,

ETSU

YOU’RE GOING TO

A BIGGER MAP

Snowshoe Mountain is the epicenter of the Mid-Atlantic’s mountain bike culture, and the host of several UCI Mountain Bike World Cups. A lift-serviced Bike Park, adventurous backcountry trails and an expansive regional trail network–you better bring an overnight bag.

snowshoemtn.com/biking

or ability—is afforded the opportunity to get outside.

experienced outdoor enthusiasts.”

“Our motto is ‘You Belong Here,’ and we believe that everyone can participate in our programs and services,” she notes. “Our goal is to provide a variety of trips throughout the academic semester that are for beginners as well as more

Fisher discovered the inclusivity of ETSU’s outdoor programming during her freshman year. A native of Bristol—a small town straddling the VirginiaTennessee state line—Fisher came to Johnson City in 2015 hoping to earn her B.S. in Dental Hygiene. But after taking a few classes in chemistry and anatomy, she began to question her trajectory. “I just wasn’t excelling in my program,” she reveals.

Instead, Fisher felt more at home in the university’s Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC), a campus hub where students can rock climb,

rent outdoor gear and bikes, find local guides, and sign up for group outings. “The OAC was where I realized that I love being outside,” says Fisher, who soon switched her major to Sport Management—a decision that would set the tone for the rest of her career.

“I wasn’t sure where the degree would take me,” she shares. “But I decided to pursue what felt right.”

Offered through the Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation, and Kinesiology, the program helped her nurture soft skills such as communication, leadership,

and problem-solving, as well as industry-specific skills like natural resource interpretation, camp management, and wilderness emergency medicine.

“My classes were very inspirational to my journey,” says Fisher, who also had an opportunity to intern with Tennessee State Parks and lead overnight trips with the OAC. “These experiences got me to where I am today.”

Sarah H. Standridge, an assistant professor of Sport and Recreation Management, agrees that the major helps students springboard into meaningful vocations.

“We have alumni in a wide range

“Our motto is ‘You Belong Here,’ and we believe that everyone can participate in our programs and services,

(LEFT) BREVARD COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN EASILY ACCESS ADVENTURE IN NEARBY PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST. PHOTO COURTESY OF BREVARD COLLEGE (TOP RIGHT) ETSU GOES TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IS AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUTSIDE. PHOTO COURTESY OF ETSU (MIDDLE RIGHT) AT ETSU, STUDENTS LEARN BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND OUT. PHOTO COURTESY OF ETSU (BOTTOM RIGHT) SEA KAYAKING IS ONE OF THE MANY SKILLS STUDENTS CAN DEVELOP AT BREVARD COLLEGE. PHOTO COURTESY OF BREVARD COLLEGE

of career fields: community recreation, commercial and resort recreation, resource management, nonprofits, event planning, and state and national parks,” she says. “If you have a love for the outdoors, enjoy helping people, and are interested in bettering your community, we can help you customize your education and find a career that you're passionate about.”

But students need not be aspiring park rangers or ski lodge managers to enjoy the great outdoors. In addition to Sport Management, ETSU offers dozens of other nature-centric undergraduate degrees—from Microbiology to Environmental Health. The university also offers several graduate programs, including an M.S. in Geosciences and a graduate certificate in Nature-Based Therapy.

Regardless of major, all are welcome to run on the Woods and Trail System, blow off some steam on the Basler Team Challenge Course, and push their limits during group adventures hosted by the OAC.

“Our programs are growthbased,” says Eric Payne, assistant director of Outdoor Adventure. “We

Collegiate Contenders

These higher education institutions deliver their fair share of outdoor programming.

Emory & Henry College

Emory, Va.

At Emory & Henry College, educators believe in hands-on learning. That’s why undergrads can earn college credit by logging miles on the Appalachian Trail. Hosted every spring, the Semester-A-Trail Program invites students to attempt a section hike along the A.T. after engaging in immersive skill-building workshops and training. Students can also develop outdoor adventure skills through the college’s Adventure Team, which provides experiences in rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, backpacking, and outdoor leadership.

Brevard College

Brevard, N.C.

Located mere minutes from the mouth of North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, Brevard College is a hub of adventure. On weekends, students bike black diamonds, hike

encourage participants to go beyond what they think they can do, both mentally and physically. Much of the time, they are capable of so much more than they think.”

That’s certainly been the case for Fisher. Though she was hesitant to change her path back in 2015, stepping outside her comfort zone has led her to a rich, fulfilling life.

“If it weren’t for ETSU, I would probably be working inside at a desk,” says Fisher. “I definitely wouldn’t be doing work that I love and am excited about.”

Blue Ridge Outdoors’ annual Top Adventure College contest places 32 colleges and universities against each other in a bracketstyle competition. This year, more than 7,000 votes were cast by readers. East Tennessee State University took the first-place title based on academic curricula, outdoor programming, eco-friendly initiatives, and access to adventure. The runner-up was Maryville College, and the contest was sponsored by LOWA.

to stunning waterfalls, climb pluton monoliths, and paddle whitewater. But this small liberal arts school also brings the outdoors into the classroom through its Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education Program. Highlights of the major include a nine-day Wilderness First Responder Course, a 21-day wilderness expedition, and a multiday sea kayaking trip on the coast.

West Virginia University Morgantown, W.Va.

Named BRO ’s Top Adventure College in 2020, West Virginia University (WVU) dishes up a bevy of outdoor-centric experiences. Students can paddle the Monongahela River, spend winter break backpacking through the Chihuahuan Desert, or go caving in Seneca Caverns. The university also offers unique majors such as Energy Land Management, Environmental and Community Planning, and Sustainability Studies. WVU also owns and operates an off-campus outdoor education center complete with an aerial challenge course and zipline.

MEGAN FISHER OWES HER CAREER IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION TO EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY. MEGAN FISHER LEADS A STUDENT SKI TRIP IN COLORADO. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEGAN FISHER

A park for every passion

Whether you’re looking to rev up or wind down, we’ve got a place just for you. Nestled in some of the state’s most beautiful settings, Kentucky State Parks offer a wide range of activities – from outdoor adventures to nature escapes – and accommodations from rustic campsites and cozy cabins to resort park lodges. Plus, 13 nationally recognized state park golf courses get you out on the links to soak up incredible views.

Book your spring getaway at parks.ky.gov!

New Meets Old at Kentucky’s Red River Gorge

A Vibrant Outdoor Scene Evolves in a Historic Area of Ancient Rock Arches

BY MIKE BEZEMEK

OUR FIRST STOP FELT LIKE

exploring a historic treehouse. Walking into Natural Bridge State Resort Park, my wife and I passed a pond filled with snapping turtles and crossed a rickety suspension bridge. From there, a series of trails—with stone stairs, wooden walkways, and optional ladders— zigzagged up the forested ridge toward the famous rock arch.

