SOCIAL MEDIA

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Blue Ridge Parkway Issues Travel Advisory

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

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Blue Ridge Parkway officials are asking motorist to avoid traveling the Parkway over the next several days, especially those sections in Virginia. As Hurricane Sandy passes through the area, Parkway officials are concerned that a large numbers of trees may come down as well as significant amounts of snowfall at the higher elevations. With 20-30 MPH sustained winds and gust upwards of 60 MPH forecasted,...
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34 Inches of Snow Atop Mt. LeConte!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

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Allyson Virden, caretaker for the Mt. LeConte Lodge, is reporting on her blog (with some great photos) this morning that the mountain has received a total of 34 inches of snow - with 3 more expected today. She also reports that there are drifts up to the roof on the dining hall! At Newfound Gap, the National Weather Service is reporting a total of 36 inches of snow as of this morning. In her post...
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The Brins Mesa Trail

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

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During our 3-day visit to the Flagstaff area we made the short drive down to Sedona. Based on a little bit of research I did beforehand, we settled on hiking the Brins Mesa Trail. This spectacular trail passes through magnificent red rock country as it makes its way to the top of Brins Mesa. With two trailheads, hikers have the option of starting from either end of the trail, or doing a one-way hike...
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Rocky Fork to become Tennessee’s 55th state park

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau today joined members of the General Assembly, local elected officials and members of the community for a special ceremony announcing the future conveyance of more than 2,000 acres in the Rocky Fork area of Unicoi County, that will eventually become Tennessee’s...
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Hurricane Sandy Drops a lot of Snow on the Smokies

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Sandy has already had a significant impact on eastern national parks, and will continue to impact travelers for the foreseeable future. Allyson Virden, from the Mt. LeConte Lodge, is reporting on her blog this morning that the mountain has already received 17 inches of snow, and was coming down hard as she posted her report (with some great photos). By the time the...
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Bear Encounters Reported in Panthertown Valley

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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The U.S. Forest Service is discouraging people from backcountry camping and from bringing food into the Panthertown Valley area of the Nantahala Ranger District, Nantahala National Forest, following several bear encounters. The area is northeast of Cashiers, N.C. If visitors choose to camp in the Panthertown area, they should camp in areas that are used infrequently. Three separate incidences...
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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Raises More Than $7000 for Parkway

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation announced last week the results from its first annual Plates for the Parkway, held in several communities along the Parkway last month. Through this event, participating restaurants donated a portion of proceeds from a meal or meals that day to the Foundation. To date, participating restaurants have donated more than $7000 to the Foundation. All proceeds will help...
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Impacts of Hurricane Sandy Already Being Felt in Smokies Region

Monday, October 29, 2012

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Hurricane Sandy is already having a significant impact on eastern national parks. Snow accumulations of 2 to 3 feet are expected in the mountains of West Virginia, from 1 to 2 feet in the mountains of southwestern Virginia, and 12 to 18 inches in the mountains near the North Carolina/Tennessee border and in the mountains of western Maryland. Shenandoah National Park is scheduled to completely shut...
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The American Camper Report

Monday, October 29, 2012

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The Outdoor Foundation recently published the American Camper Report, a detailed analysis on camping trends throughout the United States. The report presents information on overall participation, preferences, buying behavior and the future of camping. The chief takeaway, if we are to believe the headline intro, is that camping participation is growing: "Camping is a true American tradition, and...
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Cape Final

Sunday, October 28, 2012

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The other day I posted a trip report that highlighted our visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I mentioned that Kathy and I hiked a couple of short trails that day, including Bright Angel Point and Cape Royal. Not mentioned in that post was our hike out to Cape Final on the Walhalla Plateau. The Cape Final Trail is an easy 4-mile round trip hike to a limestone outcropping that provides stunning...
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Forest Service Releases New Sketch of Nantahala Rape Suspect

Saturday, October 27, 2012

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The USDA Forest Service has issued an updated sketch of the man accused of raping a woman in the Nantahala National Forest more than a year ago. The new sketch is posted online here. A professional law enforcement artist created the new sketch of the suspect with help from the victim. The original sketch, issued in September 2011, was computer-generated with guidance from the victim. The agency...
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Driver Killed By Falling Tree On Skyline Drive

Friday, October 26, 2012

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NPS Digest is reporting that an SUV towing a camper in Shenandoah National Park was struck by a falling tree while traveling south on Skyline Drive on Tuesday evening. The driver attempted to avoid the tree by moving into the northbound lane, but it struck the windshield and the driver was impaled by branches. Rangers and local emergency squads responded. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene....
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The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid

