Trail Map: The Hike: On a recent week-long hiking trip to western NC, we used Hot Springs as our home base. We stayed at the Laughing Heart Lodge located about 150 yards from the Appalachian Trail. The hike to Lovers Leap on the AT is a local favorite so we added it to our list. […]
Trail Map: The Hike: Thru-hikers call the Appalachian Trail “the long green tunnel”. For most of its 2,198 miles, the AT passes through forests beneath heavy tree cover. This hike has a small section of open meadow with some nice mountain views. There are a few partial views during the rest of the hike under
Appalachian Trail to Fulhardt Knob Shelter Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This easy hike on the Appalachian Trail has some nice meadow and mountain views. It also passes beside Keffer Oak, the 2nd largest tree on the AT. From the trailhead parking area, cross route 42 and follow a gravel double track road which runs beside the highway. In about 200 yards,
Appalachian Trail to Keffer Oak Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This easy hike has some fantastic views. Located in the Shawvers Run Wildness in Jefferson National Forest, this hike is a hidden gem. It’s popular with locals but not well known to most hikers. Part of the reason could be the 3-mile drive on the forest road leading to the trailhead.
Hanging Rock Overlook Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This easy hike on the Appalachian Trail has some nice views. The only drawback is it shares a parking area with McAfee Knob, one of the most popular hikes on the AT. The parking area holds 40-50 vehicles so either arrive early in the morning or plan to take the McAfee
Trail Map: The Hike: Molly’s Knob is a Virginia classic. This hike turns the climb up Molly’s Knob into a loop around the lake. The 3.4 mile Molly’s Knob Trail is a shorter, direct out and back to the summit. Hungary Mother State Park is one of our favorites. It was one of the original
Molly’s Knob and Lake Loop Read More »
The Hike: This easy hike passes beside Roaring Run much of the way. We hiked following heavy rains and the stream was full and the falls were spectacular. This loop trail combines the Woodland Trail and the Streamside Trail. Both trails begin near the trail kiosk by the restrooms. We began the loop by following
Roaring Run Hoop Hole Read More »
The Hike: Full disclosure 1: Pete’s Cave isn’t named after Hoppy Hiker Pete, despite his claims to the contrary. Full disclosure 2: There really isn’t a cave, just a large jumble of boulders. Despite the poetic license of “cave”, this is a great hike. Getting to the trailhead is a bit of an adventure. State
Pete’s Cave/ North Mountain Read More »
The Hike: We often receive requests from our readers for more urban hikes. On a recent visit to Blacksburg, we discovered the Huckleberry Trail. The Huckleberry is a 15-mile paved trail which connects Blacksburg and Christiansburg. This paved, multi-use trail is popular with pedestrians and bicyclists. The trail is well marked and well maintained. We
Huckleberry Trail & Coal Mining Heritage Park Read More »
The Hike: This short hike has some great views with minimal hiking effort. Located in the Potts Creek Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia, this hike climbs up Peters Mountain on the Eastern Continental Divide to a raptor observatory. The hike travels along the Allegheny Trail a 311-mile long trail stretching from Pennsylvania to West
Hanging Rock (WV) Observatory Read More »
