Blue Ridge Outdoors October 2021

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TRAIL MAGIC SOUTHERN STREAMS FOR NATIVE BROOK TROUT

How to Avoid Backpacking Mistakes TRAILS LESS TRAVELED: CROWD-FREE FALL ESCAPES

Simple Acts of Kindness Keep Hikers Moving

NEW HIKING GEAR + G OV ’ T M UL E S IN G S T H E B LUE S + MO UN TA IN R UN N IN G

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Explore miles of scenic trails with varying terrain and picturesque views in Charlottesville & Albemarle County.

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ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

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

October-November 2021

D E PA R T M E N T S

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

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6 | FIELD REPORT

Mountain bikers will soon have plenty of trails to ride in eastern Tennessee.

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

8 | THE STUDIO

E D I TO R I A L & P R O D U C T I O N

The sculptures of artist and angler Ryan Smith.

S E N I O R E D I TO R W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com T R AV E L E D I TO R E L L E N K A N Z I N G E R ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com

41 | THE OUT AND BACK The necessity of the adventure cleanse.

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

SUNSET DURING A HIKE IN NORTH CAROLINA'S LINVILLE GORGE W I L D E R N E S S . P H O T O B Y N AT E B O W E R Y

M E LO N E E H U R T TA L G A LTO N MIKE BEZEMEK

47 | GOODS

The best new hiking gear for Blue Ridge trails.

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

49 | PERSPECTIVE

Connecting life’s dots helps a runner complete an Appalachian classic.

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50 | TRAIL MIX

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New tunes from Gov’t Mule and Wilderado, plus the return of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

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D I G I TA L M E D I A

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

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

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F E AT U R E S SUMMIT

10 | TRAIL MAGIC

PUBLISHING

Hikers share tales of how simple acts of kindness help keep them moving.

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17 | NATIVE BROOKIES

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Where to catch coveted trout in high-elevation Appalachian streams.

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27 | LESS CROWDS, MORE ADVENTURE

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PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

We explore four under-the-radar fall escapes.

33 | AVOIDABLE MISTAKES

Don’t make these backpacking blunders.

35 | UPHILL

There’s so much to absorb on a mountain ascent.

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FIELD REPORT

MTB GROWTH

TENNESSEE’S BIKE BOOM New trails, a bike park, and cross-town connections amount to new riding opportunities on the eastern side of the Volunteer State.

BY MELONEE HURT

WHEN CHAD WOLFE OPENED HIS TREK

store in the burgeoning mountain town of Johnson City, Tenn., he wanted to create a community group ride that would help get people on bikes. That year, in 2015, 12 people showed up for what was dubbed the “Taco Trek.”

Eight of those people, Wolfe jokes, were in his phone.

Fast forward to 2019, when a whopping 596 people showed up to ride the Taco Trek (which is, of course, a ride followed by tacos). It became such a raging success that Trek corporate trademarked the name.

This is just part of the biking growth in East Tennessee that is spilling out of Johnson City into adjacent towns such as Elizabethton, Erwin, Unicoi, and Hampton. Places you’ve maybe never heard of, but soon will.

Each of these communities has seen what Johnson City has been able to do with a little bit of vacant land, a dedicated group of champions and some public, private, and grant money. A 70acre knob about a mile from the heart of the city’s downtown area has become Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park and, more importantly, an economic driver and a tourist attraction.

As of publication time, at least 13 municipalities in northeast Tennessee are in some phase of expanding, adding, or upgrading mountain bike and rail trails that could ultimately become an uninterrupted bike path stretching from Damascus, Va., to the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains in Hartford, Tenn., an estimated 170-200 miles.

Because of the proximity to the Cherokee National Forest, the future of trail riding in this area consists of thousands of acres of undisturbed land and massive opportunities to become known for its biking.

JB Seay, federal lands coordinator for the Tri-Cities SORBA chapter, which

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE CHEROKEE N AT I O N A L F O R E S T, T H E F U T U R E O F T R A I L R I D I N G IN THIS AREA CONSISTS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF UNDISTURBED LAND AND MASSIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME KNOWN FOR ITS BIKING. PHOTO BY MITCHELL HARTLEY

is helping to organize many of the efforts to grow the sport of cycling across multiple county lines, said convincing municipalities that cycling is valuable and legitimate isn’t their biggest hurdle.

“I think everyone recognizes the return on investment on these kinds of improvements, but you still have to find that initial investment,” he said.

“We’ve made a lot of inroads with local governments. We have passionate people that know folks and have history with people and are able to say, ‘this isn’t a flash in the pan.’ This is a sustained interest and quality-of-life improvement that lifts everyone. The projects that have been big capital expenses, the cities have seen the use, the interest, the economic drive, and quality of life improvement to say this was a good decision and investment.”

The cross-municipality coordination began when Johnson City and the town of Elizabethton partnered to build a privately funded 10-mile path along the old Tweetsie Railroad bed now called the Tweetsie Trail. It has become a popular spot for bikers of all skill levels.

The trail is now in the planning stages to get an additional 4.5 miles added to it which could connect Tannery Knobs in Johnson City to the Hampton Watershed

Trails in Carter County, which are also in the process of an expansion.

The budget for Tannery Knobs included funding for a city park on neighboring Buffalo Mountain, which is owned by the city of Johnson City and now serves as a spot for hiking and picnicking but has no marked mountain bike trails. The city park is pending approval and the International Mountain Biking Association’s Trail Solutions has already designed the phase-one trail system there.

“With the western side of the Blue Ridge ridge and valley and the eastern side of the Cumberland Plateau, the geologic, topographic, hydrologic, and soil conditions are varied and diverse. Representing some of the best terrain for mountain biking on the East Coast.”

“There is a ton of awesome trail work going on in eastern Tennessee,” said Trail Solutions Project Manager Steve Kasacek, who developed the master plan for Tannery and the trail system at Buffalo. “It is one of my favorite regions of the country. With the western side of the Blue Ridge ridge and valley and the eastern

side of the Cumberland Plateau, the geologic, topographic, hydrologic, and soil conditions are varied and diverse.

Representing some of the best terrain for mountain biking on the East Coast.”

Johnson City businessman Grant Summers donated the land that now houses Tannery Knobs to the city.

It also has room for expansion. He donated it with one stipulation: that the city would turn it into a mountain bike park. And that’s exactly what they did. It’s a relatively small park in its current state with about 3.7 miles of trails open. But its impact has been huge. YouTubers with big followings have ridden and posted about it.

Visitors have come from across the country to ride it. And now, surrounding communities want access to it.

“You like to think you created something special, but it is hard to conceptualize the radius of emphasis Tannery has had,” Summers said. “There has been such wide-ranging interest.

People have moved here for this place.”

Wesley Bradley, SORBA Tri-Cities’ trail liaison for Hampton, called Tannery an inspiring model. “It’s teeny tiny compared to other trail systems, but they marketed it right, they got a quality builder, so they have quality trails and because of that, it grew in notoriety quick. It wasn’t hard to sell to other land managers that they can do this in their community, too.”

The existing Hampton Watershed trail system is four miles of trails, but money has already been approved for phase one of an expansion project that will add nearly three more miles of trails to some beautiful land running along the Doe River. A proposed phase two would allow the trail system to reach the peak of Cedar Mountain with the potential to then extend it all the way to Dennis Cove.

When you factor in the proposed expansion of the Tweetsie Trail, it’s adding up to a viable trail system where riders can bike some technical trails, then ride into the next town, bike some more technical trails, and then cruise into town for a beer.

“I think this is doable in my lifetime,” Wolfe said. “Being able to ride from point A to point B is not something most of the country can do. When riders can connect communities, that opens up an entire different level of recreation. When you can do a multi-day experience where restaurants and hotels see the benefit— that’s a West Coast thing.”

Winding through mountain landscapes adorned with hues of rich amber, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad takes its passengers on an excursion like no other.

With its fine dining and eagle sightings, memories on this journey are certain to last a lifetime. Breathtaking beauty and sheer excitement await your arrival at Romney’s Wappocomo Station. Climb aboard, and you’ll soon discover the grandeur of a fall spent in Almost Heaven.

WVtourism.com/PotomacEagle

THE STUDIO

REEL ART

FISHING FOR INSPIRATION The Sculptures of Artist, Angler Ryan Smith

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

ALTHOUGH HE GOT HIS START FISHING in Arizona as a kid, Ryan

Smith says the brook trout native to the waters of the Mid-Atlantic inspire most of his sculptural work. Using bronze and wood, he crafts lifelike displays of wildlife with attention to detail and inventive manipulation of material.

Smith drew for a number of years before deciding to try his hand at a 3D medium. “My aim, although I am sure I fall short at times, is to create sculptures of wildlife that emulate the beauty of trout and other species,” he said. “I would also like to think that when a fly fisherman is looking at one of my pieces, he or she is remembering a fish caught or inspiring another trip to their favorite river or stream.”

As an artist and an angler, Smith gets most of his inspiration for pieces while out on the waters of the region.

Some of his favorites include the Chesapeake Bay, Deep Creek Lake, and Rappahannock River. “I’ve noticed that when I want to fly fish, a good outlet for that is the sculptures,” he said. “In a way, it’s a substitute for not being able to get out as much as I would like to go fishing.”

The Technique

When starting a new piece, Smith works from his own memory of handling fish, as well as photos for reference, so that he can capture the nuances of form and color. For his early pieces, he carved the fish out of wood, shaping a four by four by 10 block of wood with a variety of tools to get it into the correct shape.

To refine the details, he utilizes a variety of saws, sands using a Dremel tool to add some definition, and then burns thousands of scales into the side. “Once I have the form and shape down correctly, I spend almost an equal amount of time painting the carving,” Smith

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

said. The wood as a material lends itself to intricate paintings that capture the wide array of hues found on trout and other species of fish. All told, Smith said he spends anywhere from 40 to 80 hours on a single piece, working the wood down a layer at a time until the proportions match up.

As he spent more time learning the craft, Smith started looking for new ways to sculpt his pieces.

He eventually started making the transition to bronze as his primary medium, as he felt like the wood carvings could look too much like replicas. “I wanted to have a little bit more artistic freedom,” he said.

Smith will first sculpt a bronze piece using an oil-based, sulfur-free clay. When all of the details are up to his standards, he works with a foundry to cast it in bronze through a process known as the lost-wax method. Using the clay model, the foundry will make a mold into which hot wax is poured. “Once that mold is finished, you essentially have a replica of the clay sculpture, but it’s with wax,” Smith explained. “The foundry makes another mold out of the wax positive mold and then pours molten bronze in that second mold, leaving the bronze sculpture. Then I work with the foundry on applying the patina by using a combination of heat and chemicals to give the sculpture some color.”

Although he will typically spend about 20 hours on the clay model, the entire process takes between two to three months before there is a final sculpture. While his piece is at the foundry, Smith will use that downtime to get started on another sculpture so that he always has something in the queue.

ONE OF SMITH'S BRONZE BROOK TROUT SCULTPURES. PHOTO BY STEVE WHYSALL

Always Looking for a New Direction

Over the years, Smith’s work has evolved as he tried new mediums and experimented with design. “When I first started out, I was so focused on just getting the piece right that I wouldn’t worry about the stand or presentation as much as I should,” he said.

In speaking with some of his mentors over the years, Smith began to understand the importance of the overall look, rather than just one part.

“You need to focus on the whole thing to give it some context,” he said. “I think some of my earlier pieces were a lot stiffer and didn’t look like they had any movement in them. That really throws off the piece and makes people not as interested in it.”

Whether it’s incorporating some curvature into the fish’s body or designing an appropriate pedestal, Smith is working to build out the final appearance so that when it sits on display, the viewer feels compelled to look closer. “You want whoever’s

COME

looking at it to be thinking, ‘I’ve seen that fish when I was out fly fishing.’