Friday, October 26, 2012

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Which towns offer the ideal mix of accessible trails, inspiring teachers, and great recreational resources? Sevierville made the list. So did Asheville. Backpacker Magazine and The Outdoor Foundation recently teamed-up to identify America’s top 25 places to beat nature deficit disorder. Ranking number one on that list was Boulder, Colorado - no great surprise there. In fact, Colorado had 4 cities...
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The Grand Canyon: Views from the North Rim

Thursday, October 25, 2012

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I don’t know if it was due to the proximity to Los Angeles or not, but Kathy and I saw a lot of strange stuff during our short visit to the Grand Canyon. At the Grand Canyon Lodge we saw a guy walk out onto the porch wearing a black Japanese kimono donning a large red dragon on the back. We saw another guy on the Cape Royal Trail walking with a stuffed poodle in his arms. Then on the way back from...
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US Forest Service waives fees during Veterans Day weekend

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

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The U.S. Forest Service has announced that it will be waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites over the Veterans Day holiday weekend, Nov. 10-12. The fee waivers – the fourth this year -- are offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Day-use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the Forest Service....
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Rangers Make Two Ginseng Poaching Cases

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

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NPS Digest is reporting that Cumberland Gap National Historic Park rangers were able to make ginseng cases against five people in two separate incidents at the end of this year's ginseng season. Ranger Brad Cope was watching a truck at the park boundary on Tuesday, October 16th, when two people walked by on the trail. Just as one of them was advising the other of presence of a ranger vehicle, Cope...
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Zion National Park: Exploring The Lesser Known Areas

Sunday, October 21, 2012

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Down through the millennia the North Fork of the Virgin River has cut a swathe of Navajo Sandstone, nearly 15 miles long and a half-mile deep, to create what is now known as Zion Canyon. Before it became a national park the Anasazi and the Southern Paiutes lived among the mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths and natural arches of Zion. Spanish priests first visited the present-day park in...
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Forest Service Cracks Down on Ginseng Poaching

Saturday, October 20, 2012

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Kristin Bail, forest supervisor of the U.S. Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina, announced yesterday that agency law enforcement officers are cracking down on the poaching of ginseng in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. “Forest Service law enforcement officers conducted a large number of compliance checks in September, and at least eight people received misdemeanor citations...
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Appalachian Trail Long-Distance Hiking Workshop

Friday, October 19, 2012

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The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), in partnership with the Bears Den Trail Center, invites the public to attend a long-distance hiking workshop on Saturday, November 10, 2012 from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Bears Den Trail Center, located at 18393 Blueridge Mountain Road, Bluemont, Virginia. The workshop is free and open to all ages. Advance registration is required. The Appalachian Trail...
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L.L.Bean Donation Benefits Smoky Mountains

Friday, October 19, 2012

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Outdoor retailer L.L.Bean and the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official charity of America's national parks, announced today that the goal of the "Million Moment Mission" has been reached, resulting in a donation of $1 million by L.L.Bean to support youth programming in our national parks. The Million Moment Mission campaign was created in celebration of L.L.Bean's 100th anniversary, designed...
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Forest Service Closes Shining Rock and Graveyard Fields to Camping

Thursday, October 18, 2012

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The U.S. Forest Service announced yesterday that it is closing the Shining Rock Wilderness and Graveyard Fields areas to overnight camping due to ongoing bear encounters with humans. The areas will be closed to dispersed camping until further notice. The agency will monitor conditions to determine when it is safe to reopen the areas. On Monday night, a bear damaged a tent and food bag. Two people...
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The 10th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

Thursday, October 18, 2012

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Appalachian State University Outdoor Programs, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts present the 10th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and Exhibition. The AMPC is made possible through the sponsorship of Virtual Blue Ridge, the premier online resource for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The competition provides both amateur and professional photographers...
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Smokies Announces Plans for 2nd Phase of Chimney Tops Trail Rehabilitation Project

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

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Officials at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have announced that the first phase of the rehabilitation of the popular Chimney Tops Trail, from the trailhead to the junction with the Road Prong Trail, has been completed. On Friday, October 19th, the trail will be open all week until the second phase of the trail rehabilitation begins in late April of 2013. The Chimney Tops Trailhead is located...
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Zion Canyon from Observation Point

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

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Observation Point in Zion National Park is an absolute gem. Although there are more popular hikes in the park, such as Angels Landing, two park rangers told us that this hike was their favorite. Simply put, the trail starts off with grand views, and only gets better the higher you climb. I highly recommend starting as early in the morning as possible in order to take advantage of the shade from...
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