Panthertown Valley near Cashiers in western North Carolina has been called the Yosemite of the East. Even its most ardent supporters will acknowledge that’s a bit of a stretch. Which isn’t to say it’s not a memorable place to explore.
At just 6,311 acres, this pocket of the Nantahala National Forest is full of great views, numerous waterfalls, and mountain streams noted for their trout. It also has 30 miles of trail to help you see it all. It may not be Yellowstone; rather, it’s a microcosm of what Yellowstone is known for. It’s also one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the country.read more
Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb.read more
If there were justice in this world, every bank executive and mortgage handler in the land would be forced to turn out on Saturday and participate in National Trails Day. Rationale? Federal, state and municipal land managers are facing drastic cuts as a result of recent recklessness in the financial sector, and they’re more in need than ever for help to maintain existing trails and blaze new ones. Alas, since it’s doubtful we’ll see a brigade of shovel- and mattock-wielding pinstripes flooding our forests Saturday, it’s up to the rest of us.read more