That’s kind of my goal,” he said.

As he continues to push the limits of sculptural interpretation, Smith is looking to move away from true representations to include more abstract elements in his work. One of his most recent sculptures of a brown trout features the silhouette of mountains inspired by a fishing trip to Montana. And although he has

FOR THE

LEAVES,

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Stars Shenandoah National Park is consistently named as one of the best places to stargaze.

Plan your overnight trip to Front Royal, the gateway to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, this fall to see the sights after dark.

sculpted a few other animals, including a peregrine falcon and bison, Smith plans to stick with the fish as his main inspiration. After all, working with what you know can lead to some pretty spectacular results.

You can find more of Smith’s work online at RyanSmithSculptures.com or Instagram @reel_carvings.

SMITH HAS BRANCHED OUT TO OTHER ANIMALS, L I K E B I S O N A N D P E R E G R I N E FA L C O N S , B U T F I N D S M O S T O F H I S I N S P I R AT I O N C O M E S F R O M T H E WAT E R . P H O T O S B Y S T E V E W H Y S A L L

PHOTO: © SCOTT TURNMEYER OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Simple Acts of Kindness

Trail magic is an integral part of hiking culture, based on strangers helping strangers in the wild.

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

ALEXANDRA GARCIA AND HER D O G , M O O C H , AT M A X PAT C H ON THE NORTH CAROLINATENNESSEE BORDER. PHOTO COURTESY OF GARCIA

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

W

ithin the thru-hiking community, there is a concept known as trail magic. While there are a variety of interpretations, it generally refers to an unexpected act of kindness experienced while on a trail. What that kindness looks like depends on the person, but it often has a way of showing up the moment when it’s needed the most.

At its core, trail magic represents the very best of what the hiking community can offer by way of making people feel welcome and validated in their experience outside. BRO recently asked hikers from across our region to share their own stories of magic and remind us why we all seek comfort and connection on the trails.

A Familiar Face When Alexandra Garcia set out to hike all 104 miles of the Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah National Park in 60 hours or less, she knew it would be a challenge, physically and mentally. Committed to undertaking difficult pursuits, whether they ended in triumph or defeat, Garcia completed her section hike in August of last year to help raise awareness and money for the Cairn Project’s Allies in the Outdoors fundraising campaign.

It was on her second day of the hike, which ended up being her most difficult, that she encountered a little trail magic that had her asking, “Am I hallucinating?”

Having gotten a later start than she originally planned, Garcia could tell she was starting to stress about the timing. When she passed by another solo hiker going in the other direction, they politely said hello and continued on their separate ways.

About 2.5 hours later, Garcia passed the same man, once again hiking in the opposite direction and exchanging pleasantries. “I kept thinking about him this

time,” she said. “I was really confused about this. Is this me? Am I dreaming this?” But it wasn’t until she came upon the same hiker for a third time that she stopped and stared. “He cracks a smile and says, ‘Keep up the good work,’” Garcia said.

It was at this point she asked the hiker how it was possible they had crossed paths three times, each walking in opposite directions, over the course of one day. The man then explained that he was spending the day hiking sections of the A.T. and then cycling to another spot to hike again.

“In those moments, he was able to bring some type of magic to my life, have me think of something else, and really hang onto those words that he said along the trail.”

While knowing how it happened might have taken some of the mystery out of the experience, Garcia said this strange and magical encounter was just what she needed at the time. “I was completely alone, talking to myself, and, honestly, talking a little bit negatively to myself,” she said. “In those moments, he was able to bring some type of magic to my life, have me think of something else, and really hang onto those words that he said along the trail.”

S A R A H , L E F T, A N D C A S S S I L V I U S S P E N T T H E L A S T F E W M O N T H S FEEDING THRU-HIKERS WITH THEIR HOMEMADE RECIPES. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SILVIUS

This chance encounter with a stranger helped Garcia persevere and better appreciate her experience and surroundings. “People can only learn to love and advocate for the land if they have experiences that make them love that land,” Garcia said. “It’s about exposure, community, and belonging.”

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “I experience trail magic in a multitude of ways, not only from people but also from nature itself,” Garcia said. “Magic, for me, sometimes is the early morning sunlight coming through the trees in the Smokies or catching a good, safe wildlife sighting.”

FAVORITE HIKE: Riprap Loop in Shenandoah National Park and hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially Apple Orchard Falls.

Feeding Hikers Growing up near the Appalachian Trail, memories of trail magic were ingrained in Sarah Silvius at a young age. Riding the bus to school, she recalls seeing hikers on the side of the road and locals offering them rides into town. Years later, Silvius and her husband,

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Hike and explore serene trails with amazing waterfront views.

For a full list of hiking trails, visit www.ChooseCalvert.com/LetsHike

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“Yet, in the act of trusting that things are going to be okay, there’s this deep sense of when we trust that the beauty is all around us, that actually does show up.”

Cass, moved right next to the Tuscarora Trail because they couldn’t pull themselves away from the hiking community.

Combining her love of hiking and cooking, Silvius decided she wanted to start putting together recipes and selling homemade dehydrated meals, food that would help remind hikers of home. “I wanted them to remember sitting at their grandma’s table,” Silvius said.

When the pandemic hit, a lot of the plans for getting the business off the ground were put on hold. While submitting applications and waiting for USDA approval, the Silvius family pivoted to start offering the meals for free to hikers. At this point, they’ve fed close to 500 hikers with homemade dishes like cheesy-style shrimp and grits and Caribbean smoked chicken with dirty rice and cabbage. With people reaching out on Instagram and Facebook, they’ve dropped meals off locally and shipped as far away as Japan. Silvius said they hope to start offering TrailBound for sale this fall.

The Silvius family also regularly cruises trailheads and shelters to see if any hikers need anything during their journey. “We recently came across an older gentleman at a shelter. He had been there for two and a half days,” Silvius said. “His knee had given out, he had no cell service, no way of getting ahold of his wife or his family. He was considering having to call in the paramedics or rescue squad. We were able to feed him that evening and then get him down off the trail the next morning.”

But in the universal law of “what goes around comes around,” Silvius said she’s been on the receiving end of trail magic more times than she could count. On a recent section hike, feeling exhausted and bedraggled, a man driving past offered to pick something up for her group. “He drove to a store and

came back with a twelve pack,” Silvius said. “We were able to share it amongst an entire group of hikers.

Everybody sat and had a cold beer after a very long day with no expectations from him other than enjoy.”

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “Trail magic can be a lot of different things but I would say it’s mostly a feeling,” Silvius said.

FAVORITE HIKE: The Silvius family maintains a shelter on the Tuscarora Trail where it runs through their backyard. Established as an alternate route to the A.T., it runs 252 miles through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Perfect Timing After coming across her first instance of trail magic during her 2021 thru-hike attempt, Nadia Fenay was nearly moved to tears. A woman who goes by “Marlene the Trail Angel” provided drinks, snacks, a gear resupply, and a poem she’d written herself. “It was right on time because I was one day away from town and completely out of food,” Fenay said. “There’s a saying, ‘the trail provides,’ and it was proven true again and again.”

Small, personal gestures like this helped sustain Fenay throughout her journey. “Anyone who is thinking about doing a thru-hike or long section hike, don’t put it off any longer,” she said. “Don’t make excuses.

I went out and completed 1,025 miles with absolutely no hiking experience. I saw people twice my age every day. It was without a doubt the best experience I’ve ever had.”

L E F T: N A D I A F E N AY H I T S T H E 1 , 0 0 0 M I L E M A R K O N T H E A . T. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F F E N AY R I G H T: K R I S T E N M U S S E L M A N AT T H E S U M M I T O F M T. M A N S F I E L D W H I L E B A C K PA C K I N G T H E 2 7 3 - M I L E L O N G T R A I L I N V E R M O N T. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M U S S E L M A N

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “Trail magic is any form of kindness shown towards hikers,” Fenay said. “It could be snacks or hot food, a cooler full of drinks, a ride to town, or someone picking up your tab when you get a meal in town.”

FAVORITE HIKE: Fenay is looking forward to hiking sections of the A.T. and other trails through the Smoky Mountains.

Lending a Hand Jeremiah Johnson has been an avid student of the A.T. for years, completing solo section hikes, reading thruhiker memoirs, and following hikers on social media channels. This year, the Sutton family caught his eye as they attempted to hike the entire trail with their fiveyear-old son.

In keeping up with the family’s account and offering encouraging words on social media, a type of virtual trail magic, Johnson thought about other ways he could possibly offer support. “It’s like everything else in life,” he said. “We don’t get by on our own. Helping hands can help get us there.” When he met up with the Sutton family as they were making their way through West Virginia, one thing he made sure to pack was fresh fruit.

“Fresh fruit was like a luxury,” Johnson said. “When you’re eating a lot of dehydrated meals and Cliff bars, it was nice to get something else.”

While out on the trail, solitude is a good thing. But

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. r e t n i W n i r e d n a W Hike through the fresh snowfall in Pocahontas County. Explore the many trails in our state parks, snowshoe through the enchanting snow-covered Monongahela National Forest, or hit the slopes at Snowshoe Mountain. Warm up after your adventure in our cozy cabins or condos. Your winter wonderland awaits in Pocahontas County.

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SHOUT OUT TO OUR LATEST TRAILBLAZERS! Karolyn J. (Dahlonega, GA) Will C. (Durham, NC) Achim T. (Greenville, SC) John Z. Charlotte, NC) Debbie P. (Blue Ridge, VA) Jay M. (Lake Junalaska, NC) Brittany N. (Durham, NC) Ronald H. (Winston Salem, NC) Amy J. (Asheville, NC) Robin D. (Nebo, NC)

J E S S W E AV E R , L E F T, W I T H D R A G O N S K Y ON A TRAIL MAGIC RUN. PHOTO C O U R T E S Y O F W E AV E R

when you’re alone or with the same people day in and day out, encouraging words or a snack from a stranger can go a long way. “Simple acts of kindness can sometimes remind us and center us,” Johnson said.

These sentiments, Johnson said, should extend to the trail as well. Kindness can be given to natural spaces via trail maintenance projects or advocating for environmental protections. “We need to be careful about loving the trails to death,” he said. “It’s a balancing act. Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing.”

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “Unexpected, unasked ways to help out. It kind of renews my feelings about humanity,” Johnson said. “You’re doing things not really expecting anything in return.”

FAVORITE HIKE: Some of Johnson’s favorites include the Roan Highlands on the North Carolina-Tennessee border and the Foothills Trail in South Carolina, but he’s always seeking out new spots. “There’s always another place to see or another season to see it,” he said.

On the Road As the chief hiking officer for Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Kristen Musselman spent six months this year traveling and hiking around the East Coast. Although the original plan was to complete an A.T. thru-hike, the pandemic forced her to reimagine the position.

Instead, she camped and hiked some of the more overlooked trails in each of the 14 states the A.T. runs through. “Getting into nature forces me to slow down in a way that really makes me settle and become more aware of myself, of my patterns, of my thoughts, but also the rhythms of the natural world,” Musselman said.

“I think we, unfortunately, are stuck. We don’t know how to read those rhythms and be really intentional about it.”

Along the way, Musselman gave and received both micro and macro acts of kindness on the trail. “It’s been really beautiful to have a time in my life where I’m alone and never know what’s going to happen next,” she said. “Yet, in the act of trusting that things are going to be okay, there’s this deep sense of when we trust that the beauty is all around us, that actually does show up.”

Driving around the region gave Musselman the opportunity to carry beer and soda in her trunk to share, offer rides into town, and cover more ground.

Since she was faster in a car, she actually found herself running into a handful of hikers state after state. “I kept seeing the same people,” Musselman said. “Getting to be a consistent light in their journey this summer, for me, felt like a really cool gift that I got to give to them.”

