Going With The Flow. Often, people think of trails as winding routes across terra firma. Yet the truth is, rivers are the original trails – carved by Mother Nature over eons, they journey across the land following the path of least resistance, resulting in surprises around just about every bend. As we celebrate North Carolina’s Year of the Trail, we want to honor Transylvania County’s first trail: the French Broad River, third oldest river in the world, and its many tributaries. To take us on this journey, we caught up with Jack Henderson, MountainTrue’s French Broad Paddle Trail Manager. Enjoy this Q & A with a passionate advocate for the French Broad River. (Editor’s note: We have paraphrased and edited this interview for brevity.) Q&A Q&A: Tell us a little about yourself, Jack. I’ve been living in western North Carolina since 2010 and have worked for a variety of recreation and conservation groups with focus upon public access and natural resource protection. Prior to joining MountainTrue, I was with RiverLink. Along with Hartwell Carson, who is the Riverkeeper for the French Broad, I help manage the French Broad River Paddle Trail. Q&A Q&A: What makes the French Broad River such a significant, meaningful body of water? It flows from its headwaters within Transylvania County to the confluence with the Holston River where it forms the Tennessee River. It covers a wide variety of ecological, cultural, geological and topographical components in a relatively small physical space. Q&A Q&A: What makes... Read More
Waterfalls Worth the Hike One of the great joys of hiking in Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, and Gorges State Park is that there is often a “reward” for your effort: a stunning view, an interesting geological formation or, as the subject of this blog attests, a waterfall. Here are four hikes that will make all that leg work worth it. 4 1 Rainbow FallsPisgah National Forest (with access from Gorges State Park) Recent improvements at Gorges State Park have made this trek a delight. From the parking area at Grassy Ridge, the well-groomed trail descends to the stunning Horsepasture River. When you reach the river, turn right. The trail becomes steeper, but the effort is worth it. The trail skirts around Rainbow Falls, offering up a great view. If you’ve got energy to burn, continue up river to Turtle Back Falls and Drift Falls — a waterfall trifecta! Distance: 3.9 miles roundtripTrails: Grassy Ridge AccessStarting Point: Grassy Ridge Parking Area, Gorges State Park. Directions to trailhead: From downtown Brevard, go west on US 64 toward Sapphire for 18.2 miles. Turn left on NC 281 and go .7 miles. Turn left into park entrance. Proceed to the Grassy Ridge parking lot. All Trails Link 2 2 Twin FallsPisgah National Forest A beautiful, moderate hike delivers you to this doubly satisfying cascade deep in Pisgah National Forest. If you’re looking for a wintertime hike, this one fits the bill, as the views are best when the leaves are... Read More
Take A Walk On The Wild Side Headwaters State Forest: A Conservation Laboratory North Carolina’s newest state forest was founded in 2018 and represents another iconic destination in Transylvania County. In terms of beauty and features, it’s on par with Pisgah, DuPont and Gorges. However, its remote location and limited access make it a more appropriate destination for adventurers with good wilderness and map-reading skills. We caught up with Assistant Regional Forester Michael Cheek, who oversees this 6,730 acre mountain wonderland for the North Carolina Forest Service to help us understand the importance of Headwaters and the opportunities for visitors to enjoy its unique topography and features — especially as we celebrate North Carolina’s “Year of the Trail.” Q&A Q&A: Michael, what’s distinctive about Headwaters? “Headwaters is located right along the edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and the South Carolina border. It’s very remote and has a very “back country” feel to it. You’ll find plenty of trails and lots of solitude.” Q&A Q&A: What’s the key mission of Headwaters State Forest? “Certainly, recreation is a part of it, but our primary focus is on the conservation of the headwater streams that feed into the East Fork of the French Broad River. There are over a dozen named streams feeding into the East Fork, totaling some 50 miles. That’s where our clean drinking water comes from, and these headwater streams are key to that. Part of our mission is also to demonstrate good forestry practices – to show... Read More
