Rob GierschExplorer

Sope Creek is a little slice of wild heaven squeezed into the hustle and bustle of Atlanta's metro madness. Bordering the Chattahoochee River, Interstate 285, and Suburbia sprawl, Sope Creek offers the city dweller an environmental escape that se...

The Chattahoochee National Forest and Cohutta Wilderness make up the wild and scenic southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blood Mountain trail offers the day hiker a taste of the Appalachian Trail that does not disappoint.The hike starts ...

Foster Falls State Park is part of the South Cumberland State Park system. A short 45 minute drive from Chattanooga, Foster Falls boasts a stunning 60 foot waterfall that is worth visiting during any season of the year. The trailhead for this 2 mi...

Bear Creek is a southern favorite amongst the mountain biking community. There are many variations and add-ons to make this ride more challenging, but the classic up and back from the parking lot at the base of Bear Creek is one of the most rewar...

Lake Nickajack has an incredible stretch of 50' limestone that is only accessible by water. The beauty of this wall is that a majority is vertical to slightly overhung, so you can ascend and at any time and just drop into the deep waters below. ...

Bent Creek is my favorite Mountain Biking spot in the Southeast, and epitomizes the fun and beauty to be found biking in the North Carolina mountains. Riding is open year round, but spring and fall are ideal when temperatures are still cool and ...

The Big Creek Freeride area is part of the Big Creek recreation area which provides a paved greenway, singletrack mountain biking trails, and two pump tracks.The Freeride area contains a number of downhill mountain biking lines that bottom out at ...

The Obed Wild and Scenic River is typically not found in the same conversations as Zion or Yosemite, but be assured this hidden gem of Tennessee is one of the East Coast's must climb destinations.There are a number of climbing areas within the Ob...

To the north of Panthertown lies a chain of dammed lakes that are some of the most peaceful waters in Western North Carolina. These make up the headwaters of the East Fork of the Tuckasegee River. The gorges that run between the top lakes are wild...

Sand Rock is a unique set of rock outcropping that erupts from Shinbone Ridge overlooking scenic Lake Weiss. The climbable rock runs for about a quarter of a mile along the ridge and is a maze of trails, small caves and literally wall-to-wall cli...

Foster Falls State Park is a sport climber's paradise, with most climbs tailored to advanced and expert climbers. Gravity Boots and After Burner are two climbs found on the Rocket Slab which is a standalone piece of rock to the left of the Sanfor...

On the first Saturday of November the best creek boaters in the world gather at the Green River in North Carolina to see who can storm the Narrows and claim the top title (at least for the next year!). For paddlers, creek boating is a pursuit alo...

Stone Fort sits atop the Cumberland Plateau just half an hour from downtown Chattanooga, and is one of the premiere bouldering locations in the Southeast. One of the three sites of the annual Triple Crown Bouldering competition, Stone Fort offers...

The Cheoah River is a dam controlled section of whitewater that has become one of the "bucket runs" for Western, North Carolina. Located near Robbinsville, NC, the Cheoah is a non-stop class IV+ classic of constant gradient that delivers a Southe...

The Slab and Eternity hole, located on the East Fork of the Tuckasegee River, are two of Western, NC's best play spots for kayakers of all levels. Paddle down only yards from the public boat launch to The Slab where you can perfect your surfing in...

The GNAR is an adventure race tailor made for kids (aged 5+) and parents. Teams of two can consist of parent/youth, or youth pairs. The event is held on the beautiful property of Camp Pinnacle where racers will be challenged with a multitude of...

The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is a Georgia State Park known to few that offers a number of hiking options for young and old. A perfect day-hike opportunity for families looking for short circular hikes that are just challenging enoug...