In all of her time spent alone and interacting with other hikers, Musselman had the opportunity to really examine the relationships all around her. Trail magic helped shape some of those thoughts. “How can I take this from hiking to everyday life?” she frequently asked herself. “How can I look at the world with open eyes as to where there's a need and how can I fill it? Where’s the kindness that I can take to somebody else today?”

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “It comes without expectations of getting anything back,” Musselman said. “I don’t know that we live in a culture where we often see that.”

FAVORITE HIKE: Some of Musselman’s favorite stops from her journey include the Art Loeb Trail in North Carolina, Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, the Long Trail in Vermont, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

A Place to Stay Jess Weaver knows firsthand the healing power hiking can have for the mind and body. After undergoing a full spinal reconstruction, she turned to trails to start building up her strength. “I felt so much pride in what I was able to accomplish after years of not being able to use my body,” Weaver said.

Although she grew up by the A.T., Weaver was unaware of the thru-hiking culture until an old friend messaged her in 2019 about helping transport some gear. Since then, she has assisted dozens of hikers by offering shuttles, space to camp in her backyard, and food.

Although there have been many meaningful and magical encounters along the way, she recalls one group that took the time to truly interact and connect with her kids. The night ended with everyone on her porch listening to a song the hikers made up on the spot. “It was so cute and adorable to watch,” Weaver said. “There’s so much going on, especially in recent years with tension and turmoil that it’s just so heartwarming to bring perfect strangers back to your house and have your children see a genuine interaction, kindness, appreciation, gratefulness, and fun.” These positive interactions help keep them curious and encourage them to be kind to people they don’t know.

The kindness came around a few weeks later when Weaver ended up with a serious infection from a spider bite. The hikers staying with her at the time banded

together to get her to the emergency room, clean her house, write her get well notes, and get each other back to the trail. “They just jumped into action, took care of me and each other,” Weaver said.

“It’s definitely impressed upon me the importance of providing the space on trails that feels safe for everyone out there and expands the comfort of people of all sexualities and races to get out there and have this journey themselves.”

With trail magic, a lot of interactions come down to trust and being comfortable accepting help from strangers, something not everyone feels out on the trail. “It’s definitely impressed upon me the importance of providing the space on trails that feels safe for everyone out there and expands the comfort of people of all sexualities and races to get out there and have this journey themselves,” Weaver said. “Trail magic shouldn’t be reserved for a specific group of people.”

DEFINING TRAIL MAGIC: “It doesn’t have to be huge gestures,” Weaver said. “I think the real magic is in those tiny gestures and not knowing what kind of big impact that small gesture makes on a hiker’s journey, whether it’s a day trip or a thru hike.”

Have your own story of magic from the trail? Email the author at ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com and we will share our favorites on Instagram throughout the month.

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LITTLE BLUE LINES Southern Appalachian Streams at High Elevations Lead to Native Brookies

BY NICK CARTER

BROOKIES THRIVE IN COLD M O U N TA I N S T R E A M S . P H O T O

BY NICK CARTER

SOUTHERN APPALACHIA’S NATIVE BROOK TROUT ARE often called the most exquisite fish on the planet. Soft in the hand, they are delicate and beautiful, especially in autumn when they’re painted for the fall spawn in deep purples and greens, with white-tipped fins and a pumpkin-orange belly.

And beauty must be a primary draw for anglers, because these little guys rarely grow longer than 10 inches. There is beauty of the fish as well as beauty in the high-mountain creeks where they live.

As char, more closely related to arctic char than rainbow or brown trout, brookies are the Southeast’s only native salmonid. They require clean cold water, and over the last century have been relegated to the region’s highest, most remote headwater streams, where they live short lifespans in gorgeous but nutrient-poor habitat.

In many cases, brook trout live where water seeps from the mountains and flows almost vertically through plunge pools and pocket water over a cobbled streambed. Each significant rain scours silt from these systems, leaving little to support insect life. In such conditions, there is not much for fish to eat, so they must feed aggressively and opportunistically.

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simplicity. With a light rod, a good pair of wading boots, and a small box of dry flies, it’s a joy to climb a little mountain stream in search of native fish. Small streams might require creative casts, but brook trout are suckers for a well-placed and well-presented dry fly.

It’s a very good excuse to explore tumbling highelevation rills. Catch the bug, and you’ll likely spend evenings studying maps to find the little blue lines where brook trout live.

The Backstory

Theoretically, brookies must have been larger and easier to find 18,000 years ago during the waning of the last ice age. Back then, they were anadromous and swam freely between the rivers and the oceans like coastal populations of Maine still do today.

Over thousands of years, a warming climate pushed brook trout on the southern end of the range into higher elevations and cooler waters. They were isolated to the hills by water conditions and evolved as genetically distinct pocket populations uniquely well suited to their habitats.

“They’re important ecologically,” said Jim Habera,

“They’re oftentimes the only fish that occurs if you get high enough into the headwaters in our mountain streams.

They’re the only fish that naturally occurs in a lot of those systems. So, it’s an important part of those stream ecosystems.” a Tennessee-based fisheries biologist on the steering committee for the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, which is a diverse organization of state and federal agencies and private entities dedicated to conservation of brook trout habitat. “They’re oftentimes the only fish that occurs if you get high enough into the headwaters in our mountain streams. They’re the only fish that naturally occurs in a lot of those systems. So, it’s an important part of those stream ecosystems.”

Before the arrival of Europeans, brook trout were an important food source for Native Americans. Even after European settlement, brookies were valued for

N AT I V E B R O O K T R O U T R A R E L Y G R O W L O N G E R T H A N 1 0 I N C H E S .

PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

food as well as recreation. They were not, however, as monetarily valuable as the seemingly endless tracts of mountain timber. Large-scale timber operations ramped up across the Appalachians in the mid-1800s and continued almost unchecked for a century or more.

Water conditions were dramatically altered in timbered drainages, and much brook trout habitat was lost.

The second big blow came in the early 1900s, when non-native brown trout from Europe and rainbow trout from the West were introduced to Appalachian streams. Both species are tolerant to a wider range of water conditions and grow larger than our little natives.

They outcompeted brook trout for resources, and although there are numerous instances of natives and non-natives co-existing, the remaining strongholds for brookies in the South are at high elevations, where a barrier such as a waterfall blocks passage of rainbow and brown trout.

According to a 2018 report from the Joint Venture,

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eight percent of historic brook trout water remains intact in their native U.S. range from north Georgia to Maine. Continuing threats from development, land-use changes, destructive agricultural practices, warming water temperatures, and invasive species make preserving and expanding existing brook trout populations an ongoing fight.

In the Mid-Atlantic, especially in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, altered water chemistry due to acid precipitation and mining is a major hurdle, combated with regular applications of limestone sand directly to streams to neutralize acidity.

State and federal agencies, as well as conservation organizations like Trout Unlimited, conduct habitat improvement across the region. Reclamation projects remove non-native species from streams, which are then repopulated with brook trout. Genetics plays a major role in this process. The goal is to reintroduce fish from a source population that’s genetically as close as possible to what would have originally existed.

Years ago, genetics showed southern Appalachian brook trout are a distinct and separate strain of fish from northern brook trout, which inhabit the northeastern U.S. and Canada. Recent and ongoing studies have shown these genetic differences can be broken down even further.

“Right now population geneticists recognize six different clades, or related groups of brook trout,” said Habera.

For the most part, they look and act the same, but they evolved in isolation and descend from separate ancestry. For the sake of simplicity on a very complicated and evolving subject, southern brook trout

only inhabit the mountains of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. In some regions, locals call these fish “specks.”

Fishing and even angler harvest are not major concerns to brook trout populations on most streams.

According to the National Park Service, brookies in stream habitats reach reproductive maturity at two years of age, and their average lifespan is about three years. If a fish is large enough to catch and keep, it has already had the opportunity to spawn and is not likely to live much longer.

“Angler harvest is very insignificant at this point,” said Habera. “The type of anglers willing to seek out brook trout and catch them generally aren’t interested in harvesting them, anyway.”

One of Joint Venture’s goals is to increase recreational fishing opportunities for wild brook trout, which in turn promotes conservation of the species.

One of Joint Venture’s goals is to increase recreational fishing opportunities for wild brook trout, which in turn promotes conservation of the species. On that note, here are a handful of places to begin your search for southern Appalachian brook trout.

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Georgia

On the very southern edge of the brook trout’s range, the north Georgia mountains are a place where specks truly are isolated to tiny high-elevation trickles.

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Revealing the names and locations of these headwater streams is often frowned upon, and most of them aren’t named on most maps, anyway.

If you’re willing to do the research and burn the boot leather, Cherokee National Forest is where you should go.

This patchy swath of public land stretches across most of the northern end of the state, so it’s a lot of territory to cover.

Small pockets of brookies exist from the Cohutta Mountains over to South Carolina, and surveys indicate less than 40 miles of stream contain natives.

Here are some hints to help narrow your search.

Strap on your boots and seek out small tributaries of the Conasauga River system around Cohutta Wildlife Management Area. Look to the very beginnings of the Chattahoochee River. Check out Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area and climb up into the highest headwaters of the Toccoa river. Or, head east over to the Chattooga River drainage and explore little tributaries no one else would think to fish.

South Carolina

South Carolina anglers also hold the locations of brookie streams tightly to their chests. Most of South Carolina’s trout water is isolated to the mountains of the Upstate. That’s also where you’ll find the brook trout in high headwater streams of Oconee, Pickens, and Greenville counties.

Some of the Saluda River sub-tributaries on Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area are known to protect populations

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of native brookies. Specks also live in several very small creeks that eventually feed into the South Carolina side of the Chattooga River. Reintroduction projects as well as some existing pockets of natives exist on the 50,000 protected acres of forest at Jocassee Gorges.

With more and larger waters harboring specks, as well as extensive reintroductions, it’s possible to be more informative about brook trout streams the farther north you go. In Tennessee, both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Great Smoky Mountains National Park actively promote their brook trout fisheries.

Tennessee

With more and larger waters harboring specks, as well as extensive reintroductions, it’s possible to be more informative about brook trout streams the farther north you go. In Tennessee, both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Great Smoky Mountains National Park actively promote their brook trout fisheries.

Tennessee’s best brook trout fisheries are in the northeastern corner of the state. “Carter County and Johnson County are kind of the epicenter of brook trout fishing in Tennessee,” said Habera.

The Left Prong of Hampton Creek, on Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area near Roan Mountain, might be the best brook trout stream in the state.

Gentry Creek and several other northwest flowing tributaries to Beaverdam Creek in Johnson County also have strong fisheries.

And those streams are just a start. There are more than 100 east Tennessee streams that harbor wild populations of brook trout. And in the Smokies, Lynn Camp Prong is one of the best and most beautiful speck streams in the park.

North Carolina

Western North Carolina has the highest peaks in the Appalachians. It also has some of the best speck water in the country. Head high enough into pretty much any drainage in the mountains, and you’ll likely find some specks.

If you like to venture into remote areas, check out the headwaters of Raven Fork in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hike into the fishery is difficult, and the river gorge is very rugged with large plunge pools and larger-than-average brookies.

For a little easier access, head over to Shining Rock Wilderness and the East Fork of the Pigeon River. With a short hike, the East Fork itself is big speck water.

Several of its tributaries are also worth exploring.

Big Snowbird Creek in Graham County is another very good option. Drive to the end of the road, gear up, and hike in about three miles to Lower Falls. You’ll start encountering natives and some very pretty water upstream of this point.

Virginia

Virginia claims to have more native brook trout water than any other state in the Southeast. With more than 2,000 miles of documented brookie streams, that’s probably true. Most of those miles are populated with northern strain brookies, which are still beautiful natives; they’re just of a different lineage than southern Appalachian brook trout.

Virginia’s best brook trout waters fall from the mountains on either side of the Shenandoah Valley.