It was Wednesday morning before Memorial Day, and the park seemed quiet. The resort area’s lodge, pool, and shops were mostly empty before the holiday weekend. We joined scattered

hikers and families heading uphill. A quick detour led to the precarious Balanced Rock. Another stop was a tiny museum, straight from the mid-20th century, with taxidermy animals and logging dioramas. One couple walked inside, sniffed the musty air, and walked right out. But we appreciated the context. Natural Bridge was one of Kentucky’s first state parks, with visitors originally coming by train in the 1920s.

After a short but steep ascent, we passed underneath the park’s namesake feature. Squeezing through a narrow crevice, we arrived atop the impressive

80-foot span. Technically it’s a sandstone arch, but the bridge name works because people can walk across. A few groups of college kids were sitting along the flat top and admiring the view. In the distance was the Red River Gorge Geological Area, a popular 45-square-mile subunit of Daniel Boone National Forest, which holds stunning sheer cliffs that line the upper slopes of the forested ravines.

Crossing the bridge, we made a tour of the plateau top, including Lookout Point. The quirkiest thing was the Skylift, a fancy name for

an old two-seat chairlift. A boredlooking young woman was sitting inside the fence, so I asked when it was built. She shrugged and glanced at her 20-something boyfriend.

“Sixty-seven,” said the operator. With straight shoulder-length hair, he seemed like a time traveler from the same year—the 200th anniversary of Daniel Boone’s first visit to the area.

At Lover’s Leap, we chatted with a young Kentucky couple dangling their feet over the ledge. Far below was Miguel’s Pizza and campground, a hub for climbers and hikers. More visitors, mostly

THE NAMESAKE ARCH OF NATURAL BRIDGE STATE RESORT PARK. PHOTO BY MIKE BEZEMEK

college kids from Ohio, arrived to take photos. One guy said he was from Columbus, which another dude claimed was “badass.” My wife mouthed the word, badass. We were in uncharted territory—at least for us. The far side of the Appalachians.

Where the Red Could Grow

After hearing about the Red River Gorge for years, we’d finally made the trip. What some call the Red is known for its hundred natural arches, dozens of hiking trails, a section of National Wild & Scenic River, and abundant rock

climbing. It falls within a larger region of Appalachia that’s seen more busts than booms, often related to coal mining. To entice outdoorsy visitors, 41 counties in Eastern Kentucky have rebranded the area as the Kentucky Wildlands.

Meanwhile, the National Park Service is conducting a feasibility study of the 14,000-square-mile region for designation as a National Heritage Area. Lesser-known NHAs don’t involve federal land acquisition. Instead, the park service assumes an advisory role to help regional entities preserve the landscape and coordinate recreational opportunities.

Ideally, an NHA boosts national recognition, tourism, and the regional economy.

During the pandemic, Red River Gorge visitation increased to about one million people per year, mostly between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Simultaneously, there’s controversy over attempts to build a high-end resort on 800 acres near Slade. Local critics worry it will cause overcrowding and create a mini-Gatlinburg, referring to the bustling Tennessee tourist town outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Clearly, the gorge is at a crossroads, and we wanted to visit before whatever comes next.

Tunnel Vision

We spent the afternoon making a clockwise loop through the gorge. Our first stop was unintended, at the historic Nada Tunnel. Excavated with dynamite around 1910, the tunnel was originally used by a logging railway. Today a single lane leads through jagged sandstone. Coming from the west side offers limited visibility, so I cautiously pulled up to the opening, saw headlights, and slowly reversed. So did some curious pedestrians and the car behind. When the oncoming vehicle passed, I rolled up to the dark maw again. Another pair of headlights was entering! This process repeated

a few times, with a lengthening line of vehicles, before we could drive through.

Beyond the tunnel we were finally inside the narrow gorge, following a twisty road with forested slopes rising above. We passed several trailheads and crossed the bridge marking the end of the Wild & Scenic section. The Red River was low. But driving upstream, we did see paddlers floating down. We stopped for a short hike at the Sheltowee Connector trail and joined a string of teenagers shuffling to a swimming hole.

“I think it’s a hangout spot,” I said. My wife nodded like this was the most obvious comment in the world. Past the swimming hole, we reached the junction with the Sheltowee Trace. The suspension bridge was halfcollapsed from a recent tree fall, but the forest service plans to

rebuild it. The Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail runs for 319 miles, mostly through national forest backcountry. Throughout our visit, we repeatedly crossed paths with pleasant sections of this lush winding trail. On our return walk, the swimming hole was even busier, with kids daring each other atop a massive jump rock.

“I think it’s a hangout spot,” teased my wife.

Other short hikes took us to Sky Bridge, Princess Arch, and Chimney Top overlook. Each was interesting, but the bigger adrenaline spike came from driving the paved byway. It’s less a two-lane than a 1.8-lane. When cars came speeding around blind corners, and everyone swerved, that two-tenths of a lane seemed significant.

Pizza was worth the hype at Miguel’s, and during dinner I did more research. Most new visitors come to the Red with family or

COURTHOUSE ROCK IN THE RED RIVER GORGE. PHOTO BY MIKE BEZEMEK

friends, and information for first timers is limited. So, my wife sent an inquiring text to a friend who knew the area.

River Runs Low

Our second day was about paddling. More accurate: we increasingly walked down a shallow riverbed. After dropping my wife and kayaks at Copperas Creek put-in, I drove to takeout at Red River Adventures. Aboard the shuttlebus was a lone family from Oklahoma, on a celebratory adventure with the eldest son, a recent graduate from the nearby University of Kentucky in Lexington.

The youthful outfitter who drove the shuttle didn’t sugarcoat. The Red River was the lowest he’d ever seen it before Memorial Day. A combo of low precipitation and hot dry weather. We might have to drag

past, say, 10 or more shallow spots. Having experienced worse, we went anyways.

After launching, the first mile was a gem. Clear waters, deep pools, and shallow but channelized chutes. Trees leaned over the river, where occasional boulders rose like pedestals. But as we progressed, the riverbed widened and became even shallower. Eventually, we caught up with a large group of surprised locals, with everyone walking boats for quarter-mile segments through sand shoals and gravel riffles.

After four determined hours we finished the eight miles. The nearest USGS gauge, about 25 miles downstream in Clay City, reported a flow of 100 CFS— way too low. I wouldn’t paddle this river again without twice that. At cushier levels, earlier in the spring, it should be an excellent class II run.

BRANCH OUT

Explore Gulf County, Florida Parks.

Wilderness and BBQ

On the drive back, we hiked a short loop into the 20-squaremile Clifty Wilderness. Beyond scenic Creation Falls we reached the impressive Rock Bridge. Spanning a creek, this is the Red’s only true natural bridge. With more time, we would have continued on the Swift Camp Creek Trail through a beautiful fern-filled canyon. But dinner beckoned.

We stopped by our camper at Koomer Ridge, a nice USFS campground that lacks a dump station. Hence, we were showering in a bathroom block that felt like the spider house at a zoo. When my wife ran out with damp hair, I had to ask.

“Just three big ones tonight,” she explained. “Only one pursued me.”

