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Mountain Monarch Festival

Mountain Monarch Festival

The 2nd annual Mountain Monarch Festival will celebrate the monarch butterfly during its migration and bring attention to the species’ declining numbers. Gorges State Park lies along the monarch’s migratory route. The butterflies can be seen in late September each year flying over the park’s visitor center on their way south to the high-elevation fir forests of Mexico’s Neovolcanic Mountains, where they overwinter until early spring. The festival will offer educational programs and exhibits featuring the monarch butterfly, including monarch-themed children’s crafts, live music, a food truck, a festive photo board, local art for sale and a Monarch Migration Passport to lead families through monarch-themed activities. Monarch butterflies have two sets of deep orange and black wings and a wingspan of three to four inches. The migratory subspecies of the monarch was recently added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s “red list” of the most threatened species on Earth and is now listed as endangered. Those who wish to help monarchs return to healthy population levels can plant locally native milkweed and nectar flowers in their yards and support efforts to reduce pesticide use. The Mountain Monarch Festival is sponsored by Friends of Gorges State Park and organized in partnership with Monarch Watch, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, and N.C. Department of Commerce. Admission, music, and programs at the festival will be free. The park requests that those who plan to attend register by clicking here. The festival will be held rain or... Read More
Land of Waterfalls for All

Land of Waterfalls for All

Land of Waterfalls for All 9 Super Attractions for Everyone! If you have limited mobility, it’s still possible to experience many of Brevard and Transylvania County’s most magical natural attractions. Here is a list of nine don’t-miss attractions and activities that are easily accessible if you use a wheelchair, a walker, or need other physical assistance. 1 1 Looking Glass Falls One of the most photographed waterfalls in the country, picturesque Looking Glass Falls is situated just off US 276 in Pisgah National Forest. There is limited parking along a strip leading up to the falls, but the area experiences fairly rapid turnover. While there is no designated accessible parking, there are curb ramps that make it easy for wheelchairs to reach an excellent viewing platform adjacent to the falls. Directions 2 2 Whitewater Falls At 411 feet, Whitewater Falls is the tallest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains and one of the most accessible. There are two designated accessible spaces in the paved parking lot at the south end of the trail. Both are van-accessible with striped access aisles. The trail surface is paved asphalt and smooth. It is wheelchair-friendly to the first observation deck, which affords a nice, long-range view of this spectacular waterfall. Directions     3 3 Sliding Rock Welcome to Mother Nature’s very own Slip n’ Slide. The Sliding Rock Recreation Area includes four designated spaces that are van-accessible with striped access aisles and curb ramps. A paved trail surface takes you to the... Read More