High Falls

The High Falls Waterfall Loop is a popular spot for leaf peeping in Autumn. Be sure to arrive early or you might not get a parking spot.

Towering 120 feet over the river below, High Falls Waterfall is one of the most impressive waterfalls in North Carolina and part of a trio of falls along the Little River in DuPont State Recreational Forest. During times of drought, the falls slow to a graceful cascade over the granite plane, but heavy rains upriver… Continue reading High Falls

DuPont State Recreational Forest

DuPont State Forest’s Beginnings as an Industrial Site Driving through one of North Carolina’s youngest state forests, it’s hard to believe that it was once an industrial site. But that’s just what you’ll find when you visit DuPont State Recreational Forest in Ceder Mountain between Brevard and Flat Rock. In the 1950’s the DuPont Corporation… Continue reading DuPont State Recreational Forest

Grandfather Mountain

About Grandfather Mountain As you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock and Linville you’ll see Grandfather Mountain towering above the other nearby peaks. While at 5995 feet, it’s not the tallest mountain in North Carolina, it is higher than its neighbors. And the way it quickly rises to its peaks gives Grandfather… Continue reading Grandfather Mountain

Carl Sandburg House

Carl Sandburg Home From the top of the hill.

About the Sandburg Home National Historic Site In the 19th Century, Flat Rock, North Carolina was the summer playground of the rich and influential. Nicknamed “Little Charleston in the Mountains”, the population would swell starting in late spring with people fleeing the mosquitoes and heat of the Carolina Coast. It was here that Christopher Memminger… Continue reading Carl Sandburg House

Sassafras Mountain

New Observation tower at Sassafras Mountain

About Sassafras Mountain This one sits right on the line between South and North Carolina. Sassafras Mountain, named for the large number of sassafras trees known to grow on the lower slopes, is the highest point in SC at 3,553 feet and offers panoramic vies of the entire area. On a clear day you can… Continue reading Sassafras Mountain

Congaree National Park – Field Report

Entrance to Congaree National Park just south of Columbia SC

Congaree National Park – Field Report For more about Congaree Forest including its history and ecology and everything you need to know to plan your visit, check out our Congaree National Park Page. Today’s expedition found me below the fall line exploring the Congaree National Park just south of Columbia, South Carolina. Conragee is one… Continue reading Congaree National Park – Field Report

Andrew Jackson State Park Field Report

"Boy of the Waxhaws" Statue of a young Andrew Jackson on horesback by Anna Hyatt Huntington.

Andrew Jackson State Park – Field Report For more about Andrew Jackson and the State Park including everything you need to know to plan your visit, check out our Andrew Jackson State Park. Today’s excursion found me back in the Waxhaws with a visit to Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster South Carolina. Now, we… Continue reading Andrew Jackson State Park Field Report

Historic Camden – Field Report

Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site - Reproduction town wall with Kershaw/Cornwallis in the distance.

Historic Camden – Field Report For more about Historic Camden including its history and everything you need to know to plan your visit, check out our Camden Revolutionary War Site Page. Since Monday August 16, is the 241st anniversary of the battle, I decided that now would be a good time to visit the Camden… Continue reading Historic Camden – Field Report

Lake Lure Field Report

Lake Lure as seen from the Exclamation Point Trail at Chimney Rock State Park.

Lake Lure Field Report For more about Lake Lure including its history and things to do in the area, check out our Lake Lure Page . Today’s expedition was to Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina. I’m working on a list of free things to do in Western North Carolina and wanted to explore… Continue reading Lake Lure Field Report

Cradle of Forestry Field Report

One room schoolhouse along the Biltmore Campus Trail. Students at the forestry school would spend their mornings in a school just like this before heading out into the field for the afternoon.

Cradle of Forestry – Field Report For more about The Cradle of Forestry including its history ecology and everything you need to know to plan your visit, check out our Cradle of Forestry Page. Today I decided to head to the Pisgah Forest and explore the Cradle of Forestry. As the site of the first… Continue reading Cradle of Forestry Field Report