Jared BeelerExplorer

This trail is located in Pickett State Park which is a close neighbor to Big South Fork National Recreation Area. This is one of the many trailheads that connect to the Natural Bridge loop however, this trailhead is the closest to the natural bridge. From the road it is only a few hundred feet walk to the natural bridge.  The hike to the bottom of the bridge can be considered hard due to its u...

The Black Canyon of Gunnison is know for 2000 foot cliffs and a beautiful raging river below. The south side of the canyon is the most popular and the easiest to get to. The visitor center is also on the south side making it convenient for information and getting souvenirs. The scenic drive also has 12 easy to get to overlooks.  The overlooks vary in length of walking but are mostly all on fla...

Rich Mountain fire tower is located in the Cherokee National Forest just outside of Hot springs North Carolina. Getting there is pretty easy once you get off of US 25W you drive up a gravel road for about 5 miles until you get to the tower. Once you get to the top its about a 100 foot walk until you get to the tower. This location is perfect for camping because it is secluded and you can drive ...

Look Rock tower has spectacular views and is a great hike to enjoy year round. The tower is an old fire tower used for spotting smoke in the valley. Because of this the tower is placed on the highest ridge around making for some amazing views. The only way to get to the tower is along the Foothills Parkway. On the parkway you park at parking lot #6. Once you park all you have to do is follow th...

This location showcases the Ocoee river and the area used in the 1996 Olympics. This area is beautiful and has some amazing views. The drive to the whitewater center is called the Ocoee Scenic Byway and is the first national forest byway. The drive is gorgeous and features some amazing mountain views. The center has a gorgeous bridge built in 1996 that overlooks the Ocoee river. At the center t...

The drive to this waterfall can be a little muddy when there is a lot of rain and can need an AWD or 4WD in the rain. The road has some new gravel laid in parts so it could be improved in a few months. In the summer there is also a chance of seeing large dump trucks and logging trucks, but the road is always open to the public so they will let you through. From the parking lot the trail runs st...

Your hike will start at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway just a few miles from the start in Cherokee. The trail starts right off of the parkway in a very small easy to miss dirt road. There is a small area to park that then you start your hike up the dirt road right after the gate. The hike to the top is about a half mile. It is a small hike up is pretty steep. When you get to the top you can...

This waterfall is located just outside of Cashiers, NC. The trailhead to the waterfall is right off of the road and has a good amount of parking. The trial itself is very nice and has new steps at the beginning of the trail. The trail is very wide and is mostly flat the entire way there. Once you get to the waterfall you will see the wide soft sandy bank next to a large pool of water making it ...

This greeway is located in north Knoxville near the Sterchi Hills neighborhood. The greenway is 2.1 miles one way so it can make for a good run through the woods. All of the greenway is paved and most of it is under tree cover so it is shaded most of the time. This is a great trail to see birds and other wildlife on. The trail does make several road crossings so be careful and always look for c...

The hike to this waterfall is very short and well worth it. The waterfall is about 40 feet tall and has a large volume of water.  This makes for a great place to swim. The bottom of the pool is about 15 feet deep and offers cool mountain water. To get there it is just outside of Cashiers, North Carolina right off of the highway. The parking is pretty easy and offers a large gravel area that can...

This tower was built by the CCC in the 1930s. The tower is easy to climb and safer than most fire towers. The top of the tower is open so you can get a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. The tower is located within the Pickett State Park and is right on the side of the road and has easy access and parking. There are a lot of caution signs at the base of the fire tower but they all say you...

The maynardville fire tower is one that anyone can go too since you can drive straight to the base of it. From the base however there are about 100 steep stairs to the top. On the way up you will need to be extra careful because it is very old and was never built for safety. When you get to the top there are a few good platforms to stand on. The top of the fire tower or the cab is however locke...

You will start your hike off of the Cherohala Skyway. The trail-head is a small asphalt pull-off on the right if you are coming from Tellico Plains. From the trail-head the trail starts up and almost all of the trial is an uphill incline on the way there with about 700 feet of elevation change over 1.5 miles. The trail itself is an old 4-wheeling road so it is a bit rough but it is wide and ver...

Hooper bald is one of the highest points in Graham County so the views from the top can be spectacular year round.  The trail-head starts at mile marker 8 on the Cherohala Skyway. From the trail-head you start your accent on a semi-paved trail and walk about a half-mile before reaching the edge of the bald. From there you can walk around and enjoy the views of the bald.  If you continue walking...

The hike to Tom's Creek Falls is a short but enjoyable hike right off the side of the road. The hike is on a wide and mostly flat gravel road that goes right up to the waterfall and a viewing platform that makes for a perfect place for pictures. This hike is a great hike for families and young kids. The road to get to the falls trailhead is a small gravel and paved road. There is no hiking to t...

There are a few options for getting to Citico Creek, you can either go up the windy gravel road from US 411 or get off of the Cherohala Skyway and go down the mountain past the Indian Boundary campground. The Citico Creek campground has about 5 or 6 spots but is rarely full because it is very secluded. It is a free campground but it has no amenities including no bathrooms however there are bath...

This Dark Sky Park is a part of the Pickett State Park. It was established in 2015. It is one of the only IDA registered dark sky parks in the east. I have been all over the United States stargazing and this is still one of the best spots I have been to. The astronomy field offers a free and easily accessible place to stargaze and do astro photography. Astronomy field is right off of the road a...

The Panther Top fire tower is located in the Nantahala National Forest outside of Murphy, NC. To get there you get off of US 74 then turn onto panther top rd and continue till you see the signs for the tower. Once you get there the hike is about .75 there mostly up on the way to the top of the tower. The trail is an old road so it is very wide and smooth and uphill. When you get there the tower...

Halls Top Fire Tower is a special untouched spot in the Cherokee National Forest. The road that leads you into the CNF is known as Halls Top Road  just a few miles off of Interstate I-40. This road will take you 4.4 miles to the next turn onto Stone Mountain Road this road is 2.1 miles to the gate before the tower.  On the way to the tower about 1 mile down Stone Mountain rd there is a great p...

According to the park, there is nothing at this spot, so not many people stop. If you do not like large crowds, this is the perfect place to stop. There is a small trail that leads to the river and a beautiful vista with the massive canyon walls on all sides. There are several areas in this part of the river that are great for swimming or fishing. The area also offers a good bit of shade in som...

This waterfall is located inside of the Chimney Rock State Park. There is a fee of 15 dollars to go to the State Park but it is very worth it because of the beautiful scenery and beautiful views. The hike to the waterfall is partially uphill on the way. When you get to the waterfall there are a few good places to take pictures from and a spot right under the falls with mist spraying you. The tr...

This fort was one of the last large brick forts finished in the 1800s. The fort was first established in 1847 and was almost complete when the Confederate army took control of the fort in 1860 but by 1862 it was back under Union control. The fort was then finished but left mostly empty. It was not until the Spanish-American war in 1898 that the fort was used again.  In the 1930s the CCC rebuil...

The Wayah Bald Lookout Tower is located in Nantahala National Forest in one of the oldest part of the protected land. It was first built in the 1920s then it was rebuilt throughout the years until it was finally made out of stone and concrete. The current tower that stands offers great views of the surrounding mountains and a 360 degree view.  To get there you must go up a gravel road for about...

Hooker Falls is located in Dupont State Forest in southern North Carolina. The hike is a great hike for kids to go on and to have a picnic. The waterfall is a beautiful waterfall that offers a great place to swim. Along the hike there are also other places you can see the river and you can swim at some of the small parts of the river. The parking for the trailhead is large but during the summer...