“Do I need to beat this spider up?” I suggested.

“That would be nice.”

We were running late. Skybridge Station, a popular brewpub with an onsite climbing guide service, had just closed its kitchen. Over a beer, the friendly bartender pointed us toward another option. But soon we were doubting his driving directions, which took us off the highway, down a gravel road, and past a spooky graveyard. Suddenly, the illuminated Red Point BBQ emerged on a hilltop. This newer restaurant was awesome. My wife got a cider and grilled portobello. I got a local hazy and brisket. We split cornbread, coleslaw, and mac & cheese. On the surrounding hundred acres, they’re building a disc golf course, which still needs work, but will definitely be worth a longer visit when finished.

A HIKER AT INDIAN STAIRCASE. PHOTO BY MIKE BEZEMEK

From inland swamps and oak tree-covered playgrounds to beachside trails and kayak launches, parks in Gulf County allow you to branch out and explore something new.

More to Explore

Come Friday before Memorial Day, the gorge was different. Sporty SUVs and lifted pickups patrolled the campground, hunting for sites. Roadways were filling with tourists careening between highlights. We’d learned to skip the congested Nada Tunnel by driving the byway counterclockwise into the gorge.

Our friend had recommended Indian Staircase. It’s one of many unofficial hiking routes, which roughly match the total mileage of the official trails. We hiked up Bison Way Trail to the Sheltowee Trace and continued off-trail up a ridge to faint steps carved into bare sandstone bluffs, made by saltpeter miners. I’d brought a rope, but my wife scrambled like a champ without it. Up top, we searched the

woods until finding the way to a large rock shelter, a site used long ago by native people. Over centuries, these natural alcoves eroded into the cliffs from freeze-thaw weathering and runoff events. Sometimes, the backsides eroded away, too, creating the famous natural arches.

While the staircase was our favorite adventure, there was more to explore, including a stop by the educational Gladie Visitor Center and historic homestead. Then a hike along forested Auxier Ridge to Courthouse Rock, passing dozens of college-aged kids backpacking, camping, and swinging in colorful hammocks.

This area could be headed for a bigger season of change, but for now summer at the Red had arrived.

TAKING THE PLUNGE FROM JUMP ROCK. PHOTO BY MIKE BEZEMEK

COME WANDER THE COUNTRY ROADS OF HARDY COUNTY, WV

Lost River Grill, dine by candlelight or in the cozy , a burger at , or a wood-fired Lost+Found Pizza and

So Visit Hardy for the day, but plan to spend the night! There are plenty of adventures left over to keep you busy the next day and the

VisitHardyWV.com

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

Spotsylvania is celebrating anniversary with a series

Park and National Forest hiking trails are free but cabin and camping fees apply. Make reservations in advance for cabins at Lost River State Park.

YOUR CHOICE OF PARK ADVENTURE

DISCOVER NATURAL WONDERS IN SUMMERS COUNTY, WV

landscapes and diverse terrain, there is no shortage of parks to enjoy in Summers County, West Virginia. From rolling hills and river valleys to lush forests and thriving farmland, there is plenty

minute gear and learn about the area’s

Bordering the New River, with over 18,000 acres of public lands and water Bluestone is the perfect place to play and stay. Containing Bluestone Lake, West Virginia’s third largest body of water, and with rustic riverside campsites

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

Spotsylvania is celebrating anniversary with a series

None of the parks listed have an entry fee, but certain activities and camping may require additional payment and reservations!

on the Bluestone National Scenic River, . This park is also perfect for hiking, boating, fishing, and waterside camping, with exclusive Bluestone to hike 9.5 miles along the Bluestone National Scenic River to reach Pipestem Resort State Park, so you can hit all

ExploreSummersCounty.com

ROCKY TOP

BY RIVER HARLAN

ONLY 25 HIGH SCHOOL RUNNERS have ever run a sub-four-minute mile. Rocky Hansen is one of them. In April, the 18-year-old from Asheville, N.C., clocked a 3:59.56.

Hansen is an eight-time state championship runner for Christ School, where he was coached by former Olympic Trials marathoner Randy Ashley, and he’ll be running for Wake Forest University this fall.

Hansen leaves everything on the track when he runs. He is a gritty, no-excuse runner—even though he's faced plenty of obstacles that could have slowed him down. During his pursuit of state championships and a sub-four mile, he’s suffered stress fractures and been sidelined by iron deficiencies. With every hurdle he has overcome, Rocky has always found a way to stay positive and think about the people who inspire him.

Blue Ridge Outdoors talked to Hansen soon after his state championship performance. He shared his secrets on training, mental preparation, and what pushes him through the final lap.

BRO: How did you get started running?

RH: I played soccer as a kid. I played defense, and my team’s offense wasn’t great, so I ended up covering a lot of ground. I realized that I might be pretty good at this running thing, so I started racing, and just stuck with it.

BRO: Why do you like running?

RH: I like to push myself. Running is a unique sport. If you work hard, you see results. I love the feeling at the end of a hard race or workout, when you know you have emptied yourself and given everything.

BRO: How do you balance school and sports?

RH: I treat my academics as seriously as my running. I bring the same intensity. At my core, I identify as a hard worker—not just in running, but in everything I do.

BRO: How have you handled the pressure of being a champion year after year?

RH: I stick to routines and focus on my running, and that keeps me grounded. I also stay away from social media.

BRO: What is your pre-race routine like?

RH: The night before a race, I will do some yoga, maybe roll out my legs, and go to bed early. On the day of the race, I’ll take a cold shower and then do some breathing sessions. The breathing helps me get the blood flowing and get control of what’s going on inside. I’ll eat an energy bar about an hour before the race. Then I’ll warm-up, do some strides, and get mentally and physically ready to race.

BRO: Do any races across your high school career stand out as especially memorable?

RH: At last year’s Carolina Distance Carnival, I had been sidelined by iron deficiency for several weeks earlier that season, but I was fit and knew that I could do something. I was running the mile, and the race went out fast. I hung onto the leader for the first three laps and didn’t let him get any gap. With one lap to go, it was just two of us, and with 200 meters left, I gave everything. I crossed the line in my best time ever. What made the race extra special was that all my teammates ran personal bests that night, too.

BRO: What do you think about in the final lap of a race?

RH: In my last state championship race, in that last lap, I thought about all the people who had molded me and helped me get to where I was: my parents, Coach Ashley, my teammates, friends—all the energy that people had put into me, I felt it. In those moments of, ‘Man, this really hurts,’ thinking about those people propels me.

BRO: Have you had any significant setbacks?

RH: Setbacks are inevitable. Progression isn’t always a straight line. COVID pretty much wiped out my freshman year. I suffered a stress fracture the next year. I learned a lot from that injury, like how to push when the future is unknown. I trained on the bike and kept working

to improve despite being in an ambiguous situation.

And twice in the past two years, I’ve had iron deficiency issues that set me back. Each injury or setback, I asked, ‘what can I learn from this?’ And the big lessons I have learned are to trust my training, not overthink things, and control the controllables.

