The nonprofit Haywood Waterways Association will host its second annual fishing tournament on the West Fork of the Pigeon River.

There are categories for both adults and youth 12 and under. Adults can participate in teams of one to four individuals. Registration fee is $200  per team. Fly and conventional rods are both OK. 

Jackson County recreation is hosting a stand-up paddleboarding event on Wolf Lake.

Beginners and seasoned paddlers alike are welcome to enjoy the adventure, which will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 20. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will offer the first Cades Cove vehicle-free day of the year on June 18. Vehicle-free days provide opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists to experience the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road without motor vehicles. 

The USDA Forest Service announced that several trails and recreation sites damaged by Hurricane Helene have reopened across the Appalachian Ranger District on the Pisgah National Forest. With the support of partners and volunteers, the Forest Service has successfully cleared 227 miles of trails on the Appalachian Ranger District since the storm struck last year, accounting for 70 percent of the district’s trails.

Jackson County’s Blue Ridge School is offering a soccer camp at its field.

The camp will run from 8 a.m. to noon from May 28-30. Ages 6-12. Cost is $60 per day, and registration is open through May 26. 

Kids ages 10-14 in Jackson County will have the chance to learn the ins and out of archery.

The course will be held from 5-8 p.m. May 30 at the Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center. 

One of the best things about the mountains of Western North Carolina is that even in places we’ve seen a hundred times, we can always find something new and intriguing. This is a lesson Nancy East, an avid hiker and seasoned search-and-rescue operator, learned over and over again as she wrote her second book, “Historic Hikes in Western North Carolina.” 

Spring and summer mean more time outdoors, but they also mean tick season. Ticks can carry serious diseases like Lyme disease, so take these steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. Haywood County Environmental Health offers these simple tips: 

Full-time residents of Haywood, Jackson and Buncombe counties can save money playing golf at Lake Junaluska Golf Course with a seasonal rate discount card. 

People can get their Lake Junaluska Summer Activity Passes now. Enjoy admission to the lakeside pool all summer long as well as discounts on recreation, shopping and dining at Lake Junaluska. Passes are valid from May 24 through Sept. 1, 2025, and are now available online at bit.ly/LJSummerPasses.