Union Mills, North Carolina

The Trailhead: Located at Jones Gap State Park in Marietta, SC of northern Greenville County. Follow the trail across an iron bridge that crosses the Middle Saluda River, and be sure to register at the Ranger’s Station/Gift Shop on the far side of the gap. The trail head(s) are located directly o...

Jones Gap State Park in the Upstate of South Carolina is one of the most beautiful parks in the state offering a good range of moderate and challenging hiking and backpacking trails through the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Jones Gap also provides superb primitive camping sites along the rocky...

Crowders Mountain State Park is the closest green space to downtown Charlotte and it will not disappoint. There are two peaks worth checking out: The Pinnacle and Crowders Mountain. Crowders Mountain stands at 1,600' offering incredible views of the surrounding area and on a clear day you can see...

Fawn Lake sits on the backside of DuPont State Forest, about a 15 minute drive from the High Falls Parking/ Visitor Center as well as Hooker Falls parking lots. With easy access and easy terrain, this is a must see to add to the list. While sometimes the main parking lots and trails of DuPont can...

Flat Rock Trail is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 308. There is a pull-off from the Parkway with a sign designating the location. There are several picnic tables around the pull-off, but I would recommend taking your lunch up to Flat Rock. The wide, clear trail is practically flat...

You can drive this highway getting different views during the different seasons. Along the drive, have your camera ready for beautiful vistas, Looking Glass Falls, and many adventures along the highway. The views are especially beautiful in the autumn with the leaves changing colors. This route d...

If you're feeling frisky, set your alarm for the early am and park at the Beacon Heights Parking area about 30 minutes before dawn. Put on your head lamp and hike the short trip to Beacon Heights, bask in the glory of the warm morning sun, then head back down and connect with the Tanawha Trail. A...

Beacon Heights is the perfect hike when you're on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Linville and Grandfather Mountain, Milepost 305.2. The trail is a steady climb uphill for less than a half mile. The last section being fairly steep and rocky. Once at the top, there are several rock outcroppings, but...

Wildcat Wayside Nature Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Cleveland, South Carolina.

The Drive: Head North on SC Highway 11 "Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway" towards Table Rock State Park. Follow SC 11 past Table Rock approximately 8 miles where it will merge with SC 8 at Pumpkin Town. Follow SC 8 for another 3-4 miles until you see the intersection for SC Highway 276 on the le...

Pisgah National Forest, in my opinion, is one of the best national forests in the United States. Being just a short drive from Great Smokey Mountain National Park it has all the feel of being in the smokies with more to explore. Pisgah has anything you could want to see or do from tens of water...

Start at The Davidson River Campground just outside of Brevard, NC (276 Pisgah Ranger District). Have a shuttle car or a friend waiting at the Daniel Boone Boy Scout camp for the finish line. Hop on the 30.1 mile long Art Loeb Trail at the trailhead in the Davidson River Campground. Pull into th...

For Caesar's Head State Park access, head North from Pickens on HWY 178 until it intersects with HWY 11. Turn right onto HWY 11 North and continue for 10 miles until the 276 intersection where you veer off to the left. Follow 276 to the top of the mountain. 1 miles past the Caesars Head Visitors ...

Location: From the intersection of US276 & SC11, head Northwest on US276.  Drive to the top of the mountain, 1 mile past the visitor's center, and The Raven Cliff Falls Parking Area and trail head will be on your right.  After parking in the Raven Cliff Falls Parking Area, the trailhead is l...

The Mt. Pisgah campground is nestled right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Canton, NC.  Since it is at an elevation of 4,980 feet the campground is a perfect destination to beat the heat and humidity that the region can be known for in the summer months.  Reservations and information can be fo...

The trailhead for Rough Ridge will be on your righthand side when driving the Blue Ridge Parkway from Boone, NC. This trail gets busy in the warmer months, but parking usually is not too much of an issue. This trail is not open in the winter. Rough Ridge will take you around 30-45 minutes to rea...