BRO: What goals do you have from here?

RH: I hope to maybe win an NCAA championship at Wake Forest. Beyond that, I’d love to be a professional runner, maybe make the Olympics one day.

Ask the Coach

Randy Ashley is a two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier and one of the country’s most successful and accomplished running coaches. But he is most proud of the relationships he has built with his runners. “They become like family,” he says.

“There are a lot of good coaches out there,” adds Hansen. “What distinguishes a great coach is the ability to develop relationships with athletes. I’ve always felt that Coach Ashley cares about me as a whole person, and not just as a runner.”

Coach Ashley offers these suggestions for helping runners reach their best:

Make it personal: I individualize training sessions to each runner. I meet runners where they are and raise them up a little bit each day.

BRO: What advice do you have for aspiring runners?

RH: Train hard—but also train smart. Gradually increase your mileage and build a strong foundation. Work hard with what you’ve got. And keep running fun. Don’t think too much or worry too much. Be present and let running be running.

BRO: What makes running special to you?

RH: I really admire the community around running. It’s a welcoming sport. It’s open to everyone. Running teaches you a lot. And pushing through discomfort is something that we all have to do in life.

Run together: Even if they have individualized workouts, my runners are training together. They are feeding off the collective energy to get the work done.

Read the room: Before practice begins, I scan my runners’ faces and read their body language. I recognize cues and respond on the fly. I can tell when someone had a bad day or is struggling with something.

Dream big: I encourage runners to set goals and go after them. Don’t stare at the sun too much, but goals give you something to grab onto. They feed the fire.

Understand your purpose: I am here to help these runners become the best runners and the best humans they can be. I measure success by the relationships I build.

Asheville’s Rocky Hansen has become one of the best high school runners ever

PHOTO BY DAN LOUGHLIN

OUTDOOR HAPPENINGS

The top outdoor races, festivals, events and experiences in the Blue Ridge and Beyond. Check out some of our top picks here and online at blueridgeoutdoors.com

August 2023

High Knob Outdoor Fest

August 14-19

Norton, VA

Get Outside in Norton at the High Knob Outdoor Fest! This weeklong celebration of the High Knob Region’s outdoor recreation opportunities features 10+ outdoor trips and educational events and a downtown festival offering live music, food trucks, a beer garden, outdoor vendors/demos, and more.

HIGHKNOBOUTDOORFEST.COM

Midnight Flight

August 25

Anderson, SC

Midnight Flight has been a tradition in the Anderson Community for 46 years. Over 1000 runners participated last year. The road-race is a certified Grand-Prix race and the largest night-time race in South Carolina. The 1 mile will begin at 8:15 p.m., and the 5K at 9 p.m.

ANDERSONAREAYMCA.ORG

Ashland Half Marathon

August 26

Ashland, VA

If you’ve never been to Ashland, Virginia look no further than the Ashland Half Marathon to find yourself soaking in every ounce of the colorful town! Escape to smalltown Virginia and run 13.1 miles along rolling hills, picturesque fields, and maybe even spot a train or two.

SPORTSBACKERS.ORG

Sky Meadows State Park 40th Anniversary Celebration

August 26

Delaplane, VA

Join Sky Meadows State Park for its special 40th anniversary celebration. The event features

live music, local wine and beer vendors, food trucks, wagon rides, Mount Bleak Open House, conservation programs, historic demonstrations and more. Admission is free.

VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV/ SK40YEARS

Front Porch Fest 14

August 31 - September 3

Stuart, VA

Held at the foot of the Blue Ridge, Front Porch Fest was born from the idea that life is art, and music is the soul. Featuring a high caliber of artists, this small familyfriendly festival is a "don't miss" in the region and a great event for first time festival goers.

FRONTPORCHFEST.COM

September 2023

Bertha Cave Explorers

New River Trail State Park

September 2

Max Meadows, VA

Come learn what makes cave ecosystems so delicate and special. In this adventure, you will have the opportunity to see unique formations and animals that only exist in caves. Please wear clothes that can get dirty and non-slip close-toed shoes. Registration is required, space is limited. $20.

VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV/ BERTHACAVEEXPLORERS

Let's Go Kayaking at Shenandoah River State Park

September 2

Bentonville, VA

Paddling a kayak gives you a new perspective of the world. This 8 hour class will cover the basics of paddling skills including; how to select and fit a PFD, different

types of kayaks, planning and safety, and proper paddling strokes. Advanced registration required. $15.

VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV/ LETSGOKAYAKING

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack

September 13

Charlottesville, VA

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros formed in 2018 by Weir along with Don Was and Jay Lane, performing the expansive catalogue of Grateful Dead, Bobby's solo albums and more. Jeff Chimenti joined in 2020, around the same time they started featuring The Wolfpack, a string and brass quintet.

TINGPAVILION.COM

The Infamous Weekend

September 15-16

Martinsville, VA

This inaugural family-friendly event features 2 days and nights of amazing music from festival hosts, The Infamous Stringdusters plus a supporting lineup curated by the band itself. Enjoy on-site camping, outdoor activities, food, drink, arts, and kids’ activities at the idyllic Pop’s Farm in the rolling foothills of Martinsville, Va.

INFAMOUSWEEKEND.COM

Powhatan State Park

Pawpaw Festival

September 16

Powhatan, VA

Check out Central Virginia’s most exciting new event, the Inaugural Pawpaw Festival. Experience the beauty of these trees and learn more about the nation’s largest native fruit. The event will feature acoustic music performances, ranger-led programs, crafts and wildlife. Admission is $5; children 12 and under free.

VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV/ PAWPAWFESTIVAL

World Chicken Festival

September 21 - 24

London, KY

Top-notch free entertainment, thrilling amusement rides, outrageous contests, quality craft & food vendors and the World’s Largest Skillet that cooks up mouthwatering fried chicken! Check this off your bucket list and join us for a fun and fabulous festival!

CHICKENFESTIVAL.COM

Kiptopeke State Park

Outdoor Exploration Day

September 23

Kiptopeke, VA

Come celebrate National Public Lands Day and the great Eastern Shore of Virginia at our Outdoor Exploration Day. Through education, hands-on demonstrations and outdoor recreation, visitors will further their appreciation of the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay.

VIRGINIASTATEPARKS.GOV/ OUTDOOREXPLORATIONDAY

Peach Kid’s Triathlon Championship Presented by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

September 24

Alpharetta, GA

A high-quality youth triathlon experience for the entire family that is focused on fitness, fun, and safety. All finishers will receive commemorative medals.

GAMULTISPORTS.COM/ PEACHKIDSTRIATHLON

Gov't Mule with G. Love & Special Sauce

September 29

Charlottesville, VA

Gov't Mule, known for their bluesy, hard rock riffing, songwriting, and virtuosic improvisation are joined by G. Love & Special Sauce, creators

of their own genre, “The HipHop Blues" - a laid back, rootsy sound, that encompasses Delta blues, hip hop, rock & roll soul and funk.