In Shenandoah National Park, the upper ends of rivers and creeks like the Rapidan, Rose, and North Fork of the Moormans are all excellent brook trout fisheries. Over on the other side of the valley, Dry River in the George Washington National Forest boasts the highest population density of brook trout in the state. If there is a catch, it’s that all these streams are home to northern brook trout. To find southern-strain fish, you have to fish from the New River drainage south.

Little Stony Creek in Giles County is well known for its giant cascades. It offers a mixed population of rainbows and native southern brookies that trends more toward brook trout the farther you’re willing to hike. Farther south, Crooked Creek Fish Management Area in Carroll County is a fee-fishing area with a roughly three-mile stretch of water protected for native brook trout.

Nick Carter is the author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” The guide is available on Amazon.com, and autographed copies are available by emailing the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

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ou’ve hit the crowded, big-name parks like Great Smoky Mountains or famous mountain towns like Asheville. And yes, those places are busy for a reason— they’re awesome. But there are plenty of lesser-known Southern spots just waiting to be found. Here are four underthe-radar destinations in the region worth exploring for your fall adventures.

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Tennessee & Kentucky

Less Crowds, More Adventure UNDER-THE-RADAR FALL ESCAPES IN THE SOUTH

BY MIKE BEZEMEK

SUNRISE ABOVE WHITE LAKE IN B L A D E N C O U N T Y, N . C . P H O T O COURTESY OF VISITNC.COM

When it comes to big pieces of public land in the Southeast, plenty of attention is rightfully directed toward several big names. The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway is the most popular, with 14.1 million recreational visits in 2020, according to the National Park Service.

Close behind is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with 12.1 million visits amid 522,419 acres. Even the much smaller DuPont State Forest (at 12,500 acres) reported a record 1.2 million visitors during 2020. Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic boosted numbers, but these park units had been seeing rising visitation for years.

In comparison, the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area’s 125,310 acres saw fewer than 800,000 visitors in 2020. Located about 70 miles northeast of Knoxville, the rec area straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky state line. The reason for its under-theradar status is probably a combination of factors. It’s remote, with a low surrounding population. It has fewer amenities. And many highlights are a bit more rugged.

While hiking trails closer to visitor centers and trailheads are maintained, the farther out you go, the segments become rougher with less signage. Top hikes include Angel Falls Overlook and Angel Falls Rapids, Twin Arches Upper and Lower Loops, or the Middle Creek Loop, which passes several Native American rock shelters.

Area mountain biking options are also growing, with the Big South Fork Bike Club building and maintaining trails, particularly those around Bandy Creek which were designated an IMBA Epic in 2012.

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On the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River, there are several opportunities for paddling, from easy day floats to overnight canoe trips and a few whitewater runs, including the six miles of class III-IV from the confluence to Leatherwood Ford. All told, if you’re willing to rough it a bit more, you’ll be rewarded for your troubles.

Talladega National Forest, Alabama Few forests seem more forgotten than this one in central Alabama. Two units—the northeastern Shoal Creek plus Talladega Ranger Districts and the southwestern Oakmulgee District—sum to a little under 400,000 acres. That’s only 20 percent smaller than betterknown Pisgah National Forest or Great Smoky Mountains National Park, yet Talladega sees far fewer visitors.

Sure, it’s a somewhat narrower season due to the lower elevation. The highest point in Alabama is Cheaha Mountain, in Cheaha State Park, at 2,413 feet, which is only 279 feet taller than the elevation of Asheville, N.C. But that just means fall is a perfect time to explore what Talladega has to offer, with colors beginning to peak around mid-to-

late October depending on the elevation and seasonal variations.

Outdoor adventurers should aim for the two northeastern districts, which include the southern end of the Appalachians. Here you’ll find plenty of short hiking trails, including some that lead to waterfalls, like six-mile Chinnabee Silent Trail. Others lead into the 7,245acre Cheaha Wilderness Area. If you’re looking for a longer challenge, consider backpacking part of the 335-mile Pinhoti Trail, which has its southern terminus in the national forest at Flagg Mountain.

There are also a variety of camping options throughout the area, from forest service campgrounds with hot showers to primitive dispersed sites to private RV resorts. For wheeled pursuits, the Talladega Scenic Byway runs for 26 miles south along AL-281 from Heflin, near I-20. With four loops totaling 23 miles, the Kentuck (not a typo!) ORV Trail is built for dirt bikes, ATVs, and mountain bikes. And speaking of mountain biking, the 14-mile Sylaward Trail is 14 miles known for flow, which recently opened at Lake Howard Recreation Area.

Elsewhere in the region, you can stop by Birmingham for city attractions or supplies, which recently got an REI. Drive the Selma to Montgomery

National Historic Trail or the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Near Selma, there are the ghost towns of Old Cahawba Archeological Park to explore. Or just over the state line, check out Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon at Providence Canyon State Park.

Bladen County, North Carolina Amid the sandy inner coastal plain, near Elizabethtown, N.C., two mysteries coexist. The first is the uncertain geologic origin story of the Carolina bays. Along the eastern seaboard, there are around a half million of these symmetrical depressions, with the highest density occurring in the Carolinas. Bladen County is home to some of the most intact and preserved

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of these bays, with many remaining yearround lakes. The other mystery: Why don’t more people visit this area?

The highlight of this destination is by far a cluster of lakes, each with its own unique qualities. White Lake and Bay Tree Lake are the developed ones, with boat rentals, RV hookups, and resorts.

Singletary Lake and Jones Lake, each in a state park of the same name, are the rustic lakes, mostly preserved as they once were but with added amenities like beaches, swimming areas, and campgrounds. And Salters Lake, at Jones Lake State Park, is the

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wilderness lake, entirely undeveloped and preserved, which can be reached by a 3.5-mile hike. All three of these intact bay lakes can be paddled, but be aware that Salters necessitates hiking in boats or arranging drive-in access via sandy roads with park staff.

Interwoven through the area is Bladen Lakes State Forest, which at 33,000 acres is the largest state forest in North Carolina. Visitors will find trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, plus over 150 miles of forested roads to explore and a primitive area for dispersed camping.

Over in Elizabethtown, the Browns Creek Bike Park & Nature Trail offers 13 miles of flow and jumps on a hillside above the town.

Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga, Tennessee & Georgia At this point, Chattanooga has probably moved from up-and-coming to discovered destination, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lesser-known highlights to seek out in the area. While much of the activity on Lookout Mountain is concentrated on the Tennessee side, near Ruby Falls, consider heading south to the Georgia side.

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There you’ll find Cloudland Canyon State Park. At 3,538 acres it’s one of the larger state parks in Georgia. There are 72 miles of hiking trails, many of which lead to waterfalls and stunning vistas.

The park also offers about 30 miles of mountain bike trails and over 100 campsites, plus cottages and yurts.

Not far away on Lookout Mountain is the Lulu Lake Land Trust, which limits visitation to about 100 vehicle permits per day during the first and last weekends of every month. This nonprofit park offers about eight miles of trails, classic Appalachian views, and a 120foot waterfall to ogle. Reservations can be made up to two months in advance.

Chattanooga also has great hiking options, including the Lookout Mountain Trail System which offers 30 miles of paths winding through historic battle sites and along scenic bluffs. And don’t forget area mountain biking, like the Bauxite or the fast and popular Enterprise South.

And, of course, there’s always a stop in the city itself. Home to a dozen breweries, a few of the under-the radar spots include Mad Knight, Oddstory, or Tenasi. While in town, there’s also the Chattanooga Riverwalk, a nice 16-mile paved path along the Tennessee River, perfect for walking and biking.

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DON’T MAKE THESE BACKPACKING BLUNDERS Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid in the Wild

BY MARY BETH SKYLIS

HEADING INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY

without the appropriate preparation can make you uncomfortable, but it can also be dangerous. Luckily, it’s possible to prevent a number of mishaps from occurring with the right adventure planning. The following avoidable backpacking mistakes are common among beginners.

Wearing Cotton in the Backcountry

Cotton fabrics are comfortable and great for many situations, but exploring the deep wilderness isn’t generally one of them. Since cotton easily absorbs moisture, it doesn’t take very long to become soaked, and when paired with cool temperatures, wet clothing can quickly become a hypothermia hazard.

Plus, sudden storms are common in the mountains, which leads to the old hiker adage: “cotton kills.” Instead look for synthetic or wool fabrics that wick moisture and dry quickly.

Poor Packing

While hiking, the most efficient way to pack your gear is going to involve putting the heaviest items closest to your back, and the lighter items on the outside.

Many backpackers keep the heaviest items in the center of the pack with bulky items on the bottom. But packing is partially a matter of preference, too.

Generally speaking, you’ll want items that you need to access quickly to be accessible. So, you may want to keep a water filter in your front pocket, and snacks in your hip belt pockets. Items that you won’t need until camp can stay in the bottom of your pack.

Additionally, how you lift your backpack matters. Instead of hoisting your backpack onto your shoulders by a strap, grab the loop between your strap.

This is a weight-bearing strap that’s designed to bear the brunt of the weight.

This will help you to prevent tearing or straining your pack straps over time.

Carrying Loose Items on the Outside of Your Backpack

While it can seem convenient to carry items on the outside of your backpack, doing so can actually work against you. When loose gear flops in opposing directions, you’ll potentially be wasting energy as you huff it up steep switchbacks. In order to optimize each step, you should either pack everything

in a pocket or fasten items securely to the outside of your pack.

Freezing Your Water Filter

Some water filters cannot be frozen because the interior fibers can crack, which leads to ineffective filtering. If you leave your water filter out with the rest of your belongings on a particularly chilly night, it’s possible that it won’t keep you safe from harmful bacteria and viruses in the future. But, usually, there’s no way to determine if you’ve damaged the internal components of your filter. One way to avoid freezing is to sleep with your filter in the footbox of your sleeping bag on cold nights. It’s also a good practice to periodically switch your filter out for a new one.

Not Eating Enough Calories

Depending on the pace, length, and elevation of a hike, it’s possible to burn around 5,000 calories per day. And the heavier your pack, the more calories you’ll be burning. It’s incredibly difficult to carry enough food for multi-day backpacking adventures when you burn so many calories. But it’s possible to increase

your nutritional intake while you’re in the backcountry. Some strategies that help include dehydrating your own meals, and drinking calories (in the form of shakes or electrolytes). A good rule of thumb is to try to consume 300-500 calories per hour. This will help to keep your energy levels stable while you walk.

Forgetting to Check for Ticks

If you’ve ever been backpacking on the East coast, chances are you’ve had a run-in with a tick. These nasty little creatures are known for carrying a range of different diseases, including Lyme disease. When undetected, Lyme is capable of affecting your joints, heart, and even your nervous system. And latter stages of Lyme disease can be really tough to treat.

Since deer ticks (the particularly tiny ticks) are known for being carriers of Lyme disease, it’s important to check your body for these little creatures.

They may look as small as the size of a pinhead, often going undetected even during regular tick checks. But keeping your eyes peeled for these creatures may reduce your chances of contracting a chronic illness.

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Cacapon Resort State Park

Positioned in the shadow of a folded mountain ridge in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, Cacapon Resort State Park is a 6,000 acre, year-round destination located less than two hours from the Capital Beltway.

Hike or bike the mountain landscapes, tee it up at a championship golf course or relax at a full spa.

End your day with an impeccable meal and spend the night in a cozy cabin or comfy room at the new lodge. This fall, find your slice of Almost Heaven at Cacapon Resort State Park.

WVtourism.com/StateParks

uphill B Y TA L G A L T O N

Attention is the beginning of devotion. - Mary Oliver, Upstream 3100’

A STRAND OF PURE FRASER FIR FOREST IN NORTH CAROLINA'S B L A C K M O U N TA I N S . B Y TA L G A L T O N

From the valley where I live rises one of the tallest ridges in the Appalachian mountains. My favorite trail makes a direct ascent to the ridgetop—a vertical K (3000’) of elevation gained in less than 2.5 miles of hiking. The initial climb follows an old roadbed, once used to skid a treasure-trove of old growth hardwoods from these hills. Now the forest is in recovery, mostly.