Five Fabulous Hikes There’s no better place to celebrate the Year of the Trail than our little corner of the world. Here in Transylvania County, you can choose to hit the trail in a national forest (Pisgah), a state park (Gorges), two state forests (DuPont and Headwaters) or a charming small town (Brevard). All told, there are more than over a hundred thousand acres of lush woodlands here. An afternoon hike in our part of the world will either soothe your soul or stretch your spirit depending on your path. Below you’ll find five not-to-be-missed hikes. 4 5 Pink Beds Loop Pisgah National Forest Here’s your chance to marvel at the capabilities of the irrepressible “castor canadensis” (more commonly known as the North American beaver) to transform a landscape. This mostly flat 5 mile trail works around bogs and ponds created by these industrious engineers. This high-elevation valley is ideal for a casual ramble. You’ll see lots of native wildflowers and ferns along the way. Be sure to visit the Forest Discovery Center at the nearby Cradle of Forestry, too. Reach the trailhead by entering Pisgah National Forest on US276 and drive north 11.4 miles. Parking is on the right. Level: EasyDistance: 5 milesTrail: Pink Beds LoopStarting Point: Picnic area of Pink Beds Directions: From intersection of US-276/US-64/NC-280, enter Pisgah National Forest. Go 11.4 miles on US-276 North. Turn right into Pink Beds Picnic Area. X 4 4 John Rock Pisgah National Forest John Rock is a local favorite, and with good... Read More
Steven Zaley to Speak on his Father’s 82nd Airborne WWII Experiences By Mike Bazinet Steven R. Zaley, author of They Are Only Gone If They Are Forgotten: A Story about One of the Original Companies of the 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Combat Team, Third Battalion, Headquarters Company, will speak on Saturday, March 18 at 2:30 PM. The location is the Transylvania County Library, 212 South Gaston St., Brevard. The first in the 2023 series of the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas, Zaley’s talk in the library’s Rogow Room is free to attend and will include a question-and-answer period. Zaley has extensively researched and documented the experiences of his father, for whom he was named, from his early years through his training with the then new 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. It was one of the original combat teams of the 82nd Airborne Div., and the team’s four combat operations by parachute insertion in Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Holland. Zaley’s research began after his father’s death in 1997 and a pivotal discussion he had with one of the 82nd Airborne’s military chaplains who had asked him to speak on his father’s experiences to a group of present-day paratroopers. From that beginning grew several years of investigation using original source materials, such as orders and after-action reports, contemporary military newspaper accounts and discussions with 82nd Airborne veterans. Writing in the foreword of his book, Zaley observed, “One paratrooper portrayed in this story found a niche in his young life for his... Read More
You’re invited to shop local this season at the Cedar Mtn Holiday Artisan Market at Cedar Mtn Moonshine/Studio276! •Over 20 local vendors! •Velvet Cup Coffee Truck on-site for hot coffee and delicious mini donuts! •Take your photo with Santa! •The Moonshine tasting room + gallery will be open! •Family friendly event *backup weather location will be the Cedar Mtn Community Center across the street-can’t miss it! *vendors prefer cash in case of bad WiFi behavior... Read More
The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas invites you to join us at Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room on December 2 at 2:00 P.M. for a free encore showing of “Through Their Eyes.” A series of six brief films tell the stories of America’s conflicts since WWI through the eyes of service members, many of them local. October’s premiere brought a standing-room-only crowd, with many requests for another show; so it’s back by popular demand. The film gives a brief history of America at war from WWI through the Global War on Terror, using photos, music, videos, and professional narrative. Museum artifacts support the stories, describing the personal sacrifices of our veterans and paying tribute to combatants and their families. With the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day on December 7, this film is a valuable history lesson and an opportunity to appreciate the sacrifice of those at war and on the home front during WWII. “Through Their Eyes” is a professionally-produced documentary. The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas is grateful to the following organizations for making it possible: North Carolina Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Lake Toxaway Charities, Pisgah Forest Rotary, and Transylvania County. Admission is free to this 45-minute showing of “Through Their Eyes” in Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room (212 South Gaston Street in Brevard) on December 2 at 2:00... Read More