TINGPAVILION.COM/EVENTS/ DETAIL/GOVT-MULE-1 Alley Fest

October 2023

October 6 - 7

Paintsville, KY

The Alley Fest is the best musical entertainment that Eastern Kentucky has to offer. Celebrating the area’s rich musical heritage with some of the nation’s hottest acts. This two day event is sure to highlight Paintsville, KY.

ALLEYONMIANKY.COM

Kentucky Apple Festival

October 6 - 7

Paintsville, KY

The Kentucky Apple Festival has been a celebration of community, fall harvest, and local nonprofits since it’s beginning in 1973. Our event offers craft vendors, music concerts, carnival rides, and a parade.

KYAPPLEFEST.ORG

Oktobrewfest 2023

October 7, 5-10PM

Historic Main St, Tazewell, VA

An evening of music, craft beer and cider, wine and food, featuring live performances from Mackenzie Phipps and Steele Cookin Band, as well as a Beer Stein competition-and an After Brewfest Party from 10:00pm-Midnight at Back of the Dragon! Get the party started early at the Friday Night Kickoff on October 6th with dinner and drink specials at local Tazewell County restaurants.

TAZEWELLCHAMBER.COM

LEAF Global Arts Festival

October 19 - 22

Black Mountain, NC

LEAF Festival offers opportunities

to connect to the world and each other at the scenic Lake Eden. Live music, dance, and performance arts are offered alongside camp and lake outdoor adventures, healing arts workshops and practitioners, poetry slam in the world, kids adventures and workshops, mountain drum circle, and more!

THELEAF.ORG

NC Liver Mush FestivalMush, Music & Mutts

October 21

Washington Street, Uptown

Shelby, NC

Recognized in regional and national media, this festival celebrates the unique delicacy known as liver mush. Festival highlights include a liver mush eating contest, recipe contest and cook-off, live music, and more than 80 craft, food, and beverage vendors. Free to attend, pets welcome, and fun for the whole family!

NCLIVERMUSHFESTIVAL.COM

Bluegrass Mountain Cup

October 27 - 29

Prestonsburg, KY

Prestonsburg is the Mountain Biking Capital of Kentucky, and for good reason. Experienced riders find thrill alongside magic views on Sugarcamp Mountain. Prestonsburg is happy to host the KY Mountain Bike Summit on 10/27 before once again welcoming the Bluegrass Mountain Cup on October 28-29 for XC and Enduro races.

PRESTONSBURGKY.ORG/ ADVENTURES/HIKING-BIKING

November 2023

Alpharetta Women’s Half

Marathon and 5K Race

Presented by Altra

November 5

Alpharetta, GA

Pack your running shoes and join us for the Alpharetta Women’s Half Marathon & 5k presented by Altra. After crossing the finish line, participants are invited to celebrate with a post-race party.

ALPHARETTAWOMENSHALF.EVENTS

Allianz Partners Richmond

Marathon

November 11

Richmond, VA

Whether you take part in the marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, or VCU Health Richmond 8k, Richmond provides phenomenal course support, great fall scenery, and awesome finisher swag. Don’t miss the 46th running of America’s Friendliest Marathon!

RICHMONDMARATHON.ORG

The Bay Bridge Run/Walk

November 13

Annapolis, MD

Your only chance to run/walk across the majestic Chesapeake Bay Bridge which is typically closed to pedestrians. You can expect a fun, well managed event open to runners and walkers alike. The 10K course will traverse the eastbound span of the bridge from Anne Arundel County to Kent Island.

THEBAYBRIDGERUN.COM

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros

Featuring The Wolfpack September 13

WITH G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE

WITH BAILEN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

UncommonEscapes

With nearly 350,000 acres of public land, Pocahontas County is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Set out on an adventure and tackle the trails found throughout two state forests and five state parks. Or get off the grid in the Monongahela National Forest and explore its natural wilderness areas.

Start planning your adventure.

THE SOUTHEAST’S DISAPPEARING GRASSLANDS

BY MALEE OOT

NESTLED IN THE SUBURBS OF Baltimore, there’s a scrap of land that could be the backdrop for a classic Western film, a patchwork of rockriddled grasslands and savannahs studded with stunted blackjack and post oak trees. This swath of habitat contains the largest intact barrens remaining on the East Coast.

Now protected as the Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, this strip of grassland was first a hunting ground for the region’s Susquehannock and Piscataway communities, and later for European colonists. The barrens provided the backdrop for the state’s first public hanging in 1751, and hosted skirmishes between the Union Army and Maryland volunteers sympathetic to the Confederacy. A century later, though, the oakstudded savanna was on the brink of disappearing. Degraded by decades of misuse and squeezed by encroaching suburban sprawl, the island of habitat was finally protected by the state, becoming a park in 1975.

Patches of ancient grassland habitat like this still exist throughout the Southeast, from the high peaks of the Blue Ridge to the Atlantic Coast—but they’re almost gone.

Images of windswept prairies grazed by herds of bison are usually associated with the American West and the iconic landscapes of the Great Plains. But, about 200 years ago, the Southeast was also mottled with extensive native grasslands, from Pennsylvania south to Florida, and west to Texas. According to the

nonprofit Southeastern Grasslands Initiative, the region was covered by at least 110 million acres of native grasslands.

“If I had to guess, that’s about 30 to 40 percent of the Southern landscape,” says Dwayne Estes, director of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative and a professor at Austin Peay State University.

But, over the last two centuries, most of the Southeast’s grasslands— more than a million acres—have disappeared. These native grasslands have been converted

into cropland, overgrazed by livestock, swallowed by forests, and edged out by invasive species. The region’s natural landscapers, bison and elk, were hunted to extinction east of the Mississippi River by the late 1800s. Treeless landscapes once maintained by fire, whether sparked naturally by lightning or intentionally introduced, have also disappeared thanks in part to fire suppression techniques introduced in the early 1900s.

Today, only about 10 percent of the region’s native grasslands

remain, and in parts of the Southeast, only one percent of native grasslands have survived. Many of the region’s remnant grasslands exist as tiny scraps, along roadsides, beneath powerlines, and edging agricultural fields, which means most of these ecosystems lack any form of protection.

Detective Work

“We often say, most of the grasslands east of the Mississippi River, they disappeared before

These native habitats, and their ecological benefits, are nearly gone. But there are efforts to save what’s left.

the camera was invented – or before they could be described by scientists,” says Estes. “We have to do almost like detective work to piece them back together.”

Journals kept by early pioneers, missionaries, and explorers help paint a picture of the landscape. For instance, while traveling through the American interior to New Orleans in the late 1700s, exiled French monarch Louis Philippe penned colorful descriptions of lush meadows sprinkled with wildflowers with undersized trees. Place names assigned to early maps provide hints too. For example,

Thomas Jefferson's father, Peter, a geographer and cartographer, helped map the high country of Virginia’s Mount Rogers in the mid-1700s, labeling the grasslandquilted highlands “Meadow Mountain.”