Dead hemlocks line the waterways, ash trees show signs of emerald ash borer infection, and American chestnut sprouts strive skyward from old stump-sites where their long-felled trunks once towered. These extinctions, unfolding slowly over human lifetimes, will appear as an abrupt demarcation on the geological record—the great Anthropocene extinction event.

But the forest’s remaining diversity still weaves a tight, resilient web. Eighty-year-old tulip trees, black locusts, and oaks thrive in a landscape that was nearly OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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denuded a few decades ago. In the spring and summer, neotropical songbirds, like ovenbirds, vireos, blackthroated blue warblers, and scarlet tanagers, all vie for airspace. These migratory songbirds are unseen but constant companions, a hidden forest of cheerleaders for attuned hikers and mountain runners.

I first climbed this trail in the fall of 1999, hauling a barometer up, Elisha Mitchell-style, with a group of my middle school students. Alongside those students, I learned about, and from, the forest. We watched the pressure readings drop as the elevation increased, and we observed the species composition shift as we climbed, from the cove hardwoods to the spruce-fir forest at the crest. Now when I hike, I use the changing composition of tree species as my altimeter.

World champion mountain runner Joe Gray once tested his legs and lungs on this climb, topping it in 35 minutes. I enjoy the invigoration of a fast ascent (PR of 54 minutes), but I prefer a pace that allows for hearing birds and marveling at mosses.

World champion mountain runner Joe Gray once tested his legs and lungs on this climb, topping it in 35 minutes. I enjoy the invigoration of a fast ascent

(PR of 54 minutes), but I prefer a pace that allows for hearing birds and marveling at mosses. Much more than an exhilarating, heart-pounding climb, this trail is an enchanting ascent through some of the finest plant communities on the continent. I never walk with earbuds; my eyes and ears stay busy absorbing the sights and sounds of the forest. Experiencing the forest is best done with all one’s senses: I’ll snatch a leaf of mountain mint to crush and savor the smell, or snap a birch twig to chew on as I scramble up the rocky path.

3400’

Some people are surprised that I am content hiking the same route month after month. What seems repetitive to them is an incredibly rich and varied experience to me. If you don’t know the forest you pass through on the way up a mountain, you won’t be stimulated by it.

To me it’s eternally stimulating. Along the trail, I pass several dozen tree and shrub species, hundreds of varieties of herbaceous plants, thousands of mosses, lichens, and fungi. I recognize many, but not all—never all—of them. I observe how they have social circles, tending to gather in particular configurations. This switchback hosts a neighborhood of horse balm and asters, cucumber-root (the lily), and cucumber tree (the magnolia). I have friends who thru-hiked the A.T. and thought the scenery monotonous—an eternal tunnel of green. These poor souls were plant blind.

If you recognize the myriad species and ecological communities that the trail winds through, it’s a continuous path of wonder.

3600’

The trail cuts away from a drainage that used to be a fine ramp patch. One spring, ATV tire tracks scarred the soil, and 90% of the ramps were dug; it’s never been the same since. This patch of rich cove forest still harbors stands of bloodroot, trillium, and black cohosh, but the lush beds of springtime ramps are much diminished, and the old growth ginseng is even longer gone.

3900’

The old road bed fades away and the grade steepens.

The forest subtly shifts. The trees are bigger here, as this grade was likely too challenging for the timber crews. Absent are the southern species: the twisted sourwoods, the straight tulip trees and their magnolia cousins with magnificently large leaves. Sugar maples outnumber red maples, and join red oaks, buckeyes, and yellow birches as the predominant overstory.

Botanists call this the northern hardwoods. Hiking up a Blue Ridge mountain is the fastest way to a Canadian forest, faster than flying an airplane due north. A relic from the ice ages, the species makeup of these mid-tohigh elevation forests of the southern mountains mirrors the hardwood forests of much of Canada and New England. If you wanted to make southern maple syrup, this is where you would cultivate your sugar bush.

4200’

I keep a glass jar tucked in the crevice of an enormous boulder that shelters a spring. I wipe the snail droppings out of the jar before scooping the sweet, cold water. Below the spring, the seep

When you stay at the Guesthouse Inn on Courthouse Square, small-town adventure, rich history and the beauty of nature are all at your fingertips. This fall, explore the nation’s newest national park, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve by day, and make yourself at home in this peaceful retreat by night. Relax and reconnect in Almost Heaven.

WVtourism.com/GuestHouseInn

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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nourishes charismatic but uncommon plants like umbrella leaf and tassel-rue. Every July, a few greater purple fringed orchids catch my eye. In good years, two or three shoulder-high Gray’s lilies open their deep red bells in late June. These are the famous flowers that folks flock to see every summer on the grassy balds of Roan Mountain, but few realize that small isolated populations are scattered in semi-shady glens throughout the middle slopes of the northern part of the western North Carolina mountains.

4300’ Above the spring-boulder, the pitch changes dramatically. Until now the trail has methodically tacked up the mountain, switchback after long switchback; the first 1000’ of climb spread over a long mile. When it reaches this escarpment, the trail relinquishes its meandering ways and shifts into a direct ascent, climbing the next 1000’ in less than half a mile. Hands become essential limbs for ambulating. I grab roots and slender trunks, pulling my way up. It’s a forest meet-and-greet; more affectionate handshaking than tree-hugging, I grasp stout young birches, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, and Viburnums. I’m an ambassador from my species, gladhanding my way up the mountain.

5400’ A rocky outcropping provides an opening to view the entire valley below, and the mountains beyond.

These vistas are what many hikers come for. From here one can see the Roan Highlands to the north, Grandfather Mountain to the east, and the piedmont that lies beyond the Blue Ridge to the south.

These vistas are what many hikers come for. From here, one can see the Roan Highlands to the north, Grandfather Mountain to the east, and the piedmont that lies beyond the Blue Ridge to the south. On a clear September day, I have seen kettles of migrating sharp-shinned hawks, and monarchs fluttering south.

In the foreground, the outcropping is surrounded by heath balds of laurel, blueberries, southern mountain cranberries, mountain ash, and stunted spruce.

5900’ The trail enters a cool, thick grove of Fraser fir, a species endemic to the highest elevations of the Southern Appalachians. The temperature drops as the mountain rises. This basic rule of earth science makes the mountain forests what they are. Hundreds of feet below, great expanses of deciduous forest pump billions of gallons of water into the air each day.

As the warm, moist air rises against the mountain, the water vapor condenses into clouds. The clouds cloak the mountain, and the cloud forest goes to work: fir

trees comb the moisture out of the air, and the water drips down their lichen-adorned trunks, irrigating thick beds of moss at their feet. The montane moss species are an order of magnitude more plush than the valley species.

The birdsong is different too: the hermit thrush’s multi-layered, ethereal voice is a perfect soundtrack to the dripping, foggy, fir forest; a tiny winter wren takes up a disproportionate amount of sonic space with its galloping song. Both species typically breed far to the north, but like many organisms in this cloud forest, they’ve found refuge in the highest elevations of the southern latitudes.

6100’ The trail tops out in a small meadow surrounded by spruce and fir at the summit. I fill my lungs with the dizzying mountaintop scents of skunk goldenrod and filmy angelica. Despite the occasional craggy peak or ridgetop bald, there is no treeline in the Southern Appalachians, and I’m grateful to be enveloped by the forest. John Muir famously disliked the word “hike,” with its connotation of destination as goal. This trail is far more than a route to the mountaintop; it’s a tour of a remarkable forest. Many people exalt the mountains as a source of soul-nourishment. Waterfalls and mountain vistas are splendid, but the forest and its denizens are what makes the mountain. This mountain, from the leafy coves at its foot to its needled crown, is a lesson in forest diversity, abundance, and resilience. Hike it, yes—but most importantly, get curious about all the life-forms it hosts.

This #UniquelyAlleghany moment courtesy of fall in the Alleghany Highlands. #VaMountains #JacksonRiverScenicTrail

Plan your Uniquely Alleghany getaway at VisitAlleghanyHighlands.com

540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786 · #UniquelyAlleghany

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

#FallFoliage

TO THE ONES WHO CAME BEFORE Reflecting on the increased opportunities and access to the outdoors.

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

“I WISH I WAS 20 YEARS YOUNGER

because I might like to try some of the things you write about.” It’s the kind of comment that stops me in my tracks. My words catch in the back of my throat, and a breathlessness steals away any response I might have formed.

It’s a phrase I’ve now heard several times from my grandma after she reads the latest issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors.

Whether it’s a story about hiking the Appalachian Trail, working alongside maintenance crews to cut new paths, or cross-country skiing through a quiet winter landscape, she wants to try it all.

Well, maybe not mountain biking or ice climbing.

So why is there a part of me that feels a little guilty every time I hear that line? Because sometimes I forget how fortunate I am to be able to do the things I do. I live 30 minutes from a national park with some of the best hiking in the region. As the magazine’s travel editor, I have a job that encourages me to try new things, oftentimes providing the funds and gear needed to make those trips happen.

I have the time and physical ability to go for a bike ride after work or plan a weekend paddle excursion.

As I think about my current lifestyle, I am reminded of the incredible growth the outdoor recreation industry has seen between my grandmother’s generation

and mine. In a relatively short period of time—really, a tiny blip on the geological time scale—opportunity has exploded, from the accessibility of information online and the variety of gear options, to the sheer number of trails being built in our region every year.

“I wish I was 20 years younger because I might like to try some of the things you write about.” The hardest part is that I also wish my grandma was 20 years younger so I could take her to some of these places with me. I want to share these experiences because my grandparents helped nurture my love of the outdoors from a young age, even if “outdoorsy” looked a little different back then.

It was my maternal grandma who took me on early morning beach walks just as the sun began to peek over the horizon to look for turtle tracks and nests while my paternal grandma

instilled in me her love of gardens and a connection to something bigger than self. It was my paternal grandpa who carefully tended to the vines in order to build a maze for his grandchildren to wander through and my maternal grandpa who showed me what it means to be a part of a community.

I am where I am today because of the ones who came before me—the ones who built lives, worked jobs, and cared for families so that I can head into the mountains to find a sense of belonging in a world much bigger than I could ever hope to be.

My thoughts then inevitably turn to the next generations, to the ones who will come after me. Will they too experience the peace and solitude of a cold winter’s day, or will snow in the Southeast be a distant memory? Will they have a chance to marvel at the melody that fills the air as hundreds

of cicadas emerge from their 17-year hibernation, or will the choir fall silent as more habitats are destroyed in the name of profit and expansion? Will they stand on top of mountains, looking out at the vastness of life and want to share those moments with the ones they love the most?

For me, spending time outside has never been about reaching the highest peak, owning the latest gear, or logging personal bests. It’s about summer nights at the beach, sticking around long after the crowds have gone home and the sun has set. It’s swimming in the chilled pond my grandpa built, even when the fish come up to nibble on your fingers and your toes brush against the algae-covered bottom. It’s my grandma showing off the tree in her front yard because she knows how much I love red leaves in the fall. It’s about feeling like I’m a part of something.

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Solutions for a healthy environment start in the South.

THE OUT AND BACK

RESET

THE ADVENTURE CLEANSE When big satisfaction comes from quick, backyard escapes.

B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

I’M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU AND SAY

the river I’m paddling is pretty. There are glimpses of pretty—a pasture coming down to the bank with a black cow way off in the corner. The occasional rock outcropping rising from the water’s edge.

But mostly it’s just sad. A recent tropical storm has uprooted trees and deposited big pieces of trash, like car doors and full-sized dumpsters, along the banks.

