The U.S. Forest Service reopened the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Trail and all other facilities in Graham County will reopen on Oct. 11 

As days grow shorter in the Great Smoky Mountains, the colorful landscape hums with life. Creatures large and small scurry through the blanket of fallen leaves gathering nuts and berries, crafting intricate homes to wait out the winter, and preparing for the stillness of the season ahead. 

Haywood Community College will hold the second annual Dahlia Ridge Trail Run on Saturday, Sept. 14. This 5K is a timed, family-friendly walk/run event open to all levels of runners, walkers and hikers.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park managers are recruiting volunteers for a variety of positions across the park. Opportunities include helping the trail crew rehabilitate two trails, serving as a campground host and providing information to visitors at Clingman’s Dome. 

The Franklin Bird Club will lead walks along the greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. 

Haywood County Recreation is hosting a series of hikes throughout June. All hikes are subject to cancelation due to harsh weather. 

On May 18, Haywood Waterways Association and Haywood Community College will lead a moderate 6-mile hike in the Sunburst area of Haywood County. 

Western North Carolina is a hiker’s paradise.

With so much land protected by national and state forests and parks, those who live in the Western North Carolina area have endless hiking opportunities.

The National Park Service (NPS) will close Ramsey Cascades Trail on weekdays while trail crews finish the full-scale rehabilitation work started in 2022.

Haywood County Recreation will host a series of spring hikes throughout April. Here’s a look at what’s coming up.