Earth Friendly Ways to Play in Brevard, NC
Earth Day is one of our favorite parts of celebrating Spring! And in Brevard, the natural charm of our planet really shines. The beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains is everywhere, from rolling vistas and towering waterfalls to endangered critters and bubbling rivers. There are so many natural wonders at our fingertips, and protecting them is a year-round affair. Visitors can even take a pledge to explore responsibly while in our corner of the mountains. Any time of year that you visit Brevard, you can always partake in earth-friendly activities to get you in the eco-friendly spirit. Here are a few of our favorites!
Ditch Your Car
Ditch your vehicle for two-wheeled transport in the Land of Waterfalls. The Estatoe Trail stretches from the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest to downtown Brevard. This family-friendly greenway has convenient access to the Lumberyard District, as well as Oskar Blues Brewing and Ecusta Brewing. You may also find a trailside market on your ride. Plus, you can get around with a small carbon footprint.
Photo by Callie Horwath for The Pisgah Conservancy
Support Our Forests
Come on out to support the largest section of public land in Transylvania County. Pisgah Project Day is an annual volunteer day coordinated by The Pisgah Conservancy (TPC) with 400+ volunteers that focuses on various forest improvement projects in the Pisgah Ranger District, which covers approximately 165,000 acres and encompasses notable landmarks such as Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, and Looking Glass Mountain. Explore Brevard is the lead sponsor each year and has invested more than $150,000 in stewardship projects coordinated by TPC, including their annual work on Pisgah Project Day. This year’s project day is on April 26th, 2025. Click here to sign up or learn more about the great work of TPC.
Shop Green & Local
Local businesses in the Land of Waterfalls also love the earth! The many beverage options at Cedar Mountain Canteen are almost as refreshing as the fact that this public listening house is a zero-waste space. It’s a relaxing place to go after a day of exploring in DuPont State Recreational Forest or Headwaters State Forest. They’ve got over 150 drinks to choose from, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. It’s the perfect Trashquatch-approved way to have a drink with no footprint.
Located in the heart of Downtown Brevard, Cup and Saucer is a cozy café with a vibey atmosphere — perfect for a chill stop or a space to write that novel you’ve been thinking about. They’ve also got a mercantile with plenty of fun eco-friendly products such as reusable towels, tumblers, and local goods, including a filling station for Green Go Cleaning Co.
Keep Our Rivers Clean
Show some love to the third oldest river in the world at Upper French Broad River Clean Up Day with Headwaters Outfitters. This is a fun volunteer opportunity on May 17th, 2025 at the beautiful French Broad River that includes a free canoe ride with breakfast and lunch provided. Since the start of this clean-up day in 1992, the annual river clean-up has netted more than 2,900 garbage bags, 4,500 old tires, and roughly 13 additional tons of trash. The French Broad looks good for her age, let’s help keep it that way!
Be a Good Steward
In 2017, we launched a sustainability initiative called Transylvania Always. Our mission is to be the leader in caring for Transylvania County’s public lands. Over the years, we’ve contributed more than $600,000 to projects for our local woods and waterways. In 2020, we created “Leave It Better” — an initiative to encourage responsible use of our natural resources. We even have our very own forest steward roaming the county. Trashsquatch, a mythical forest dweller who formed out of litter left by visitors to his home, asks public land users to “Leave It Better” and make trash as difficult to find as he is. Please join us, and Trashsquatch, in mindful behavior so Transylvania County remains an outdoor paradise for years to come.
