[Updated August 20, 2022] Spend any time in the Blue Ridge Mountains you’ll quickly realize that Westen North Carolina waterfalls are a big thing here. Waterfalls in NC can be as literally big– as in over 800 feet high– as they are numerous. You’ll find approximately 250 waterfalls just in the 381-square-mile Transylvania County, located … Read more
Asheville is beloved for its progressive vibe, anchored in a love of culture and arts, an array of lip-smacking restaurants, and surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature in the country. Camping near Asheville, North Carolina is as big of a draw as the city itself. Within an hour’s drive of downtown Asheville, it’s … Read more
Located in the mountain town of Dahlonega, the Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site chronicles the discovery of gold in Georgia and the pivotal role it played in the history of Georgia. Gold was first discovered in Lumpkin County in 1828, and it triggered the first major gold rush in the country by 1829. (There … Read more
Spanning more than half a million acres, Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. Averaging over 14 million visitors a year, GSMNP is the most visited of all the US National Parks. The park was commissioned by the US Congress in 1934, and officially dedicated in 1940 by President … Read more
Much of the press on the Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates it as a wonderfully preserved 469-mile scenic route. But much of what makes the world-renowned road trip so wonderful is the incredible 200 or so Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks you can stop at along the way. Many of these special spots offer amazing vistas of the mountains of North … Read more
The battles at Chickamauga and Chattanooga were a major turning point in the Civil War. Winning the Battle of Chattanooga in late November of 1863 created a path for the Union Army to take Atlanta, which had a direct effect on the end of the war. Today, these historic battlefields are preserved at the Chickamauga … Read more
[Updated 5/25/2022] Taking day trips to explore the myriad North Georgia State Parks, hiking trails to waterfalls, and other outdoor attractions are fun and rewarding in their own right. But camping overnight (or for the weekend) allows us to explore these natural wonders in much greater depth. There’s nothing quite like being fully immersed in the … Read more
[Updated 5/25/2022] Comprising 867,000 acres of gorgeous, largely pristine land, the Chattahoochee National Forest offers some of the most rewarding and scenic opportunities for outdoor adventure in Georgia. The forest spans a whopping 26 counties and is truly a nature lover’s paradise. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails that lead to picturesque, wildflower-lined streams, … Read more
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians strongly resisted the Indian Removal Act of 1830, even as many other Native American tribes were forced westward and out of their own established lands. After the signing of the Treaty of New Echota, thousands of the Cherokee people who walked the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma died. The rest resettled … Read more
The Appalachian Trail extends 2,190 miles north to south in the eastern United States. Nearly a quarter of that—more than 550 miles— lies within (or along the borders of) the state of Virginia. The AT in Virginia passes by award-winning VA state parks, through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, and into the world-renowned … Read more
