New trail opens near Old Fort

A new trail is open in the Old Fort area, an important milestone in an ongoing 42-mile trail expansion project there.

Bilingual books on display along Smokies, Gatlinburg trails

Through Aug. 31, three Storybook Trail of the Smokies displays featuring pages in English and Spanish will be open in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and nearby Gatlinburg.

Help rehab beloved Smokies trail

Volunteers are needed to help trail crews in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park rehabilitate the Ramsey Cascades and Little Cataloochee trails, with work sessions 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays through September.

Max Patch work earns national partnership award

The Carolina Mountain Club and U.S. Forest Service received the 2023 Public Lands Partner Award, honoring “exemplary partnership” and “stunning achievements” surrounding the restoration of Max Patch. The national award celebrates the best in public lands partnerships.

Bill seeks National Scenic Trail status for Benton MacKaye Trail

A bipartisan bill seeking to designate the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives as the Benton MacKaye Trail Association continues a push it began in 2021 to bestow the prestigious designation upon the 288-mile trail.

Celebrating a century

Book details Carolina Mountain Club’s 100-year history 

Natural Connection: Statewide 'Year of the Trail' celebration aims to get more people invested in the outdoors

The General Assembly declared 2023 the “Year of The Trail,” in hopes of getting more people to appreciate the state’s outdoor gems. But will it get beyond a marketing effort to a real investment in building and maintaining routes?

HCC opens new Dahlia Ridge Trail System

When A.L. Freedlander issued the 1966 fundraising challenge that birthed the Haywood Community College campus in Clyde, he envisioned a space dedicated not only to learning, but also to natural beauty. Freedlander gave $250,000 in seed money to the project, but with conditions attached: that the campus become “the most beautifully landscaped area in Haywood County” and that its grounds should contain “a good collection of dahlias,” Freedlander’s favorite flower. 

Planning for plants: Botanical survey complete for Pinnacle Park

Sylva has received the results of an in-depth botanical survey of Pinnacle Park revealing that the property is a bonanza of biodiversity. Now, the town is partnering with Jackson County and the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority to fund a master plan implementing survey recommendations.    

Special project grants awarded by Haywood TDA

Although the indirect benefits of the unprecedented tourism boom that’s enveloped Haywood County over the past few years are readily apparent in the form of increased sales taxes and steady work for hospitality industry professionals, locals are finally about to get something out of it besides soaring housing costs and crowded attractions.

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