NC Blue Ridge

12/22/2020

Did anyone catch the Christmas Star? Check out these awesome photos taken up at Grandfather Mountain's Mile High Swinging Bridge on the 19th. Simply stunning. 📸: Todd Bush | Todd Bush Photography, courtesy of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

12/11/2020

From our friends at Grandfather Mountain: Although temperatures warmed to 36° F during the afternoon hours of Dec. 9, Grandfather Mountain remained a winter wonderland. The park is open year-round, weather permitting, with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. For more information and to book a trip, visit www.grandfather.com. Photos by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

12/10/2020

Here's a fantastic roundup of experiences found across the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Western North Carolina offers scenic hikes and entertaining tours.

10/22/2020

TONIGHT: Tune in to UNC TV PBS at 8:30 PM to watch a short feature on the Appalachian Mural Trail, which tells the stories of our communities through art. You can also catch the segment tomorrow at 5pm & Tuesday, October 27, at 7:30pm. https://www.ncblueridge.com/news/explore-the-appalachian-mural-trail

Learn about the Appalachian Mural Trail, which serves as a guide for locating dozens of beautiful murals in small towns across the Blue Ridge Mountains.

10/07/2020

From our friends at Grandfather Mountain: A patch of vibrant fall color comes into view across the Green Mountain Creek bridge, near milepost 300 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Fall Color Hunter, Howie Neufeld, noted that red maples and sugar maples are practically glowing, while sourwoods, blueberries, tulip poplars, Fraser magnolias, birches, dogwoods and sassafras are also offering superb color.

For more fall color photos, visit www.grandfather.com/fallcolor. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

08/14/2020

“Burnsville’s diverse, community-oriented art scene, with studios scattered throughout the area, gives you as many sights to enjoy as the nearby falls, mountains, and rivers.”

Burnsville is a lovely Western NC town, where you’ll find fun things to do, great places to eat, shop and plan your next outdoor adventure.

07/30/2020

Good news - Beginning July 31, more campgrounds along the Blue Ridge Parkway are reopening. 👍

The Blue Ridge Parkway will open some campgrounds that have been closed through the coronavirus pandemic, although most facilities remain closed.

06/25/2020

Here are some places to explore through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Travel safely!

The coronavirus has changed a lot of summer vacation plans. But you can still enjoy a trip to the mountains and maintain social distance.

06/19/2020

The rhododendrons are in bloom along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy the beauty and be safe our there!

Blue Ridge Parkway bathrooms picnic areas and bathrooms start to reopen with easing of COVID closures, but visitor centers remain closed.

06/12/2020

Celebrate handmade crafts across Henderson County this July. Travel along three distinct trails, which guide visitors through the towns of Hendersonville and Flat Rock, and into the Blue Ridge Mountain countryside. Each showcases nationally renowned artists in their studios and galleries.

Discover traditional handmade art during a month-long Hendersonville crafts celebration along the North Carolina Blue Ridge Craft Trails.

05/22/2020

Looking for something fun and educational for the kids? Elijah Mountain Gem Mine just opened their new monarch butterfly exhibit. This weekend you can feed the butterflies, learn more about their migration pattern through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and get some milkweed to take home to attract these beauties to your backyard.

05/15/2020

Some of the more popular trails in the Blue Ridge are beginning to reopen. 🙂 Keep in mind you'll still want to practice physical distancing. A lot of facilities are still closed so bring what you need and be sure to take it back out with you. There is no trash collection happening at this time.

The Pisgah National Forest will begin to reopen many trails and roads and partially lift restrictions for dispersed camping May 14, using a site-by-site approach, including assessment of facility cleanliness, maintenance status, and health and safety of recreation areas. Facilities and services may remain limited at some sites.

Popular recreation areas that will reopen include, but are not limited to:

• Catawba Falls, TR 225
• Brown Mountain Off Highway Vehicle Area
• Black Balsam Road, FSR 816, and associated trails
• Bent Creek Road, FSR 479 and most trails and trailheads

For a complete list of trails, roads, and recreation areas that are reopening please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/pisgahreopenings. The few roads that remain closed, are only closed to motorized vehicles, non-motorized use is allowed.

Restrictions on dispersed camping will be lifted for the entire Appalachian Ranger District. Dispersed camping restrictions will also be lifted for the Grandfather Ranger District with the exception of overnight camping within the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area on the weekends, which requires a permit. For the month of May, the Forest Service will not be issuing these permits. Dispersed camping restrictions remain in place for the Pisgah Ranger District. These decisions were made in coordination with county and local partners to ensure the safety of the public and employees.

Visitors can expect restrooms to remain closed and trash services to continue to be suspended. Please pack out what you pack in and remember to use Leave No Trace Principles.

Forest Service staff will continue to perform risk assessments to determine which recreation areas can resume operations in accordance with county and local partners and current public health guidance.

The Forest Service’s highest priority is ensuring the safety of the public and their employees while supporting mission critical functions. Please review current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with local and state guidelines for social distancing and cloth face coverings.

For additional information please contact the Appalachian Ranger District at (828) 689-9694; Grandfather Ranger District at (828) 652-2144; Pisgah Ranger District at (828) 877-3265; Supervisor’s Office at (828) 257-4200.

