By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 10, 2026
At a Glance
The best way to avoid Blue Ridge Parkway crowds during fall color season is to follow the color down the mountain instead of chasing it on one weekend. Cataloochee Valley, DuPont State Recreational Forest, Bent …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 2, 2026
At a Glance
Pickens Nose is a roughly 1.5-mile out-and-back trail in Nantahala National Forest near Franklin, North Carolina, in Macon County. The trailhead sits on Ball Creek Road near the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, close to the Georgia …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 1, 2026
At a Glance
The best fall hikes in Western North Carolina include Graveyard Fields and Cradle of Forestry near Brevard, DuPont State Forest and Gorges State Park in Transylvania County, Grandfather Mountain near Boone, Mount Mitchell in Yancey …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 28, 2026
At a Glance
Chimney Rock State Park sits in Rutherford County off US-74A, about 25 minutes from Asheville, and centers on two landmarks: the 315-foot Chimney Rock, reached by …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 28, 2026
At a Glance
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic road connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, built starting in 1935 as a Depression-era project that gave Asheville …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 27, 2026
At a Glance
The National Park Service is accepting public comment through September 7 on a Floodplain Statement of Findings for proposed upgrades to the Oconaluftee River Trail near …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 21, 2026
At a Glance
North Carolina visitors spent a record $37.2 billion in 2025, and Western NC led the growth. Macon County posted an 11.1 percent increase in visitor spending, second only to Cherokee County's 13.9 percent. Jackson County …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 21, 2026
At a Glance
About 300 miles of the Appalachian Trail run through North Carolina, and researchers now link the awe it produces to real gains in mood, stress, and social connection. The best access points in WNC include …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 20, 2026
At a Glance
Macon County is closing the section of the Parker Meadows walking trail nearest the creek for approximately two weeks starting August 20, 2026, while improvements are …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 19, 2026
At a Glance
Pisgah View State Park, North Carolina's first state park in Buncombe County, covers roughly 1,570 acres the Cogburn family sold below market value after owning the …