NOC welcomes Santa
 

NOC welcomes Santa

Meet Santa at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County at one of three events coming up next month. 
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Tree discounts available for military members, veterans
 

Tree discounts available for military members, veterans

During the month of November, military members and veterans can receive a discount on tree seedling orders from the N.C.…
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Nantahala Hiking Club to celebrate year of stewardship
 

Nantahala Hiking Club to celebrate year of stewardship

The Nantahala Hiking Club will recognize outstanding volunteers during its annual awards banquet 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at First…
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Practice your shot
 

Practice your shot

A turkey shoot will be held 9 a.m. Saturdays at the American Legion in Waynesville, continuing weekly through mid-April 2024. 
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WNC's watershed moment: Regional leaders discuss French Broad’s past, present and future

More than 100 people came together to discuss the future of one of the region’s most important resources during the…
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Water quality grants distributed to area organizations

Environmental groups working to improve water quality in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties recently received 10 grants totaling $285,190 from…
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Sandy Mush Game Lands expand

The Sandy Mush Game Lands in Buncombe and Madison counties are now 67 acres larger after the Southern Appalachian Highlands…
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Overmountain Shelter to be removed from the A.T.

After closing it four years ago, the U.S. Forest Service has decided to decommission and remove the Overmountain Shelter, located…
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Elk volunteers wanted

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is looking for volunteers to expand its Elk Volunteer-in-Park Program in 2024. 
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Microplastics study confirms atmospheric deposition

A recently completed study on microplastics in Western North Carolina has revealed that even remote headwater streams are impacted, as…
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Book offers unique look at Smokies history

A newly released book from the Great Smoky Mountains Association compiles written accounts from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s…
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Maggie Valley water earns prestigious award

The Maggie Valley Sanitary District again earned top marks for water quality from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, one…
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Book your Winter Lights tickets

Dubbed ‘Asheville’s brightest holiday tradition,’ Winter Lights opens Friday, Nov. 17, with the brilliant display open daily 6-10 p.m. through…
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The plant doctor is in

The growing season is winding down, but Haywood County Master Gardeners are still available to answer questions about all manner…
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Enter the cornhole tournament

Earn your place as a cornhole champion during a tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Cullowhee Recreation…
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Senior Games contestants take the podium
 

Senior Games contestants take the podium

Haywood County is home to a slew of state medalists in this year’s North Carolina Senior Games. 
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Dove season opens Saturday

The hunting season for mourning and white-winged doves opens Saturday, Sept. 2, and will be separated into three segments.
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Lake Logan triathlons say goodbye

After 17 years, one of the most beloved triathlons in the southeast has crossed the finish line.
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Gorges campground closed after bear encounter

The campground at Gorges State Park in Transylvania County is closed through Nov. 16 after a bear attacked an RV…
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Wildfires burn across region

The Collett Ridge Fire south of Andrews swelled over the weekend, growing from 110 acres Nov. 3 to 2,919 acres…
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Burns planned in Cades Cove

Prescribed burns on about 1,200 acres of fields in Cades Cove are taking place this fall. 
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Burn ban issued amid ongoing drought

A burn ban has been issued for 14 Western North Carolina counties in the face of expanding drought following the…
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Burn ban issued amid ongoing drought

A burn ban has been issued for 14 Western North Carolina counties in the face of expanding drought following the…
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To the top: Trail network matures at Canton's Chestnut Mountain

In a sunny clearing 350 feet above U.S. 23, the choose-your-own-adventure portion of Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Nature Park  begins. 
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Laurel Falls closure planned for construction of trail, improvements

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is moving ahead with significant changes to the Laurel Falls Trail intended to improve…
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Franklin brownfield cleanup gets grant funding
 

Franklin brownfield cleanup gets grant funding

Mainspring Conservation Trust has received $175,000 to clean up and restore a brownfield site near Nikwasi Mound in Franklin. The…
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Prescribed burns planned in Cherokee National Forest
 

Prescribed burns planned in Cherokee National Forest

Residents in the furthest west counties may see smoke over the coming months as the Cherokee National Forest carries out…
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Parkway section closed after visitors feed young bear

Eight miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Craggy Gardens is closed after multiple visitors were reported feeding and attempting…
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Wildfire burns near Andrews

A fire ignited by lightning Oct. 23 near Andrews has grown to 90 acres with 0% containment due to rugged…
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Severe drought arrives in the mountains

Much of the western region is now in drought, with severe drought entering the state for the first time since…
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Smokies proposes new Foothills Parkway section

Through Nov. 18, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is accepting comments on a proposal to add 9 new miles…
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Mount Pisgah platform under construction

Crews are now working to reconstruct the viewing platform atop Mount Pisgah in the Pisgah National Forest, a project that…
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Visit the Waynesville Watershed

A 4-mile hike exploring the Waynesville Watershed will embark at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7.
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Panther Top Tower open for fall leaf views

The Panther Top Tower in the Nantahala National Forest near Murphy will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct.…
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Explore Haywood
 

Explore Haywood

Spend November exploring some of the region’s most beautiful hikes with a slate of excursions offered through Haywood County Recreation…
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Hike among hemlocks

Experience the hemlock trees growing at the historic Cradle of Forestry in America during a hike starting at 10 a.m.…
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Join Blue Ridge Rising
 

Join Blue Ridge Rising

Help shape a strategic action plan for the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor during the Blue Ridge Rising Two-State Summit Dec.…
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Research to test for contamination near Canton mill property

A research project aiming to understand contamination levels outside the fence line of the now-shuttered Canton paper mill is likely to…
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French Broad River gets the spotlight
 

French Broad River gets the spotlight

Learn about the historic threats facing the French Broad River and an ongoing effort to secure the designation of Wild…
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Clearing the creek: Dam removal project frees Beaverdam watershed

Beaverdam Creek is easy to miss. Tree-lined banks shield the small, shallow stream from view as it runs toward the…
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Snow falls in the mountains

The first snow of the season has fallen in the Southern Appalachians.
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Excitement high about Pisgah View State Park

About 185 people attended a Sept. 26 public input session to chart the future of Pisgah View State Park, and…
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Drought conditions grow

Drought is strengthening in southwestern North Carolina, with 14 counties now in moderate drought and an additional 58 labeled abnormally…
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Celebrate native plants

The seventh annual North Carolina Native Plants Week is underway, running Oct. 16-22, and Audubon North Carolina is encouraging people…
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Friends of Panthertown plans open house

Friends of Panthertown will celebrate the grand opening of its first ever official headquarters and office space during a drop-in…
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Help available for failing septic systems
 

Help available for failing septic systems

Funding is available to help homeowners fix failing septic systems, preventing both financial and environmental hardship.
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Keeping watch: Mt. Cammerer fire tower restoration marks Friends of the Smokies’ 30th birthday

Gary Wade grew up in Pittman Center, Tennessee, just 7 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park trailhead leading…
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Red wolf recovery plan complete

A final recovery plan for the red wolf, a document from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that will guide…
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Invasive apple snails found in N.C.

A new invasive species has been found in North Carolina.
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Drought arrives in the mountains

Drought has re-entered the western region, with the most recent drought conditions map labeling Transylvania and Henderson counties as experiencing…
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