Then you have all of the industrial bones that the river cruises through—highway underpasses, sewage pipes…I stood between a discarded shopping cart and stained mattress to scout one rapid.

So, we’re not talking about a Wild and Scenic River here. More like Urban and Unattractive.

Not that Hominy Creek, which carves through the suburbs a few miles from downtown Asheville, doesn’t have its charms. It has a few class II rapids. Plus, it’s close to my house. So close that I can ride my bike to it, hitting a mix of singletrack and paved greenway. So don’t talk shit about it, is what I’m saying. And I couldn’t be happier as I paddle slowly down the corridor, my mountain bike strapped to the nose of my raft, halfway through a big day of doing fun things. I’m in the midst of an “adventure cleanse,” an all-day effort meant to serve as a mental and physical reset of sorts. This dirty river might seem like an odd choice for the adventure cleanse that I’m seeking, but it’s the river I have at my disposal. And a quarter mile into the paddle, I can tell the cleanse is working.

Let me be clear: this is not an epic adventure. I never make it more than seven miles from my home. I pedaled out of my garage at 9am and rode directly to a local park to cruise 10 miles of fun, flowy singletrack with a 12-pound packraft and four-piece kayak paddle stuffed into my backpack. I linked that singletrack to a paved greenway, which I pedaled way the hell upstream along the French Broad River, where I connected to more singletrack that I rode two miles upstream along Hominy Creek. This is the Urban

and Unattractive Hominy Creek with dumpsters and car doors lingering on the banks. When the singletrack ran out, I inflated the packraft that I had in my backpack, strapped my mountain bike to the front of said raft, and started paddling back toward my house, completing a surf and turf loop. At any time throughout the day, if something went wrong, I could call an uber and go get tacos. But it feels like a big expedition because of the dual-sport/ self-sufficiency nature of the adventure.

That’s the beauty of the packraft, small and nimble, so it can be thrown into a pack and added to any outing, allowing certain boaters to paddle remote rivers with limited road access and others to simplify logistics by eliminating the need for a shuttle. Packrafts seem like the piece of gear that should only be used in the backcountry of Alaska, to escape a grizzly or connect glacier runs. Instagram reinforces that notion. Every time I scroll through my feed, I see the tiny boats, loaded with gear, heading towards some red, sandstone canyon in Utah or crossing a lake within a ring of jagged peaks in the Rockies. But I’d argue that packrafts belong everywhere. Even in my urban backyard. Sean Colburn, national stewardship director for American Whitewater, agrees with me. He first started using packrafts when he was working in Montana on a Wild and Scenic River campaign and he needed to paddle remote rivers. It was the perfect tool for the job. But packrafting has become an obsession for him now that he’s back in the Southern Appalachians, where there are roads everywhere.

“Packrafts have a place here,” Colburn says. “They do the job they’re

invented to do extremely well, but they do other things too. They’re super fun on whitewater around here, and there are enough runs that require a hike that they make sense.”

I’m not going heli-skiing in Alaska or surfing Bali…I don’t have any big adventures on the horizon, but I still need the physical and emotional cleanse that comes from that sort of expedition, so I’m trying to squeeze in these backyard micro-adventures as often as possible.

Also, I’m not paddling the Grand Canyon this year. I’m not trekking through Rocky Mountains National Park, or trying to traverse a series of lakes through the Grand Tetons. I’m not going heli-skiing in Alaska or surfing Bali…I don’t have any big adventures on the horizon, but I still need the physical and emotional cleanse that comes from that sort of expedition, so I’m trying to squeeze in these backyard micro-adventures as often as possible.

That’s just the phase of life that I’m in right now. I have a day job, kids, wife, a dog, and a geriatric cat. There was a point in my life where I just drove around the western U.S. for a month in a tiny Jetta.

Because I could. Because there was no good reason not to drive around the West for a month. I also didn’t mind sleeping in the trunk of a four-door sedan. I felt it was roomy. I no longer think the trunk of a car is a suitable place to sleep. That’s not the phase of life I’m currently living. I’m in the, “I have three free hours on a Tuesday, what’s the most badass thing I can do?” phase of my life.

And adding a packraft sojourn to an

urban bike ride is patently badass.

Colburn paddles his packraft all over—on the Nolichucky, or self-shuttling the class IV Big Laurel Creek…he’s sea-kayaked across Lake Fontana to hike deep into Great Smoky Mountains National Park and packrafted down Hazel Creek back to his sea kayak on Lake Fontana.

“They’re cool boats that just kind of make you giggle. We call it ‘laugh-rafting’” Colburn says. “And the boats make you rethink a familiar landscape.”

I’m giggling as I navigate an easy class II beneath an underpass on Hominy Creek. It’s a straightforward wave train, but the weight of the bike on the nose of the boat means I have to pay attention.

My legs are beat from pedaling 15 miles to get to this point, and I’m stoked to be sitting down and letting my shoulders do the work. The sun is shining and I might eat a sandwich when Hominy Creek dumps into the more mellow French Broad. Life is good, and I’m tired for the first time in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always tired—I have two kids and sometimes I have to help them with their math. That’s exhausting. But it’s been a while since I’ve experienced that full-body fatigue that’s both physical and emotional. The kind of tired you experience skiing trees for hours on a powder day, or surfing until the sun goes down. It’s not just fatigue. It’s satisfaction.

The kind of satisfaction that shifts your perspective and puts you back on the right path. That’s the adventure cleanse I was looking for when I pedaled out of my garage at 9am. And I didn’t have to fly to Alaska to find it. I just needed a bike and a boat in my backyard.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Hit the Trails in Lexington, Buena Vista, & Rockbridge County, Va.

Conveniently located at the interchange of Interstate 81 and 64, Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County sit at the southern gateway to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

An iconic local landmark, hike House Mountain for sweeping views of the mountains and valleys. Walk or run the Chessie Trail as it parallels the Maury River for seven miles from Lexington to Buena Vista.

Hike seven miles of trails at Natural Bridge State Park, bring the kiddos to the Children’s Discovery Area, and stargaze on Skyline Trail.

Take the time to check off some bucket list items with a hike on the Appalachian Trail or a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Head to Walkabout Outfitter, Lex Running Shop, Red Newt Bikes, and Journey Outdoors for all of your outdoor needs while in town.

Après Hike Refuel at one of the laid-back eateries, including JJ’s Meat Shack, Pink Cadillac Diner, Pure Eats, and Heliotrope Brewery. Follow the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail for a post-adventure craft beer, or visit a vineyard or cidery. For a bit of nostalgia, catch a movie at Hull’s Drive-In through October. Check into The Georges, a restored 200-year-old inn offering designer accommodations, for a restful night’s sleep. RockbridgeOutdoors.com

Sights Galore in Shenandoah County, Va.

Hike House Mountain in Lexington, Va. Photo by Brent McGuirt

Natural Bridge State Park, photo by Kelsey Johnson

Sunrise views atop Eagle Rock, an easy 30 minute hike near Strasburg.

Set between two stunning mountain ranges, hit the trails of Shenandoah County, Va., and take in the views for miles around.

At 4.4 miles roundtrip, Big Schloss is a must-visit. Known for its picturesque rock outcrop overlooking the valley, make sure to pack a snack or lunch because you’re going to want to spend some time at the top. For more options in George Washington National Forest, check out the trailheads along Crisman Hollow Road. Local favorites include Strickler Knob and Kennedy Peak, plus Story Book Trail and Lions Tail Trail are excellent options for strollerfriendly and handicap-accessible excursions. Stop into New Market to refuel with delicious food from Jackson’s Corner Cafe, Jalisco’s Mexican Restaurant, or Jon Henry General Store.

For a hike by the water, head to Seven Bends State Park where the North Fork of the Shenandoah River snakes through the valley. Eight miles of trails, plus boat access to the river, make this the perfect day-hike location. Just down the road, Muse Vineyards features its own walking trails with excellent views as you sip on a glass of wine. For dining options, Woodstock features local creations from Woodstock Brewhouse, Woodstock Café, Flour & Water, and Mary’s Botanita.

VisitShenandoahCounty.com

Take in magnificent views from High Knob Tower.

Photo by Lori Mier

A Secluded Getaway in Harrisonburg & Rockingham County, Va. On a crisp fall morning, the first thing you notice is the silence. The absence of the sounds of civilization and human voices. You feel bathed in the utter peace and tranquility. Then, after a few miles on the trail, you notice the crunch of the leaves and twigs beneath your feet and the sounds of animals scampering in the woods. If it were a spring morning you might even see a mother bear and cubs in the distance. It is hard to believe you can be so completely immersed in wilderness only two hours from Richmond and Washington, D.C. Whether it’s on your bucket list to hike the Appalachian Trail or to take a romantic hike to a beautiful vista, Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Va., is the perfect destination.

There is plenty of room to explore, spread out, and soak up the sights in Rockingham County’s 175,000 acres of national park or national forest. The most well-known hiking spots in the area are located in Shenandoah National Park off Skyline Drive. With over 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail, treat yourself to stunning overlooks from the crest of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Use the Swift Run Gap exit to reach Harrisonburg and Rockingham County businesses and attractions.

Locals enjoy taking the Madison Run Fire Road up into the park. No entrance fee required. At 10 miles round trip, this dirt path winds along Madison Run with a gradual ascent from the fire road gate at the base of mountain to the top at Skyline Drive.

For the road less traveled, try Cliff Trail, found in the Hone Quarry Recreation Area of George Washington National Forest just outside of Harrisonburg. Although the trail is rocky and steep in some places, it’s only about a half mile long. The sweat and calf stretches are worth it when you reach the picturesque rock ledge overlook.

For gear or trail recommendations while you’re in the area, swing by Walkabout Outfitter or Appalachian Trail Outfitters for an excellent supply and friendly faces. Harrisonburg has a wellestablished hiking and biking community, where local shops offer not only gear they have tested and trusted, but friendly advice and shared stories. Locals are never too busy to share their favorite hike or advise you on the pros and cons of your chosen destination.

Try a flight at Pale Fire Brewing Company, photo courtesy of Virginia Tourism

Après Hike Have you gotten your fill of hiking for the day? Try fly fishing in the cool mountain waters or cycling the dedicated mountain bike terrain area with winding singletrack

Hike Bearfence Mountain, photo courtesy of Virginia Tourism

and high-speed free ride slopes at Massanutten Resort with a chair lift back to the top for another round and incredible views of the Shenandoah Valley. Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are designated a Bronze Level Ride Center from the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

After a day outside, relax at one of eight local craft breweries or enjoy dinner from one of the charming local restaurants. Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia’s First Culinary District, offers a variety of great meals, from delicious sandwiches for the trail at Lola’s Deli to Capital Ale House, featuring an expansive beer menu. If you’re close to the national park, be sure to stop at Old 33 Beer and Burger Grill in Elkton, and then take the short trip to Grottoes to visit Grand Caverns, the oldest continually operated show cave in the United States. Pick up a Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail passport at any local brewery and, with eight stamps, you receive a free Beerwerks shirt.

Look no further than Harrisonburg and Rockingham County for friendly people, cool small towns, and one of the best hubs for outdoor recreation.

VisitHarrisonburgVA.com | VisitRockingham.com

Roanoke Star atop Mill Mountain. Photo courtesy of Creative Dog Media & Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Take a Hike in Virginia’s Blue Ridge With over 700 miles of hiking trails, including 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail, you can’t go wrong with your choice in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. From urban hikes in Roanoke, the largest city along the A.T., to remote locations in the surrounding counties, discover the best of what the area has to offer. Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge is an official Leave No Trace Community Partner, and requests that you recreate responsibly and leave a minimal impact when visiting the area by staying on designated trails and packing out all trash.