05/11/2020

For the first time in 25 years, the May LEAF festival is going to be a virtual event. This weekend, celebrate some of LEAF's greatest traditions, highlights, and artists. You'll enjoy the best LEAF concerts from past events, a poetry slam, LIVE concerts, panel discussions, and global connection. https://www.vleaf.org

04/27/2020

📣 Contest Alert: You could win a mountain adventure vacation package through Nantahala Outdoor Center!

Let's start dreaming of adventures by giving some away! Enter to win one of two awesome packages and learn more about our dining and lodging partners below!

https://noc.com/lifestyle/cabin-fever

Watershed Resort - The Appy Lodge - Everett Street Diner - The Park Grill - The Peddler Steakhouse

04/22/2020

Happy Earth Day! 🌎

Even during tough times, it's photos like this of the Blue Ridge Mountains that remind us of the natural beauty on Earth. While we're all at home on this , let's flood the comment section of this post with our appreciation for nature! Share your favorite nature photo from a past visit to Asheville. Your photo could be the reason someone smiles today!

Photo credit 📸: Joe Shively Photography (IG: ).

04/20/2020

Even though Biltmore has temporarily closed, you can still take a virtual tour of the house and beautiful spring gardens that are currently in full bloom. Enjoy!

Check out spring at Biltmore House and Gardens! Enjoy a series of virtual tours taking you on a beautiful journey around this lovely estate and its grounds, including springtime gardens, peeks inside Biltmore House,
and more.

www.biltmore.com/blog/biltmore-virtual-tours-of-biltmore-house-and-gardens

And be sure to get your Biltmore Annual Pass and save $100 plus Three Months Added Free!

Now through May 31, new members of Biltmore’s Passholder Family will enjoy 15 months of unlimited Biltmore House visits; unlimited access to the estate’s 8,000-acre backyard; free admission for kids 16 and under; discounts on dining, shopping and tickets; and exclusive Passholder rates at estate hotels. You'll be glad you did!

www.biltmore.com/landing/spring-annual-pass-offer



This incredible photo courtesy of The Biltmore Company.

04/16/2020

No words, his tell it all...except... thanks for sharing Dave Allen!

The Ridge

One of the most amazing scenes I've ever witnessed on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I shot this image on a spring evening as 3 days worth of severe storms were just starting to break up. The conditions were nothing short of stunning with the combination of heavy humidity in the air, wet spring foliage, sun rays bursting through the dramatic storm clouds, serviceberry trees in full bloom, and that incredible golden evening light just laying on the top of the ridge. It's awesome how beautiful our world can be! Hope you enjoy the view, and feel free to share it :)

The Ridge - © 2020 Dave Allen Photography, All Rights Reserved. More at http://www.daveallenphotography.com/

04/15/2020

How many of you have been learning new recipes over the past few weeks? Here's one for a Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie from the Baked Pie Company - Woodfin, and it looks amazing!

If you're baking more than usual, you're not alone. Today, for extra comfort, we're bringing you Chocolate Bourbon Pecan pie, courtesy of Baked Pie Company.

04/12/2020

Easter Blessings to you and yours! Stay safe, well and, at home...for now. But we'll see y'all on the other side of this..and it will be wonderful! Photo credit: Leslie Restivo -Sunrise Beacon Heights Blue Ridge Pkwy Linville, NC

04/06/2020

Update: For the time being, facilities managed by the U.S. Forest Service, including rest areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, will remain closed.

The Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park have issued more delays for facility openings to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

04/03/2020

More trailheads and parking areas have been closed throughout the Pisgah National Forest to help deter crowds.

As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across WNC, the US Forest Service is closing heavily used areas like trailheads in Bent Creek and Looking Glass Falls.

03/25/2020

There were huge crowds at DuPont State Forest this past weekend so they've had to temporarily close is down for now.

DuPont State Recreational Forest is temporarily closed effective March 24, 2020.

Like many other public lands in Western North Carolina, DuPont Forest got hammered with visitors over the weekend. There were too many people unwilling to follow the social distancing guidelines putting the health of our community at risk.

We want to stress that the NC Forest Service did not take this decision lightly. They explored every option to keep the Forest accessible. They know how much we rely on our public lands and understand how important getting outside in the woods can help in a time of crisis. Given the crowds (and lack of social distancing) the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus in our community was just too high. We applaud them for taking the necessary steps to protect the community, staff, and first responders.

Friends of DuPont Forest has spent the last 20 years encouraging everyone to get outside and explore DuPont Forest and other public lands. Right now we encourage everyone to stay home, explore your backyard, and stay safe.

Please see the press release on our website for more details. We’ll keep you updated and when this is all over we can’t wait to welcome you back!

https://www.dupontforest.com/dupontclosed/

03/25/2020

We're seeing more and more of these closure messages for popular outdoor hiking spots. We'll continue sharing what we learn.

March 24, 2020 / Trails and Recreation, Trails Temporarily Closed in Hickory Nut Gorge Bearwallow Mountain Trail. Photo by Clint Calhoun. PRESS RELEASE: Mar. 24, 2020 Conserving Carolina has temporarily closed four trails in the Hickory Nut Gorge, due to overcrowding. The extremely high levels of vi...

03/24/2020

To anyone considering a scenic drive as a form of social distancing, please note that the Blue Ridge Parkway is now limiting access to avoid crowds at popular lookouts, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Stay safe out there!

On March 24, National Park Service officials announced the southernmost 14 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, from Milepost 455 to 469, will close effective immediately. A release sent on Tuesday said the continuing effort supports federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coro...