Another problem is the scale of what’s been lost. In the Southeast, old-growth prairie and savanna grasslands are almost gone, more than 99 percent.

“One example is what’s called the Jackson’s Purchase Prairies,” says Estes. Named for a tract of land in Tennessee and Kentucky that Andrew Jackson helped to

acquire from the Chickasaw, today the prairie habitat has virtually disappeared.

“That was about a half a million acres of prairie in western Kentucky,” Estes adds. “And today we have less than 10 solid acres.”

What’s Being Lost

Still, there are examples of ancient grasslands stashed throughout the Southeast, appearing as prototypical prairies and savannas, and as rocky barrens, herbaceous glades, and grassy peaks like Roan Mountain and Mount Rogers, also called balds.

And, throughout the region, this native habitat provides a host of ecological benefits. Because of their extensive subterranean root systems, grasslands prevent erosion and improve soil quality. And with so much biomass stored underground, they’re also significant carbon sinks. An acre of undisturbed prairie grassland habitat can absorb about a ton of carbon per year, sometimes more. The Southeast’s relic grasslands are also islands of biodiversity. Despite their dwindling size, the region’s native grasslands have the greatest diversity of plant species in

GRASSES ALONG THE ART LOEB TRAIL. PHOTO BY MALEE OOT

North America, in some places, more than 50 different species have been recorded in a single square meter.

“What surprises a lot of people is that there are more types of grassland ecosystems in the Southeast and probably the East in general than there are in the entire Great Plains of the United States and Canada combined,” says Estes. But, with so much habitat disappearing, experts are racing to map the region’s species richness.

“There’s one prairie called the Black Belt Prairie, it’s in parts of Mississippi and Alabama, and that system alone has 2,000

moth species, many of which are technically not named,” Estes says.

Saving What’s Left

All the fragmentation, along with decades of deterioration, have also made Southeastern grasslands harder to save.

“I think a lot of the challenge is that people don’t see grasslands as anything special,” Estes says. “A lot of them were showier in the past, but with those years of neglect and degradation they’ve lost a lot of their flowers species. They’ve been invaded by invasive species, [and] this makes them harder to love.”

Beyond the ecological loss, the Southeast’s grasslands are also inextricably linked to the region’s history. Discoveries of stone-sculpted Clovis spear points suggest Paleo-Americans regularly used the Southeast’s grasslands to hunt big game. And, centuries later, some of the South’s oldest settlements, cities like Charlotte, Nashville, and Richmond, were built among grassland ecosystems, habitat that offered fertile soil and pastureland. Around the same time, 18th century explorers and long-hunters like Daniel Boone

used bison-trampled grasslands called traces to travel from southwest Virginia into Tennessee and Kentucky.

“If you think about all the cultures that have been a part of eastern North America, the French, the English, various Native American tribes, African Americans, they all have very different relationships with southern grasslands that go back hundreds of years, if not millennia in the case of Native Americans,” says Estes. “So much of that history is imperfectly known. But we’re starting to tell that story.”

Made

A River Runs Through It

BY BILL MACFARLAND

ON MOST WEEKENDS AT THE HISTORIC Langston Golf Course in Washington, D.C., golf carts putter along while people swiftly swing their clubs. But on a Saturday this past May, eager volunteers gathered near the course's 17th hole, laughing as they learned to use hand saws and machetes. They were removing a dense thicket of shrubs known as bush honeysuckle, clearing space for native plants critical for removing pollutants from soil and restoring the health of the nearby Anacostia River.

Among the volunteers, working with the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS), are Kristina Vidal and her daughter Hazel Wartchow, who, for the past few years, have been helping the group remove invasive species.

Members of AWS have undertaken habitat renewal work since the organization was

founded in 1989, with a focus on having people from diverse backgrounds engage with the river. This community engagement is critical to improving water quality and fostering a sense of ownership of and investment in the river's health, according to AWS officials. And getting the community involved is an essential part of efforts to make the river—once in deep environmental peril—swimmable and fishable for the first time in decades.

“By providing opportunities for people to learn about the river, enjoy it, and work to restore it, local groups are promoting a sense of community stewardship that is vital to bringing the river back to health,” says Chris Williams, president of AWS.

For Hazel and her sister, Sola Wartchow, what started as time spent fulfilling community service hours has become a family affair

that also includes Vidal’s husband, Rick Wartchow, who frequently volunteers for AWS. It is an opportunity to spend time together and a chance to make a difference in their community. Removing invasive plants, monitoring freshwater mussels, and conducting litter cleanups ensure the Anacostia River, which flows through the nation’s capital for a little more than eight miles from Prince George’s County in Maryland to the Potomac, is preserved for everyone living along the waterway.

“Volunteering is very satisfying because each activity has a specific goal, and you can see immediate, tangible results from your efforts towards restoring the river,” says Vidal.

While groups like AWS are working to restore the river through volunteerism, other community groups take a more social

A once-forgotten waterway flowing through the nation’s capital is now bringing communities together to help save it.

MEMBERS OF THE WASHINGTON ROWING SCHOOL. PHOTO BY BILL MACFARLAND

approach. For Defensores De La Cuenca ("defenders of the watershed"), the focus is on bringing families in the Latino community together to enjoy outdoor activities.

Defensores De La Cuenca offers family fishing days on the river, often welcoming attendees who have never cast a fishing rod. The group invites environmental and watershed professionals to their events so children can learn about potential careers in environmental protection. They hope these interactions will instill in the next generation an appreciation for the importance of protecting the river.

"We don't prescribe a particular experience, but our approach is family oriented,” says Abel Olivo, the nonprofit's executive director. “Our families experience the outdoors as a unit. It is about collective experiences. Both adults and youths laugh and learn together.”

Community involvement in the Anacostia River has been evolving since the early 1990s, when the Anacostia River was named one of the 10 most polluted

rivers in the country. In 1994, President Clinton designated the Anacostia watershed one of seven ecosystems requiring priority restoration. Two decades later, little had changed: the Anacostia River was one of two rivers declared in 2010 by the Clean Water Act to be impaired by trash.

The waterway’s location in a big expanding city is part of the problem. As of 2022, the population across the Anacostia watershed has grown to more than 800,000 people, resulting in 25 percent of the area being covered by roads, parking lots, and rooftops. These impervious surfaces allow stormwater runoff to rapidly flow into the Anacostia, producing erosion and flooding. Past flood control efforts have made matters worse. Wetlands, aquatic habitats, and forests that could have filtered the stormwater runoff were removed, leaving the river ecologically unable to recover from floods.

While there is still much work to be done, the good news is that the river is on the mend.

Substantial efforts have been made to restore the Anacostia River by all three jurisdictions that border it: the District of Columbia; Prince George's County, Maryland; and Montgomery County, Maryland. Both D.C. and Montgomery County have imposed bag taxes and bans

on foam food containers. The District has completed a tunnel to capture sewage overflowing into the Anacostia River. Trends in measures like fecal bacteria levels have been improving, with only a slight setback in 2018 due to heavy rainfall. Long-term projects such as

VOLUNTEERS WORK WITH THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETY. PHOTO BY BILL MACFARLAND

remediating contaminated sediment and developing Kingman and Heritage Islands into a conservation area continue.