Just minutes from Downtown Roanoke, hike up Mill Mountain to the iconic Roanoke Star for views of the surrounding mountains, valley, and downtown skyline. Then head out to one of the beautiful waterfall hikes in the area, like Roaring Run Falls, Bottom Creek Gorge, or Stiles Falls, for lunch or a snack by the water.

The Virginia Triple Crown is a must-see while you’re in the area. Hop on the A.T. to Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs for three of the most recognizable viewpoints in Virginia. This trio features some of the best spots for a challenging hike with views of the changing leaves. For additional trails, go for a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and hike out to some truly remarkable places. Stand below the towering Apple Orchard Falls, or wander through the woods along the Chestnut Ridge Trail and Rock Castle Gorge. The Peaks of Otter area offers a variety of options, from strenuous climbs up Sharp Top and Flat Top to a scenic loop around Abbott Lake.

When you’re traveling, do you prefer to stay close to the action? Explore Park, Jamison Mill Park, and Middle Creek Campground have you covered with yurts, cabins, and campsites galore, all within a short walking or driving distance to trails, ziplines, boat launches, and more. Plus, you’ll be close enough to head into town, kick back, and relax with a beer from one of the local breweries.

At Big Lick Brewing Company, Parkway Brewing Company, and Twin Creeks Brewing Company, you’ll find refreshing brews and friendly people who quickly feel like old friends.

When it comes to deciding where to plan your next hiking trip, you can’t Family hiking in the Roaring Run Recreation Area. beat the trails and views Photo courtesy of Sam Dean Photography & Visit of Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

Virginia’s Blue Ridge VisitVBR.com

Surrounded

by Trails in Waynesboro, Va.

Stop at one of the popular overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway, such as Ravens Roost.

Nestled between the southernmost entrance to Shenandoah National Park and the northernmost entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway is a small mountain town with a big personality. Waynesboro, Va., is known for views of the beautiful Blue Ridge visible from the charming downtown, and pretty much everywhere in the city.

Make Waynesboro your home base as you explore more than 500 miles of trails in Shenandoah National Park, including Blackrock Summit and Riprap Trail, as well as 50 designated trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway, like Humpback Rocks, as it meanders south through Virginia. Grab a flashlight and make time to walk nearly a mile through the historic Blue Ridge Tunnel, a recently-opened trail celebrating the railroad history of the area.

This designated Appalachian Trail Community offers hikers of all skill levels many amenities, including two local outfitters—Rockfish Gap Outfitters and South River Fly Shop—plus eclectic downtown shops and great local restaurants. Spend a cozy night at the Iris Inn or Heritage Hill Bed & Breakfast before doing it all over again the next day.

With miles of trails to explore right out the backdoor, it’s no wonder Waynesboro is a top stop for hikers from all around the region.

VisitWaynesboro.com

Solitude Awaits in Highland County, Va. For those looking to really get away, journey to the soaring mountains of Highland County, the least populous county in Virginia, to experience solitude and breathtaking views.

There are ample opportunities for hiking in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, like the Shenandoah Mountain Trail. The access point is a popular mountain scenic viewing area, especially during fall, where you can walk the short interpretive trail at the Confederate Breastworks, Sounding Knob Fire Tower, or continue on to longer hikes photo courtesy of Blue into the Ramsey’s Draft Ridge GeoGraphics Wilderness, or join up with the Great Eastern Trail. Just down the road is the McDowell Battlefield Trail that follows in the footsteps of Civil War soldiers to the top of Sitlington Hill.

Near Monterey, a 1.3 mile hike or drive takes you to the restored Sounding Knob Fire Tower where you can climb over 100 steps from sunrise to sunset for a lasting memory. You’ll be close to over 14,000 acres to explore in Highland County’s Wildlife Management Area.

When you’re done hiking for the day, satisfy your sweet tooth with a tour of several sugar camps in the county along the Virginia Maple Syrup Trail, or order a refreshing glass of locally-made cider from Big Fish Cider.

HighlandCounty.org

Hike more than 40 miles of trrails at Douthat State Park

Find Your Trail at a Virginia State Park From mountain top vistas to waterside perches, the trails at Virginia State Parks lead to some of the most iconic hiking spots in the region. Plan your next weekend adventure to one of these top destinations.

In the mountains near the VirginiaWest Virginia border, Douthat State Park hosts more than 40 miles of trails to waterfalls and scenic overlooks. Follow Mountain Top Trail along several ridges to a lookout, plus connect with more miles of trails in the George Washington National Forest, or hike Blue Suck Falls Trail to beautiful views of the water and whirlpool at the base.

Surrounded by a state forest, Holliday Lake State Park offers a quiet York River, photo by John Gresham, courtesy of Va. and relaxing getaway by the water. Hike Dept. of Conservation and Recreation 6.5 miles around the entire lake, across a 40-foot dam, and through an old-growth forest to several overlooks on Lakeshore Trail. Or give your legs a rest and paddle the Sunfish Aquatic Trail to get up close and personal with the lake environment.

On Virginia’s coast, York River State Park protects a rare estuarine environment where freshwater and saltwater meet. Over 30 miles of trails lead to diverse and delicate ecosystems. Look for ospreys and great blue herons at one of the observation decks along Taskinas Creek Trail, search for signs of the past at Fossil Beach, and walk over marshes on Mattaponi Trail.

Just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Philpott Reservoir, wander the trail system at Fairy Stone State Park as you search for the legendary fairy stones. Choose from a variety of options for views of the lake and surrounding mountains, creek crossings, steep inclines, and waterfalls. Little Mountain Falls Trail is an excellent choice if you want to see all of those sights on one trip.

The trails at Natural Tunnel State Park will lead you to some of Virginia’s most unique geological features. Walk Lover’s Leap Trail to view the natural tunnel, carved out over millions of years, from above or take the trail to the tunnel floor to get a sense of perspective.

Featuring more than 90 miles of trails, it’s hard to see the same view twice at Pocahontas State Park. From paved accessible trails and forest roads to flowy singletrack, these trails were built for users of all types and abilities. But that’s not all there is to discover. With 41 parks spread throughout the commonwealth, there’s always something new to see and do at a Virginia State Park.

VirginiaStateParks.gov

Coastal Hiking in Calvert County, Md.

Calvert Cliffs State Park in Lusby, Md.

From sandy beaches and a cypress swamp, to towering cliffs and mature forests, the trails of Calvert County, Md., offer hikers a wide array of opportunities no matter their skill level. With the Chesapeake Bay to the east and Patuxent River to the west, encounter countless scenic spots along the way.

Discover 22 miles of public trails by the bay at the American Chestnut Land Trust either by yourself, or on a guided hike led by master naturalists through wildflower meadows, ridge tops, and stream valleys. Follow the boardwalk in Battle Creek Cypress Swamp as you listen for the sounds of the frogs and songbirds in this rare wetland habitat.

Keep an eye out for more than 600 species of fossils that can be found at Calvert Cliffs State Park on your way to epic views of the bay. Still haven’t had enough? Head out for a peaceful stroll through the woods and meadows at Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm, the bay overlooks at Flag Ponds Nature Park, or the reconstructed Native American village at Jefferson Patterson Park.

At the end of the day, unwind at one of the many waterfront restaurants, or explore the Calvert County Wine & Ale Trail for some of the best craft beverages around.

ChooseCalvert.com/Hike

A Taste of Southern Hospitality in Scott County, Ky. In the heart of Bluegrass country, Scott County welcomes visitors from all over to experience Kentucky living at its finest. From the rolling hills of the countryside to the picturesque downtown offerings in Georgetown, discover what makes this a must-see stop.

Hit the ground running with a visit to the Skullbuster Trails, a hiking and mountain biking system composed of multiple loops. This idyllic backwoods spot features intermediate to challenging terrain, including limestone Let’s ride! Photo by Heather Jackson rocks, rooty sections, hidden meadows, and lots of natural and human-made challenges with some moderate elevation change.

Keep the fun going with a paddling or fishing trip on the beautiful Elkhorn Creek. Take in the sights on horseback as you ride the trails at Whispering Woods Riding Stables, or drive one of the scenic routes along the back roads, including the Bluegrass Country Driving Tour and Buffalo Gals Barn Quilt Trail.

Head into Georgetown, located off of I-75 and I-64, for a place to eat and stay at the end of a long day outside. With 17 different hotels, 25 unique stays, and over 80 restaurants, you won’t run out of options to explore. GeorgetownKY.com

Branch Mountain

This fall, explore Hardy County’s country roads.

Hike our forested trails, bike our mountain curves, drive through our broad farmland valleys and revel in the vivid colors of fall. After such eventful days, you’ll likely want to stay the night to experience all that Hardy County has to offer. Discover the fall getaway you’ve been longing for in Almost Heaven.

WVtourism.com/HardyCounty

THE GOODS

TRAIL TIME

FALL HIKING IS HERE With colors at peak and the temps nice and cool, fall is a beautiful time to hit the trail in the Blue Ridge. Here’s the gear to up that autumn experience.

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

Salewa

Leki

MCT 12 Vario Carbon Women’s

There was a time when we eschewed hiking poles—they seemed like too much to carry. These sticks are a big part of why we’ve changed our tune.

Weighing in at just 6.7 ounces, but with the guts to scurry up talus slopes, these poles help you hike faster and with a better rhythm, not to mention providing support and confidence on tricky terrain. When you don’t want to use them, they break down small enough to stash in a day pack. $250; leki.com

Vasque

BFCT + Oboz

Vasque looked to break stereotypes with this hiker: It’s got the vibe of a skate shoe but the skillset to handle a thru-hike. Weighing 1 pound, 4 ounces and comfy as a slip-on, it sports a serious Vibram Ethereal Litebase with Megagrip Compound sole that can scramble up rockfall just as well as it pounds out long trail miles. The yarn and mesh upper fabric lets your dogs breathe while providing plenty of comfort, and the high-rebound footbed sucks up the abuse of big days. $150; vasque.com

Earl B. Hunter, the CEO of Black Folks Camp Too (BFCT), wants to expand the idea of who gets outdoors. The nonprofit has a simple, powerful mission that appeals to all: Treat everyone, everywhere, equally. To rally around that message of inclusivity, BFCT partnered with Oboz to bring some soul to the core brand’s comfy O Fit insoles.

A portion of the sales benefits BFCT’s Digital Education Initiative, dedicated to getting the Black community out on the trails. $30; obozfootwear.com

Deuter

CBD Recovery Balm

Futura 32

Fall can be full of bluster, meaning you need to pack more layers (and, hey, more snacks to burn more calories).

Stable, light, and able to swallow up tons of gear, the Futura 32 is the hauler of choice when you have a lot to carry. The Aircomfort back system ventilates when you're sweating, and the adjustable shoulder straps and hip fins end up being far less bulky than a big pack, providing the heft to take on minimalist overnighters. $170; deuter.com

RAB KINETIC 2.0

Kinetic 2.0

A true triple threat, this shoe combines the DNA of a trail runner with the profile of a hiker and adds in some sticky Pomoca rubber to tackle rocky approaches. That made it the perfect shoe for adventure in the Blue Ridge, whether we were scrambling ragged ridge lines or simply putting down serious miles on the dirt. Bonus: unlike far too many shoes we test, it laces solid and stays put on your hike. $140; salewa.com

Satoru Trail LT

DEUTER FUTURA 32

Rab

A shell that will protect you from the worst onslaughts of the shoulder season but not cramp your style, the Kinetic 2.0 tips the scales at 11.9 ounces in a men’s large—light enough to shove in your pack and pull out when the weather rolls in. But don’t think less weight means less protection. The recycled polyester and waterproof/ breathable membrane repels the wet stuff like a champ. Best of all, the fit is so comfy you may keep wearing it even after a storm. $230; rab.equipment

Ultratrain 3

LEKI MCT 12 VARIO CARBON WOMEN’S

SALEWA ULTRATRAIN 3

O Fit Insole Plus Unity Blaze

MIRAFLORA CBD RECOVERY BALM

VASQUE SATORU TRAIL LT

Miraflora

Hiking long miles can be hard on the body, but CBD (the legal, popular non-psychoactive cannabinoid) can ease those pains. This is no snake oil: The balm combines hemp flower oil, virgin shea butter, extra virgin coconut oil, and aromatic essential oils in a rub developed by a big-mountain skier who runs the brand from a family farm.

