Sculpture winds through WCU trails
A nature-based sculpture project launched by Western Carolina University’s Fine Art Museum aims to feature outdoors art while promoting discussion…
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A strained relationship: Suspicion of NPS lingers among some backcountry users, parkside communities
It’s been three years since a vigorous debate about charging for backcountry camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park…
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Hanging Dog Campground reopens on trial basis
After two years of closure, Hanging Dog Campground in Cherokee County has reopened through a collaborative effort between the county…
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DuPont trails to close for blue ghost firefly protection
Closure of some trails will soon take effect in DuPont State Recreational Forest to protect the blue ghost firefly, a…
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Bear baiting rules loosened
Bear hunters can now use unprocessed food as bait for a larger part of the hunting season, according to temporary…
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Canucks amongst us
You’re hiking streamside through a rhododendron tangle when you hear a short, musical trill – it kind of mimics the…
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Not your average tourist: Waynesville man reflects on decades of travel in the jungles of Ecuador
When life gets hectic, most people have a vacation spot where they go to unwind — perhaps a family cabin…
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New maps ‘unlock’ Tsali’s epic trail system
Newbies to Tsali Recreation Area in Graham County will have an easier time navigating the 37-mile trail network thanks to…
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Trail mapping project earns award for tribal member
A Cherokee woman received recognition from the environmental organization Wild South for her tireless work with a project to map…
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Hot Springs fire contained
The verdict is in on a fire that had been blazing for two weeks near Hot Springs — after burning…
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Rivers and restaurants: TV crew falls for Jackson County through its trout, tables and people
The sun is lowering toward a perfect spring evening as the crew from Fox Sports’ “Anglers & Appetites” pulls onto…
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Top 100 in Smokies history named
Throughout its journey from concept to reality to regional treasure, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has drawn the support…
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Tour the best of Haywood’s gardens this summer
The best blooms and greenery in Haywood County will be on display with this year’s Haywood County Garden Tour Saturday,…
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Ozone season is here
It’s ozone season in North Carolina again, that time of year when warm weather and pollution can combine to result…
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Operation box turtle: Waynesville vet works to give baby turtles a leg up
Joel Harrington has always been a fan of turtles. Of all animals, really — he is a veterinarian — but Harrington has…
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Sylva commissioners launch cleanup initiative
A slate of monthly litter cleanups in Sylva will kick off at noon Saturday, April 30, at Bryson Park on…
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Waynesville men come out on top in Alaska motor adventure
A pair of Waynesville men are home after a third-place finish in the harrowing Alcan 5000 motor vehicle race across…
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Swain A.T. hiker raises money for kids at risk one step at a time
A Swain County fishing guide has left his rod behind to embark on an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, aiming to raise…
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Watershed moments
Elizabeth Vickery, a senior at Western Carolina University, peers into a dip net along with Cullowhee Valley Elementary School student…
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Elkmont building in Smokies burns
Nature knocked an item off the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s to-do list when a fire sparked a structure in…
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Fire danger high
Fire danger is high in North Carolina, with low humidity and lack of rain over the past few weeks resulting…
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Firefly lottery opens
A lottery to see the synchronous fireflies light up the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will open at noon Friday,…
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Whitewater club gets a boost from grants
The Nantahala Racing Club has landed nearly $45,000 in grants for the 2016 season, encouraging the Swain County nonprofit in…
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Trout Capital, North Carolina: Jackson County pushes to land unique designation
Jackson County is on its way to becoming the trout capital of North Carolina after county leaders unveiled a plan…
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Shoot the Smokies
A crash course in outdoor photography will give shutterbugs an excuse to explore the Smokies’ beauty in a four-week program…
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Overnight on the Appalachian Trail
To get a taste of trail life on the A.T., I set out on Friday afternoon with a pack, a…
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The Eagle Lady says goodbye to N.C.
After more than 20 years in the Carolina mountains, The Eagle Lady — also known as Doris Mager — is…
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Clean the Tuck
Western Carolina University students show off the bags that they will soon fill with trash from the Tuckaseigee River during…
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State looks to combat aquatic invasives
With nuisance species steadily invading North Carolina waters, state officials have approved a plan designed to curb their onward march.
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Smoky birds
I just finished four wonderful days of birding in the Smokies, helping out with the 66th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage.…
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Hike your own hike: A.T. hikers aim for Maine after crowded start
It’s 4 p.m. on the Appalachian Trail, and while the sun will be awake for hours yet, “hiker midnight,” which…
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What matters most in life: Local triathlete on road to recovery following accident
All he heard was the sound of an engine. “I came over the rise, a place I’d ridden hundreds of…
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Mystery solved
I was having my morning coffee on the small floating dock in the narrow, clear Weeki Wachee River about three…
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Hike week returns to Fontana Village
A week of guided hikes and educational programs will celebrate all that’s great about hiking with Spring Hike Week April…
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Synchronous firefly viewing goes to lottery system
Those wanting to get a peek at the famous synchronous fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will have…
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WNC land trusts surpass conservation goal
In the past five years, the 10 land trusts of Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Forever coalition have collectively completed…
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Buggy photography to be illuminated
Bug-loving photographers will get the inside scoop on photographing insects through a presentation from Kefyn Catley, a biology professor at…
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Take your pick of ranger programs
Spring ranger programs have begun in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, giving visitors a chance to explore the Smokies…
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Stocked trout waters to open
Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters throughout Western North Carolina will open at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 2.
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Celebrate the A.T. season
Every year, trail towns and businesses in Western North Carolina anticipate the influx of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that stream through…
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A life of exploration: Swain County trail guide duo reflects on 25 years in business
The outdoors have been a powerful force in the lives of Jim Parham and MaryEllen Hammond. The Nantahala River was…
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A day in the life of a mountain bike guidebook author
By Jim Parham • Contributing writer People have all kinds of preconceived notions of what it’s like to write a trail…
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Long live the hard copy trail guide
Google the name of almost any trailhead in Western North Carolina, and you’re likely to come up with pages of…
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Lace it up
A slate of challenging long-distance races will be coming to the Smokies this spring, meaning it’s time to get back…
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Spring openings in the Smokies
Spring is here, and facilities closed for the winter are opening up accordingly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. …
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Stomach illness reported on the A.T.
Stomach bugs, possibly norovirus, have been reported among Appalachian Trail thru-hikers in Georgia and the Great Smoky Mountains this season.
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Volunteers needed in the Smokies
As the green season inches closer and visitation ramps up, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is looking for volunteers…
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Commission wants to lift bear baiting restriction
A proposed rule change allowing hunters to bait black bears with unprocessed food throughout the entire hunting season will be…
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Snowmaking crew makes the top cut
Cataloochee Ski Area is a finalist for the I AM a Snowmaker Award, given annually by SAM Magazine and HKD…
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