And then there are efforts to engage communities and coordinate work by a broad range of agencies and organizations that are also showing promise. Coordination across local, state, and federal agencies, plus environmental organizations, is handled by the Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership (AWRP). Its Community Advisory Committee (AWAC) serves as a hub for environmental nonprofits and community groups to coordinate activities and priorities. The Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative (APAC), which is separate from the AWRP, coordinates activities across community groups more broadly. These activities are wide-ranging and reflect the growing diversity of the communities surrounding the Anacostia watershed.

Friends of Anacostia Park, for instance, is working to connect residents of the nearby Anacostia neighborhood of Washington,

D.C., to both the nearby 1200-acre recreational park and the adjacent Anacostia River. According to Friends of Anacostia Park cofounder, Akiima Price, building that connection starts with creating a supportive environment.

“We have kids in our neighboring communities that don't feel safe being outdoors,” she says. “Our meaningful engagement work considers how to use nature engagement to address the mental, physical, and social wellness of stressed communities. Those park experiences represent a safe, good time, and members of the Anacostia community keep coming back."

From spring through fall, Friends of Anacostia Park's engagement team schedules events at the park, including roller skating, fishing, and a local favorite called hand dancing. A list of planned activities also includes boat rides, which for some will offer a first chance to see osprey, bald eagles, and beaver on the river.

Fostering stewardship by

being on the water is also the plan for Cindy Cole, founder of the Washington Rowing School. The school’s Community Challenge, an eight-week program for new rowers, include efforts to promote a clean river. During grueling Saturday morning workouts, participants spend some time cleaning up the riverside debris before the eight-person teams

push away from the dock for extensive paddling. According to Cole, the cleanups improve camaraderie and create appreciation for the river.

"We can't prevent the trash, but cleaning it up builds awareness,” she says. “It's particularly good for our junior rowers to hear about the problems with plastics. Then they will take the message home.”

MEMBERS OF FRIENDS OF ANACOSTIA PARK. PHOTO BY BILL MACFARLAND

BUM LIFE

BY GRAHAM AVERILL

IT HIT ME RECENTLY THAT I’LL never be a ski bum. You know the guy (or girl) that moves to a town and takes a low-pressure job like snowplowing or parking cars, and shares a condo with six other guys and spends all of his free time skiing the local resort.

I was obsessed with ski movies as a kid (shout out to Aspen Extreme), and I always assumed I’d live that lifestyle at some point during my tenure on planet earth. I would spend a year or three devoting myself to the art of shredding the gnar and then get on with my career and start contributing to the gross domestic product like a good citizen.

I don’t think I’ve ever really given up on that dream, I just kept postponing it for other things like college, graduate school, “real” jobs, marriage. I would get to it, though. I might be a little older when I moved into that condo with half a dozen guys at the base of the hill, but I’d still do it.

But I had a moment of clarity recently as I approached my 47th birthday, where I had to admit that I might be too old for that lifestyle now. To be honest, I can’t even fathom

sharing a bathroom with several other dudes at this point in my life, and my disgust with communal bathrooms outweighs my desire to ski sick pow on a regular basis.

This epiphany was sobering, because, if my window for being a ski bum has closed, that means I’m going to die without ever having skied the Powder 8’s competition (Aspen Extreme) or raced the cheesy corporate shill for my job and soul of the mountain (Ski School) or thwarted the development mogul’s plans to turn my blue-collar mountain into a high end resort (Out Cold). I’m 47 years old, halfway through my life and, apparently, I haven’t lived at all. What the hell have I been doing with myself?

Hello mid-life crisis.

Having reached this pivotal point in my story arc, I can understand how some men (and women) make bad choices that cause permanent damage to their loved ones. I’m talking about grown men who bleach their hair, buy a motorcycle, and move in with their yoga instructor. I’m not really into yoga or motorcycles (I’m ambivalent about bleached hair), but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t occasionally think about spending all of my money on a really nice van and driving west until I reached a very tall, very snowy mountain. Or hell, a beach with a solid right break. I had plans to be a beach

bum too. Watching The North Shore, which takes the standard ski bum movie plot and moves it to Hawaii’s surf culture, was just as formative to me as Aspen Extreme. I always planned on squeezing the surf bum life between my ski bum years and writing the great American novel. I’m a reasonable guy, I could make beach life work.

But I like my wife and kids. I can’t leave them. And uprooting their lives so I can live my ski/surf bum dreams probably isn’t realistic. Would my potential roommates even be cool with the fact that I’d be bringing my wife and kids along for the ride as we used our sick ski skills to stick it to the man? Probably not. So, I just have to admit that the window for that sort of adventure is closed for me.

It's fine. I’m older now. I have responsibilities. I need to shift my focus to activities that are more age appropriate. I’m in the “birding window” now. That’s cool. And glamping. That seems like an appropriate activity for someone in my stage in life. I do have a bad back and sleeping on a plush queen mattress in the middle of the woods sounds better than sleeping on a thin inflatable pad that deflates halfway through the night. Maybe the glamping tent would have electricity so I could plug in my C-Pap machine. So yeah, I’ll just spend the next few decades looking at birds and bedding down in overly priced canvas tents decorated with faux bearskin rugs, lamps, and writing desks. I’m psyched.

Or maybe I just need someone to write a different sort of ski/surf bum movie. One with a decidedly older cast of characters that are still shredding the local hill/surf break and

using their ski/surf skills to fight the property developers for the soul of said local hill/surf break, but instead of all of them sharing a one-bedroom run-down condo with a communal bathroom, each of the characters has invested well so they can live in a reasonably appointed standalone home with their wives and children. And those homes are in a good school district, because that’s important too.

And instead of partying all night, these ski/surf bums will occasionally have two or three well-crafted local IPAs and share a charcuterie board and talk about podcasts they really like before going to bed at a reasonable hour, so they can get up early the next morning and have enough time to stretch their bad backs before shredding deep pow for the soul of the mountain/surf break. And yes, there would be great ski/surf scenes but probably not a lot of aerials because the characters have bad backs and if they get hurt it would seriously impact their productivity at work. And this movie would have plenty of zany pranks and shenanigans, but the kind where women are treated with respect, nobody gets hurt (see: bad backs, above), and everyone can make it for charcuterie and IPAs at the end of the day.

That’s a movie that I’d watch. Hell, that’s a movie that I could use as inspiration for the second half of my life. So maybe I haven’t missed my ski/surf bum window, after all. Maybe that window has just evolved into a different, custom window made from recycled materials that have superior insulative properties. Maybe it’s just a more responsible, well-appointed ski/ surf bum window now.

