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: This is a popular hike with great views. The narrow road to the trailhead is dirt/gravel and the last mile or so has some washed out sections. We saw several 2-wheel drive cars in the parking area. Take your time and avoid the road following heavy rain or snow. The parking
Trail Map: The Hike: This section hike on the Appalachian Trail straddles the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. The open ridge provides spectacular views of both states. The road to the trailhead is paved for a few miles and then turns to gravel/dirt. We had no problems with our AWD Subaru and it should be passable
Big Firescald Knob Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This hike is said to have some of the best views in Great Smoky Mountains NP. We certainly understand why it is so popular. This eight-mile round trip hike on the Appalachian Trail has an option one mile extension on the Jump Off Trail with even more amazing views. Dogs are
Trail Map: The Hike: We have hiked to both Dark Hollow Falls and Rose River Falls and they are both great hikes. This hike combines both falls and includes a short stretch on the Appalachian Trail. Note pets are not allowed at Dark Hollow Falls. Navigating through the campground at the beginning of the hike
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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 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.
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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: This Appalachian Trail section hike doesn’t show up on AllTrails or most hiking websites. It’s a shame as this hike has views of the Great Valley, an AT shelter, several stream crossings, and what may be the longest rhododendron tunnel on the AT. The trailhead is located at an open air
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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
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