Want more? Miraflora fertilizes its hemp with a truly organic source: doo doo from the farm’s alpaca herd. $25; miraflora.co

BFCT + OBOZ O FIT INSOLE PLUS UNITY BLAZE

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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At the crossroads of luxury and unspoiled wilderness, and only moments from the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, you’ll find Country Road Cabins. Experience glamping in sophisticated, safari-style tents, celebrate family in private deluxe log cabin homes or spark romance in delightfully secluded tree houses. Enjoy unfiltered connection with nature and the people you love amidst the beauty of Almost Heaven and let country roads take you home to Country Road Cabins.

WVtourism.com/CountryRoadCabins

“BEST BACKPACKING BOOT” “BEST BACKPACKING BOOT”

– Men’s Health – Men’s Health

“These @mishmitakin boots @mishmitakin boots are“These the best I’ve ever owned. are the best I’ve ever owned.

At this point I’ve lost track of At this point I’ve lost track of how many miles I’ve logged how many miles I’ve logged in in these it’swell well theseboots, boots,but but it’s over 2,000. very over 2,000.No No issues, issues, very comfortable,still still waterproof, waterproof, comfortable, great tractionand and support. great traction support.

5 stars!”

– Andrew, Customer 5 stars!” – Andrew, Customer

Mishmi Takin Kameng Mid eVent Mishmi Takin Waterproof Hiking Boot

Kameng Mid eVent Waterproof Hiking Boot

www.mishmitakin.com

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

www.mishmitakin.com

PERSPECTIVE

DEDICATION

288 DOTS Chasing Pitchell, An Appalachian Trail Running Classic

BY WILL HARLAN

IT WAS GETTING DARK, I WAS OUT OF

water, and I still had miles to go. My legs were cramped and bleeding.

I was toast.

I was trying to finish Pitchell, one of the all-time classics of Appalachian trail running: start at the top of Mount Pisgah and run 67 miles to the top of Mount Mitchell.

Pisgah is a 5,700-foot summit marred by a giant telecom tower, but it is still a dramatic place to start a 67mile run. And 6,684-foot Mitchell—the highest peak in the East—is an even more dramatic spot to finish.

And in between are 67 miles of breathtaking beauty and wildness. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) connects the two mountains across some of the most rugged terrain in the region.

The elevation profile for Pitchell is essentially a giant U. From the Pisgah tower, the first 20 miles are mostly downhill. The 12-mile section through Asheville is relatively flat. But the final 35 miles are a long slog into the sky.

I started my run at 5am, and I hoped to reach Mitchell before sunset. The Mount Pisgah telecom tower’s red lights flashed silently above. I plunged down a rocky ribbon of trail into the darkness.

I knew better, but that morning, I couldn’t contain my excitement. As dawn broke, a chorus of birdsong filled the cool mountain morning, and I felt like I could fly. So I let it rip.

I soared down the mountain. For years, I had run up this stretch of trail in the iconic Shut-In Ridge Trail Run. Now I was gliding effortlessly down the tortuous climbs. I was giddy as the miles flew by.

But when I reached the bottom, I realized my mistake: my quads were fried from pounding down the long, steep downhill. I wasn’t even a third of the way through the run, and my legs were already shredded and cramping.

I had to get my mind off the pain, the heat, and the long miles ahead. So I distracted myself by counting the white dots marking the trail. They appeared every quarter-mile or so.

I tried not to think about the 47

THE AUTHOR DURING HIS TOUGH 67-MILE RUN. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

mostly uphill miles ahead of me and just focused on making it to the next white blaze. One dot at a time, I began the long climb from the Asheville valley toward the Mount Mitchell summit.

After a while, I started dedicating each white dot to someone. The first few dots were predictable: spouse, kids, parents, friends. They got me all the way to the Rattlesnake Lodge ruins where cold, clean water trickled from a spring. I refilled my Camelbak and continued climbing.

After a while, I started dedicating each white dot to someone. The first few dots were predictable: spouse, kids, parents, friends. They got me all the way to the Rattlesnake Lodge ruins where cold, clean water trickled from a spring. I refilled my Camelbak and continued climbing.

On the ascent to Lane Pinnacle, I

started naming white dots after runners and friends who had inspired me over the years: Scott Jurek, Jay Curwen, Norm Blair, Aaron Saft, Randy Ashley, and Adam Hill—the runner who first dreamed up the Pitchell challenge and has run it six times.

Then I named dots after runners I competed with, including a few whom I raced to the top of Mount Mitchell years ago: Mark Lundblad, Thomas Cason, Dane Mitchell, Dewayne Satterfield, Drew Shelfer, Bryan Dayton. Looking back, I wished that I had competed less and cherished my time with them more.

I dedicated four dots in the Craggies to Anne Riddle, my favorite running friend and Appalachia’s most accomplished ultrarunner.

Anne is a fierce competitor who won several national championships and shattered course records. Off the trail, she is an incredibly kind, warm, and compassionate mom and social worker.

As I stumbled through ankletwisting rock gardens near Balsam Gap, I dedicated dots to another running friend: Sam Evans. He’s the most badass all-around outdoor athlete I know—and also the humblest. And he’s a brilliant environmental attorney who fights to protect the places where he plays—including the mountains and forests I was running through.

I was holding it together until the long climb up Blackstock Knob, when the wheels finally came off. I ran out of water, and waves of nausea left me lurching on the side of the trail. I wobbled onward, but then I tripped and fell hard onto a jagged slab of granite.

The sun was starting to sink behind the mountains. I lay broken and bleeding on the sun-warmed rock. I was done.

Then I looked up and saw one more white dot. It was on the weathered trunk of a hawthorn tree, and it reminded me of my two Tarahumara running friends in Mexico’s Copper Canyons: Arnulfo Quimare and Silvino Cubesare. Wearing handmade sandals and carrying only a pouch of cornmeal, they regularly trekked much further distances than this—not for fun, but for survival. I suddenly felt a lot less sorry for myself. I got back on my feet.

I still had eight long and lonely miles to go. My blurry brain dedicated dots to anyone I could think of, including the Beastie Boys, Michael Stipe, Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, Huey Lewis, Bruce, Dylan. I’ll be honest: there might have also been some dots for Whitney Houston and Taylor Swift. In the dark, I sang my way to the summit.

I had passed 288 white blazes from Pisgah to Mitchell. I had conjured up hundreds of people who helped me along the way. I was grateful to have shared a few miles with each of them.

And I hoped our paths would cross again.

My first and last dot were dedicated to the same person: my wife and best friend, Emily. She had been there all along, and as usual, I had taken her for granted. Over the years, she had crewed for me in countless races and adventures, and once again, she was waiting for me at the finish.

And she was pissed: it was dark and cold at the top of a 6,000-foot summit, and she was hungry and tired of waiting. But she was there for me, as always, to lift my crumpled body and carry me home.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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TRAIL MIX

NEW MUSIC

N AT H A N I E L R AT E L I F F & T H E N I G H T S W E AT S W I L L RELEASE THE NEW ALBUM “THE FUTURE” ON NOVEMBER 5. PHOTO BY DANNY CLINCH

Tune in to Trail Mix, our monthly playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In October we’re highlighting new tunes from Wilderado and Gov’t Mule, and the anticipated return of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

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

WILDERADO

“Head Right” — Our

brains are scrambled, still trying to navigate these confusing times.

And while indie-rock trio Wilderado don’t claim to have answers, they do have a cathartic anthem to share while we’re searching. The lead track from the Tulsaborn indie-rock trio’s new self-titled album, produced by James McAlister (The National, Sufjan Stevens) features a relentlessly uplifting arrangement with soaring guitar chords and a shout-along chorus about shaking yourself out of a mental funk. - J.F.

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS

GOV’T MULE

“Heavy Load” — Guitar hero Warren

Haynes and his longstanding band will release Gov’t Mule’s first-ever blues album in November. The project features a mix of original material and takes on traditional touchstones from the likes of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Junior Wells. “Heavy Load” is a slow-burning acoustic porch tune that features rustic slide guitar and Haynes using his husky voice to lament life’s burdens. - J.F. ELLIOT ROOT

“Rescue” — Nashville alternative

rockers Elliot Root pulled a disappearing act, dropping off the map after touring hard on the release of the band’s last record, 2017’s “Conjure.” This month signals Elliot Root’s return, as the band—stewarded by singer/songwriter Scott Krueger— has reemerged with a collection of new material. “Rescue” is classic Elliot Root—somber piano chords resonate over echoing bells, a crafty studio polish, and Krueger’s vocals, which prove yet again that he is one of the most versatile, and underappreciated, singers out there. - D.S. THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS

“It’s Alright” — Our Southern brethren have a way of churning out outstanding rock and roll. Following the path lit by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and Blackberry Smoke now come the Georgia Thunderbolts. “It’s Alright” showcases the quintet’s swagger, a

tight, bluesy shuffle and gritty guitars fortifying what is a peace offering to a former lover and a plea for starting over.

These Georgia rockers have penned a great singalong rock song, so roll the windows down and belt it out. - D.S. NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS

“Survivor” — After releasing a solo

effort last year, Nathaniel Rateliff reconvened his rowdy soul-rock crew the Night Sweats to record a new album “The Future,” which was made with North Carolina-based producer Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Hiss Golden Messenger). Lead track “Survivor” is a retro stomper with plenty of Rateliff’s trademark growls punctuated by punchy horn fills. And although the title implies resilience, the track is actually about feeling overwhelmed behind a mask of strength. - J.F. JOHN MCCUTCHEON

“Bucket List” — Folk musician John

McCutcheon is an acoustic wizard.

With a career now spanning five decades, McCutcheon is masterful on any number of instruments, including guitar, piano, banjo, fiddle, and hammered dulcimer. On “Bucket List,” the title track from his latest record, McCutcheon turns on its head the whole notion of what a bucket list truly is; instead of a list of adventures not yet done, it should be a vessel overflowing with experiences and memories already gathered. One could find contentment in that sentiment. - D.S.

DORI FREEMAN

“The Storm” —

Southwest Virginia singer-songwriter Dori Freeman moves beyond her acoustic leanings on the new album “Ten Thousand Roses,” which was produced by her husband Nick Falk. Lead single “The Storm” is a breezy slice of jangle rock with a sweet, pop-minded chorus, but under the easy listening is a darker message about trust and fidelity.

Freeman, who hails from Galax, grew up around traditional mountain sounds, and now she’s refreshingly pushing those influences forward. - J.F. ABBY BRYANT & THE ECHOES

“Tried” — Asheville’s Abby Bryant has

pipes for days. With a voice dripping Southern soul, Bryant, along with longtime collaborator Bailey Faulkner on guitar and their mates in the Echoes, are hitting on all cylinders on “Tried.” A laid-back, funky groove soars on every chorus as Bryant, lamenting a failed relationship while pulling no punches as she considers its end, sends her vocals surging skyward as she matches crescendoing organ and guitar. A featured track on “Not Your Little Girl,” the band’s debut record, “Tried” is guaranteed to serve notice that this is a band on the rise. - D.S. To hear these songs and more, follow the Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Trail Mix playlist on Spotify.

W I L D E R A D O P H O T O B Y G R A N T S PA N I E R

OUR FAVORITE SONGS IN OCTOBER

We’re Climate Neutral And aiming for Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030. In the meantime, we’re cutting emissions and balancing any remaining through carbon credits. Reducing our impact on the planet.

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