Horsin’ Around Mount Up For A Great Equestrian Experience in Brevard Brevard and Transylvania County’s extensive trail systems have famously offered both cyclists and hikers a whole world of exciting paths to take and places to explore. You don’t, however, always need hiking boots or handlebars to celebrate the Year of the Trail in Brevard’s forests. The equestrian-inclined will find multiple opportunities to get their tails on the trails with the help of four-footed friends, who rarely say “neigh” to a little exploring. Experienced riders have celebrated Brevard’s multiple equestrian options for years, but novices will also find many opportunities to enjoy getting in on the “mane” event. All three of the area’s public lands — Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, and Gorges State Park — have horse-friendly trails. By and large, the trails are clearly marked, but it’s recommended that you do a little research in advance on where horses are welcome before you hoof it into the wilderness. Left your pony at home? No worries. Several local stables will be happy to help you find a suitable horse, gear, and a trail guide to lead you. These include: Pisgah Forest Stables | Rusty Spur Trail Rides | Whitewater Equestrian Center Once you hit the trail, here are some tips to keep in mind whether you are hiking, biking,or horsing around: 1 1 Everyone: Be friendly and aware. That means keeping an eye ahead and an ear on your surroundings....
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Epic singletrack BIKE Magazine calls Brevard and Transylvania County “ground zero for some of the best riding in the nation.” Come celebrate the Year of the Trail on these five awesome singletrack rides. Thad Walker, a former head coach of the Brevard College Bike Team, is your guide. 5 5 Advanced: SYCAMORE COVE Pisgah National Forest “Sycamore Cove throws a little bit of everything at you: groovy, off-camber rocks and roots, steep climbs, and technical downhill. The mid-section is a mile-long ridge ride. At 3.2 miles, Sycamore Cove makes for an ideal workout of an hour or less. If you’ve got more time (and energy) link it with the Black Mountain and Thrift Cove trails. If you do these add ons and look at the map profile on either Garmin Connect or Strava, you’ll understand why locals call this one the ‘Big M’.) This is a great introduction to Pisgah riding.” X 4 4 Easy: RIDGELINE TRAIL Dupont State Recreation Forest “This four mile loop takes about an hour and offers a nice introduction to biking in the forest. With this ride you get a interesting combination of single track trails and gravel Forest Service roads. This is a really flowy trail with sweeping downhills. Advanced riders love it, too, because it’s fast and non-technical. Ridgeline Trail is easily accessible from Dupont Forest’s Guion Farms parking lot. This lot also serves as the starting point for a fun kid’s mountain bike trail featuring a skills area (teeter-totter, log rides,...
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Go With The Flow As we celebrate the Year of the Trail, it’s helpful to remember that some trails just go with the flow. From the 3rd oldest river in the world to numerous tributaries and streams, there are multiple ways to get on the water in Transylvania County. Here are four great ways to enjoy our storied waterways. 1 1 Discover River Snorkeling Want to try something a little out of the main stream? How about exploring the fascinating aquatic life beneath the surface, guided by a freshwater biologist? Ox Bow River Snorkeling offers trips in Pisgah National Forest that will open your eyes to an underwater world teeming with life – including over 30 fish species, numerous invertebrates (including crayfish) and the protected eastern hellbender salamander. 1 2 Tubing on the Davidson River Pisgah National Forest The Davidson River parallels US-276 as it journeys through Pisgah National Forest, giving you lots of convenient put-in and take-out options. But if you’ve never tubed the Davidson and don’t own tubes, we recommend this trip: Rent your tubes from Davidson River Rafting at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest. Drive up US-276 and park your car at the Davidson River Campground. Put in at the bridge (commonly referred to as the Job Corp bridge). From here you’ll have an hour-long float down the Davidson. When you’re done, you can retrieve the car by walking the Eastatoe Trail (on the opposite side of the river from US-276) back to the Davidson River Campground–...
Read MoreHorsin’ Around A Short Overview of Tails, and the Equestrian Experience in Brevard Brevard and Transylvania County’s extensive trail systems have famously offered both cyclists and hikers a whole world of exciting paths to take and places to explore. You don’t, however, always need hiking boots or handlebars to have a grand adventure in Brevard’s forests. The equestrian-inclined will find multiple opportunities to get their tails on the trails with the help of four-footed friends, who rarely say “neigh” to a little exploring. Experienced riders have celebrated Brevard’s multiple equestrian options for years, but novices will also find many opportunities to enjoy getting in on the “mane” event. All three of the area’s public lands — Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, and Gorges State Park — have horse-friendly trails. By and large, the trails are clearly marked, but it’s recommended that you do a little research in advance on where horses are welcome before you hoof it into the wilderness. Left your pony at home? No worries. Several local stables will be happy to help you find a suitable horse, gear, and a trail guide to lead you. These include: Pisgah Forest Stables | Rusty Spur Trail Rides | Whitewater Equestrian Center Once you hit the trail, here are some tips to keep in mind whether you are hiking, biking,or horsing around: 1 1 Everyone: Be friendly and aware. That means keeping an eye ahead and an ear on your surroundings....
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The Birds & The Bees Catching up with Brevard’s flying friends Brevard’s forests, mountains and streams are home to an endlessly fascinating and diverse population of wildlife to discover during North Carolina’s year of the trail. Some of its most interesting residents tend to go high, soaring over the trees and hovering over flower beds. Brevard is a special place to catch up on the birds and the bees, whether you’re the queen bee of honey hoarders or just looking to put a new feather in your cap. See You Later, Pollinator Adventurers with a sweet tooth will find much to enjoy at Killer Bees Honey in Toxaway. This small, family-owned apiary offers a variety of bee tours and honey tastings. If you want to get a true “hive” experience, you can suit up and drone with the drones themselves. Afterwards, sample some of the sweet stuff with cheese, crackers, meats, fruit, and a beverage (alcoholic or non-). Designated by the North Carolina Wildlife Commission as a Wildlife Refuge, Killer Bees provides a welcoming place for all the insects and animals that pollinate the surrounding Pisgah National Forest. A Warm Wel-Comb Up the road from Killer Bees, the Southern Highlands Reserve is appropriately celebrated as a spectacular, native Blue Ridge plant arboretum, research center, and an A+ spot for scenic views. Gorgeous gardens, however, depend on happy bees. Over the last ten years, Reserve staff noticed that “feral” or “wild” honeybees were on site. For the past two years,...
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