Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of the Asheville Area and Western North Carolina Mountains... the Blue Ridge Mountains... the Great Smoky Mountains... Roan Mountain... Mount Mitchell... Grandfather Mountain...
Grandfather Mountain
"....is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge mountain range and a globally recognized nature preserve. Stand head and shoulders above the surrounding region, marvel at 360-degree views of mountain ridge after mountain ridge retreating to the horizon, and discover sanctuary for the human spirit...."
The Mile High Swinging Bridge
was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak. The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm at more than one mile in elevation. Surveys show that the journey to the other side is always considered the highlight of a trip to Grandfather Mountain...."
"I crossed the counfound bridge at Grandfather Mountain... oh m'god... where's the flask when you need it... I could use some peppermint schnapps about now..."
Mount Mitchell State Park "... There are a few places in the world that still stand apart from the ordinary. Rising more than a mile high, surrounded by the gentle mist of low-hanging clouds, Mount Mitchell State Park is one of these extraordinary places. In the crest of the timeworn Black Mountains lies the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. For those who ascend this mighty peak, what looms in the horizon is a feast for the eyes—breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling ridges and fertile valleys. Forested and forever misty, 1,946-acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil moments you'll ever experience...."
Friends of the Black and
Great Craggy Mountains
".... The Black and Craggy Mountains, twenty miles northeast of Asheville, in Western North Carolina are where Mt. Mitchell (the highest peak in the Eastern United States) is located and the area contains an extensive amount of old growth forest. This area vied with The Great Smokey Mountains region earlier this century for National Park status and lost out to the Smokies. The Blacks' and Craggies' Spruce-Fir Forests and rugged topography are unparalleled.The land which makes up the Blacks and Craggies is a conglomeration of National Forest, watersheds, a state park, the Blue Ridge Parkway and privately held land. The area is increasingly under the pressures of the rapid growth of the surrounding region and the looming United States Forest Service revision plans for Pisgah National Forest. All the other Southern National Forests have seen a drastic increase in proposed logging in their recently revised forest plans...."
Friends of Road Mountain
"... A major goal of the Friends of Roan Mountain is to support the annual Naturalists' Rallies. For more than four decades, in both spring and fall, people have come to Roan Mountain to participate in a three-day celebration of the diversity of life found there. A wide variety of hikes led by naturalists explore subjects such as wildflowers, birds, butterflies, ferns, geology, history, medicinal and edible plants, mushrooms, salamanders, stream ecology, and astronomy. These annual treks have become a tradition for many - a chance not only to visit flora and fauna but to reunite with friends as well. In the evenings, participants are treated to a catered meal and refreshments in the park's Convention Center. This time of fellowship is followed by interesting programs presented by expert naturalists, authors, and photographers. It is no wonder that these rallies have become a tradition in the lives of those who love Roan Mountain...."
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Discover the Bliss of the Mountains of Western North Carolina.
"...
a masterful tribute to the natural wonder that permeates the Blue Ridge.... readers will learn why Jack-in-the-pulpit plants periodically change sexes, the defining characteristics of the mountain forests and how early settlers made bee hives and rabbit traps from hollow black gum trees... details about the natural origins of the great Mythic Hawk and Mythic Serpent of the Cherokees, the demise of the timber wolf and the amusing spotted skunk, who does a handstand and looks between its legs before spraying an intruder.
Each year, thousands of tourists visit Mount Mitchell, the most prominent feature of North Carolina's Black Mountain range and the highest peak in the eastern United States. Environmental historian Timothy Silver explores the long and complicated history of this intriguing landscape, drawing on both the historical record and his experience in the Black Mountains as a backpacker and fly fisherman.
He chronicles the geological and environmental forces that created the mountains, then traces their history of environmental change and human intervention from the days of Indian-European contact to today.
Among the many tales Silver recounts is that of Elisha Mitchell, the renowned geologist and University of North Carolina professor for whom Mount Mitchell is named, who fell to his death there in 1857. But nature's stories--of forest fires, chestnut blight, competition among plants and animals, insect invasions, and, most recently, airborne toxins and acid rain--are also part of Silver's narrative, making it the first history of the Appalachians in which the natural world gets equal time with human history. It is only by understanding the dynamic between these two forces, Silver says, that we can begin to protect the Black Mountains for future generations.
The beauty of this book is that it tells the whole story of the mountain, from rocks to salamanders to Daniel Boone and beyond. The author shows us that we cannot ignore the human impact on the mountain any more than we can ignore its rich biodiversity...that the key to preserving Grandfather's future lies in understanding its past. That Grandfather Mountain is the heart of this part of the Appalachians we call home, and that its future is our future. Read this book and then climb "The Grandfather." Then, you will understand."
Stewart Skeate, Ph.D.
A complete vacation guide to the mountains of Northeast Georgia, East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, and Southwestern Virginia. Includes the Great Smoky Mountains and the southern portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
In this enthralling selection of essays and full-color paintings drawn from the critically acclaimed Blue Ridge Nature Journal, George and Elizabeth Ellison call upon a lifetime of outdoor experiences to illuminate the extraordinary natural history of the Blue Ridge Mountains. George's absorbing essays offer insight into the region's geologic origins, plants, animals and related Cherokee and settler lore while Elizabeth's artwork provides an evocative journey through the heart of this celebrated region. Take this volume along with you as you experience the natural majesty of the Blue Ridge.
