Hendersonville, North Carolina

This easy 1.25 mile hike is located within the Lake Toxaway community. The trail itself follows a small creek as it winds through the valley. Be warned - there are numerous stream crossings. Most of the crossings are fairly easy at normal water levels, but can be difficult if the water is high. S...

Green Knob Lookout Tower is an abandoned fire tower near Mt. Mitchell and located directly off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The tower boasts a full 360-degree, unobstructed view of Mt. Mitchell, Craggy Mountains, Table Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and the Parkway. Unlike most fire towers, this tower is...

This view never gets old and it is super easy to access. It's also only like half a mile down and then half a mile back up, so if you do watch the sunset, the walk back is easy. The trail is out by Glassy Mountain Church in Pickens, SC and it's accessible year round. The hike is very simple, and ...

After arriving in the park off of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, park at the first parking lot you encounter on the righthand side of the road. There is a visitor's center there where you can inquire about the park and pick up a park map. Once you do that walk outside and look to the left of t...

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, scenic, and adventurous to even the most experie...

If you want to see a great waterfall without hiking all day, this is the perfect trail for you.  Getting there - The trailhead is about 2 miles from the intersection of Cold Mountain and Panther Ridge Road (exact coordinates: 35.1594, -82.9801). There is a small grassy pull out where you can park...

This stunning waterfall tumbles down 80 feet before spilling into Lake Jocassee between a slot of shear rock cliffs. However, the catch is not many people see this beautiful location unless you have a boat or are willing to hike a streneous 8-mile hike one-way along the Foothills Trail.But I am s...

Rainbow Falls is one of the most scenic waterfalls in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. The Horsepasture River swells in the rainy season, dumping a cascade of water 150 feet. The plume of mist at the bottom creates a distinct rainbow effect, giving the falls its name. Hike to Rainbow Falls ...

Trail signs in Panthertown Valley are limited. Be sure to bring a map! Starting at the Cold Mountain parking lot, hike to Schoolhouse Falls. This is a nice waterfall with a pool at the bottom. In the summer, you are bound to run into other fellow hikers here.  From Schoolhouse Falls, you have the...

Warden, Jawbone, and Riding Ford Falls are three waterfalls located along the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River in Panthertown Valley. Not far from the Cold Mountain trailhead, these falls are quite popular in the summer. On a weekend, you will often find people playing in the pools below the fa...

Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 21 mile-long paved walkway that closely follows the Reedy River in Downtown Greenville. Over a half-a-million people visit the trail each year, but few ever walk the whole thing. What most people don’t know, is that it begins on a different river: the Enoree river and wind...

I personally find this trail to be more difficult and have more rewarding views than the Mt. Mitchell summit trail. The Deep Gap Trail starts near the Mount Mitchell summit and heads into a forest of spruce and balsam fir trees. The trail then climbs along the ridgeline to neighboring summits. E...

This scenic drive is along NC 80 between a small town called Pleasant Gardens and Micaville. It can also be taken in the opposite direction depending on where you are driving from, but the main attraction is Lake Tahoma. Lake Tahoma is a private lake in the Western North Carolina Mountains, but ...

This is an awesome hike to do if you're short on time or have hours to kill. Because it is so easy to access, it doesn't take very long to get down to it and can be accessed by two separate trails. Both trails are well maintained, however, while there are some blazes, it is not heavily marked. Th...

Panthertown Valley has a unique system of trails, with each trail having a specific number. Some of the trails listed at the information hut in the parking lot are accessed by taking one or two other trails to get to the start of the trail you are seeking. That is the case when hiking to Granny B...

Wilderness Falls offers a beautiful hike with a simple yet captivating falls. All of the maintained trails in Pantertown Valley are marked by a number system (there is an information hut in the parking lot with information about other local trails, distance of different trails, and emergency cont...