BIG GEAR ON CAMPUS

travel-tested classic, making it our top choice for any college student with a lot of interests. With a toughbut-spongy sole and water-resistant leather upper, it can handle hikes, hacky sack, travel, parties, and any other activity with aplomb. $210; blundstone.com

Camelbak

MulitBev Bottle

Coffee will get you through school. Keep it close by with this handy 22-ounce bottle that includes a 16-ounce cup built right in. Of course you don’t have to limit yourself to java, dear student; it works for a wide range of hot and cold beverages. $52; camelbak.com

Cotopaxi

Tasra 16L Del Dia

The perfect school hauler, this comfy, wellorganized pack features internal compartments and a laptop sleeve to keep all your supplies in order. Since it’s Cotopaxi, you can also strut around knowing it was made sustainably and in a fair labor factory. And don’t worry about looking just like every other cool kid on campus—the color design of each pack is unique. $85; cotopaxi.com

Blundstone

500

No shoe does it all like Blundstone’s time- and

TerraFlame S’mores

That’s right—you can make everyone’s fave campfire food indoors. Powered by a smokefree gel this nifty burner facilitates perfect marshmallow cooking whether you are out camping or need a late-night study snack back home. (Be sure to check regulations for your building.) $60; terraflame.com

DripDrop

Electrolyte Powder

Hydration is key to the college experience— for multiple reasons. Whether you want to hit the trail, keep your mind sharp, or fight off the

excess of, well, college, DripDrop makes staying hydrated easy with individual packets that pack a powerful electrolyte punch with less sugar than most mixes. $36 (32 pack); dripdrop.com

Purist

Mover 18

The second key to staying hydrated? Have a cool, functional bottle. The sleek, 18-ounce stainless steel Mover 18 is our new favorite. It keeps ice water cold and hot drinks warm to help you make it though class. $48; puristcollective.com

JBL

Tune Buds Flx Ghost Edition

Whether you need to tune out your roommates or just need to go deep into your own happy place, these noise-canceling buds will be your best buds with crisp sound and 32 hours of play time on a charge. $99; jbl.com

Marmot x DJ Javier

“Outdoors Is All Yours” Heavyweight Hoody Marmot collaborated with artist and activist DJ Javier (@_djjavier) to put out this hoody you can live in every day. It speaks to making the outdoors (and all spaces) feel more welcoming and inclusive. $80; marmot.com

COTOPAXI

DRIPDROP

JBL

500 ORIGINALS

At school or out in the wild, the following gear is just the ticket for adventure-seeking college students looking to explore this fall.

BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

CAMELBAK

PURIST

MARMOT X DJ JAVIER

PETZL HEADLAMPS...

HYBRID CONCEPT for choosing your power source. FULL-TILT lamp bodies for various wearing options.

50:50 BURN-TIME-TO-BRIGHTNESS for reliable performance.

...THESE ARE THE PETZL DIFFERENCES WORTH JUSTIFYING.

©2022 PETZL DISTRIBUTION

OUR FAVORITE SONGS IN AUGUST

New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond

BY JEDD FERRIS AND DAVE STALLARD

EVERY MONTH OUR EDITORS curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In August we’re highlighting new tunes from Old Crow Medicine Show and Buck Meek.

BUCK MEEK

“Haunted Mountain”

Buck Meek is the inventive guitarist in indie rock heroes Big Thief, but in his solo project the Texas native leans into trippy country music. The title track to his new album, out August 25, is a drifter’s anthem about finding love in unlikely places. “Now that I live here on this haunted mountain/ I know I’m never coming down again,” Meeks sings, as beautiful sunbeams of pedal steel enhance the soul-searching sentiment. – J.F.

CORDOVAS

“Falling Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Cordovas, the throwback collective led by singer-songwriter Joe Firstman, continue to churn out vintage country-rock that will please fans of the Grateful Dead and Flying Burrito Brothers. “Falling Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the first look at the group’s new album “The Rose of Aces,” is a freewheeling ode to the power of music, with Firstman singing about heroes from the sonic beacons of Memphis and Muscle Shoals and the importance old songs can have in one’s life. – J.F

DARLINGSIDE

“Right Friend”

On a Darlingside song, the instrumentation can become an afterthought. To be clear, that is not a disparagement of the band’s instrumental prowess; they are

certainly more than proficient musicians. Instead, it is a compliment to their harmonies that are, frankly, unparalleled. On “Right Friend,” a beautiful ode to friendship, it isn’t difficult to get lost in the vocals, letting the strings and percussion become subtle accents on what is a mesmerizing harmonic journey. – D.S.

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW

“Miles

Away”

Old Crow Medicine Show lets bygones be bygones in the plaintive new track “Miles Away.”

Longtime Old Crow leader Ketch Secor sings, “Don’t let the past hold the reins,” reflecting on friendships gone sour and how time heals old wounds. And appropriately joining him on the track from the new album “Jubilee” is Willie Watson, a former band member who left the group acrimoniously over a decade ago. – J.F.

GOOSE FEATURING TREY ANASTASIO & FATHER JOHN MISTY

“Tomorrow

Never Knows”

Last summer, Goose stopped at Radio City Music Hall for a twonight run, and the pair of three-set shows were recorded and recently released as a live album. Father John Misty and Trey Anastasio joined

the band during night two, with both ending up on stage for the encore, a rendition of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows.” This spirited cover, highlighted by the blistering guitar runs traded by Anastasio and Goose’s Rick Mitarotonda, closes out a set of shows that marked a sense of arrival for the ascending jam band. – D.S

THE BASEBALL PROJECT “Journeyman”

The Baseball Project is a supergroup featuring Peter Buck and Mike Mills of R.E.M., along with Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate. As the name suggests, they play songs that honor America’s favorite pastime, albeit in the jangly, alt-rock style the musicians are known for. “Journeyman,” from the band’s new album “Grand Salami Time!,” is a country-leaning tune about utility players that always get the job done but often end up moving from team to team in relative obscurity. – J.F.

MALCOLM HOLCOMBE

“Bits & Pieces”

North Carolina songwriter Malcolm Holcombe and longtime collaborator

Jared Tyler headed to the studio last year soon after Holcombe’s cancer diagnosis; a sense of urgency dictated getting these songs recorded now, because nobody knew what later was going to bring. Thankfully, later brought a clean bill of health, and Holcombe is still here to deliver the title track of the new record live, complete with gravelly growl and a percussive finger picking style that dares his guitar strings not to respond with the notes he wants. – D.S.

TIM O’BRIEN “Cup of Sugar”

Despite what the Good Book says, Tim O’Brien doesn’t think you absolutely have to love your neighbor, but you better have a cup of sugar ready if he needs it. With a tongue-in-cheek sagacity, O’Brien offers wit and wisdom on the title track to his latest record, singing of the joys, challenges, and responsibilities that come from simply having neighbors, aptly capturing the juxtaposition between intimacy and distance that simply being on the other side of a fence can bring. – D.S.

To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW RELEASE THE NEW ALBUM “JUBILEE” ON AUGUST 25.

PHOTO BY JOSHUA BLACK WILKINS

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